Fuel requirement

[PT-ERA]

Hate to disagree with you, Steelblue,(if I've interpreted your post correctly) but I have never gotten better gas mileage from Regular Unleaded than Premium in any car I've ever driven in my 27 years of driving experience. Premium fuel burns quicker because of the higher octane, therefore, you use less fuel to burn per piston. Lesser octane fuel means you need more fuel to get it to ignite and move the piston. I agree though that you can use the proper octane for what your car calls for, but in my experience, the higher the octane, the better the fuel economy. How much better depends on how your engine is tuned.

[BillT]

Premium fuel used to be called "Ethyl", because of the addition of tetraethyl lead (spelling?) to slow the burning rate and prevent uncontrolled combustion under high compression conditions. As I recall, the 10,000RPM Chev drag racers of the 60's used regular gas, because premium wouldn't burn fast enough at those engine speeds to produce the power they were after.
As has been said, lower grade gas for our pride and joy is a false economy, unless the only alternative is to get out and push.

[PTurbed]

quote:Originally posted by BillT

As I recall, the 10,000RPM Chev drag racers of the 60's used regular gas,

No '60's Chevy's were turning 10,000....at least those that didn't self destruct. Lead is added to boost the Octane rating. Higher Octane ratings allowed you to advance the timing more without knocking. In those days there weren't knock sensors that cranked back a computer, you did it all by ear, seat of the pants & time slips. [8)]

[Cal Cruzer]

quote:Originally posted by PT-ERA

Premium fuel burns quicker because of the higher octane, therefore, you use less fuel to burn per piston.

Premium fuel actually burns slower and is harder to ignite. Using it helps prevent predetonation thus allowing higher compression and more advanced timing.

[Mike Radowski]

Well, PTurbed, I have to disagree with the comment about no 60's Chevy turning 10,000 RPM. I ran a drag car with a balanced and blueprinted (and lots of other stuff) 327 that we shifted at 10,000 and ran that engine that way for over a year and it NEVER self destructed. Had lots of friends running small block Chevy's running 9,000+ all day long.

Mike

[SteelBlueGT]

And that is where the power comes from not the gas itself! Trust me you want to use the corrrect octane that DC has engineered to optimize power and ecconomy. Again using premium on an 87 octane designed engine will not do anything but make the oil companies richer. I do that on my 87 mustang cause I also advance the timing from 10 degrees to 14 degrees and I pick up a few almost free ponies.

quote:Originally posted by Cal Cruzer

Premium fuel actually burns slower and is harder to ignite. Using it helps prevent predetonation thus allowing higher compression and more advanced timing.

[PTurbed]

quote:Originally posted by Mike Radowski
I ran a drag car with a balanced and blueprinted (and lots of other stuff) 327 that we shifted at 10,000 and ran that engine that way for over a year and it NEVER self destructed.

So, Mike, if I reworded it to say "Very few 60's Chevy's were turning 10,000 rpm and my guess is that none of them were running on Regular Gas", would you think that's a fair statement?? [:I]

Some details about your 327 please? What years, what class, heads, cam, springs, rods, gear ratio, times were you running?? Drag racing in those days certainly wasn't as sophisticated as it is today!! [8)]

[PTGT_Boy]

Use 91 gas, if your going to nerf a turbo cruiser, just buy the N/A [:0]

[punkybrewster]

Ok, so the back of my car says 2.4L Turbo GT High Output

There is no sticker in the fuel door; I 'think' the manual says to use 87 octane.

The car doesn't seem particularly fast...

Have I ruined this car by using 87 octane?

[PTurbed]

quote:Originally posted by punkybrewster


The car doesn't seem particularly fast...

Have I ruined this car by using 87 octane?

No you haven't ruined the car, the PCM simply cuts back the timing accordingly. Try some good stuff & i'm sure your car will be quicker. [8)]

PS Welcome to the forum. Let us know how you make out. [^]