Premium gas

[LM7Yukon]

I find that using premium shell gets me better mpg, but per the owners manual it states to use 87 or higher. Yet the dealer service techs recommend only 87. In my area top tier gas is not available. Nor is it common in the North east.

[GM-Tech]

Premium fuel does not provide any more power, I don't see how it would improve gas mileage.

 

Octane is simply a fuel's resistance to being ignited. High compression engines need higher octane (premium) because compression alone can ignite the fuel at the wrong time, resulting in detonation.

 

Using premium fuel if your engine doesn't require it is a total waste of money.

[LM7Yukon]

Premium fuel does not provide any more power, I don't see how it would improve gas mileage.

 

Octane is simply a fuel's resistance to being ignited.  High compression engines need higher octane (premium) because compression alone can ignite the fuel at the wrong time, resulting in detonation. 

 

Using premium fuel if your engine doesn't require it is a total waste of money.

 

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The one thing your not taking into consideration is that high test has more detergent, and burns slower. Our motors are 9.5:1 compression which for a gas engine is not low. Granted some sports cars have upwards of 11:1, but my Subaru recommends high test with only 8.5:1.

[GM-Tech]

The one thing your not taking into consideration is that high test has more detergent, and burns slower.  Our motors are 9.5:1 compression which for a gas engine is not low.  Granted some sports cars have upwards of 11:1, but my Subaru recommends high test with only 8.5:1.

 

I won't argue that the additive package may be better in premium fuel, but I don't know where you got that premium burns slower.

 

Not sure why your Subaru would require premium. Is it turbocharged?

[LM7Yukon]

The one thing your not taking into consideration is that high test has more detergent, and burns slower.  Our motors are 9.5:1 compression which for a gas engine is not low.  Granted some sports cars have upwards of 11:1, but my Subaru recommends high test with only 8.5:1.

 

I won't argue that the additive package may be better in premium fuel, but I don't know where you got that premium burns slower.

 

Not sure why your Subaru would require premium. Is it turbocharged?

 

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yes my Outback XT is turbo charged.

 

If I use regular in my Yukon, do you recommend using a bottle of chevron techron every 3K?

[GM-Tech]

yes my Outback XT is turbo charged.

 

Which is why it requires premium even though the compression ratio is seemingly low.

 

It's cheap insurance to put a bottle of Techron in at every oil change, but personally, I don't. Then again, I work in a Chevy service department and can handle any problems with my vehicle, which for all intents and purposes, has a lifetime warranty.

 

Fuels have improved lately, so you probably don't really need the extra additives.

[PaulieK]

This is what my owners manual says on the subject. I have the V6000 engine.

 

Gasoline Octane

For all except vehicles with the 6000 V8 (VIN Code N)

engine, use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted

octane of 87 or higher. If the octane is less than 87, you

may get a heavy knocking noise when you drive. If this

occurs, use a gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as

soon as possible. Otherwise, you might damage your

engine. A little pinging noise when you accelerate or drive

uphill is considered normal. This does not indicate a

problem exists or that a higher-octane fuel is necessary.

If you are using 87 octane or higher-octane fuel and hear

heavy knocking, your engine needs service.

 

 

If you have the 6000 V8 (VIN Code N) engine, use

premium unleaded gasoline with a posted octane of

91 or higher for best performance. You may also

use middle grade or regular unleaded gasoline rated at

87 octane or higher, but your vehicle’s acceleration

may be slightly reduced. If the octane is less than 87,

you may get a heavy knocking noise when you drive.

If this occurs, use gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher

as soon as possible. Otherwise, you might damage

your engine.

 

 

Gasoline Specifications

It is recommended that gasoline meet specifications

which were developed by automobile manufacturers

around the world and contained in the World-Wide Fuel

Charter which is available from the Alliance of Automobile

Manufacturers at www.autoalliance.org/fuel_charter.htm.

Gasoline meeting these specifications could provide

improved driveability and emission control system

performance compared to other gasoline.

 

 

 

California Fuel

If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission

Standards (see the underhood emission control label), it

is designed to operate on fuels that meet California

specifications. If this fuel is not available in states

adopting California emissions standards, your vehicle

will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal

specifications, but emission control system performance

may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may

turn on and your vehicle may fail a smog-check test. See

Malfunction Indicator Lamp on page 3-44. If this

occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer for

diagnosis. If it is determined that the condition is caused

by the type of fuel used, repairs may not be covered

by your warranty.

[LM7Yukon]

California Fuel

If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission

Standards (see the underhood emission control label), it

is designed to operate on fuels that meet California

specifications. If this fuel is not available in states

adopting California emissions standards, your vehicle

will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal

specifications, but emission control system performance

may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may

turn on and your vehicle may fail a smog-check test. See

Malfunction Indicator Lamp on page 3-44. If this

occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer for

diagnosis. If it is determined that the condition is caused

by the type of fuel used, repairs may not be covered

by your warranty.

 

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This california fuel statement is bothersome. I live in PA, we don't have a Calif emission requirement, yet the Yukon I bought has Calif emissions because NYS which is nearby has calif emissions, so the dealer orders some this way. What criteria do I fall into, as here in PA we do not use calif spec fuels?

[n5xl]

I find that using premium shell gets me better mpg, but per the owners manual it states to use 87 or higher.  Yet the dealer service techs recommend only 87.  In my area top tier gas is not available. Nor is it common in the North east.

