special02LS
Active LVC Member
LS says to use 93 , does anyone run anything else with success? just curious i have a v6 by the way if that matters
gas for the LS!!
- Thread starter special02LS
- Start date
Lets break it down this way. Premium is what, 20-cents more per gallon then 89-91 (whatever your mid-grade is)? Lets say 30 for the fun of it. The LS has a 17-gallon tank. Assuming you pull in with an once of gas left in the tank, you will spend an extra $5 to put the good gas in the car. Now lets say you fill up every week. You will spend an extra $265 a year for good gas.
The types of damage that bad gas will cause to the engine will far exceed the $265 it would cost you to just put the gas it calls for in it to begin with, SPECIALLY if it's the V8!!! To me, I would just consider it part of owning the car.
To answer your question the way it was asked, here's what you can typically expect by running a lower octane gas then what an engine calls for:
- Detonation (very very bad)
- Hotter engine temps
- Hotter Catalytic Converter and shorter life
- Tends to build up more carbon deposits on valves from hotter burn
- Reduced performance and gas mileage
- Engine can feel rougher sometimes
Detonation (Spark-Knock, Pre-Ignition, etc) is the one to watch out for. That's where you will end up with serious failure if left unchecked. Usually ends up burning holes into the piston or cooking the exhaust valve. Everything else can somewhat be controlled. It just means things won't last as long.
It actually says 91 octane. Any less will cause a degradation in performance and economy. You'll easily eat up the savings by using a lower octane by reduced MPG.
RichieboyLS
Active LVC Member
I don't think I've even seen any pumps around me with 91. Only 93, I have actually heard that using higher than what you should can be bad for the engine. Not that 93 is bad because it says 91+. I know some people who say that higher octane is better for an engine that requires regular. Is there any truth to this?
One time I put 20 bucks of 89 in by accident. I didn't notice anything bad happening. It was only 20 and I usually fill up completely when I get gas. But I wouldn't mess around with the car. If it says premium then I would get premium. Only the best for my LS.
One time I put 20 bucks of 89 in by accident. I didn't notice anything bad happening. It was only 20 and I usually fill up completely when I get gas. But I wouldn't mess around with the car. If it says premium then I would get premium. Only the best for my LS.
1LoudLS
Dedicated LVC Member
screw it, its just a sign. most signs are not important anyway right?
what are you going to do when it time to change the oil, use two stroke oil because its cheaper?
if your sweating the price difference in gas, then you probably should just sell it quick because its going to be outrageous to fix when something does break on it!
what are you going to do when it time to change the oil, use two stroke oil because its cheaper?
if your sweating the price difference in gas, then you probably should just sell it quick because its going to be outrageous to fix when something does break on it!
my father always told me theres no use in putting better octane gas in a 11 year old engine, putting anything higher will just be a waste. I have never ran anything than the lowest octane in any of my cars,because they are used. You guys over-exaggerate, just like how i've read on here that you should only use synthetic. Cheap HEB oil for me. Never had a problem. The only major damage i've ever had with my cars is replacing the head gasket but thats normal
Almost every car has a label that says to pump the highest octanes.
Unless the car is less than 5 years old, i would never pump higher octane gas, or use expensive oil.
Almost every car has a label that says to pump the highest octanes.
Unless the car is less than 5 years old, i would never pump higher octane gas, or use expensive oil.
depends on where you live, if you live farther up north then the octane rating is higher because of elevation. I have 83, 86, and 91
diskfunktional
Dedicated LVC Member
I have 87, 89, 90, 91, and 93 octane. I always use 93 octane. My coils thank me 
MMAFIGHTER121
Dedicated LVC Member
I can never find 91 octane so I just use 93. Hopefully I can get a tune to make the most out of that. Its a high compression engine so you need higher octane to prevent pre-detonation. A lot of the time the engine will prevent that by simply retarding the timing which will lower your power and efficiency. My sister came to me complaining her brand new toureg needed a tune up or oil change. I asked her what gas she used. She said 89. I told her add octane booster and switch to 91 at least (recommended) in the future and in a week she was thanking me because her car felt great again. They recommend a specific octane for a reason. Use it.
Most of the time you can save more money by changing how you drive the car. My LS will get 17-18mpg if I drive it normally. If I drive it like I stole it I'll get about 13mpg. And if I'm doing laps in a parking lot around cones about 8mpg.
Plus, in addition to being higher Octane, the fuel usually has additives to it to make it burn cleaner. At least that's what their advertising says
I still don't think it's worth saving the $265 a year when you will more then likely notice a MPG decrease above anything else. That alone would be self-defeating for your purpose.
Plus, in addition to being higher Octane, the fuel usually has additives to it to make it burn cleaner. At least that's what their advertising says
I still don't think it's worth saving the $265 a year when you will more then likely notice a MPG decrease above anything else. That alone would be self-defeating for your purpose.
