***Updated Fuse Pull info, confirmed***

[Supermans]

Originally Posted by PQ

Ok, I have been digging around and trying to confirm some info with dealers and GM members here on C5, as well as people I know who I trust can provide accurate info.

To make a very brief explanation of the fuse pull, for those who don't know, it's pulling the #5 and #20 fuses out of the cars fuse box and replacing them. The purpose of which is to reset the ECU to factory defaults. This can also be done at the dealer using the TechII or other similar dealer interface device with the car. I recapped my involvement recently in the Fuse Pull Aniversary thread. And there is a Fuse Pull Stickey in the technical forum that will give a ton of original info concerning the issue.

I had reported that the problem was being 'fixed' at the dealer level with a computer flash or ECU update. (So that the car would recognize the re-introduction of high Octane fuel automaticaly) Well this is not acurate information.

It's just been confirmed that there is no computer flash or update for the dealers to do. There is no 'fix', because there is nothing broken. We will need to have our cars taken to the dealer OR pull the fuses ourselves anytime we get bad gas or low Octane gas in them. IF you want the max performance out of your STOCK car.

Battery is not necessary. ONLY the fuses.

Unless they changed the entire computer on these cars during production, (No way that happened) it appears that ANY SS Camaro will need to have the ECU reset (by fuse pull, or at your dealer) after using low Octane gas. Again, if you want the max performance from your car.

I've had a lot of people swear to me lately that they have benefited from the fuse pull. It got me to asking around. I was of the understanding that it was addressed on the assembly line. Apperently it was not. What's to address? So YES even you 2011 guys will be affected should you use or inadvertantly use low grade gas.

This does NOT mean our cars are defective in any way. In fact quite the contrary. Many cars would be damaged if you used low octane fuel in them. Or have to be taken to the dealer to be fixed. Some drive like crap. Some will just shut down so engine damage won't happen. Ours will not only keep runnning, but automatically run at a safe level. We even have the option to run low grade fuel intentionaly if we want to.

We just have to have the dealer reset the defaults back to the factory levels. Not gonna go into the reasons and technical stuff here in the OP. There are too many people here who can speak more acurately than myself, but I just wanted to pass this info along so that everyone knows. I have been telling people wrong.

I just wanted to update to let everyone know.

Thanks PQ for the info. I have a friend who owns now a 2011 auto and it came home with regular from the dealer and runs slower than it should. Now it all makes perfect sense. I wonder why GM did not come out and say this last year when this first became an issue?

[x626xBlack]

Originally Posted by mclark10

That is probably true, but, are you saying that if you pump say, 15 gallons of 93, and the first gallon is 87, that is degrades the whole tank? That's like saying if you pour an ounce of beer in a pint of tequila, you would now have beer. However, I've done the fuse pull, and I'm a believer in that.

Originally Posted by Stormyone

That's what I was thinking.... if I get 15 gallons of gas, 14 which are 93 octane and 1 which is 87, then the average amount of octane for the 15 gallons would be what?

I am sure both of you are correct. Put a gallon of Diesel in 15 gallons of 93 and see what your 0-60 is, or add another 8% Ethanol to a fuel that already has 10%, which in a 15 gallon tank would be about a gallon....

[Rip]

Originally Posted by x626xBlack

I am sure both of you are correct. Put a gallon of Diesel in 15 gallons of 93 and see what your 0-60 is, or add another 8% Ethanol to a fuel that already has 10%, which in a 15 gallon tank would be about a gallon....

Yeah, that's not exactly comparing apples to apples.

[winston2ss]

I know for a fact my dealer put low octane in. I used that until the low fuel warning came on, I then put about half tank of 93, drove until low fuel warning and filled up with 93 octane. I then did the fuse pull. I never timed 0-60 before the fuse pull but after the pull the car ran about 6 seconds 0-60. That just seems a little slow to me. Most of the gas stations around here have 10% ethanol added. Is that common everywhere? Maybe a stupid question but I don't know.

[Supermans]

After asking a couple designers of the new Mustang 5.0's team in another forum, they let me know that the computer system in the automatic Mustang detects what fuel is being is used and adjusts accordingly every time the car is started. It is a shame the Camaro designers have not figured this part out yet for the 2011 model year. A fuse pull should not be something anyone with a new 2011 should have to do every time they put lower octane fuel in their car..

[BackinBlackSS/RS]

Originally Posted by Supermans

After asking a couple designers of the new Mustang 5.0's team in another forum, they let me know that the computer system in the automatic Mustang detects what fuel is being is used and adjusts accordingly every time the car is started. ..

The thing that is funny is I've never heard of a car that didn't adjust. I mean it has been common for years that when you use higher octane gas you can feel a difference. I have no clue as to how a new car in this day and age cannot adjust to higher octane.

[acatlover13]

Originally Posted by JUISSD

There are so many variables that come into play at the track it's impossible to narrow it down to one single thing. Honestly, your times the second trip to the track are more in line with what you should be running anyways.

Seriously??????? No sh**!!! I KNOW what numbers my car should have been running from the start. My point is that the first time I took it to the track....I went on the "low octane" table. The only change between the two times (other than a few degrees) was the fuse pull. A few degrees won't make the car pick up 8/10's of a second. And don't even THINK about attributing it to my driving...I've been drag racing for over 10 years.

You can talk until you are blue in the face...you will never convince me that anything other than the fuse pull made that much difference in my times. My car has never run that slow again. (I am talking stock numbers....my car has since been modified and has a custom tune....no fuse pull is necessary anymore).

[Screaminz2002]

Even with the low octane fuel, I am curious about the flash for the over sensative knock sensor. Someone posted on another thread that there was an update for that but I have had no luck in finding it.

