Quick99

Stopped at a just opened Exxon gas station today and as I was filling up with 93 octane I noticed another pump selling "Ethanol Free Premium" gas for $4.35 a gallon.

Anyone know if using such a fuel is safe in our C-7's and what the octane rating for this alcohol free gas might be?

Is this racing fuel (104 octane) in disguise?

W88fixer

No, I don’t believe that any major gas station sells anything more than 93 octane unleaded. That 104 stuff is racing gas, almost certainly leaded fuel which if it is will kill your catalytic converters and foul your emissions system very quickly.

The dealer WILL know and you’ll be stuck with the bills.

Plus, the computer and engine tune isn’t set up to take advantage of that much octane even if it was unleaded. Don

rcooper

It is just 93 octane with out the "corn liquer" in it. Some farm equipment doesn't do well getting liquered up. Should not be a problem in your car though.

EasyElliott

Before this thread goes wild.

1. If the gasoline contains lead, the pump must be marked so.

2. When the pump has leaded gas the nozzle is much fatter and will not fin into the gas tank hole.

3. Higher octane gas will not hurt your engine.

Note: It is against Federal law to for a filling station to not mark a gas pump as follows "Contains Lead" and they must also use the larger nozzle.

The main damage it will do is as said mess up and clog the converter. oxygen sensor, and foul spark plugs early.

Lead works great on a race engine that is designed to work with it.

W88fixer

I’m sure you’re right but to be completely clear, higher octane unleaded gas will not hurt the car. Don

JoesC5

That's all I run in my Z06...93 octane ethanol free. Good stuff.

Pumps are required to show the octane. You must have missed it.

Go to this site; http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=GA and if the gas is ethanol free, add it to the list of stations. Easy to do. That way others will know it's available in your area.

OnPoint

Leaded gasoline cannot be sold retail for automotive use. So the gas at that station is not leaded. As Joe mentioned, check the octane to make sure it is at least 91, and if so go for it. 100% gasoline is actually better for your components and mileage than ethanol blended (but usually costs more, so choice is yours on the value proposition).

Higgs Boson

have we had E10 for so long that we no longer recognize actual gasoline when we see it?? buy it man, that's the good stuff!!

z51vett

Street address please so I can fill up my z51 my buddy's zo6 will thank you.
z51vett
Doug

Vetteman Jack

This. You'll be OK using that gas.

ckwhite

Sunoco 104 octane fuel is sold at our track in Kent (near Seattle), WA. it's unleaded and my car thrives on it. [Sunoco replaced Unocal76 as NASCAR's official racing fuel when Unocal76 merged with Chevron.]

themonk

Petro Canada up here sells 94 with no corn in it, I use it all the time.

Senior Teen

One of the gas stations here in south Florida have the non ethanol and it is rated at 90 octane, not 93 . I wonder if the loss of 2 points on the octane is offset ( Better over the long run ) by using the non ethanol 91 octane and how it affects overall performance ?

Calif Vetteman

All major gas, Chevron, Mobil, 76, premium is 91 octaine, here in CA. Some stations sell Trick Gas. 101 unleaded octaine at the pump, or by the can. There was a 76 station that also had 101 unleaded at the pump, but it's no longer available.

I used to mix in the 101 in my C5. At that time it was $3.95 a gal. Haven't priced it in quite awhile.
I try to buy top tier rated gas for both my daily driver and my Vette. Daily driver has 349,000 miles on it.

W88fixer

Interesting, I stand corrected. Don

Hot Rod Todd

I would guess it was 93 octane, which is great.

Anything higher than 93 octane would be a waste, and would likely cause a loss in power (unless you had a high octane tune). It's well known at the Drag strip that you only run the amount of octane you need to eliminate knock.

JoesC5

99% of the gas stations in Missouri sell E10 91 octane gas. Some, not many, sell 91 octane ethanol free gas a even fewer sell 93 octane ethanol free gas. I'm lucky in that I can purchase 91 octane ethanol free gas for my 56, 64 and supercharged Mercedes, AND I can purchase 93 octane ethanol free gas for my Z06, here in Springfield, but nearly impossible to find elsewhere.

Because I do a lot of long distance road trips in my Z06, it is tuned for 91 octane(even though I run 93 octane gas) because it is difficult to find 93 octane gas in many parts of the country. GM requires a minimum of 91 octane gas be used in the Z06 and ZR1, but recommend that 93 octane be used. I run 93 and I can tell a difference in performance vs 91 octane.

Some stations( but not in Missouri), also sell regular and mid grade gas without ethanol, but most sell just their premium gas without ethanol.

BigJoe

C7s are designed to run on 91 unleaded, since in some places that is the highest octane available). Most stations in TX sell only 93 (and 89/87) but my local station has 5 grades and I have been using 91 since my C6 days with no problems or loss of power (that I can feel on the street.) No reason to use higher octane than the car is designed for and I save .10 a gal using the 91. (Yeah, I know "If you can afford a C7 you can afford the extra $1.50/fill up." I guess I'm just a tightwad...)

lgodom

I don't think you're being a tightwad and may be making the best choice. If the C7 is factory tuned to run on 91 and you run 93, can the ECU take adjust timing up to take advantage of the additional 2 points? If not, you'd be paying more money for extra pre ignition resistance and no better performance.

Higgs Boson

The C7 is NOT designed to run on 91 given that it pings on 93 until it learns down the timing......Better fuel will help this car. Now, 112 octane leaded VP (C12) isn't going to do anything for you but something like an oxygenated 102 (MS102) will do quite a bit.

The disclaimer that you need to run at least 91 is because California and high altitude places, thats the best you can get (as normal pump gas). That's a minimum for advertised performance and fuel economy, not a maximum benefit octane by any means.