[Oil Man]

I would run 93 if I could find it here. I seem to remember reading something a couple of years ago when the C7 came out about the LT1 engine being tuned to run optimally on 93 octane.

But as things stand, the station closest to me that I know sells 93 octane is in West Texas, and that's 1200 miles away.

[MTCobra]

Originally Posted by PinLover

This!! it's true and many people don't want to believe it. All gasoline comes from the same refinery tanks and the different companies buy it from the refineries and fill their tanker trucks at a rack. Many of the trucks either go to another location to have detergents/additives (Chevron Techron, Shell V-Power, BP Invigorate - all the same but different "smart" sounding names) or they have them in the tanker before filling at the refinery/pumping station. Most refineries already add some detergents and are already mixed with 10% Ethanol. So there is really no need for these others to be put in detergents other than to jack up the price at the station. Think overpriced dealer-added items to your Camaro - tint, undercarriage protection, etc that the dealer can say are "value-added" and charge you 10x what they cost to install. And then you have the summer and winter blends that reduce evaporation (RVP).



It is all just bought and sold differently and the market fluctuates on an hourly basis. What you're putting in your tank was probably paid at the price 10-30 days ago. This is what makes it frustrating when a barrel of oil goes up and instantly the price at the pump goes up even though cost of the gas in the underground tanks was from 2-4 weeks ago. But when the barrel price comes down, it takes weeks to see it at the pump.



They say the best time to fill your tank is in the morning when it's cooler as the molecules in the gas haven't expanded from the heat and you supposedly get more volume. Scientifically that's true, but physically I am not sure.



Overall, people have their preferences based on history, family, brainwashing, or bias. People want to boycott a particular brand, but it really does no good as you're really just hurting your local small business gas station franchiser.



I have used everything from California to Florida, but all 85/87/89 grade. Never needed premium 91+. Arco, Shell, BP, Exxon, Hess, Walmart, Raceway, Racetrac, Beacon, Phillips 66, Citgo, Mobile, Valero, Amoco, and Texaco. Usually whoever has the lowest price at that moment.

Additives are blended in at the terminals where the transport tankers fill up. There are only 2-3 different additives and the supplier specifies additive and blend concentration. The difference between top tier and not top tier is primarily blend concentration...not a different (better) additive.

Ethanol is primarily blended at the terminal too...but never blended at the refineries because it's not good for pipelines and it binds with water moisture.




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[dubrock]

Shell for the fuel rewards, I get 25¢ off most of the time.

[davet435]

Originally Posted by DannyB

Chevron

Used to work for them back in the 90's. I know then that the closest Chevron stations to the Detroit area were in Kentucky. The gas was great enough for GM, Ford, and Dodge all 3 to have it trucked up from Kentucky in order to do their emissions testing. Also, most of the additives in other brands of gasoline are just Chevron Techron rebranded. They all buy their additives from Chevron.

This is exactly what I read about 3 or 4 years ago. Also that Techron is the best cleaner there is. While other companies have changed their fuel and additives a few times, Chevron/Texaco got it right the first time with Techron.

[ELS1]

List of top tier gas stations.

http://www.toptiergas.com/licensedbrands/

[KoolHyperBlue]

Shell in my opinion is the best premium 93 octane out there . I've used Mobil and Exxon and Sunocco premium and my car just drives better with the Shell V Power 93 octane . On a side note I've read some people in this thread using 91 octane . I wouldn't take that risk

[hotlap]

Mobil 93 is my first choice. Shell 93 second. I always run my tank all the way down before refueling.

Mobil or Shell as my first choice depends on which is nearest my house. I find them equally good. I never buy off brand or mom/pop

[Slem]

Originally Posted by KoolHyperBlue

Shell in my opinion is the best premium 93 octane out there . I've used Mobil and Exxon and Sunocco premium and my car just drives better with the Shell V Power 93 octane . On a side note I've read some people in this thread using 91 octane . I wouldn't take that risk

I run 91 Shell V-Power here in Ontario, the difference between 91 here and 93 in the USA is the 91 has no ethanol in it and the 93 does. To me this fuel makes my car run at its best. I just did a trip to new jersey and stopped at a Sunoco station on the way down and filled up with 93. The car lost power, there was water with carbon coming out of the exhaust. Some sulfur smell. Obviously bad gas, so I ran it out and found a shell down there and put in 93 v power, car changed right back to normal after driving a little. Lesson learnt, I will only put shell or equivalent from a top tier gas station.

[freddyD]

Shell only.

[Tcamaro]

This may be a dumb question but do are cars actually adjust the timing in our cars based on octane? Let's say it automatically advances timing until knock is recorded and subtracts it until gone? Kinda like the flex fuel cars with the changing of the ve table based on the ethanol sensor. I guess it could be classified as almost a learned tuning of the timing table,, like the feature on the aftermarket efi computers that's used to get the ve table tuned. If they don't I think this could be a really nice feature.

[MovieGuy]

Originally Posted by Tcamaro

This may be a dumb question but do are cars actually adjust the timing in our cars based on octane? Let's say it automatically advances timing until knock is recorded and subtracts it until gone? Kinda like the flex fuel cars with the changing of the ve table based on the ethanol sensor. I guess it could be classified as almost a learned tuning of the timing table,, like the feature on the aftermarket efi computers that's used to get the ve table tuned. If they don't I think this could be a really nice feature.

I am trying to find the article I had bookmarked about this technology. But it advances the timing in real time. The engine has knock sensors on each side of the block that detect engine knock and adjust for it as it happens. Ford claims this process can increase the horse power of their 3.7 by 7 to 12 horses when adding 91 or 93 octane gas because of the advancement of the timing.

[MovieGuy]

Originally Posted by Slem

I run 91 Shell V-Power here in Ontario, the difference between 91 here and 93 in the USA is the 91 has no ethanol in it and the 93 does. To me this fuel makes my car run at its best. I just did a trip to new jersey and stopped at a Sunoco station on the way down and filled up with 93. The car lost power, there was water with carbon coming out of the exhaust. Some sulfur smell. Obviously bad gas, so I ran it out and found a shell down there and put in 93 v power, car changed right back to normal after driving a little. Lesson learnt, I will only put shell or equivalent from a top tier gas station.

We have a lot of gas stations where the 91 octane is marked 10% ethanol. I don't know about shell stations.

[MovieGuy]

Here it is...I am guessing our LGX engines use similar technology.
http://v6mustangperformance.com/news...ine-explained/

[cellsafemode]

Each cylinder has timing control, then you have vvt (VTEC) which in conjunction with the timing helps produce more power. How much of a difference a couple octane make is going to be very variable to your environment and quality of fuel.

I always use the 91/93 if available and reputable station because the car will adapt beneficially to the higher octane... Unlike less flexible cars of yesteryear