Anyone using 87 octane in their SS on a regular basis. I've had a couple mechanics tell me that it is ok to use 87. Their argument is that 91 and above usually just sits in the storage tanks too long. And that the SS motor can run fine on 87 with no additives. Any thoughts? If this has come up before, sorry I didn't look through every page on this site. Im always used 91, but want to hear any discussion.
Does anyone use 87 octane on a regular basis in their SS?
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I get 92 locally and three times now when I've travelled out of the area I could only get 91. Twice to Canada and this weekend in eastern Oregon and Idaho. Each time I've experienced stalling when dropping to idle when coming to a stop. I can't say for absolute sure that it's because of a 1 octane difference but it's been a consistent issue with 91 octane so I have no desire to drop lower, especially with today's low gas prices. After this weekend I decided it's time for a custom tune to raise my idle speed along with the other improvements.
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Your choice of fuel is dependent on a few things. First and foremost is if you have any power additives (tubo, supercharger, nitrous etc) you need a higher grade of fuel. Even though there is a knock sensor on the engine, having too low of an octane fuel with detonate a lot faster than the sensor COULD react. No sense risking a blown engine to save less than $2.00 at the pumps. Plus detonation increases in extreme temps, so if you're in Northern Maine during the fall, you have less of a chance having detonation with your stock engine than someone in Miami during July. Higher elevations enter the computation of which fuel to use, but I don't take those chances and use 93 all the time. In cases where I have no ther choice than use 91 or 89, I take out a can of octane booster and add it to the tank until good fuel can be purchased. I don't agree about the "better fuel staying in the tanks longer". I owned a Texaco gas station and I had larger tanks for the 87 octane so as to not run out. The better grades were in smaller tanks and they needed to be refilled within a few days of the cheaper grade. But that's as long as you're buying it from a busy location and using a name brand fuel. i wouldn't trust 93 octane for a country store located in a town of 1500 people that's way off the main highway
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I have always used the highest octane available when I fill up. In my area that is almost always 93. I also always add fuel conditioner/stabilizer.
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Anyone using 87 octane in their SS on a regular basis. I've had a couple mechanics tell me that it is ok to use 87. Their argument is that 91 and above usually just sits in the storage tanks too long. And that the SS motor can run fine on 87 with no additives. Any thoughts? If this has come up before, sorry I didn't look through every page on this site. Im always used 91, but want to hear any discussion.
In California we normally have 3 grades of gasoline - 87, 89, & 91
in the actual underground tanks at the station there are really only 2 grades the 87 & 91 - - if you pump the mid grade 89 it actually gives you a 50/50 mixture of the 87 & 91 to arrive at the 89
I highly suspect that even at stations in other states where more grades are offered that the mid grades are created in the pump by combining different ratios of the highest and lowest grade - - cant believe that they have separate underground tanks for every option
Anyway my point is pumping mid grade and 91 both draw from the 91 storage tank so I find it hard to believe that the fuel just sits in the tanks long enough to cause a problem
as to running 87 I have never pumped anything other than the 91 - its what Polaris says to run and I dont see any reason not to do so just to save a few pennies - - -
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I use 91 all the time. Hard to find 93 around me.
Can't see taking a chance with my pride & joy to save $2 on a fill up.
Plus if you did have an engine problem and dealer found 87 in your tank, Polaris would likely deny any warranty claim.
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87 is the highest in my town, with or without alcohol. Ironic that I live in the middle of MILLIONS of acres of corn, there is an ethanol plant 5 miles east and one 20 miles west, but we can buy good gas . . . as well as crapgas.
If I see a station selling 91 or above, (there are a few within 25 or 30 miles) I pull in and fill up, but I don't hunt for it.
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If you have an injected and computer controlled engine management you will find that the engine runs better and most times will get better gas mileage with the higher octane fuel. Your government and a few mechanics will tell you different. Also since we are on the subject, a cathlitic converter will decrease your gas mileage and the engine will not run as good. Try it you might just be surprised. Also you may not see this difference on one tank of gas, the computer has to relearn what is going on. On a V-8 Ford truck years ago removing the cat increased the mileage 4 mpg with no other changes. Cheap is not always CHEAPER in the long run. Now let us add another outright lie from your government. Ethanol that has been added to the gas that you use cost your more in the long run. It cost more to make and is a larger hazard to the enviroment beside you car does not run as good and therefore you get less gas mileage. Larry Mc tried to tell everyone about it when NASCAR changed over but they told him not to talk about it. NASCAR had to make the gas tanks larger because they were running out of gas before they wore out the tires, I forget the real mpg numbers
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Been running 87 in my stock 2018 SL for 12,000 miles with no problem. Average around 28.6 mpg with it. Mileage and pep go up slightly with 91 or 93 octane.
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I Always Run 93 non Ethanol at home. I did the CAI and cat delete and jumped from 30 mpg to 34 mpg on 1,600 mile vacation average not computer. After Bob's tune and the Welter Dual I dropped back to 30 mpg
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91 here because that's all Bj's and Sam's sells
But if I am on the road and need to fill up, I use 93.
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I use to use the non ethanol 89 until it threw a knock sensor code and had to replace it. that may have not been the reason but since then I've used the highest octane I could fine and no more issues.
