Fuel Option Delima

[70vert]

I am currently running Premium 93 octane pump gas from Exxon in my 440, augmented with a fuel/octane enhancer (Torco Race Fuels Accelerator). It actually runs great but I know the ethanol in it is not good on carb, etc. But no stations near me were selling ethanol free gas till just recently (thanks Quick Trip). The cost is about a wash, just a small bit higher than Premium, but the issue is that their No-Ethanol is 90 Octane. Which I think will be a problem vs what I currently run. So if I switch to that I assume I'll need even more octane boost, which will bump up the cost difference.

It is purely a street car, though I enjoy punching it and doing burnouts occasionally. And it is probably too late for ethanol free benefits since the engine, etc. is about 8 years old. But curious what does everyone run in their E-body?

[Katfish]

Just retard the timing and don't sweat it.
Everyone always says you need 36 for max power.
If it's a driver, who cares.
I had to run my old 340 at 24 deg, but it never pinged, even on 89.

[Cuda Cody]

Do you know the compression of your 440?

I run the pump stuff, but it's like your situation and no places around to get good Non-Ethanol.

[1970 cuda Joe]

I run the higher-octane pump gas in everything also. I have 2 that are 10 to 1 & 1 that's 11.5 to 1 compression. What I've found is not all the fuels run the same as each company formulates their own product. Example is Chevron works better for me, but Sam's club doesn't run well in anything I own. Most gas we have here are from Texas. I don't trust any of the west coast stuff but that's just my observation. Your results may very....Joe

[Cuda_mark]

I usually use the highest octane pump gas if I am going to burn it immediately. If the car is going to sit for a while I run it nearly empty and put 5 gallons of VP110 leaded in it. It is ethanol free. I also run the VP110 every once and a while in the summer just for the fun of it.

[HP2]

Octane requirements are a complex set of factors of compression ratio, cam timing events, altitude of operation, vehicle weight, and gear ratios.  A simpler method may be to find what your cranking cylinder pressure is.  That will tell you how safe or risky the octane changes might be.  In simple terms, the lower the cranking pressure, the less octane that is required. In the reading I've done, 180+ psi is right around the premium fuel requirement. However, lighter cars that rev faster may need a bit less while heaver cars with lower numerical gears that heavily load the engine may need a bit more.

[70vert]

Just retard the timing and don't sweat it.
Everyone always says you need 36 for max power.
If it's a driver, who cares.
I had to run my old 340 at 24 deg, but it never pinged, even on 89.

Not really interested in dropping power, why I use the additive to avoid knocking (and spent all the money on engine in the first place). I just hear all the time how bad ethanol is on older  cars and curious what other are doing. Maybe that is it, they don't care about horsepower 

[Brads70]

We up here in Canuckastan don't have a choice. Ethanol is in all the fuels regularly available. Maybe at Marina or airports you might be able to still get ethanol free fuel but thats not a locally available option for me. I use either Shell premium 93 or Sunoco 94. I find my engine combo runs nicer on the Sunoco fuel. The Shell fuel runs a little leaner on the air fuel ratio gauge and seems down on power slightly and seems a little sluggish. Engine is a 451, aluminum heads etc.....
Hope that helps?

[torredcuda]

There are only a few non-ethanol stations in my whole state of New Hampshire and too far away from where I live so I am pretty much forced to run 93 with 10% ethanol. I did have an issue with deteriorated rubber fuel lines probably 10+ years ago but since replacing them I have had ZERO fuel related issues with lines, hoses, tank or carb. I just pump the 93 with ethanol and don`t worry about it, just Stabil Stor in the tank for over the winter months. If you need higher octane AV fuel,  Race gas mix or octane booster.