Regular Gas vs Super
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Maine
deapest apologies to Floyd and possibly others
Am new at this, no troll. I am just learning how to navigate this site, for it is surely very vaueable. Please accept my apologies on asking about gasoline, I did find the other area. Thanks
Team Owner
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 82,175
Likes: 1,319
From: McKinney TX
St. Jude Donor '21-'22-'23-'24
Unfortunately for our "discussion," you haven't defined "super."
I try to do what my owner's manual says.
Here's what my 2006 C6 owner's manual says:
My opinion is that it's usually best to do what your owner's manual says.
I always used 93 octane gasoline.
I try to do what my owner's manual says.
Here's what my 2006 C6 owner's manual says:
If your vehicle has the 6.0L V8 engine (VIN Code U),
use premium unleaded gasoline with a posted octane
rating of 91 or higher. You may also use regular
unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, but
your vehicle’s acceleration may be slightly reduced,
and you may notice a slight audible knocking noise,
commonly referred to as spark knock. If the octane is
less than 87, you may notice a heavy knocking
noise when you drive. If this occurs, use a gasoline
rated at 87 octane or higher as soon as possible.
Otherwise, you might damage your engine. If you are
using gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher and you hear
heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
use premium unleaded gasoline with a posted octane
rating of 91 or higher. You may also use regular
unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, but
your vehicle’s acceleration may be slightly reduced,
and you may notice a slight audible knocking noise,
commonly referred to as spark knock. If the octane is
less than 87, you may notice a heavy knocking
noise when you drive. If this occurs, use a gasoline
rated at 87 octane or higher as soon as possible.
Otherwise, you might damage your engine. If you are
using gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher and you hear
heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
I always used 93 octane gasoline.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,611
Likes: 5
From: Thousand Oaks California
I run 91 (R+M)/2 octane and use a Top Tier fuel. I would run 93 octane, but it is not readily available in my area. I did fill up once with 87 octane. I will never do that again. Excessive knock under load. Electronic Spark Timing can only do so much on backing out timing.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,314
Likes: 4
From: Cape May, NJ; Guntersville, AL; Orange Beach, AL
I run 91 (R+M)/2 octane and use a Top Tier fuel. I would run 93 octane, but it is not readily available in my area. I did fill up once with 87 octane. I will never do that again. Excessive knock under load. Electronic Spark Timing can only do so much on backing out timing.
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
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 27,420
Likes: 64
From: San Clemente CA
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,171
Likes: 2
From: foley al
i don't get it, you save 3 maybe 4 dollars a tankful for less performance?If you are that cheap why drive a Vette...just sayin...?
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 27,420
Likes: 64
From: San Clemente CA
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,537
Likes: 1,403
From: Bethesda MD
It shouldn't ping or knock if you run 87 all the time. The car has low and high octane tables. Once the car knows it is running 87, it should use the low octane table. You lose out on some power from less timing, but if you don't flog the car, it may not matter to you.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,171
Likes: 2
From: foley al
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 41,732
Likes: 1,718
From: Springfield MO
"If your vehicle has the 7.0L V8 engine (VIN
Code E), use premium unleaded gasoline with a
posted octane rating of 91 or higher. For best
performance, use premium unleaded gasoline with
a posted octane rating of 93.
In an emergency, you can use regular unleaded
gasoline with an octane rating of 87 or higher. If
87 octane fuel is used, do not perform any
aggressive driving maneuvers such as wide open
throttle applications. You may also hear audible
spark knock during acceleration. Refill your
tank with premium fuel as soon as possible to
avoid damaging your engine. If you are using
gasoline rated at 91 octane or higher and you hear
heavy knocking, your engine needs service."
Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 693
Likes: 2
From: Los Angeles CA
I run 91 (R+M)/2 octane and use a Top Tier fuel. I would run 93 octane, but it is not readily available in my area. I did fill up once with 87 octane. I will never do that again. Excessive knock under load. Electronic Spark Timing can only do so much on backing out timing.
made a mistake and put in 87 once, had to baby it until i used most and refilled with 91 to return to normal.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 995
Likes: 2
From: Virginia Beach VA
Performance across the board
Personally, I use 93 period. Only one poster mentioned it but performance w/ respect to acceleration is an absolute fact w/ higher octane, but these motors (as w/ others stating premium fuel only) run more efficiently, thus get better mpg, signicant enough to overcome the dollar savings at the pump. Research this one, it's well documented w/ respect to cars requiring premim fuel. That said, it literally does not make sense to save a couple bucks at the pump only to lose savings in overall mileage due to reduced mpg. Detonation due to low grade fuel has its obvious effects, that alone should dissuade using low octane fuel.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,424
Likes: 21
From: Placitas New Mexico
Personally, I use 93 period. Only one poster mentioned it but performance w/ respect to acceleration is an absolute fact w/ higher octane, but these motors (as w/ others stating premium fuel only) run more efficiently, thus get better mpg, signicant enough to overcome the dollar savings at the pump. Research this one, it's well documented w/ respect to cars requiring premim fuel. That said, it literally does not make sense to save a couple bucks at the pump only to lose savings in overall mileage due to reduced mpg. Detonation due to low grade fuel has its obvious effects, that alone should dissuade using low octane fuel.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,529
Likes: 3
From: Arlington VA
He might have a bunch of carbon built up in his motor. In that case the knock sensor wont work as well.
Pro
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 699
Likes: 0
From: Dallas TX
Personally, I use 93 period. Only one poster mentioned it but performance w/ respect to acceleration is an absolute fact w/ higher octane, but these motors (as w/ others stating premium fuel only) run more efficiently, thus get better mpg, signicant enough to overcome the dollar savings at the pump. Research this one, it's well documented w/ respect to cars requiring premim fuel. That said, it literally does not make sense to save a couple bucks at the pump only to lose savings in overall mileage due to reduced mpg. Detonation due to low grade fuel has its obvious effects, that alone should dissuade using low octane fuel.