View Poll Results : Gas grade used for C4 Vette
Gas grade to use
Jun 6, 2025 | 03:24 PM
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2025
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
Gas grade to use
What grade of gas does the C4 corvettes like to run on? Is it going be a 91 hungry beast?
Jun 6, 2025 | 03:28 PM
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,143
Likes: 1,729
From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Not one answer here, the C4 varies some in Compression Ratio during the long run.
My 86 ran perfectly on 87 octane. My 88 preferred midgrade when stock. Later cars could run midgrade or premium. So what year do you have?
The correct answer is hook up the scanner and run the lowest octane that doesn't give you any knock counts.
Jun 6, 2025 | 03:30 PM
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2025
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
Jun 6, 2025 | 03:32 PM
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,143
Likes: 1,729
From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Squid8392
I have an '85
With the low CR of the iron head cars you should stick with 87.
Jun 6, 2025 | 04:11 PM
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 1,395
Likes: 437
From: Marlton NJ
A stock 85 will run fine on regular 87 octane fuel. You don’t need to buy higher octane fuel until the engine requires it through performance upgrades
Jun 6, 2025 | 09:07 PM
Pro
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 518
Likes: 264
From: Jasper GA
I get excessive knock if I don’t run 91, and my car only has 47k miles, so it’s not a wear issue. Yeah it costs more but my overall cost is a lot less than the folks buying a new Camry.
Jun 7, 2025 | 07:29 AM
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,171
Likes: 820
From: Chapel Hill NC
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Jun 7, 2025 | 08:29 AM
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,827
Likes: 212
From: Charlestown IN
Cruise-In V Veteran
I have an '85. I use 91 octane in everything I own. Including mowers. Gordon K told me these cars were designed to run on 87. No need for high octane gas. However, the gas we get here is garbage, The 91 does better. I work on small engines and I've seen the damage 87 can do.
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Jun 7, 2025 | 08:38 AM
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 3,583
Likes: 504
From: Indianapolis IN
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Unmodified
C4 of Year Finalist (stock) 2019
1986 iron heads running 87 octane with NO issues....I ran 87 in my aluminum headed 87 with the same results. Both ran/run just fine.
I refuse to waste money on higher octane fuel that will do nothing to improve the performance of my car that I could ever notice.
Jun 7, 2025 | 09:14 AM
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,649
Likes: 863
Where's the voting button for 93 ?
Jun 8, 2025 | 03:44 PM
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,185
Likes: 381
From: Lunenburg MA
My '90 is only happy with 93. My '87 is happy on 91, but not 87. This is with 10% ethanol here in the northeast.
Jun 8, 2025 | 04:40 PM
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,465
Likes: 309
From: Murrells Inlet, SC (formally New Windsor, NY)
Non eth 91 in my 86 vert. The car is not driven much so it does better on the real stuff.
Jun 9, 2025 | 03:49 PM
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,188
Likes: 306
From: Shelbyville Kentucky
LT1/LT4 use 91 or better. L98 meh, 87 might be fine, the compression is not that high.
Jun 9, 2025 | 04:46 PM
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 933
Likes: 165
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Squid8392
What grade of gas does the C4 corvettes like to run on? Is it going be a 91 hungry beast?
my 84 runs the same regardless of octane.
Jun 9, 2025 | 05:48 PM
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 4,155
Likes: 553
From: Glenbeulah Wi
My 1986 had lots of knock retard on 87 octane, had to run 91 or better to keep the knock away. It was all stock.
Jun 10, 2025 | 10:10 AM
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2025
Posts: 16
Likes: 5
From: British Columbia
My 1993 is noticeably different between 91 and 94, so I always run 94.
Jun 11, 2025 | 07:22 AM
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 823
Likes: 106
From: Somewhere near Fort Wayne, Indiana
I run 87 in my 89, but I get a lot of shake under heavy throttle. I never considered it might be the octane, so I'll try some midgrade next tank. (It does say "Premium recommended" under the gas filler cover)
Jun 11, 2025 | 07:29 AM
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 9,060
Likes: 214
From: Epping NH
I go by my manual which recommends 91 or better.