Regular Gas ok?
1/4 mile/AutoX
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 11,439
Likes: 2,184
From: Buffalo Texas
^^^^ Bill I have a friend who bought a new C 7 in 2014, the first time I got to ride in it he stopped to get gas. I went in to get us a pop, I came out and said your putting regular in there ??? I said it takes Premium, he just said the owners manual recommends Premium to which I said for a couple bucks. It won't hurt anything, I said feel bad for the next owner !!!!
Racer
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 310
Likes: 28
From: Seabrook Tx
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 21,325
Likes: 3,841
From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
I've paid 4 dollars a gallon for premium in the past, and could care less.... I have no control over the prices, but I know what the car requires. I'll play it safe with the security of having enough octane when the car needs it. I drive the car mostly in the summer, where it is absolutely necessary. I'm not going to try to save a few buck, when I know and can feel confident putting the best fuel I can get. Lots of people " Think " 15000 mile oil will last for 15,000 miles, are the same ones who think regular fuel is all that is required, when in fact regular fuel was never recommended in the first place. Just from a Logic point of view, with compression ratios north of 10.3:1... being one of the most powerful motors developed. What do these regular fuel advocates, think all the premium fuel at each gas station is for? Same for the oil... its very specific for a Y body ( bottom breather ) specific because ita normal run temp is much higher than a conventional engine. The guys who run regular fuel, extend their oil way past its oil life, and use just any oil, are the ones who pass on these disasters to un knowing victims of their abuse.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 21,325
Likes: 3,841
From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
IM going to bale out of this thread..... my calm down meter is beeping.
Hope the OP good luck with his car, and hope he can find the right people on this forum to help him in time of need... as I always say to a Newbie to the forum....." be very careful who you listen too here "
Bill aka ET
Hope the OP good luck with his car, and hope he can find the right people on this forum to help him in time of need... as I always say to a Newbie to the forum....." be very careful who you listen too here "
Bill aka ET
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 964
Likes: 124
From: Chesapeake Va
Pro
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 601
Likes: 79
From: Georgia
I say, take your car to a reputable mechanic/repair shop, get all the fluids, belts, and hoses changed, put new tires on if the build date is too long ago, and then take the car out and enjoy it. All these worries may turn out to be a moot point. 
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,764
Likes: 375
From: Central Florida
I think what gas to use has been covered, so I won't comment on that.
But I will say some remedial math is in need for people to figure out how much more premium gas is as a percentage, and how much more 16 gallons will cost you on a complete fill up.
But I will say some remedial math is in need for people to figure out how much more premium gas is as a percentage, and how much more 16 gallons will cost you on a complete fill up.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 426
Likes: 128
From: Buffalo, Texas
I go out of my way to put 93 octane in mine at $3.85 a gallon, but I can tell a difference. The annoying minor occasional ticking has disappeared and maybe it's me, but I can feel more power on take off. I change oil with Royal Purple every 3000 miles NO MATTER WHAT THE OLM SAYS because I am now autocrossing nearly every other weekend at least. I love this car and I want to do what it takes to make it last a long long time and perform at it's best.
1/4 mile/AutoX
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 11,439
Likes: 2,184
From: Buffalo Texas
I go out of my way to put 93 octane in mine at $3.85 a gallon, but I can tell a difference. The annoying minor occasional ticking has disappeared and maybe it's me, but I can feel more power on take off. I change oil with Royal Purple every 3000 miles NO MATTER WHAT THE OLM SAYS because I am now autocrossing nearly every other weekend at least. I love this car and I want to do what it takes to make it last a long long time and perform at it's best.
Pro
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 572
Likes: 101
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 6,937
Likes: 348
From: My interests are mobile
Since you encourage the use of a reduced octane fuel, please be clear and define how your car "detects" spark knock, via the knock sensors. What has to happen, specifically, for the knock sensors to request a timing alteration?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 6,937
Likes: 348
From: My interests are mobile
We tried to make this car idiot proof.. but as time has shown, there is a much higher order of idiot out there..
BTW the OLM algorithm string was changed in 2000.
The base line was increased from 10,000 miles to 15000 miles. The OLM was that good...
How smart do you have to be to read, Change the OIL when the OLM says too, or at one year, which ever comes first. Seems to me even an 8 year old could figure that one out.
Just for the idiots among us... when I said GM changed the OLM algorithms base line in 2000 to 15000 miles from 10,000 miles, that doesn't mean you can drive your car 15,000 miles between oil changes.... this car was so designed and the OLM updated to be idiot proof to insure a 200,000 mile motor. BTW the DOT compliance sticker on the door for tire pressure was put there because, these very same idiots were putting 65 psi in their tires because that's what it said on the sidewall. Max pressure 65 psi. They figure more must be better.
Premium fuel ( 93 Octane ), in Pennsylvania, where I live is 5 cents more than mid-range fuel . regular fuel is 15 cents cheaper than Mid range. Anyone who drives a Corvette, and is concerned about 4 dollars a fill, is driving the wrong car. Premium fuel is not always necessary but when your car need the extra octane at sea level or under load or in a lug load condition, its good to have it there...... every time the knock sensors are activated, that pre ignition explosion before top dead center is destroying your engine one molecule at a time. plus you are loosing any added performance value, and for what? 4 dollars? Seems pretty stupid to me.. but then stupidity breads those idiots we so lovingly talk about. Those are the guys you would not want to be the second owner of their car.
