hlv

at the C.I. Dave Hill said G.M. recomends 93 oct in the C6
and in the Z06 you MUST use it. It sounds like you can not
use 91 oct in the Z06 at all.

icedancer

Was just gettin ready to post on this issue.....

Does the 93 octane REQUIREMENT eliminate certain LARGE markets (spelled California, among others)?

I personally do not remember ever seeing higher tan 91 octane in California.

I have a wealthy friend that is very proud of paying $8.00 a gallon for what he calls "racing gas" for his Porsche Turbo Carrerra. He says he knows of one place to get it in Orange County.

Traveling cross-country recently, I did not see higher than 91 octane in a few western states.

I don't know anything about "octane-boosters" as owners were suggesting at the Cruise-In.

Paying $65-$75,000 cash for a Z06 and then having to add Billy-Bob's Booster to each tank of gas to raise the octane doesn't sound very interesting.

Any of you wizards wanna educate us on the realities of required octane, octane boosters, and any other pertinent scoop?

Thanks in advance

QUIKAG

It'll run on 91 octane. This is an advanced engine with knock sensors that can retard timing. If you want the full 505, you're going to have to use at least 93 octane.

sorka

Knock sensors are a last resort in case you put the wrong gas in or get bad gas. Detonation has to occure before the ECU will retard timing. This is probably fine for the occasional bad tank of gas, but if you rely on it all the time, you can damage your engine.

If the Z06 *requires* 93 rather than simply "93 recommended for optimum performance", then CA will get a different map in the ROM when CA emissions are specified even though the emissions equipment is the same now.

Crushinator

It's 1980 all over again. The rest of the country got the 190 hp 350 in the Corvette, the Californians got the 150 hp 305. Looks like the new Z06 will be 505 hp for us and maybe 450 for the people in California. I wonder if California cars will come with a 450 hp Z06 badge? :o

Seriously though, I can't imagine that Gm would build a car that must run on 93 knowing that a big part of their market doesn't have access to it.

Nitrodamus

Should run fine on 91… the higher the octane rating, the slower the fuel burns.

As I remember, low octane faster burning fuel creates more energy in a shorter period of time… possibly meaning higher engine output… but it also causes erratic flame fronts, porcupine-like cylinder pressure spikes and the engine cylinder knock you hear.

MechEng

Can't remember the last time I saw 93 octane gas anywheres in Canada; not to say that some major centers don't have it.

What's the compression ratio of the Z06?

OdinsRage

yes but 91 also "ignites" quicker, has less resistance to "detonation" and if the engine really needs it, the performance will suffer with 87 or 91.

Its going to have pretty high compression, no?

Jeepo

In BC we have Chevron and Petro Canada which sell 92 and 94 Octane.
I run 94 Octane in my '02 CETA with the Turbo. In Washington you generally can only get 91 octane.

DJCCorvette

Ah buddy, you need to get your facts straight the only time Corvette had 150 hp was the first two years '53 and '54 now '54 had a optional 155 hp six and in '55 Corvette had only 155 hp and of Course the Corvette had its first V8 that year too which was the 265 ci 195 hp and the Corvette that was closes to the 150 hp range was in 1975 with the base 350ci engine rated at 165 hp. Now back to 1980 in that year Corvette's base engine was 180 hp for the 305ci, and 190 hp for the 350ci, and then 230hp for the optional 350ci, sorry just wanted to straighten that up.

Daniel

DJCCorvette

11.0:1

grr

93 octane in TN. Even leaded 100+ at some local stations (race gas). The local tracks like most sell unleaded pump Sunoco or Union 76 100 octane.

catpat8000

There are places in CA to get higher than 91 octane gas.
In the Bay Area, I know of a place which sells 100 octane
and many people "blend" their own 93 octane from the
"premium" 91 and the "racing" 100. Last week, the 100
octane fuel was $4.33/gallon. But you're right, in
general one cannot find better than 91 octane.

However, I don't see why the C6 and the C6 Z06 should be
very different in this regard. The C6 has a 10.9:1 comp
ration vs the Z06 11.0:1 and the C6 owner's manual
recommends 93 octane but says the car will run just fine
all the way down to 87 octane. The ECM will just "adjust"
things to compensate.

So CA should be fine. You might just not see all 505 hp
but then the same thing is probably true in Texas on
100+ degree days, even with 94 octane.

Pat

DDSLT5

Ontario has 93 everywhere, and of course, Sunoco carries 94 everywhere in Ontario - which is the only gas used in all my vehicles. So much for that fallacy.

hlv

Dave said they recomend 93 in the c6 and require it in the Z06.

TahoeM3

That would be bad news for pretty much everyone at sea level on the west coast...91 octane is the top of the line here as we all have the same supplier.

On the other hand, I live at 4500+ ft so 91 octane is as good here as 93 at sea level...power output is going to be lower anyway because of the thinner air. I can tell a difference when I use octane booster in my M3 though, especially when I take it to sea level where it feels supercharged compared to driving it at high altitude. The M3 requires 93 oct (it has an even higher compression ratio of 11.5:1) but it runs fine on 91 at any altitude.

I would imagine the Z06 will run fine on 91 but wont make the same amount of power...small difference of probably 5-10 hp due to ignition timing.

Crushinator

Thanks daniel. As I typed that I couldn't remember the exact number from 1980 so I thought I'd throw in the 150 hp to make an even bigger joke of it.

DJCCorvette

Your Welcome

Daniel

elegant

For those of you who have used, or currently use an octane booster which is compatible with catalytic converters, what brand/product do you use, and please where do you buy it?

Thank you!

Wishinforavette

I hope not, I have never seen higher than 91 octane here. The only place I think that has more than 91 is the race track, we have 101, 107 and 110 there.

This can't be true because I think there are many markets without 93, they wouldn't limit sales like that. And I sure wouldn't want to have to buy a 12 dollar bottle of octane booster every tiem I fill up.