86 Octane!!

[border man]

Well I'm just starting to get settled into my hotel/home in beautiful Roswell, NM (UFOs anyone?) Anyways, regular gas here is 86 octane, and If i remember correctly the manual says to use 87. Right?? I've filled up twice with no noticeable symptoms other than a much better than usual (actually way better) MPG of just under 20. Is it an elevation thing? Since I'm here for the next 9 months, I figured I would alternate between fill ups from 86 to the next best 88 and so forth. Any input, suggestions.

Reed, ever been to FLETC Artesia???

[AZS10Crew]

This was several years ago...maybe 14 or 15...but my dad filled our Tahoe with 86 in Texas on our way out to AZ not noticing the octane rating and the truck ran like crap. It may have just been bad gas at that station...don't know. But if you mileage is better, then maybe it's OK.

[2kwik4u]

I used to live in Roswell. Great place until the big alien boom of the early 90's....Kinda ruined the place for me actually

Anyway, might be worth the cashola to try and run a tank of 89 or 91 or 93 through it and see how it reacts. I don't think the truck is run close enough to the edge on 87 Octane to make a difference if you lose one point. In the summertime though, I'd run the 89 or higher just to be safe since everything is more detonation prone at higher temps.

[Rich K.]

Border Man, I don't know if your still watching this but I live at 8,700ft in the Colorado Rockies. Our choices up here are 85, 87, 89 octane levels. I normally run the 87 but when the gas prices first jumped up above the $2.30 I started running the 85. I was told that the lower O2 level in the altitude allowed for us to run the lower octane level gas. I never noticed a difference in my performance or fuel mileage. I usually get 18-19 mpg. I run the 87 now but only because I just didn't feel right about the 85 and the price shock is wearing off .

Did you find out anything more on the validity of the altitude arguement?

[roadrunner]

Elevation here is only about 3,000 ft. I tried the higher octane premium fuel and found for me it didn't pencil out. Mileage while being slightly higher wasn't enough higher to offset the higher price of the higher octane fuel. It has been my experience (money wise anyway) you are best off when running as low an octane fuel as possible without going so low as to risk engine damage. The individual will have to determine where the breakpoint is on this issue as all our CC's are set up different and with varying levels of modifications, locations, altitudes, relative humidities, driving conditions, and drivers. So, in short, you just have to figure out what works best for you personally.

[F9K9]

..............Reed, ever been to FLETC Artesia???

Nope, never been to FLETC West. What do you guys think of the abbreviated course that you are helping to instruct?