That was pretty funny.
difference between 87 octane and higher
CF Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,313
Likes: 25
From: Tucson Arizona
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 3,860
Likes: 5
From: Tampa FL
It's relative. During the original hp wars of the 1960's, engines had higher compression than the LS2 but we also had Sunoco 260 (103 octane) to run them on. If I remember right, it was blue in color. We used clear fuel lines so it could be seen.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,485
Likes: 3
From: Central NJ
{[20000 miles/year]/[20 miles/gallon]} X $0.22/gallon = $220/year
$18.50/month for gas doesn't seem like a lot when you are driving a $45,000 + sports car.
Also seems a little strange that on the same board where we are worried about the difference between regular gasoline and "high octane" we have guys who intentionally go out and "melt down" tires that run $350/ea.
$18.50/month for gas doesn't seem like a lot when you are driving a $45,000 + sports car.
Also seems a little strange that on the same board where we are worried about the difference between regular gasoline and "high octane" we have guys who intentionally go out and "melt down" tires that run $350/ea.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 409
Likes: 1
From: Charlotte NC
Took a trip a few weeks ago and thought I'd save a little by filling with 89. Seemed to run OK except when I mashed the pedal in 6th to pass another car. Heard that fatal knock. Filled up with 93 on the return and it actually got 1 mpg better than with the 89.
Detonation is a scary thing and not worth the consequences.
Detonation is a scary thing and not worth the consequences.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 10,399
Likes: 26
From: Austin Texas
The ECM compensates for intake air temperature and coolant temperature by pulling timing for higher Intake and coolant temp and by adding timing for lower coolant temp. The stock broad limits seem to be set for the 50 state available 91 Octane.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,492
Likes: 7
From: WA
Modern gasoline doesn't have that sweat smell anymore. In the late 1980s to early 1990's, just before leaded "REGULAR" gas stopped being produced and sold, it did NOT have that sweat smell that gasoline used to have.
Does anyone else remember this? 1960's & ealy 1970's gasoline having a nice sweet smell ...but, by the 1980's ...all grades of gas lost that nice sweet scent and now smells kind of raunchy?
I miss that sweet smell of the 1960's gasoline!
Last edited by Dbl6gun; Sep 8, 2007 at 02:38 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 53,524
Likes: 77
From: Arizona
In the 1960's and early 70's, I was only a young kid, but, I remember when ever my Dad stopped for gasoline, the gas had a sweat smell to it. I remember liking the smell of the old high octane leaded gasoline.
Modern gasoline doesn't have that sweat smell gasoline used to have I recall as a kid. In the late 1980s to early 1990's, just before leaded "REGULAR" gas stopped being produced and sold, it did NOT have that sweat smell that gasoline used to have.
Does anyone else remember this? 1960's & ealy 197'0s gasoline having a nice sweet smell ...but, by the 1980's ...all grades of gas lost that nice sweet scent and not smell kind of raunchy?
Modern gasoline doesn't have that sweat smell gasoline used to have I recall as a kid. In the late 1980s to early 1990's, just before leaded "REGULAR" gas stopped being produced and sold, it did NOT have that sweat smell that gasoline used to have.
Does anyone else remember this? 1960's & ealy 197'0s gasoline having a nice sweet smell ...but, by the 1980's ...all grades of gas lost that nice sweet scent and not smell kind of raunchy?
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,492
Likes: 7
From: WA
Took a trip a few weeks ago and thought I'd save a little by filling with 89. Seemed to run OK except when I mashed the pedal in 6th to pass another car. Heard that fatal knock. Filled up with 93 on the return and it actually got 1 mpg better than with the 89.
Detonation is a scary thing and not worth the consequences.
Detonation is a scary thing and not worth the consequences.
TRUE situation. In my vehicles, if I buy the low octane gas to save money at the pump, my gas mileage drops a little. The engines, in any of my vehicles lose some power, AND they tend to ping.
If a guy tries to pinch pennies at the pump, purchasing a tank full of 87 octane gas .....your really NOT $$$ ahead, because your engine's fuel economy (not to mention power) drops. So, I'm thinking that your not really saving money. Sure, your tank full of 87 octane gas cost you roughly $4 less, BUT you will be filling up SOONER!
I know this to be a fact, because ALL of my vehicles do this.
My wife's old Saturn did this, my 1996 Bronco does this, our new BMW 745i does this.... runs great on 91/93 octane w/fewer full-ups ....and PINGS on 87 octane, w/more fill-ups.
Last edited by Dbl6gun; Sep 7, 2007 at 10:44 AM.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 474
Likes: 0
From: Columbus Ohio
St. Jude Donor '08
Gasoline smells different now than it did in '60's, because now there is no lead used in the gasoline to boost octane levels. No lead gasoline became the norm in mid-70's because cats could not run with the lead (burnt the platinum).
Gasoline is indeed refined in three grades for auto consumption. The additives to gasoline are added at the terminals that load the trucks. Gasoline is a commodity before the terminals and there is NO branding until mixed with additives. (Pipelines do not carry a million gallons of Shell then switch to two million of BP, simply million gallons of gas). Branding IS additives.
Additives are/ or can be important. Top grades of gasoline (name brands) tend to have better additives for cleaning, etc.
Octane usage IS important, also. As the piston reaches the top of the compression stroke, lesser octanes will start to ignite BEFORE the spark plug fires. Retard timing all you want to, the cheap gasoline is dieseling a gasoline engine. Absolutely not good!
Burnt valves and piston tops can occur from serious pre-ignition.
Why do it?