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If you have an injected and computer controlled engine management you will find that the engine runs better and most times will get better gas mileage with the higher octane fuel. Your government and a few mechanics will tell you different. Also since we are on the subject, a cathlitic converter will decrease your gas mileage and the engine will not run as good. Try it you might just be surprised. Also you may not see this difference on one tank of gas, the computer has to relearn what is going on. On a V-8 Ford truck years ago removing the cat increased the mileage 4 mpg with no other changes. Cheap is not always CHEAPER in the long run. Now let us add another outright lie from your government. Ethanol that has been added to the gas that you use cost your more in the long run. It cost more to make and is a larger hazard to the enviroment beside you car does not run as good and therefore you get less gas mileage. Larry Mc tried to tell everyone about it when NASCAR changed over but they told him not to talk about it. NASCAR had to make the gas tanks larger because they were running out of gas before they wore out the tires, I forget the real mpg numbers
Right. Every word.
It takes more energy to produce ethanol than it provides. It takes an embarrassing amount of water (which we are running out of) to grow the corn and brew the mash. The price of everything you eat is affected by the price of corn. Gas mileage goes down. Ethanol has fewer BTU's per volume than gasoline does. The laws of physics cannot be changed. Less heat, less power. Simple.
Why do we have it?
EWG Farm Subsidy Database
Rank
Name
Location
Subsidy Total
1995-2019‡1
New Hartford, IA 50660
$ 1,247,750.60
2
Howard City, MI 49329
$ 1,112,626.25
3
Arlington, VA 22202
$ 401,221.47
4
New Hartford, IA 50660
$ 30,535.33
Charles Grassley (3) is a US Senator. Robin (1) is his son. Pat (4) is his grandson, and member of the Iowa legislature. He is being groomed to take grandpa's seat when the time comes. $1,679,506 for NOT farming. Chuckie has been in DC for 40 years. How does he get a farm subsidy when he has been gone for 40 years?
Ethanol gets state and federal subsidies. That's why it's cheaper than real gas.
I worked for a company that installed and serviced gas station pumps and supplies. Alcohol does bad things to everything it touches.
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Display MoreRight. Every word.
It takes more energy to produce ethanol than it provides. It takes an embarrassing amount of water (which we are running out of) to grow the corn and brew the mash. The price of everything you eat is affected by the price of corn. Gas mileage goes down. Ethanol has fewer BTU's per volume than gasoline does. The laws of physics cannot be changed. Less heat, less power. Simple.
Why do we have it?
EWG Farm Subsidy Database
Rank
Name
Location
Subsidy Total
1995-2019‡1
New Hartford, IA 50660
$ 1,247,750.60
2
Howard City, MI 49329
$ 1,112,626.25
3
Arlington, VA 22202
$ 401,221.47
4
New Hartford, IA 50660
$ 30,535.33
Charles Grassley (3) is a US Senator. Robin (1) is his son. Pat (4) is his grandson, and member of the Iowa legislature. He is being groomed to take grandpa's seat when the time comes. $1,679,506 for NOT farming. Chuckie has been in DC for 40 years. How does he get a farm subsidy when he has been gone for 40 years?
Ethanol gets state and federal subsidies. That's why it's cheaper than real gas.
I worked for a company that installed and serviced gas station pumps and supplies. Alcohol does bad things to everything it touches.
For those that are interested, in Maggie Valley you can buy Non Ethanol 93 octane gas
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FunCycle I wish I had that where I am that would be nice.
Georgetown, S.C. 1 mile from my house. I refuse to run ethanol unless I have to I will not support that ripe off. I even run 93 non in my lawn mower and yard tools
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we do have non ethanol but not that high of octane, I do use it in my mowers and small engines also
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Polaris recommends 91 or above. If you were to ever have an engine issue...would they be able to tell you were not running 91?
I have 5 vehicles and they all get 93....and I never let the tanks go below half on the V8s....the slingshot I run down to 2 bars.....I always want some already tested gas in the tank in case I would somehow get a load of dirty gas....at least it will be somewhat diluted...with good stuff. Long story short...I filled up a 30 gallon tank with cheap gas....the vehicle barely made it home. Now how do you get rid of 30 gallons of bad gas? Lesson learned almost 30 years ago.....I buy name brand 93. And never fill up if the tanker truck is dumping a load....it stirs up the dirt and water in the Underground tank...
One more important thing on all vehicles.....when the pump automatically shuts off....STOP pumping. You will get gas in the in the vacuum lines when it runs the test....It could cause the check engine light to come on and you might have to buy some parts...to clear it.... had it happen on 2 different vehicles....
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we do have non ethanol but not that high of octane, I do use it in my mowers and small engines also
Find the owner of a station close to you and start talking to him (it should not be a chain store) and everyone else around you about putting in the gas that you want. I have a 98 Pontiac TA an filled it up with the first high test ethanol that he received. The TA ran like a diesel it was so bad, the owner did not even know that they had changed him over until I got to talking to him. I had to run octane booster and Lucas gas treatment until I finally talked him into going with the 93 NON. This area is know as the Five Rivers, plus the ocean so there are lots of boats.
