Gas attendant put 87 octane in my car (LS3)

[CamaroCracka]

Originally Posted by $inferno

On our 2010 V6, the manual says it can run all 3 grades in it. Although we only put 93 in it. What will it do to the V8 if you do run 87 octane in it? Does it blow the engine up or make it not run at all? Just curious. Thank You

Technically, it switches to the low octane fuel tables in your ECM which have less timing advance causing the engine to make less power. The fuse pull puts it back to the high octane tables with more advance.

[VTSummit]

Originally Posted by Camaro310

Sorry to hear that they put inferior gas in your V8.

It's actually not inferior- read up on what octane means. Lower octane actually means it lights off easier and has more volatility.

[Mr. iNCREDIBLE]

Originally Posted by MiniBig

Gas attendant.............. Last one I saw was in 1981

Originally Posted by Daxal84

It's New Jersey. You can't pump your own gas. :(

yeah I was visiting Jersey a couple years ago and didn't know, got out and started pumping my fuel on the rental and got all sorts of anger spewed at me from the attendant.



wasn't sure about the whole thing so I tipped the guy $5 when he finished..

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by VTSummit

It's actually not inferior- read up on what octane means. Lower octane actually means it lights off easier and has more volatility.

In terms of the potential for engine damage, it absolutely is inferior. And that's the much greater concern here.


Norm

[Red2014SS]

Originally Posted by WoodBoss

Just use that gas and run it low. Then fill up with 93 for a couple tank full. Then do the fuse pull. Not sure about the octane boost, havn't used it in years.

I used to live in the North East, been down South 15 years and I really got used to it. The North East has so many laws and rules that we don't have here and everyone seems to get along just fine. Up North they have restrictions on restrictions and laws on laws, I would never live there again. Get out when ever you have a chance!!! Bunch of Commie Socialists up there running stuff. I hope that Fat Jerk Christie doesn't get very far with his presidential campaign. Vote for Trump!!! He will make this country great again!!!

There's Yankees, and then there's damned Yankees!

[JCunningham]

Originally Posted by $inferno

On our 2010 V6, the manual says it can run all 3 grades in it. Although we only put 93 in it. What will it do to the V8 if you do run 87 octane in it? Does it blow the engine up or make it not run at all? Just curious. Thank You

read in the manual with 87 a slight pinging may be heard. that pinging is your pistons being blown apart. putting 87 in it the computer will pull all the timing it can but its still not enough. your car has 2 tunes in it 91 and 87. 87 is for emergencies but gm doesnt want to tell you that because they would loose buyers if they knew they shouldnt run 87.

[VTSummit]

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

In terms of the potential for engine damage, it absolutely is inferior. And that's the much greater concern here.


Norm

Not in a modern engine. The car can adapt. The fuel itself is not inferior, just not the right choice in this application. Don't want to get wrapped up in semantics, but the gas industry has really messed with people's heads about "premium" being "better."

[gajagfan]

I think the number of higher compression production engines like the LS3's and the LS and engines from previous Camaros that never sipped premium fuel and ran for 100's of thousands of miles would amaze all of us that stick to the higher grade fuels.

[Ragnar]

Originally Posted by VTSummit

Not in a modern engine. The car can adapt. The fuel itself is not inferior, just not the right choice in this application. Don't want to get wrapped up in semantics, but the gas industry has really messed with people's heads about "premium" being "better."

Per the owners manual for L99 or LS3, use gasoline with a octane rating of 91 or higher. 87 octane can be used, but acceleration and fuel economy will be reduced, and an audible knocking noise may be heard. If this occurs, use a gasoline rated 91 octane or highr ASAP. Otherwise, the engine could be damaged. I guess GM is messing with my head. Simple math, 87 < 93 = INFERIOR

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by VTSummit

Not in a modern engine. The car can adapt. The fuel itself is not inferior, just not the right choice in this application. Don't want to get wrapped up in semantics, but the gas industry has really messed with people's heads about "premium" being "better."

"not the right choice in this application" sure sounds like "inferior choice for L99/LS3 engines".

Really, when the PCM takes timing out in an effort to protect it, you're losing not only performance but also economy - which would be the only reason to use 87 in these engines to begin with. Maybe you aren't losing the entire 30¢/gallon difference between 93 and 87, but you are definitely losing some of that. Never mind the thought (stress?) of having to drive it mildly enough all of the time to keep the rattle at bay if you have any sympathy for the mechanical bits.

The fact that Chevy admits that you can expect to hear a little pinging means that the PCM as currently programmed still can't cover completely for the use of 87.

I agree that for engines spec'ed to run on 87, the use of 93 is generally unwarranted (possible exception: if the 93 contains a better cleaning package, once in a while a tank of 93 should be at least as beneficial as a bottle of fuel injector cleaner on a similar interval).

My 4.6L was nominally an 87 octane engine - for the two weeks between delivery and the installation of a tune that called for 91 (or better).


Norm

[el ess A]

Bought a classic 87 442 from NJ once. Went to fill it up with gas, I hopped out and pumped the gas. The car owner looked at me like I had killed his cat and said I couldn't do that.

Do what?

Pump your own gas.

Oh...guess what? I was a pump jockey back in high school and pretty much been pumping my own gas for eons. I'm pretty sure I'm qualified. Obviously moreso than that zit-faced youngster attendant jaw-jacking with a teeny-bopper over there. I got places to go! Sorry, no pump jockey is touching my car. Won't happen, and I'll break the law if I have to. I'll just tell them I'm an undocumented worker and they'll leave me alone.

[$inferno]

Originally Posted by CamaroCracka

Technically, it switches to the low octane fuel tables in your ECM which have less timing advance causing the engine to make less power. The fuse pull puts it back to the high octane tables with more advance.

Would it be the same for the V6 with pulling the fuses to reset the ECM? We just got ours in Sep 25, 2014. I haven't read every post on them. I know in her 94 Z28 we can not run anything but 93 octane. We had a new PCM programmed to run 87 in it but we never installed it in the car.

Thank You
Philip

[$inferno]

Originally Posted by JCunningham

read in the manual with 87 a slight pinging may be heard. that pinging is your pistons being blown apart. putting 87 in it the computer will pull all the timing it can but its still not enough. your car has 2 tunes in it 91 and 87. 87 is for emergencies but gm doesnt want to tell you that because they would loose buyers if they knew they shouldnt run 87.

We have always ran 92-93 octane in ours. Depends on which station she goes to. We have been getting 20.5 mpg on it also. Alot better than the 94 Z28 she has. +

Thank You For the info!
Philip

[CamaroCracka]

Originally Posted by el ess A

I'll just tell them I'm an undocumented worker and they'll leave me alone.

Originally Posted by $inferno

Would it be the same for the V6 with pulling the fuses to reset the ECM? We just got ours in Sep 25, 2014. I haven't read every post on them. I know in her 94 Z28 we can not run anything but 93 octane. We had a new PCM programmed to run 87 in it but we never installed it in the car.

Thank You
Philip

This was brought up in another thread and I believe the answer from the V6 guys was there was no low octane fuel table in their tune, but I could be wrong. A V6 guy would be a better source of information on this.