 

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I routinely monitor fuel economy in my 01 Silverado, and I notice the same thing.

 

For yours and my vehicle, when using 87 octane and based on our driving habits, the computer has adjusted the timing...retarded it...to prevent knocking which could over time damage the pistons. When we burn a grade of fuel that allows the computer to use normal timing advance, we get better economy.

 

As reference for you, for my driving habits, using 87 octane yields between 16.5 to 17.5 mpg. When I use 89 octane, I routinely get 18.5 to 19.5 mpg. This is fuel from the same station in my town. You have to monitor mpg each fuel up for months and months to get a good average of numbers. This smooths out driving habits and weather influences that could skew the results. Based on my testing, I started burning 89 exclusively. Its a hard habit to break when you pull into a station and are so used to grabbing the 87. FYI, I do not get any extra mpg when burning 91 octane.

 

 

According to my information, Shell is a top tier fuel.

Gasoline Brands That Currently Meet Top Tier Detergent Gasoline Standards

 

As of February 23, 2005, the following gasoline brands meet the Top Tier Detergent Gasoline Standards:

• Chevron Chevron has markets in 29 states in the West, Southwest and South, as well as in Alaska and Hawaii. ALL grades of Chevron with Techron gasoline meet Top Tier Detergent Gasoline Standards.

• QuikTrip (not to be confused with Kwik Trip) QuikTrip operates convenience stores and travel centers in a number of metropolitan areas:

- Tulsa, OK

- Springfield, MO

- Kansas City, MO and Kansas City, KS

- Wichita, KS

- Des Moines, IA

- Omaha, NE

- St. Louis, MO and St. Louis, IL

- Atlanta, GA

- Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX

- Phoenix, AZ

- Bartlesville, OK

- Miami, OK

- Vinita, OK

- Columbia, MO

• Conoco has over 4,000 stations located in 33 states.

• Phillips 66 has locations in 32 states across the nation.

• 76 has over 2,700 stations located throughout the country.

• Shell Shell Oil Products has a network of nearly 7,000 branded gasoline stations in the Western United States. Shell Oil Company markets branded products through more than 10,000 stations in the Eastern and Southern United States.

• Entec Stations offer gasoline through stations located in the greater Montgomery, Alabama area.

• MFA Oil Company offers gasoline at "Break Time" convenience stores located throughout Missouri.

[alvocado]

I worked as an engineering intern for BP Oil in college and spent time in both refineries and R&D. Gasolines with different octane levels do not necessarily have different detergents. The supply chain works as follows:

 

- Refineries supply refined gasoline to a nationwide pipeline network

- Local terminals have scheduled times when they pull supply off the pipeline network. These terminals are based in market areas and serve as the supplier to gas stations within the market. They supply both their own stations, e.g. BP, in addition to independents who aren't big enough to have their own terminals

- Detergents and additives are blended at the terminals. In my experience, the additives were pretty consistent across the grades

 

What most people don't realize is that companies draw the refined gasoline in the piplelines regardless of who refined it. It's based on when they take their deliveries. The difference comes with the blended additives.

 

If your vehicle is designed to run on 87 octane, there is no benefit to using 91 or 93 octane. High octane fuels are hugely profitable for the oil companies because of their higher margin. Buying the when your vehicle requires 87 octane means you are wasting your money.

[LM7Yukon]

If your vehicle is designed to run on 87 octane, there is no benefit to using 91 or 93 octane.  High octane fuels are hugely profitable for the oil companies because of their higher margin.  Buying the when your vehicle requires 87 octane means you are wasting your money.

 

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The manual doesn't state that my 05 Yukon is designed to run on 87. It says to use 87 or higher. Doesn't that imply that 87 is the minimum requirement?

[GM-Tech]

The manual doesn't state that my 05 Yukon is designed to run on 87.  It says to use 87 or higher.

 

That's kind of mincing words, don't you think? If it can run on 87 octane, and it can since it says to use 87 octane or higher, then it is in fact designed to run on 87 octane. No one said it's designed to run on 87 octane ONLY.

 

If your manual didn't have the "... or higher" statement, we'd get the customers that would have a little ping come in and say, "But my manual says to use 87 octane, nothing else." No offense, but from your comments, I think you would probably be one of those customers.

[LM7Yukon]

The manual doesn't state that my 05 Yukon is designed to run on 87.  It says to use 87 or higher.

 

That's kind of mincing words, don't you think? If it can run on 87 octane, and it can since it says to use 87 octane or higher, then it is in fact designed to run on 87 octane. No one said it's designed to run on 87 octane ONLY.

 

If your manual didn't have the "... or higher" statement, we'd get the customers that would have a little ping come in and say, "But my manual says to use 87 octane, nothing else." No offense, but from your comments, I think you would probably be one of those customers.

 

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How is gasoline regulated in the US? How do I know that when the local shell station brings in a local distributer to fill their tanks that the gas is in fact 87?

 

What disadvantage other than a few cents would hurt to buy Mid grade or above? Is it cheap insurance, or is their a disadvantage in ruining the motor?

[Supurban]

On these big V8s? Pffft.....87 is fine. The high-strung motors like turbo-4 cylinders beg for higher octane. But for day to day driving on lumpy V8s, I cannot justify paying more for gas than I already have to.