92 clear premium VS 92 premium - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

69ZLover · 07-10-2015, 07:44 PM

I know clear is all natural and regular premium has probably 10% corn alcohol in it and both have detergents. With both having the same octane rating which one would be considered the best for our cars to drive on for the long haul?

I have read alcohol and aluminum and even some rubber don't play well together. Which leads me to wonder the validity of the claim since most gas is cut with corn subsidies. Just about every new car for years now has aluminum in it and rubber parts somewhere in contact with gas.

I'm currently siding with both being perfectly fine unless someone knows something different. Was pondering it just because and after researching it found nothing that could clearly point to one or the other. (Currently doing a test for the first time on regular 92 premium to see if the butt dyno or the bionic ear can detect anything out of place)

Bizaro · 07-10-2015, 07:54 PM

clear all day, corn ethanol is horrible for your car unless its set up specifically for ethanol use.

69ZLover · 07-10-2015, 08:00 PM

That was my default view point since day one. Was kinda thinking it wouldn't be to much of change unless one went to an E85 system.

cdjnight · 07-10-2015, 11:30 PM

10% you'll never see a difference, alcohol mixed with unleaded isn't hard on parts at all, and there's a ton of people using it at E85 level in cars that have been converted with zero issues...when old racers and car guys say this it drives me nuts, the majority of this talk comes from the drag strip where cars run Methanol at 95-99%. Then YES its very corrosive and eats everything . Unless your running your car on E90 or greater, You have nothing to worry about but cleaner injectors and less carbon build up on valves pistons and rings.

gnghomes · 07-11-2015, 02:44 AM

You have nothing to worry about but cleaner injectors and less carbon build up on valves pistons and rings.

69ZLover · 07-19-2015, 02:56 PM

So one tank of regular 92 down. Noticed no performance issues. What I did find odd was this, I now average 13.1 MPG where before for the first 5k of millage all on clear premium I was always in the 17.1-17.8. One more tank is in order to kinda proof this out on my car. I never left town on this tank so a road trip of some sort is in order.

Did some math as well and the cost savings of going regular premium will pay for 1 can of Torco which will get you a tank of 96 octane for you penny pincher's who want cheap performance.

jessrayo · 07-19-2015, 03:28 PM

Okay, the real difference is in the energy of the fuel. Alcohol has less potential energy per gallon than gasoline. E85 has about 80% of the potential energy per gallon as gasoline. To put it simply the explosive power of gasoline is greater than any alcohol. There are several different types of alcohol and ethanol and methanol are a couple of the more common motor fuels. The big advantages of alcohol (other than the fact it can be distilled from plants rather than pumped from oil wells) are that alcohol can handle more compression without knocking (gives it a better octane rating) and it burns efficiently with less oxygen than gasoline.

When you think about what we do to cars to get more power, the vast majority of upgrades are designed to get more air into the engine. Intakes, cams, superchargers, etc. When the fuel burns efficiently with less air then you can pump more fuel in the engine to match the air you have and it works fine, frequently giving you more total power because you are spraying more fuel into the same air. This is what happens when you convert to E85. You put in bigger injectors and fuel pumps and change the air fuel ratios in the tune so the car gets much more fuel per unit of air.

Alcohol gets less mpg because you have to inject more for air/fuel ratios and it has less potential energy per gallon.

This is the short version.... I keep thinking of things I could say about residual compounds of incomplete combustion and other things but the bottom line for me is the car will get a little better mpg and have a little more power with pure gas if you can find it.

X25 · 07-19-2015, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 69ZLover

So one tank of regular 92 down. Noticed no performance issues. What I did find odd was this, I now average 13.1 MPG where before for the first 5k of millage all on clear premium I was always in the 17.1-17.8. One more tank is in order to kinda proof this out on my car. I never left town on this tank so a road trip of some sort is in order.

Did some math as well and the cost savings of going regular premium will pay for 1 can of Torco which will get you a tank of 96 octane for you penny pincher's who want cheap performance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jessrayo

Okay, the real difference is in the energy of the fuel. Alcohol has less potential energy per gallon than gasoline. E85 has about 80% of the potential energy per gallon as gasoline. To put it simply the explosive power of gasoline is greater than any alcohol. There are several different types of alcohol and ethanol and methanol are a couple of the more common motor fuels. The big advantages of alcohol (other than the fact it can be distilled from plants rather than pumped from oil wells) are that alcohol can handle more compression without knocking (gives it a better octane rating) and it burns efficiently with less oxygen than gasoline.

When you think about what we do to cars to get more power, the vast majority of upgrades are designed to get more air into the engine. Intakes, cams, superchargers, etc. When the fuel burns efficiently with less air then you can pump more fuel in the engine to match the air you have and it works fine, frequently giving you more total power because you are spraying more fuel into the same air. This is what happens when you convert to E85. You put in bigger injectors and fuel pumps and change the air fuel ratios in the tune so the car gets much more fuel per unit of air.

Alcohol gets less mpg because you have to inject more for air/fuel ratios and it has less potential energy per gallon.

This is the short version.... I keep thinking of things I could say about residual compounds of incomplete combustion and other things but the bottom line for me is the car will get a little better mpg and have a little more power with pure gas if you can find it.

jessrayo is correct that you need more fuel for the same power with Ethanol, but at 10% with 80% potency of gas, your gas mileage should only be impacted by 2%, not 50%.

69ZLover · 07-19-2015, 09:32 PM

What you guys say is true in how I have always known it with alcohol. The 13.1 MPG was 100% city driving. Turns out I did not do any of my little just because road trips which threw my average way off and sent me into a tail spin with the horrible numbers.

Hi-way test is done now running 22.8 mpg doing 60 with the cruise control on. 21.6 mpg trying to hold 60 free style (Very very hard to do

). Old number was 24 mpg on cruise so not much in way dramatic change and exceptable in my book for cheap gas for road trips out in the boonies. Will be going back to my clear with my next fill up.

Need to update my performance statement: Noticed a tad bit of suckage going on. 1st gear launch grabbed way to quickly and 2nd just grabbed after a little fraction of a second bog. Tires were way warm and race ready so grab should have been spot on but the bog has me wondering??? Going to chalk it up to heat everywhere and not fret to much since the first round of up grades is going to happen soon.

What does 12.3 mpg in a ZL1 on the open road get you?

07-10-2015, 07:44 PM	#1
69ZLover Drives: 2015 ZL1 Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Oregon Posts: 55	92 clear premium VS 92 premium I know clear is all natural and regular premium has probably 10% corn alcohol in it and both have detergents. With both having the same octane rating which one would be considered the best for our cars to drive on for the long haul? I have read alcohol and aluminum and even some rubber don't play well together. Which leads me to wonder the validity of the claim since most gas is cut with corn subsidies. Just about every new car for years now has aluminum in it and rubber parts somewhere in contact with gas. I'm currently siding with both being perfectly fine unless someone knows something different. Was pondering it just because and after researching it found nothing that could clearly point to one or the other. (Currently doing a test for the first time on regular 92 premium to see if the butt dyno or the bionic ear can detect anything out of place)

07-10-2015, 11:30 PM	#4
cdjnight Drives: 2013 ZL1 A6 Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Council Bluffs, Iowa Posts: 266	10% you'll never see a difference, alcohol mixed with unleaded isn't hard on parts at all, and there's a ton of people using it at E85 level in cars that have been converted with zero issues...when old racers and car guys say this it drives me nuts, the majority of this talk comes from the drag strip where cars run Methanol at 95-99%. Then YES its very corrosive and eats everything . Unless your running your car on E90 or greater, You have nothing to worry about but cleaner injectors and less carbon build up on valves pistons and rings. __________________

