premium fuel absolutely nessesary?

[wannaSHO]

I know how is says on the gas guage to use premium fuel, but would using 87 octane make that much of a difference? if so, what would the difference be?

 

[SHO_ROLLER]

I tried 87 in my '90 and it just didn't run well. It knocked and didn't have as much power. I would think the premium would burn cleaner too.

Anthony burn_out

 

[munkee]

Premium fuel is the manufacturers recomended fuel. Maybe not quite as important as the diesel\unleaded recommendations, but it is recommended for a reason. You don't have to use premium but it doesn't really cost that much more in most areas. The highest I have seen between the low and high octane is about 6 dollars a tank. Split the difference and go with the midgrade maybe. You get slightly better gas mileage with the premium especially on long trips.

 

[sdpatt]

For the SHO engine to produce its rated power under the greatest number of conditions, you need to use the rated fuel. There will be a reduction in power output due to less than optimal spark advance under certain circumstances with the lower octane fuel. It won't **** the engine, but it will sacrifice the highest performance edge from the SHO's capabilities.

 

[Dave Ladely]

Mid grade should work fine. Fact is, any grade beyond what stops the pinging is a total waste - higher octane will NOT provide more power, in fact, you may get LESS power as the gas burns slower the higher the octane. Its a common fallacy that premium provides more power, it does NOT, it just burn slower due to inhibitors designed to prevent pinging.
The very best method for timing is to get gas that will only cause a few pings at hard throttle at low speed. The factory recommendation is a start, because all engines may react slightly differently, some may ping on gas that another doesn't ping at all.
Another problem with high octane, besides too slow burning for the engine, is more deposits in the engine.
I use mid grade, or mix regular with premium about equally.

 

[Groo]

I've put 87 octane in my car, and it run exactly the same. I like to stick with midgrade, however.

 

[olympic]

I run regular on long trips, premium otherwise. I notice a big difference in performance between the two, probably because I have an LPM. With a stock computer, the difference may not be as noticeable.

 

[Mike Kopstain]

Dave Ladely:
Mid grade should work fine. Fact is, any grade beyond what stops the pinging is a total waste - higher octane will NOT provide more power, in fact, you may get LESS power as the gas burns slower the higher the octane. Its a common fallacy that premium provides more power, it does NOT, it just burn slower due to inhibitors designed to prevent pinging.
The very best method for timing is to get gas that will only cause a few pings at hard throttle at low speed. The factory recommendation is a start, because all engines may react slightly differently, some may ping on gas that another doesn't ping at all.
Another problem with high octane, besides too slow burning for the engine, is more deposits in the engine.
I use mid grade, or mix regular with premium about equally.

The SHO has a knock sensor which retards timing if pinging/ knocking is detected. In this case you'd never know if a tank of 89 was causing the engine to knock, because the computer would retard the timing. Use what's recomended... It's a 20 center difference.

 

[rangerj]

I must be missing something here! Why on earth would anyone buy a high performance automoble and then put low octain fuel in it?

An ****** runs very well on 87 octain fuel, and gets great gas milage! With a few fancy decals, a set of those floresent windshiel wipers, and one of those dogs with the bobbing head in the back window, and your all set!

If you really want to be sporty, get one of those throaty mufflers with the three inch chromed pipe sticking out the back.

Go all out, get a five speed standard transmission to go with the 2 Liter Vortec engine and rev that four banger to the tune of 30+ MPG.
Or better yet get one of those cool Honda Civics! rangerj

 

[SHOZ123]

Both my SHOs run well on 87 and without a hint of pinging. I may be blessed with a good geographical location and gasoline quality but there is no advantage to me using a higher octane thatn 87. The engine will deliver full timing until audible pinging is heard which is very obvious.

I have had my '97 on a dyno with other GEN3 cars running premium and no extra hp was to be had. I've also got my best runs at the strip with 87 octane and a 10% ethanol mixture.

IMHO if the engine was designed to be run on premium then Ford would not say recommended but rather required. If your car is not pinging on 87 octane there is no advantage to using a higher grade.

