Just wondering
1/12/05, 04:10 PM
#1
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I've only filled up my car once since I've gotten it. Have I mentioned how I hate Wi. winters. Just wondering what grade of gasoline you fellas are putting in your respective rides?
1/12/05, 04:23 PM
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Depends on what I'm doing with it. If I'm planning some sort of spirited driving or track time: the good stuff, 93 octane.
If I'm cruising or planning on going some serious miles: the cheap stuff: 87 octane.
I'm convinced that my car would run on Jack Daniels, so I'm not too snobby about gas.
If I'm cruising or planning on going some serious miles: the cheap stuff: 87 octane.
I'm convinced that my car would run on Jack Daniels, so I'm not too snobby about gas.
1/12/05, 05:38 PM
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Cool thanks guys for your input. Blake thats one heck of a car if ya could get her to run on JD!! I was just wondering about the gas cuz my stepfather and I were talking about my stang this weekend. He was wondering about the unleaded fuel hurting my engine. I told him I'm pretty sure I could put whatever kind I wanted in and he wasn't so sure. Now I know. Thanks again!!
1/13/05, 06:25 AM
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That's going to depend on a lot of things. If your car is heavily modified with heads, dome pistons, etc., you're gonna need high octane. If your timing is advanced quite a bit, you're gonna need high octane.
If you've got a relatively stock compression small block with the timing set to 8-12 BTDC, you'll probably be fine on 87.
Easy test: Run your tank near empty, and put a few gallons of 87 in the tank. Turn the stereo off, and do a few hard accelerations uphills. Does it ping? If not, you can run 87. If so, run the gas out and get a few gallons of the next grade and repeat.
Higher octane does NOT mean it's better. It's like wearing a size 10 shoe if you really only need a 9.
"This one goes to eleven" - Nigel Tufnel.
If you've got a relatively stock compression small block with the timing set to 8-12 BTDC, you'll probably be fine on 87.
Easy test: Run your tank near empty, and put a few gallons of 87 in the tank. Turn the stereo off, and do a few hard accelerations uphills. Does it ping? If not, you can run 87. If so, run the gas out and get a few gallons of the next grade and repeat.
Higher octane does NOT mean it's better. It's like wearing a size 10 shoe if you really only need a 9.
"This one goes to eleven" - Nigel Tufnel.
1/13/05, 07:45 AM
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Originally posted by KungFuDan@January 12, 2005, 7:41 PM
Cool thanks guys for your input. Blake thats one heck of a car if ya could get her to run on JD!! I was just wondering about the gas cuz my stepfather and I were talking about my stang this weekend. He was wondering about the unleaded fuel hurting my engine. I told him I'm pretty sure I could put whatever kind I wanted in and he wasn't so sure. Now I know. Thanks again!!
Cool thanks guys for your input. Blake thats one heck of a car if ya could get her to run on JD!! I was just wondering about the gas cuz my stepfather and I were talking about my stang this weekend. He was wondering about the unleaded fuel hurting my engine. I told him I'm pretty sure I could put whatever kind I wanted in and he wasn't so sure. Now I know. Thanks again!!
1/13/05, 03:00 PM
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To further on Blakes comments, cars in the mid mile 80-100k mile range that have not had the valve seats replaced with hardened ones yet usually have a sufficient build up of lead deposit on them that it does not matter all that much.
It is true that octane level can be different for each case and what your particular set up likes, especially on newer cars. I figure since the leaded gas of old was in the mid 90 range I splurge for the highest I can find which is usually 93 and some Sunoco's still carry ultra 94'. Of course I only do about 1000 miles a year too. I follow a pretty strict ritual each year also. My car is topped off and uses a stabalizer for winter storage. Once that old tank is run through my first spring fill up I add some carb cleaner. Than after a few other fill ups I run a can of lead substitute for good measure (my car has 50k original un-rebuilt miles so better safe than sorry) and then usually somewhere before the end of the season I run carb cleaner again before the last fillup with stabalizer in the fall.
It may be overkill but preventaive maintanence is a good thing in my book.
It is true that octane level can be different for each case and what your particular set up likes, especially on newer cars. I figure since the leaded gas of old was in the mid 90 range I splurge for the highest I can find which is usually 93 and some Sunoco's still carry ultra 94'. Of course I only do about 1000 miles a year too. I follow a pretty strict ritual each year also. My car is topped off and uses a stabalizer for winter storage. Once that old tank is run through my first spring fill up I add some carb cleaner. Than after a few other fill ups I run a can of lead substitute for good measure (my car has 50k original un-rebuilt miles so better safe than sorry) and then usually somewhere before the end of the season I run carb cleaner again before the last fillup with stabalizer in the fall.
