Why use premium gas? - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

avro206 · 01-03-2010, 07:41 PM

Let me first say---I'd use it, no question.

My friend who has a Camaro SS refuses to fill it with premium. He doesn't think it needs it and won't pay out of principal.

His idle has a slight fluctuation I have noticed.

Give me some concrete reasons why he should.

coolman · 01-03-2010, 07:45 PM

He is also killing this hp #'s by doing this. It really slows them down to run anything other than premium. If it was a v-6 then it wouldn't matter.

avro206 · 01-03-2010, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coolman

He is also killing this hp #'s by doing this. It really slows them down to run anything other than premium. If it was a v-6 then it wouldn't matter.

says he doesn't care about the 5hp he's missing.

I think GM doesn't randomly specify premium fuel engines. Big turn off to alot of people and sometimes even a deal breaker.

coolman · 01-03-2010, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by avro206

says he doesn't care about the 5hp he's missing.

I think GM doesn't randomly specify premium fuel engines. Big turn off to alot of people and sometimes even a deal breaker.

Go through the threads on here and you will find that it's a lot more than 5hp lost over it. It does state to run premium in the SS or performance will be reduced.

BLACK10 · 01-03-2010, 08:07 PM

the price of a tank of premium is only about $3 more than a tank of regular. there's more ways to save a couple dollars than making your engine have valve clatter and detonation

1camaro70 · 01-03-2010, 08:14 PM

If you go back to multiple threads, and dyno runs the low octane table loses you about 20 HP and 25 torque, just look at low dyno's verses heathy engines. At least with L99.

BLACK10 · 01-03-2010, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1camaro70

If you go back to multiple threads, and dyno runs the low octane table loses you about 20 HP and 25 torque, just look at low dyno's verses heathy engines. At least with L99.

yeah, thats how the whole fuse-pull thing got started

SC2150 · 01-03-2010, 08:19 PM

The knock sensors are quick enough to pull timing to avoid damage, but the reduced fuel economy that will result negates any savings from useing a lower octane.

The power loss could be 20-25hp or more depending on how close the factory tune is.

These cars have a 11:1 compression ratio....premium is a must!

Bottom line is, why? We have a customer that spent the $$ for a new Z06...and he won't pay the extra for premium. Crazy!

franknbeans · 01-03-2010, 08:29 PM

For us that have been here for a while we know that issue of filling up a L99 with low octane fuel. . . There's been many topics on this.

My 2003 SRT-4 actually pulled the boost and retarded the timing if you didn't use High test fuel.

BLACK10 · 01-03-2010, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SC2150

The knock sensors are quick enough to pull timing to avoid damage,

sorry , i was thinking of a car with a tune thats not pulling timing

SC2150 · 01-03-2010, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BLACK10

sorry , i was thinking of a car with a tune thats not pulling timing

Good point. A tuned car will still pull timing unless the knok detor settings are disabled or turned way down...and the only time we disable them is when doing a bracket tune for the drag racers that want to run the same# run after run. So you should still be safe even with a tune as long as the tuner is good. But we do see some tunes come in from a well known "traveling tuner" that disables it to cover for some tuning weaknesses he has...and have seen the melted pistons as a result.

rodimus prime · 01-03-2010, 09:37 PM

Im going to run 87 all winter. It doesnt hurt anything. Your car will just switch to the low octane table. But expect it to be slower. No damage will occur, thats just stupid.

RJT-Maro · 01-03-2010, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by avro206

Let me first say---I'd use it, no question.

My friend who has a Camaro SS refuses to fill it with premium. He doesn't think it needs it and won't pay out of principal.

His idle has a slight fluctuation I have noticed.

Give me some concrete reasons why he should.

If his car has a manual transmission then It will do this..

It's the lope from the big engine it has lol..

Mine does it, and it tickles me to see the needle moving up and down at a stop light lol

slicker · 01-03-2010, 10:47 PM

ok then if it make that much diffrence in the SS. then why no difrence in the LT with a 6 under the hood. the manual says regular but i use mid grade from chevron so should i be useing regular or should i use premium

avro206 · 01-03-2010, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slicker

ok then if it make that much diffrence in the SS. then why no difrence in the LT with a 6 under the hood. the manual says regular but i use mid grade from chevron so should i be useing regular or should i use premium

you have direct injection it runs fine on 87. But you can use higher if you want.