BTW the OLM algorithm string was changed in 2000.
The base line was increased from 10,000 miles to 15000 miles. The OLM was that good...
How smart do you have to be to read, Change the OIL when the OLM says too, or at one year, which ever comes first. Seems to me even an 8 year old could figure that one out.
Just for the idiots among us... when I said GM changed the OLM algorithms base line in 2000 to 15000 miles from 10,000 miles, that doesn't mean you can drive your car 15,000 miles between oil changes.... this car was so designed and the OLM updated to be idiot proof to insure a 200,000 mile motor. BTW the DOT compliance sticker on the door for tire pressure was put there because, these very same idiots were putting 65 psi in their tires because that's what it said on the sidewall. Max pressure 65 psi. They figure more must be better.
Premium fuel ( 93 Octane ), in Pennsylvania, where I live is 5 cents more than mid-range fuel . regular fuel is 15 cents cheaper than Mid range. Anyone who drives a Corvette, and is concerned about 4 dollars a fill, is driving the wrong car. Premium fuel is not always necessary but when your car need the extra octane at sea level or under load or in a lug load condition, its good to have it there...... every time the knock sensors are activated, that pre ignition explosion before top dead center is destroying your engine one molecule at a time. plus you are loosing any added performance value, and for what? 4 dollars? Seems pretty stupid to me.. but then stupidity breads those idiots we so lovingly talk about. Those are the guys you would not want to be the second owner of their car.
Honda made it very clear why they, as a company, insured that higher compression engines allowed for survivability with lower octane fuels, and they said it very clearly in 2003....because Americans will put the wrong octane in the car, regardless how they are directed. You have to anticipate ridiculous behavior, in order to protect yourself from a warranty perspective. In 2004, the new civic si had over 30 ft/lbs of torque (at the tire) left in the tuning, to simply be sure the engines survived low octane. If you, as an owner, had your brain intact, you could re-tune the ecu to unlock a large boost of torque in the midrange.
All these guys here preach about how the car simply "detects" knock and adjusts, but they all avoid the subject of what is actually occurring internally to create a frequency to activate a knock sensor.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 21,325
Likes: 3,841
From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
It's a shame when your opinion on the subject is in the vast minority. Apparently guys who read owners manuals know more about combustion science and internal engine mechanics than the engineers who built the car and guys who have built engines for decades. Interesting crowd of regurgitation.
Honda made it very clear why they, as a company, insured that higher compression engines allowed for survivability with lower octane fuels, and they said it very clearly in 2003....because Americans will put the wrong octane in the car, regardless how they are directed. You have to anticipate ridiculous behavior, in order to protect yourself from a warranty perspective. In 2004, the new civic si had over 30 ft/lbs of torque (at the tire) left in the tuning, to simply be sure the engines survived low octane. If you, as an owner, had your brain intact, you could re-tune the ecu to unlock a large boost of torque in the midrange.
All these guys here preach about how the car simply "detects" knock and adjusts, but they all avoid the subject of what is actually occurring internally to create a frequency to activate a knock sensor.
Honda made it very clear why they, as a company, insured that higher compression engines allowed for survivability with lower octane fuels, and they said it very clearly in 2003....because Americans will put the wrong octane in the car, regardless how they are directed. You have to anticipate ridiculous behavior, in order to protect yourself from a warranty perspective. In 2004, the new civic si had over 30 ft/lbs of torque (at the tire) left in the tuning, to simply be sure the engines survived low octane. If you, as an owner, had your brain intact, you could re-tune the ecu to unlock a large boost of torque in the midrange.
All these guys here preach about how the car simply "detects" knock and adjusts, but they all avoid the subject of what is actually occurring internally to create a frequency to activate a knock sensor.
Not all of us are as dumb as we look. I know I have had my hand in every single C5 on the planet and am proud of what we have accomplished in its design, and its continued heritage. So go back to the Honda forum, and troll over there.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,422
Likes: 118
From: San Gabriel Valley California
St. Jude Donor '14-'15
If I were in the market for a used C5 (or C6,C7) Corvette, and I found out the previous owner put 'regular' fuel in it, I would not be interested any further, at any price!
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 16,270
Likes: 30
From: "It's 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-‘18-'19
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Since it hasn't been mentioned yet in this thread, I'll make one more point for using premium vs regular. While we all know premium is more expensive, all other things being equal, you will get a bit better gas economy (more mpg) with premium than with regular, besides getting better performance. So the extra cost for premium does in fact pay for itself to some degree by allowing you to get more miles out of a tankful. Thus paying extra for premium is not as bad as it seems.
Correct - the knock sensors retard timing if knock is "heard". You will get better mileage and performance with premium fuel. Long term - knock (better described as pre-detonation) is harmful.
Higher octane simply means that it burns at higher temperature reducing the possibility of knock.
Instructor
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 108
Likes: 0
From: Hampton GA
I wouldn't skimp on the gasoline or the motor oil I'd use in a Corvette. The LS1 engine was designed to run on 91+ octane fuel, as mentioned earlier (comment # 13). Besides the engine will perform better, experience better fuel economy, and last longer with premium gasoline. This really is a no-brainer.