C4 Tech/Performance L98 Corvette and LT1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine

1986, which octane????

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Apr 30, 2005 | 01:01 PM
  #1  
jeremy carl's Avatar
jeremy carl
Thread Starter
Advanced
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas Nv
Default 1986, which octane????

noticed a knock/ rattle coming from the engine of my '86 at low revs and was running it on 85 octane. So for the hell of it I went up to 91 octane and what a difference, its like a new engine.

What does everyone else run their C4's on??
Reply
Old Apr 30, 2005 | 01:07 PM
  #2  
Red Tornado's Avatar
Red Tornado
Team Owner
 
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 22,209
Likes: 12
From: OBAMA IS HITLER
Default

jeremy, your '86 is a 9.5:1 (ostensibly) compression vehicle. 87 octane should be the minimum. i would run 87 or 89.

91 is probably just a wallet-lightener. try all 3 and find out which your engine can tolerate the best......i'm betting 89 is your ticket
Reply
Old Apr 30, 2005 | 01:11 PM
  #3  
vader86's Avatar
vader86
Team Owner
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,153
Likes: 1,731
From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Default

Shouldnt need more than 87 octane.
Reply
Old Apr 30, 2005 | 01:41 PM
  #4  
scorp508's Avatar
scorp508
Team Owner
Supporting Lifetime Gold
25 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 83,383
Likes: 87
From: Boston, MA
Default

Originally Posted by jeremy carl
....what a difference, its like a new engine.
91 octane is more stable, allows for more compression, and less powerful (as is every octane grade higher). It sounds like the 85 couldn't take your car's compression & spark timing which I'm not surprised of. 87 or 89 should be plenty for a stock L98.
Reply
Old Apr 30, 2005 | 02:11 PM
  #5  
jvette44's Avatar
jvette44
Instructor
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
From: Kelowna B.C.
Default

89 0ctane for me!
Reply
Old Apr 30, 2005 | 02:43 PM
  #6  
Draven's Avatar
Draven
Le Mans Master
20 Year Member
All Eyes On Me
Liked
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 7,163
Likes: 61
From: NH
St. Jude Donor '14
Default

I run '93. The place I get gas runs out of the lower grades all the time and he sells the '93 at 87 prices when thats all he has. I just make sure I catch him on a monday / tuesday before his truck comes in. ; )
Reply
Old Apr 30, 2005 | 03:03 PM
  #7  
Alzado77's Avatar
Alzado77
Racer
 
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 428
Likes: 0
From: Morgantown WV
Default

I run 93 in mine but have used 91 and 89 with no noticeable difference. I've heard of more carbon buildup with the lower octanes so figured the I'd play it safe seeings it's not that much more.
Reply
Old Apr 30, 2005 | 06:34 PM
  #8  
rws.1's Avatar
rws.1
Race Director
20 Year Member
Conversation Starter
All Eyes On Me
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 16,795
Likes: 62
From: Lake Havasu City, AZ
Default

93 Octane. because the premium has more detergent to keep the engine cleaner.
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

 Brett Foote
story-2

10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

 Michael S. Palmer
story-3

8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

 Joe Kucinski
story-6

Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-7

Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Apr 30, 2005 | 06:42 PM
  #9  
CentralCoaster's Avatar
CentralCoaster
Team Owner
 
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
Default

I run 87 and a half scoop of Tide with Color-safe bleach.
Reply
Old Apr 30, 2005 | 08:48 PM
  #10  
rrubel's Avatar
rrubel
Burning Brakes
Supporting Lifetime
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 993
Likes: 4
From: Glen Burnie MD
Default

FWIW, the 86 owner's manual says 87 octane minimum. If you buy from a decent gas station, all grades should have the same detergents in them...

I ran just fine on 87 once I hooked up the knock sensor that some former owner had disconnected and tie-wrapped to the frame .
[RICHR]
Reply
Old Apr 30, 2005 | 10:12 PM
  #11  
GreyHairedTopGun's Avatar
GreyHairedTopGun
Instructor
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 210
Likes: 0
From: Racine WI
Default Detergent additives

All grades do not have the same additives package. The highest grade has the best package. It's not all about octane.
Reply
Old May 1, 2005 | 12:54 AM
  #12  
PierEagle's Avatar
PierEagle
Drifting
 
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,592
Likes: 3
From: St Louis MO
Default

I only put about 4500 miles/yr on the car so I use 91. If it were a daily driver I would probably go with 89. As someone said on another thread, 89 is 87 and 91 mixed by the pump so you should be getting the additives in each also.
Reply
Old May 1, 2005 | 01:51 AM
  #13  
REDC4CORVETTE's Avatar
REDC4CORVETTE
Safety Car
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 4,532
Likes: 7
From: Lahaina Hi
Default