[lee]

ive never pulled my fuses, honestly it sounds like a silly thing to do, but im gonna go do it, hopefully tommorow on the way to work my car is a beast

[jokerswild]

I just got my car yesterday, so i'm still working on the original tank of gas (which I'm SURE is 87, since that's what they told me to put in it).

I'll be doing what winston2ss did... run it until nice and low... put in 1/4 to 1/2 tank 91 (best we have in CA), run it low again... then fill her up and do the fuse pull... best way to make sure I've got all the lousy 87 out of the lines.

Give me till the weekend, and I'll let everyone know if I notice any difference.

[Caspers2SSRS]

Originally Posted by acatlover13

Seriously??????? No sh**!!! I KNOW what numbers my car should have been running from the start. My point is that the first time I took it to the track....I went on the "low octane" table. The only change between the two times (other than a few degrees) was the fuse pull. A few degrees won't make the car pick up 8/10's of a second. And don't even THINK about attributing it to my driving...I've been drag racing for over 10 years.

You can talk until you are blue in the face...you will never convince me that anything other than the fuse pull made that much difference in my times. My car has never run that slow again. (I am talking stock numbers....my car has since been modified and has a custom tune....no fuse pull is necessary anymore).

I'm sorry, and I'm not trying to be contrite, but I'm still a bit confused on this whole matter...........why would, or better yet what do engine or for a matter of fact any modifications, custom tune or otherwise have to do with the loss or gains of over all engine power, directly related having to do with using the unrecommened fuel, with its lower octane rating, and the fuse pull trick....? One inquiring mind needs clarity..........as to the connections or better yet how modding the car exempts it from the previously mentioned issues and a resolution to those performance problems by simply resetting the ECM via fuse pulling. Or are you attributing the custom tune and somehow the new programming lowers the octane threshold so that the car runs fine and equally on low, mid and high octane, and that the ECM is now programed to self diagnose and adjust itself so that the engine performance remains the same no matter the fuels octane rating. Sorry if the questions seem redundant...............Casper

[PQ]

Originally Posted by Supermans

Thanks PQ for the info. I have a friend who owns now a 2011 auto and it came home with regular from the dealer and runs slower than it should. Now it all makes perfect sense. I wonder why GM did not come out and say this last year when this first became an issue?

From our experience and the way it seemed with the engineers findings on Scotts car, I"m guessing they just didn't know. And didn't want to even START to guess, because of the firestorm it could create. So I'm assuming they just wanted HARD facts before they said anything. What I was told at the fest was basicaly that it's been taken care of. If that means DON'T put low octane gas in your car, then so be it. After seeing the pissing and moaning caused by little things like the headlights, ABL, brake weights, and that cracked nose piece, I would be scared to say anything if I was them too.

But that's just my guess.

Oh, and you saw that I finally kicked the habit right?

Originally Posted by Supermans

After asking a couple designers of the new Mustang 5.0's team in another forum, they let me know that the computer system in the automatic Mustang detects what fuel is being is used and adjusts accordingly every time the car is started. It is a shame the Camaro designers have not figured this part out yet for the 2011 model year. A fuse pull should not be something anyone with a new 2011 should have to do every time they put lower octane fuel in their car..

Originally Posted by BackinBlackSS/RS

The thing that is funny is I've never heard of a car that didn't adjust. I mean it has been common for years that when you use higher octane gas you can feel a difference. I have no clue as to how a new car in this day and age cannot adjust to higher octane.

I have driven cars that will bog and drive like crap bucking a kicking if you put low grade gas in. I'm just glad it at least adjusts DOWN.

But you may be thinking of a car that takes low grade fuel, that high grade fuel works better. I'm not so sure the high grade cars have been like that very long.

[acatlover13]

Originally Posted by Caspers2SSRS

I'm sorry, and I'm not trying to be contrite, but I'm still a bit confused on this whole matter...........why would, or better yet what do engine or for a matter of fact any modifications, custom tune or otherwise have to do with the loss or gains of over all engine power, directly related having to do with using the unrecommened fuel, with its lower octane rating, and the fuse pull trick....? One inquiring mind needs clarity..........as to the connections or better yet how modding the car exempts it from the previously mentioned issues and a resolution to those performance problems by simply resetting the ECM via fuse pulling. Casper

The stock ECM has two settings: low octane and high octane. In a perfect world, the stock ECM would reset itself for optimum performance depending on which type of fuel was being used. Unfortunately, our 2010 SS Camaros don't seem to do this. These cars are almost completely controlled by these computers (we as drivers are able to do just enough to make us THINK we are in control....LOL). When I added the mods and had the custom tune programmed, there is no longer any need to do the fuse pull, since it would set it back to factory settings, and the factory settings are no longer optimum for my car. I would therefore have to reload my custom tune, if I were to pull my fuses at this point.

[csjcsj]

Originally Posted by acatlover13

The stock ECM has two settings: low octane and high octane. In a perfect world, the stock ECM would reset itself for optimum performance depending on which type of fuel was being used. Unfortunately, our 2010 SS Camaros don't seem to do this. These cars are almost completely controlled by these computers (we as drivers are able to do just enough to make us THINK we are in control....LOL). When I added the mods and had the custom tune programmed, there is no longer any need to do the fuse pull, since it would set it back to factory settings, and the factory settings are no longer optimum for my car. I would therefore have to reload my custom tune, if I were to pull my fuses at this point.

So if you already have a custom tune you are saying DO NOT do the fuse pull, because it resets the ECM to factory specs?????????????? And you will lose your custom tune!!!!!