6.2L does not have DI

OUR72GTO · 01-03-2010, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slicker

ok then if it make that much diffrence in the SS. then why no difrence in the LT with a 6 under the hood. the manual says regular but i use mid grade from chevron so should i be useing regular or should i use premium

Oh WOW!

SamSS · 01-03-2010, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dire Wolf

Your friend buys a Camaro SS and then refuses to put Premium gas in it out of principal?

I'm sorry but your friend sounds like a complete dick. I call 'em like I see 'em.

Do you guys use Chevron's premium, Shell's, which one? I use Shell's premium. Are they even different from one another?

ffrcobra_65 · 01-03-2010, 11:48 PM

bottom line

If premium gas is Required, you must use premium or risk damage to the engine.

If premium is Recommended, you can get away with using regular or mid grade octane at the expense of performance.

If your car doesn't recommend or require premium but you are using premium, you are wasting money.

hansenp · 01-04-2010, 12:21 AM

I used 87 cause I didnt know any better until i came to this site with the complaint of bad knocking and pinging on hills. After using 91 it was gone. It responds so much better

SSTony · 01-04-2010, 12:24 AM

you should be putting premium in there and thats the bottom line.

rodimus prime · 01-04-2010, 12:33 AM

Just so you guys know, the cpu has two octane tables it runs its spark from, low and high. You can run either octane fine without the risk of damage, but with 87 you will be down on power.

2SSRS · 01-04-2010, 09:19 AM

I have been running 87 for three months now I will re dyno this munth to see if i lost power in AZ i don't think there is much deference in the two.

rodimus prime · 01-04-2010, 09:21 AM

LOL.

Your worried about using the Vararam to get the most power for an intake, then you run 87 octane to really compliment it. Sorry man, but thats funny.

1SSLOW · 01-04-2010, 09:23 AM

i always used premium...even when I would drive my old honda accord. LOL.

So, now with the SS, you get your a$$ Ima keep on using premium.

Trailbreaker77 · 01-04-2010, 09:30 AM

I use 93 all the time, it is my second vehicle so I don't have to fill it up that often. Maybe once a month.

01-03-2010, 07:41 PM	#1
avro206 Drives: 89 Formula 350 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Calgary AB Canada Posts: 53	Why use premium gas? Let me first say---I'd use it, no question. My friend who has a Camaro SS refuses to fill it with premium. He doesn't think it needs it and won't pay out of principal. His idle has a slight fluctuation I have noticed. Give me some concrete reasons why he should. __________________ 89 Formula 350 with alot of mods

01-03-2010, 08:07 PM	#5
BLACK10 POWER TECH Drives: 2010 CAMARO. 10.04@133mph, 1.4 60' Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Lafayette, Louisiana Posts: 4,395	the price of a tank of premium is only about $3 more than a tank of regular. there's more ways to save a couple dollars than making your engine have valve clatter and detonation __________________ LETHAL RACING.COM 337-258-7692

01-03-2010, 08:29 PM	#9
franknbeans Whipped Drives: 2010 CAMARO Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Pittsburgh-ish - PA Posts: 3,695 View My Garage	For us that have been here for a while we know that issue of filling up a L99 with low octane fuel. . . There's been many topics on this. My 2003 SRT-4 actually pulled the boost and retarded the timing if you didn't use High test fuel. __________________ Magnaflow Cat back / ROTO-FAB Intake / Whipple Kit / RDP Tune. 580hp - 650Tq

01-03-2010, 10:47 PM	#14
slicker slicker Drives: Cyber Grey 1 LT / RS Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 662 View My Garage	ok then if it make that much diffrence in the SS. then why no difrence in the LT with a 6 under the hood. the manual says regular but i use mid grade from chevron so should i be useing regular or should i use premium __________________ UFC as real as it gets

01-04-2010, 12:24 AM	#20
SSTony Drives: SS Camaro Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Piscataway NJ Posts: 1,100 View My Garage	you should be putting premium in there and thats the bottom line. __________________

01-03-2010, 07:45 PM	#2
coolman Guest Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: PA Posts: 4,874	He is also killing this hp #'s by doing this. It really slows them down to run anything other than premium. If it was a v-6 then it wouldn't matter.