At $2.96 a gallon and $2.93 I just use the expensive one.
I still get a ping at times.
Reply
Old May 1, 2005 | 09:54 AM
  #14  
rrubel's Avatar
rrubel
Burning Brakes
Supporting Lifetime
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 993
Likes: 4
From: Glen Burnie MD
Default

Originally Posted by GreyHairedTopGun
All grades do not have the same additives package. The highest grade has the best package. It's not all about octane.
Once again, it depends on the brand. Some companies, like Enroy (sold at Royal Farms) make a big deal about how even their lowest grade has the same "protection" as their highest. Others, like Texaco, are the opposite. And Amoco seems to switch back and forth. Sometimes they say all grades are the same, and then a couple months later add something different to their 93. And Sunoco uses the same base for all their grades, mixing it in different proportions to get 94, 93, 91, 87, and 85 at one pump (at least around us).
[RICHR]
Reply
Old May 1, 2005 | 11:40 AM
  #15  
Bilyk's Avatar
Bilyk
Drifting
 
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,419
Likes: 0
From: Mississauga Ont
Default

I use 87 with zero problems on my 1985. And thats without those fancy 86 aluminum heads.
Reply
Old Jun 6, 2005 | 04:17 AM
  #16  
Casethecorvetteman's Avatar
Casethecorvetteman
Le Mans Master
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 5,214
Likes: 65
From: Queensland, AUSTRALIA
Default

I use 98 octane in my 94, and always used the same in my 87, or 95 if the 98 was not available. Im not sure if you guys have 98 octane fuel over there, but here in Australia, 91 is regular unleaded, premium is 95 and OPTIMAX or ULTIMATE are 98 octane.
Reply
Old Jun 6, 2005 | 07:44 AM
  #17  
jschoof's Avatar
jschoof
Instructor
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 197
Likes: 0
From: Ferndale, Detroit, MI 1993 Ruby Coupe
Default

whoa. those must be metric octanes instead of standard.

that was a joke.
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To 1986, which octane????

Old Jun 6, 2005 | 07:53 AM
  #18  
Casethecorvetteman's Avatar
Casethecorvetteman
Le Mans Master
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 5,214
Likes: 65
From: Queensland, AUSTRALIA
Default

Originally Posted by jschoof
whoa. those must be metric octanes instead of standard.

that was a joke.
hmmmmm... VERY FUNNY....
Reply
Old Jun 6, 2005 | 10:12 AM
  #19  
CFI-EFI's Avatar
CFI-EFI
Race Director
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
Likes: 33
From: The Top of Utah
Default

Originally Posted by Casethecorvetteman
I use 98 octane in my 94, and always used the same in my 87, or 95 if the 98 was not available.
The higher the octane, the slower it burns and the less power it produces. Octane ONLY suppresses knock or pinging. If an engine doesn't ping or the ECM doesn't retard the timing, you have enough octane. Excess octane can only serve to waste money AND performance.

RACE ON!!!
Reply
Old Jun 6, 2005 | 01:05 PM
  #20  
Casethecorvetteman's Avatar
Casethecorvetteman
Le Mans Master
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 5,214
Likes: 65
From: Queensland, AUSTRALIA
Default

garbage budrow...
Reply



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 02:13 AM.

story-0
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

Slideshow: 10 ugly Corvettes that we still kinda love.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-03 10:34:17


VIEW MORE
story-1
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

A lot of money has changed hands at the online auction house over the years.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-03 10:21:50


VIEW MORE
story-2
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

Slideshow: 10 great gifts Corvette enthusiasts actually want for Father's Day!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-03 15:43:40


VIEW MORE
story-3
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

Slideshow: These are the quirks, annoyances, and oddly lovable problems that every Corvette owner eventually learns to live with.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-28 09:31:39


VIEW MORE
story-4
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

Slideshow: 10 reasons why the C6 Z06 is still a performance benchmark after 20 years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 17:20:09


VIEW MORE
story-5
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

Slideshow: How much horsepower every Corvette engine lost in 1972.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:54:53


VIEW MORE
story-6
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

Slideshow: How to Protect A Convertible Top: 10 DOs & DON'Ts

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-03 00:00:00


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

Slideshow: The 10 most explosive Corvettes ever built based on power-to-weight ratio.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-20 07:23:03


VIEW MORE
story-8
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

Slideshow: From C1 to C8 we compare every Corvette generation by the numbers.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 16:54:12


VIEW MORE
story-9
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

Slideshow: Some Corvette pace cars became collectible legends, while others perfectly captured the look and attitude of their era.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-11 09:50:51


VIEW MORE