 

[shojuan]

SHOZ123 brings up an important point that I'll elaborate on. Gasoline manufacturers formulate their gasolines differently based on geographical location and also time of the year. For instance Chevron gas will be different here than the stuff for sale in Kansas. Also, Chevron will change the formulation for the gas for sale around here several times between now and springtime. So basically, YMMV. Before I did my 60K I would get pinging, sometimes severly, in summer time if I ran anything lower than 91. Since I've done my 60K I can run 87 with no pinging. Last time I tried a tank of 87 the car did seem a bit more sluggish, but not enough so that I can tell for sure whether it was the gas, the phases of the moon, or some fantasy of my imagination. I do notice a bigger difference between brands of gas however. All the cars I've driven over the years seem to like the Shell gas that's available here better than any other brand. This was true in San Diego, the central coast, and the Sacramento area for me. Lately I've been driving 6 miles out of my way to fill up at a Quikstop because it's 20 cents/gallon cheaper and I think they're buying their gas from Shell anyways.

My advice, figure out the brand of gas your car likes best in your parts and try running the lowest octane you can get away with without pinging. Now until summer time is the best time to experiment anyways. If your butt dyno tells you your car is making less power and it bothers you to the point where you'd be willing to spend more for premium then set up a blind test or something. Have your significant other do your fillups and not tell you what she (or he) used and then take notes (make sure your SO records what they filled up with). Then compare notes after a few tankfuls.

Rick

 

[RStalveyARFF]

Dave Ladely:

I use mid grade, or mix regular with premium about equally.

Mid grade is premium and regular mixed @ the pump FYI. No need to mix on your own. Check out a tanker @ a gas station when it fills up. It'll have 3 hoses if gas, 4 if diesel is involved also. the extra hose each time is a vapor recovery nozzle. So Regular, Premium, vapor, or Regular, Premium, Diesel, and Vapor. No special, midgrade, or whatever.

 

[projectSHO89]

So Regular, Premium, vapor, or Regular, Premium, Diesel, and Vapor.

Hmm... My tank seems to always get filled with the "Vapor" blend....

FYI, one of the Midwest's regional fuel retailers of fuel has this to say about Premium: http://www.quiktrip.com/gasoline/myth.asp

The word premium doesn't have anything to do with the quality of gasoline. It has more to do with the price.
Premium gasoline costs more for two reasons. It costs more to make. And, there's more profit added to premium by refiners and retailers. But, premium gasoline doesn't cost more because it is better.

Premium gasoline has a higher octane rating. Higher octane is only one thing: an index which indicates the gasoline's ability to overcome knocking or pinging in engines. That's all. If your car doesn't knock or ping on lower octane gasoline, paying for higher octane is a waste of your money.

Higher octane does not mean better quality and it will not result in more power, better performance, greater gas mileage or anything else.

Some high performance cars were designed to run on premium gasoline. In that case, the owner's manual will clearly state you should use only premium gasoline in that vehicle. That's what premium was made for.

Why does QuikTrip expose the premium myth? After all, we stand to make more money as long as some people continue to believe the myth.

The economics of doing the right thing are pretty simple. QuikTrip gives you the facts rather than trying to sell you myths. You test the facts and find they are true. You save money. You buy more gasoline from QuikTrip. We overcome any short-term loss by selling more gasoline.

You win. We win. It's that simple.

Think about it. If a fuel retailer tells you this, why would you choose to believe what the refiners/marketers/Madison Avenue types tell you about "giving your car the *good* stuff"? Maybe something about egos, I suppose.

Whatever... Premium fuel, unless required to address a specific running condition or to meet the special needs of an engine as set forth by the manufacturer, is still a tax on the gullible.

Steve

 

[luigisho]

Hey Rick, I wonder if higher summer temps also contribute to pinging on a lower octane gasoline blend.
I think Scott mentioned he had some pinging this summer and had to yank his superchip. I wonder if it's just the age of the car or if the ambient air temp is a major contributor?

 

[shojuan]

Yeah, higher summer temps seem to contribute in a big way to pinging. Summer formulated gas probably plays a part too. As does the condition of the engine and state of tune.

Rick