It may be overkill but preventaive maintanence is a good thing in my book.
1/13/05, 04:28 PM
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Originally posted by pakrat@January 13, 2005, 4:03 PM
I follow a pretty strict ritual each year also. My car is topped off and uses a stabalizer for winter storage. Once that old tank is run through my first spring fill up I add some carb cleaner. Than after a few other fill ups I run a can of lead substitute for good measure (my car has 50k original un-rebuilt miles so better safe than sorry) and then usually somewhere before the end of the season I run carb cleaner again before the last fillup with stabalizer in the fall.
It may be overkill but preventaive maintanence is a good thing in my book.
I follow a pretty strict ritual each year also. My car is topped off and uses a stabalizer for winter storage. Once that old tank is run through my first spring fill up I add some carb cleaner. Than after a few other fill ups I run a can of lead substitute for good measure (my car has 50k original un-rebuilt miles so better safe than sorry) and then usually somewhere before the end of the season I run carb cleaner again before the last fillup with stabalizer in the fall.
It may be overkill but preventaive maintanence is a good thing in my book.
1/14/05, 05:52 AM
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I'm typically tuned for 89 octane, although I've been known to mix in some 87 on roadtrips... Or some 91 octane on 90*+ days. Hot thin air seems to make 89 "marginal". I'm 9.3:1 compression (IIRC) and typically run 16* initial and 34-36* total timing.
1/14/05, 10:36 AM
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Originally posted by KungFuDan+January 13, 2005, 5:31 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (KungFuDan @ January 13, 2005, 5:31 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-pakrat@January 13, 2005, 4:03 PM
I follow a pretty strict ritual each year also. My car is topped off and uses a stabalizer for winter storage. Once that old tank is run through my first spring fill up I add some carb cleaner. Than after a few other fill ups I run a can of lead substitute for good measure (my car has 50k original un-rebuilt miles so better safe than sorry) and then usually somewhere before the end of the season I run carb cleaner again before the last fillup with stabalizer in the fall.
It may be overkill but preventaive maintanence is a good thing in my book.
I follow a pretty strict ritual each year also. My car is topped off and uses a stabalizer for winter storage. Once that old tank is run through my first spring fill up I add some carb cleaner. Than after a few other fill ups I run a can of lead substitute for good measure (my car has 50k original un-rebuilt miles so better safe than sorry) and then usually somewhere before the end of the season I run carb cleaner again before the last fillup with stabalizer in the fall.
It may be overkill but preventaive maintanence is a good thing in my book.
Did you top it off and add stabalizer before storage as well? Without it you'll have a tank full of varnish before the winter is half over.
1/14/05, 01:32 PM
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Originally posted by pakrat+January 14, 2005, 11:39 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (pakrat @ January 14, 2005, 11:39 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>
Thanks Pakrat. That is a good idea. I think that when I take the car out of the garage in early April (I'm wishing here but I can only hope), i'll use the carb cleaner also. It seems like a good idea after it's been sitting for 6 months without being started. And like you anything that I can do to help prevent damage even it is overkill is good in my book.
Originally posted by KungFuDan@January 13, 2005, 5:31 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-pakrat
<!--QuoteBegin-pakrat
@January 13, 2005, 4:03 PM
I follow a pretty strict ritual each year also. My car is topped off and uses a stabalizer for winter storage. Once that old tank is run through my first spring fill up I add some carb cleaner. Than after a few other fill ups I run a can of lead substitute for good measure (my car has 50k original un-rebuilt miles so better safe than sorry) and then usually somewhere before the end of the season I run carb cleaner again before the last fillup with stabalizer in the fall.
It may be overkill but preventaive maintanence is a good thing in my book.
I follow a pretty strict ritual each year also. My car is topped off and uses a stabalizer for winter storage. Once that old tank is run through my first spring fill up I add some carb cleaner. Than after a few other fill ups I run a can of lead substitute for good measure (my car has 50k original un-rebuilt miles so better safe than sorry) and then usually somewhere before the end of the season I run carb cleaner again before the last fillup with stabalizer in the fall.
It may be overkill but preventaive maintanence is a good thing in my book.
Thanks Pakrat. That is a good idea. I think that when I take the car out of the garage in early April (I'm wishing here but I can only hope), i'll use the carb cleaner also. It seems like a good idea after it's been sitting for 6 months without being started. And like you anything that I can do to help prevent damage even it is overkill is good in my book.
Yeah i added the stabilizer my last fill up of the year, and then drove it to my friends to get put to bed for the winter.
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