01-03-2010, 08:14 PM	#6
1camaro70 Drives: 2010 2SS RS L99 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: BUTLER, PA Posts: 508	If you go back to multiple threads, and dyno runs the low octane table loses you about 20 HP and 25 torque, just look at low dyno's verses heathy engines. At least with L99.

01-03-2010, 08:19 PM	#8
SC2150 Drives: 2001 Camaro SS Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Bradenton, FL Posts: 8,072	The knock sensors are quick enough to pull timing to avoid damage, but the reduced fuel economy that will result negates any savings from useing a lower octane. The power loss could be 20-25hp or more depending on how close the factory tune is. These cars have a 11:1 compression ratio....premium is a must! Bottom line is, why? We have a customer that spent the $$ for a new Z06...and he won't pay the extra for premium. Crazy!

01-03-2010, 09:37 PM	#12
rodimus prime Account Suspended Drives: Cargo van. Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Metal Metal Land Posts: 1,248	Im going to run 87 all winter. It doesnt hurt anything. Your car will just switch to the low octane table. But expect it to be slower. No damage will occur, thats just stupid.

01-03-2010, 11:48 PM	#18
ffrcobra_65 Account Suspended Drives: SuperCharged 2SS/RS IOM MN6 Join Date: May 2009 Location: CA Posts: 5,109	bottom line If premium gas is Required, you must use premium or risk damage to the engine. If premium is Recommended, you can get away with using regular or mid grade octane at the expense of performance. If your car doesn't recommend or require premium but you are using premium, you are wasting money.

01-04-2010, 12:21 AM	#19
hansenp Drives: 2010 Camaro 2 SS/RS Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: San Francisco, California Posts: 418	I used 87 cause I didnt know any better until i came to this site with the complaint of bad knocking and pinging on hills. After using 91 it was gone. It responds so much better

01-04-2010, 12:33 AM	#21
rodimus prime Account Suspended Drives: Cargo van. Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Metal Metal Land Posts: 1,248	Just so you guys know, the cpu has two octane tables it runs its spark from, low and high. You can run either octane fine without the risk of damage, but with 87 you will be down on power.

01-04-2010, 09:19 AM	#22
2SSRS On a list for a 2014 Z28 Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SS M6 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: By the lake in AZ Posts: 10,123 View My Garage	I have been running 87 for three months now I will re dyno this munth to see if i lost power in AZ i don't think there is much deference in the two. __________________ My Build Thread E-mail Amigoop3@yahoo.com

01-04-2010, 09:21 AM	#23
rodimus prime Account Suspended Drives: Cargo van. Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Metal Metal Land Posts: 1,248	LOL. Your worried about using the Vararam to get the most power for an intake, then you run 87 octane to really compliment it. Sorry man, but thats funny.

01-04-2010, 09:23 AM	#24
1SSLOW 1 - 0 Drives: 2010 SS/RS w/ GFX Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Houston Posts: 27	i always used premium...even when I would drive my old honda accord. LOL. So, now with the SS, you get your a$$ Ima keep on using premium.

01-04-2010, 09:30 AM	#25
Trailbreaker77 Drives: 2010 Transformers Edition Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Maryland Posts: 636	I use 93 all the time, it is my second vehicle so I don't have to fill it up that often. Maybe once a month. __________________

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
The new Camaro V6 might be the best model of the entire lineup!	Mr. Wyndham	5th Gen Camaro SS LS LT General Discussions	101	12-21-2010 07:48 PM
Mixing Gas to get 93 Octane	FarmallsForever	Camaro V8 LS3 / L99 Engine, Exhaust, and Bolt-Ons	17	11-13-2009 09:29 PM
Hard to fill gas tank	herkman	5th Gen Camaro SS LS LT General Discussions	35	11-09-2009 06:16 PM
Locking gas cap	howdyguy	5th Gen Camaro SS LS LT General Discussions	25	10-09-2009 06:37 PM
Fuel pump or bad tank of gas?	Boomer Sooner	4th Generation Camaros	25	01-02-2009 06:34 PM