Is octane important??

[Nickalex86]

I don't put premium unleaded in my vettes, I just use regular unleaded. I am not really concerned with performance at this stage in life, nor am I concerned with saving a mile to the galon if it means buying the expensive gas. Is there anything wrong with what I am doing, or is there a reason why I should use premium gas in my vettes? Thanks.

[fatherlarry]

In Reply to: Is Octane Important?? Mike's been pretty busy, so I'll try to shed some light here. When he get's back I'm sure he'll have some input for you. As far as your 911, I'd have to know what the manufacturer recommends.

So, is Octane important? Yes, it is; for us at least. The talk about high octane fuel not being worth the price is mainly targeted at cars that don't require it. Our cars, on the other hand, do require higher octane fuel due to its high compression ratio. Using fuel of lower octane would cause knocking due to pre-ignition. This is bad for the engine. That said, depending on the year and design of the engine, some cars do have knock sensors, and computers on board to adjust the fuel mixture to retard the timing. This will minimize damage to the engine. It also minimizes the engine's effeciency.

In our case, the extra cost of premium gas is worth it. It wouldn't be worth it for a Geo.

I have torn engines apart that aren't maintained properly due to the use of low octane gas, and I can tell you that there is a difference in the valve seat and wear on valves.

Old saying: Penny wise and dollar foolish may apply here.:nod: :smoke: