High Octane Gas

[the bandit]

When I go to the track will the High octane fuel they have at drag strips help my car? Is it worth buuying it?

[nikon]

...quick explanation for higher octane is that the higher the number the harder it is to burn....high octane fuel is only necessary if pre-ignition is a problem (gas igniting before it gets inside the cylinder)....if this isnt a problem it will hurt you

[Red94Camaro]

You will do better with 87, thats what its meant to run on.

[ABH]

What they said. Unless you have a high compression engine or pre-ignition, save your money.

[95Batmobile]

I say run what feels right to you.

My car runs terrible on 87, it loves 91... Put in 87 and it retards the timing, runs like crap. If you buy gas at the track though, it takes like 20-30 minutes of driving to get all the existing fuel out of the lines from what I've heard, so if you buy 5 gallons at the track or whatever it probably won't even be used.

[mjparme]

Octane has been discussed to death on this board and no consensus has been reached.

Our engines shouldn't require any more than 87 because they are not high compression and don't suffer from detonation on 87. However, I have quantified a increase in interstate mileage when using 91 octane vs 87. This seems to be fairly common from the many threads I have read about it.

This has always puzzled me since 91 octane by definition is slower burning than 87. Since we don't have high compression engines the faster burning 87 should be fine. However, quantified results say otherwise.

For your question I would say compare your results on both fuels and come to a conclusion.

[F1GT]

Originally posted by mjparme:
Octane has been discussed to death on this board and no consensus has been reached.

Our engines shouldn't require any more than 87 because they are not high compression and don't suffer from detonation on 87. However, I have quantified a increase in interstate mileage when using 91 octane vs 87. This seems to be fairly common from the many threads I have read about it.

This has always puzzled me since 91 octane by definition is slower burning than 87. Since we don't have high compression engines the faster burning 87 should be fine. However, quantified results say otherwise.

For your question I would say compare your results on both fuels and come to a conclusion.

Well, if this happened, is the extra cost for 91 worth the extra mileage? or would u sticking to 87 and using that extra money per tank on 91 and applying it to 87 get more bang for the buck?

I put in 91 for the FIRST time since I got my car last week, just for the L of it, but that day I drove over 150 highway miles more than usual and got 407.5 miles to one tankful. So....the only way to duplicate that on 87 is to do the same driving which will prolly be very unlikely. The main difference I felt is that the car ran smoother and a lot quieter, even with an exhaust.

Also my car ran a lot quieter when i put 91 Chevron with Techron. Hell, when I put a bottle of Techron with 87, my exhaust gets way quiet too. With each successive tank, with no additive, it slowly gets louder again. strange..

[GhostRunner]

Out here in the desert where it's regularly 120 or so on the street, I actually *do* have better performance/gas mileage using 91 octane than 87... Generally I'll use mid-grade, which'll get me ~26 mpg, I'll get around 24 with 87, but if I use 91, or 91 with a gallon or so of 100 octane, which they sell at the pump at Union 76 stations, I'll see 28-30 mpg.

During the winter when it's cooler, I doubt I'll run anything other than 87.

[94TeaL]

I got around 10-30 more miles per tank using 93 instead of 87..

[Pastor Larry Roques]

I have two 6 cylinder vehicles...one, the bird which I have since I have owned it used nothing but 91 or higher. And my 94 Merc. Villager (nissan) which if I put any less than 91 in that car, it runs like a lawn tractor and gets horrible mileage, not to mention the unbelievable pinging I get on 87 octane. I have come to believe that fuel is like food. Eat garbage....and get ready for gastric noises, aches and pains followed by a shortened life. Eat good things...and have less problems and probably add a couple of years to your time here on the big blue ball. I have not experimented to see if my 'bird pings on 87, but I kind of feel like my colleagues who wrote in previously...for the beter performance and increased mileage...its worth a dime extra a gallon....and besides...Saddam Hussein's in Jail....I'll pay more for gas....no problem! ;)

[CHRISB]

I hear ya all. I was just coming here to post a "Higher octane works better " . I just changed my fuel filter last weekend and poured 4 12oz bottles of fuel injector cleaner in my almost empty tank. I then decided to try higher octane fuel and instead of the cheap Racetrak, Habib mart, any other 87 crap that I usually stick to because of $$$. I went to Chevron and put 93 in to test out. [img]graemlins/omg.gif[/img] . Instant difference. My 3.4L has about 118,000 on it and the gas mileage is getting worsed by the tank. Its a five speed and I drive normal. But only get about 260 miles to a tank. The engine was slow in response to the throttle when shifting and take off. And the eninge missed and stumbled all over itself. Now with the 93 octane, the car has instant throttle respones, no hesitation, smooth excelleration and more power and smoother running. I don't care what any one says. But when I put higher octane in after running 87 for over a year, it makes a difference. On higher mileage vehicles, it helps.

[99v6cam]

Originally posted by 95Batmobile:
I say run what feels right to you.

My car runs terrible on 87, it loves 91... Put in 87 and it retards the timing, runs like crap. If you buy gas at the track though, it takes like 20-30 minutes of driving to get all the existing fuel out of the lines from what I've heard, so if you buy 5 gallons at the track or whatever it probably won't even be used.

I don't mean to jack the thread or anything, but ever since I got my car I put 93 in it. Ran just fine until it started getting around 98 degrees out everyday, then it got to run rough like the timing is off or something. My exhaust smells like a gas station and it backfires ALL THE TIME. Think that might be because I'm putting 93 octane in it?

[camaroincal]

Our cars run ****ty in the heat. You may have a clogged fuel filter and/or an ignition problem.

[DARK SDE '02]

I use mid-grade, 89 Octane I believe and my car runs great and gets over 400 miles on a tank unless I do a lot of city driving.

[SD6]

Only reason you would need to run a higher octane is if you're getting knocking on your current octane. If you run higher octane without the need to, you're just wasting your money. The computer can't compensate for the higher octane. If it could, it would advance the timing and thus more power.