No disrespect to your father but he is full of crap and you are stupid. The age of the engine is irrelevant. NOwhere does it say to run only synthetic oil. I only do it because I can go 10K miles between changes and I like the better protection synthetic gives.
The ONLY cars that say to pump the 91+ octane are cars with high compression engines, Like the LS. I've owned many cars in my years and the LS is the ONLY one to have that octane sticker. From the OM (I believe the engineers that designed this car are smarter than you)...
That means lower performance (i.e. more energy needed to achieve the same results as the computer retards the timing) which will reduce your MPG. It's your car and if you don't want to keep it long that's up to you. Personally, I try to get the highest mileage I can get from a car.
Believe what you want, but you're way off base with your "maintenance" habits.
seekonkholen1
Active LVC Member
Think of it like condoms. It's not that you CAN'T use the cheapest condom available, but it's more about wanting to make sure things don't go horribly wrong because of it! It's just all part of being a porn star. You gotta pay to play.
I just re-use them, I've had the same one since high school......:shifty:
1LoudLS
Dedicated LVC Member
well you and your dad are morons, and obviously have no ideal what goes on in an internal combustion engine. especially a high compression engine
no one ever said that you have to use synthetic, only that most of us do because of the better protection that synths offer
well there is a big lie, very few cars say you have to use premium, motors that have a high compression NEED to have higher octane fuel to prevent the air fuel mix from igniting at the wrong time and blowing you engine up.
luckily for you, your cars computer is much smarter than you are, and will pull timing (or at least try to) to keep the motor from destroying itself. when timing is pulled, the motors efficiently drops and so does the performance, and so does the gas mileage, which then burns up any of the money you have saved (and possibly more)
age has nothing to do with fuel requirements
i still dont get why all of the broke @sses always try to buy cars that they can not afford to maintain.
joegr
Dedicated LVC Member
The issues that you list at the top are the issues if everything goes well.
The serious detonation problems can show up if your knock sensor is bad or marginal. Please note that a bad or marginal knock sensor may not trip the check engine light. Your first warning that you have a bad knock sensor could be when the mechanic shows you a piston with a hole in it.
Why take the chance? If you can't afford a small per gallon cost increase (and don't want the higher performance) you should have bought a cheaper car with better mileage anyway.
Like... a Boss?
1LoudLS
Dedicated LVC Member
another reason that you are a moron, is because latitude (the amount of distance above or below the equator you are) has absolutely nothing to do with elevation, elevation (the distance above sea level) has to do with elevation.
being "up north" does not mean that you have to live in the mountains. a better example is that the highest point on earth is mt Everest, and it is only 27* north of the equator which is no further north than most of texas (for example, austin is about 30* N) so while your learning how motors work, you can also grab a map and try to figure out how that works too!
hey do you know what else saves money, just using tap water for all of your fluids, then you dont ever have to worry about spending too much money on oil, brake fluid, trans fluid...
1) Log into car forum, read post about using cheap gas
2) Polite criticism offered, say use gas required
3) Get told father says it's garbage, use cheapest stuff possible, we all drinking the kool-aid
4)
Sorry, i'm bored today and work is slow
tripolincoln
Well-Known LVC Member
you put him in his place now he wont post hahahahaha
right on. +1
some people just are stuck in their old ways and old technology. the ls is a sensitive technical feat of engineering... not a 92F150 or a 95tauraus. and as engines get older....you have to treat em or be prepared to dump way more than the 265$ in gas or the xtra 4$ i spend on a NapaGold Oil filter and the xtra 7$ i spend on my Full syn Cast GTX highmilleage oil on every 8k oil change, i dont like pushing it more than 9....just casue the idea of it scares me lol
30 year master mechanic, hes probably doing it right don't you think?
you have your ideas and he has his. I agree you get better gas mileage. The age of the engine does have to do with it. It won't damage your car using less octane, that's what the knock sensors are there for. I never said the ls had a label that advised synthetic oil. Many engines leak oil when they use synthetic, that's why i don't use it, too thin, risk of overheating.
öhh look at me i called out some guy and his father the rest of my friends probably think im bad as fuuuck, theyre wrong not me, cant you see the stickerrrrrr huurrr duurrr also the enginnneeers told me and theyre smarter than you!
Keep feeding your car more gas because you think it's "better" 9 more octanes wont make your engine last 5 more years than mine, or 10. An explosion is still an explosion, it will cause wear.
lol at causing a :q:q:q:qstorm,
hey everybody lets go call this guy an idiot on everything he says, instead of correcting him or informing him on his wrong info. Also, lets call his dad an idiot and copy and paste the quickest google search we can find.
hey everybody lets go call this guy an idiot on everything he says, instead of correcting him or informing him on his wrong info. Also, lets call his dad an idiot and copy and paste the quickest google search we can find.