Gasoline is indeed refined in three grades for auto consumption. The additives to gasoline are added at the terminals that load the trucks. Gasoline is a commodity before the terminals and there is NO branding until mixed with additives. (Pipelines do not carry a million gallons of Shell then switch to two million of BP, simply million gallons of gas). Branding IS additives.
Additives are/ or can be important. Top grades of gasoline (name brands) tend to have better additives for cleaning, etc.
Octane usage IS important, also. As the piston reaches the top of the compression stroke, lesser octanes will start to ignite BEFORE the spark plug fires. Retard timing all you want to, the cheap gasoline is dieseling a gasoline engine. Absolutely not good!
Burnt valves and piston tops can occur from serious pre-ignition.
Why do it?
Last edited by wurk_truk; Sep 7, 2007 at 11:21 AM. Reason: bad speller...am stoopid
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 16,025
Likes: 1,656
From: Toronto, Canada
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,563
Likes: 2
From: Dallas Tx
Because it's not true. The vette needs premium year round. It just needs it even more in the summer heat. A 10 to 1 compression motor still has 10 to 1 compression in the winter. It might knock a little less in cold temps, but 87 octane any time of the year is the wrong fuel for a corvette.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,554
Likes: 35
From: Godfrey IL
Just couldn't resisit
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,554
Likes: 35
From: Godfrey IL
Gasoline smells different now than it did in '60's, because now there is no lead used in the gasoline to boost octane levels. No lead gasoline became the norm in mid-70's because cats could not run with the lead (burnt the platinum).
Gasoline is indeed refined in three grades for auto consumption. The additives to gasoline are added at the terminals that load the trucks. Gasoline is a commodity before the terminals and there is NO branding until mixed with additives. (Pipelines do not carry a million gallons of Shell then switch to two million of BP, simply million gallons of gas). Branding IS additives.
Additives are/ or can be important. Top grades of gasoline (name brands) tend to have better additives for cleaning, etc.
Octane usage IS important, also. As the piston reaches the top of the compression stroke, lesser octanes will start to ignite BEFORE the spark plug fires. Retard timing all you want to, the cheap gasoline is dieseling a gasoline engine. Absolutely not good!
Burnt valves and piston tops can occur from serious pre-ignition.
Why do it?
Gasoline is indeed refined in three grades for auto consumption. The additives to gasoline are added at the terminals that load the trucks. Gasoline is a commodity before the terminals and there is NO branding until mixed with additives. (Pipelines do not carry a million gallons of Shell then switch to two million of BP, simply million gallons of gas). Branding IS additives.
Additives are/ or can be important. Top grades of gasoline (name brands) tend to have better additives for cleaning, etc.
Octane usage IS important, also. As the piston reaches the top of the compression stroke, lesser octanes will start to ignite BEFORE the spark plug fires. Retard timing all you want to, the cheap gasoline is dieseling a gasoline engine. Absolutely not good!
Burnt valves and piston tops can occur from serious pre-ignition.
Why do it?
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,343
Likes: 1
From: CA
These threads always make me laugh. If y'all want to use 87 octane gas go right ahead, as far as I'm concerned! It's your engine, I don't buy used Corvettes, so I don't care what happens to it. My '06 LS2 pings now and then with the a/c on and I use 92 octane, so I can't imagine using 87 in it. But if you want to, go for it. Just don't come crying back here with some whining post if your Vette doesn't run right. 
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 10,089
Likes: 14
Gasoline smells different now than it did in '60's, because now there is no lead used in the gasoline to boost octane levels. No lead gasoline became the norm in mid-70's because cats could not run with the lead (burnt the platinum).
Gasoline is indeed refined in three grades for auto consumption. The additives to gasoline are added at the terminals that load the trucks. Gasoline is a commodity before the terminals and there is NO branding until mixed with additives. (Pipelines do not carry a million gallons of Shell then switch to two million of BP, simply million gallons of gas). Branding IS additives.
Additives are/ or can be important. Top grades of gasoline (name brands) tend to have better additives for cleaning, etc.
Octane usage IS important, also. As the piston reaches the top of the compression stroke, lesser octanes will start to ignite BEFORE the spark plug fires. Retard timing all you want to, the cheap gasoline is dieseling a gasoline engine. Absolutely not good!
Burnt valves and piston tops can occur from serious pre-ignition.
Why do it?
Gasoline is indeed refined in three grades for auto consumption. The additives to gasoline are added at the terminals that load the trucks. Gasoline is a commodity before the terminals and there is NO branding until mixed with additives. (Pipelines do not carry a million gallons of Shell then switch to two million of BP, simply million gallons of gas). Branding IS additives.
Additives are/ or can be important. Top grades of gasoline (name brands) tend to have better additives for cleaning, etc.
Octane usage IS important, also. As the piston reaches the top of the compression stroke, lesser octanes will start to ignite BEFORE the spark plug fires. Retard timing all you want to, the cheap gasoline is dieseling a gasoline engine. Absolutely not good!
Burnt valves and piston tops can occur from serious pre-ignition.
Why do it?
Gasoline is a commodity. The primary differentiator is octane rating. That is very important. All vendors in a given area sell the same commodity, doesn't matter what brand sign they have out front. Additives are important to keep the injectors clean, but the EPA mandates the properties of the additives, and requires all marketers to meet them. All Top Tier marketers exceed the EPA standards, so just shop by price among the Top Tier marketers and you're getting the best fuel you can get.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 3,860
Likes: 5
From: Tampa FL
I read in one of the vette mags an article where a tuner said he saw up to 5hp increase on the dyno with certain brands of gas. One of them was Mobil. I used to use Mobil and switched to Chevron (top tier). I was running a little slower at the dragstrip and didn't think anything of it til I read this.