[lt4camaro]

Originally Posted by lt4camaro

I thought it was, but I wasnt positive as I had the car a few years ago. 11.5 to 1 makes the car even more timing sensitive, meaning the tune has to be very conservative on 87 octane. Monitor timing degrees on a fully heat soaked dyno pull with 87 octane, than run the car for hard a few miles on pure 93 octane or disconnect the battery to allow reset and do some dyno pulls and monitor the timing degrees, you will see more timing and more power at the same heat soaked temps. 0-60 times is just too short of a run to notice any difference. Do a full 1/4 mile pass and study the time slips.

Here ya go

[HCI2000SS]

Originally Posted by lt4camaro

I thought it was, but I wasnt positive as I had the car a few years ago. 11.5 to 1 makes the car even more timing sensitive, meaning the tune has to be very conservative on 87 octane. Monitor timing degrees on a fully heat soaked dyno pull with 87 octane, than run the car for hard a few miles on pure 93 octane or disconnect the battery to allow reset and do some dyno pulls and monitor the timing degrees, you will see more timing and more power at the same heat soaked temps. 0-60 times is just too short of a run to notice any difference. Do a full 1/4 mile pass and study the time slips.

That makes some sense. I always wondered if those 0-60 were not taking full advantage of the situation. What is clear is that there is a definitive point where the extra octane will help some. For 99% of the people out there it will probably not be worth it for the 1% of the time that they could actually take advantage of it. But for those back to back dyno runs, track runs in high heat, it makes sense that it should help a little bit

[lt4camaro]

Originally Posted by HCI2000SS

That makes some sense. I always wondered if those 0-60 were not taking full advantage of the situation. What is clear is that there is a definitive point where the extra octane will help some. For 99% of the people out there it will probably not be worth it for the 1% of the time that they could actually take advantage of it. But for those back to back dyno runs, track runs in high heat, it makes sense that it should help a little bit

A tenth or two in the 1/4 and a mile or two higher trap speed is worth it all day long just from 87 to 93 octane and enough time to max out the timing tables.

[HCI2000SS]

Originally Posted by lt4camaro

A tenth or two in the 1/4 and a mile or two higher trap speed is worth it all day long just from 87 to 93 octane and enough time to max out the timing tables.

No I hear you, but most people I know don't track their V6 or do much in the way of dynos. For that very small percent it should help a little though. Plus here in Michigan 93 is about 1 dollar more on average. Not sure what it's like in other states, but that's ridiculous IMO. Certainly not a great bang for the buck when all said and done.

[UnknownJinX]

So what about midgrade? The idea is to avoid knock, so whichever octane that eliminates the knock will do the trick. If the octane map doesn't have anything optimized for premium, then I don't see why you should use premium.

[lt4camaro]

Originally Posted by HCI2000SS

No I hear you, but most people I know don't track their V6 or do much in the way of dynos. For that very small percent it should help a little though. Plus here in Michigan 93 is about 1 dollar more on average. Not sure what it's like in other states, but that's ridiculous IMO. Certainly not a great bang for the buck when all said and done.

All of the Northeast 93 is 40 or 50 cents a gallon more than 87 octane. 20 gallons would be 8 to 10 dollars more, on the plus side the 1 mile per gallon extra MPG offsets it a little along with the horsepower gain us people with sensitive butt meters especially during the warm/hot weather months. You can run 87 during the cooler/cold 6 -7 months. If it cost me $100 -125 more for gas for those 5 - 6 months ...yep its worth it

[HCI2000SS]

Originally Posted by lt4camaro

All of the Northeast 93 is 40 or 50 cents a gallon more than 87 octane. 20 gallons would be 8 to 10 dollars more, on the plus side the 1 mile per gallon extra MPG offsets it a little along with the horsepower gain us people with sensitive butt meters especially during the warm/hot weather months. You can run 87 during the cooler/cold 6 -7 months. If it cost me $100 -125 more for gas for those 5 - 6 months ...yep its worth it

40-50 cents would be nice lol. That would make it much more appealing. At 1 buck plus it's just not worth it 99% of the time

[lt4camaro]

Originally Posted by HCI2000SS

40-50 cents would be nice lol. That would make it much more appealing. At 1 buck plus it's just not worth it 99% of the time

I hear ya bud..

[conall]

Originally Posted by lt4camaro

All of the Northeast 93 is 40 or 50 cents a gallon more than 87 octane. 20 gallons would be 8 to 10 dollars more, on the plus side the 1 mile per gallon extra MPG offsets it a little along with the horsepower gain us people with sensitive butt meters especially during the warm/hot weather months. You can run 87 during the cooler/cold 6 -7 months. If it cost me $100 -125 more for gas for those 5 - 6 months ...yep its worth it

So, during the cooler months there isn't much performance difference running with a tune?

[HCI2000SS]

Originally Posted by conall

So, during the cooler months there isn't much performance difference running with a tune?

A tune will help regardless of the temp, but with the stock tune you'll see more benefits on 93 in the hot summer temps specially. Simply because the stock tune will be more likely to be pulling timing on 87 in hotter temps

[conall]

Got it. Thanks.

[lt4camaro]

Originally Posted by conall

Got it. Thanks.

The cooler/cold months makes for less need for octane, less or no spark knock, a lot less WOT driving etc etc, Intake air temps much cooler, water temps generally are cooler etc etc

[digitalfutur]

Originally Posted by MikeG183

I've see it mentioned here that continually using higher octane premium fuel will eventually cause the ECU to eventually advance the timing (netting some performance benefit similar to an aftermarket tune for higher octane fuel). Any truth to that?

That is only true if the ECU is currently modifying the timing on regular. Which if you're only filling it with branded-name gas, any ECU changes won't be happening, or there's a non-gasoline related problem.

Bottom line: if there's no knock or ping on regular, running it on premium won't make any difference, except taking money more quickly out of your wallet.

BTW when a manufacturer indicates that regular fuel is all that's required for an engine, they cannot legally claim that the HP and torque ratings are for premium. That differs of course, if premium is recommended but regular is OK.

The whole premium fuel is better for an engine where only regular is required is one of the top 5 myths about car maintenance/performance.

[lt4camaro]

Originally Posted by digitalfutur

That is only true if the ECU is currently modifying the timing on regular. Which if you're only filling it with branded-name gas, any ECU changes won't be happening, or there's a non-gasoline related problem.

Bottom line: if there's no knock or ping on regular, running it on premium won't make any difference, except taking money more quickly out of your wallet.

BTW when a manufacturer indicates that regular fuel is all that's required for an engine, they cannot legally claim that the HP and torque ratings are for premium. That differs of course, if premium is recommended but regular is OK.

The whole premium fuel is better for an engine where only regular is required is one of the top 5 myths about car maintenance/performance.

Bottom line is if you want to be assured you will get max Wide open throttle power and shifting at redline thru multiple gears on a warm summer day with any 11.5 to 1 compression ratio engine , you better be running as much octane as you can get. Secondary benefit again during summer months, would be a little better MPG. That would be about it for 93 octane over 87 octane benefits.