07-19-2015, 03:28 PM	#7
jessrayo Speed Freak Drives: 2013 ZL1 Camaro, 2016 Camaro SS Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Ardmore, OK Posts: 2,637 View My Garage	Okay, the real difference is in the energy of the fuel. Alcohol has less potential energy per gallon than gasoline. E85 has about 80% of the potential energy per gallon as gasoline. To put it simply the explosive power of gasoline is greater than any alcohol. There are several different types of alcohol and ethanol and methanol are a couple of the more common motor fuels. The big advantages of alcohol (other than the fact it can be distilled from plants rather than pumped from oil wells) are that alcohol can handle more compression without knocking (gives it a better octane rating) and it burns efficiently with less oxygen than gasoline. When you think about what we do to cars to get more power, the vast majority of upgrades are designed to get more air into the engine. Intakes, cams, superchargers, etc. When the fuel burns efficiently with less air then you can pump more fuel in the engine to match the air you have and it works fine, frequently giving you more total power because you are spraying more fuel into the same air. This is what happens when you convert to E85. You put in bigger injectors and fuel pumps and change the air fuel ratios in the tune so the car gets much more fuel per unit of air. Alcohol gets less mpg because you have to inject more for air/fuel ratios and it has less potential energy per gallon. This is the short version.... I keep thinking of things I could say about residual compounds of incomplete combustion and other things but the bottom line for me is the car will get a little better mpg and have a little more power with pure gas if you can find it. __________________ 2016 SS -AGP twin Borg Warner 7163 EFR's, LT4 mechanical pump, LT4 injectors, Walbro 255 low side, Castrol SRF. 734whp/759 tq 2013 ZL1 -ADM - 427 LSX 6 bolt, O-ringed block built by LME. Twin PT6466 turbos. RPM custom manual trans, RPS Quad carbon clutch, 9" Hendrix rear diff & axles. ADM/squash fuel system, Ron Davis radiator, Spal fans, AGP air to air, turbo plumbing. LPE oil cooler, rear bushing upgrade, roll bar...etc. rwhp 1400+... 212.5mph, best Texas mile to date.

07-10-2015, 07:54 PM	#2
Bizaro Account Suspended Drives: 2015 Redhot 1LE Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Westchester NY Posts: 1,408	clear all day, corn ethanol is horrible for your car unless its set up specifically for ethanol use.

07-10-2015, 08:00 PM	#3
69ZLover Drives: 2015 ZL1 Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Oregon Posts: 55	That was my default view point since day one. Was kinda thinking it wouldn't be to much of change unless one went to an E85 system.

07-11-2015, 02:44 AM	#5
gnghomes Drives: camaro Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: CA Posts: 2	You have nothing to worry about but cleaner injectors and less carbon build up on valves pistons and rings.

07-19-2015, 02:56 PM	#6
69ZLover Drives: 2015 ZL1 Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Oregon Posts: 55	So one tank of regular 92 down. Noticed no performance issues. What I did find odd was this, I now average 13.1 MPG where before for the first 5k of millage all on clear premium I was always in the 17.1-17.8. One more tank is in order to kinda proof this out on my car. I never left town on this tank so a road trip of some sort is in order. Did some math as well and the cost savings of going regular premium will pay for 1 can of Torco which will get you a tank of 96 octane for you penny pincher's who want cheap performance.

07-19-2015, 09:32 PM	#9
69ZLover Drives: 2015 ZL1 Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Oregon Posts: 55	What you guys say is true in how I have always known it with alcohol. The 13.1 MPG was 100% city driving. Turns out I did not do any of my little just because road trips which threw my average way off and sent me into a tail spin with the horrible numbers. Hi-way test is done now running 22.8 mpg doing 60 with the cruise control on. 21.6 mpg trying to hold 60 free style (Very very hard to do ). Old number was 24 mpg on cruise so not much in way dramatic change and exceptable in my book for cheap gas for road trips out in the boonies. Will be going back to my clear with my next fill up. Need to update my performance statement: Noticed a tad bit of suckage going on. 1st gear launch grabbed way to quickly and 2nd just grabbed after a little fraction of a second bog. Tires were way warm and race ready so grab should have been spot on but the bog has me wondering??? Going to chalk it up to heat everywhere and not fret to much since the first round of up grades is going to happen soon. What does 12.3 mpg in a ZL1 on the open road get you?