Well first of all im a noob to evo's (Honda's are still my passion ) i just got one a few days ago and i have a question regarding low octane.

The 04 has a test pipe, down/up pipe, a catback, boost controler, intake and filter and safc ecu extension.

Now my question is, will the ecu pick up the slack on low octane?

Right now im only running the recomended premium, but in a few weeks im going to head south to Mexico when the highest grade is 92 (but its actually around 87).

So on roughly 87 gas will the ecu take control and not let the motor detonate?

I am not going to boost more the whole time i am running this gas, but am i safe with this low of an octane with the stock ecu?

How smart is the ecu, can it handle this much slack or can i help it out with the s-afc?

Thanks for any input...

 

sounds like you should take the honda... j/k

the ecu will compensate to a certain degree for the lower octane, but i would stay out of boost just to be safe...it would suck to blow your motor because of really bad gas

 

yeah i would never do that. but if u did, i woul stay way out of boost and fill it back up with race gas when i got back home

 

why would u drive to mexico with ur evo? i would take a crappy car down there and not have anyone trying to mess with my nice car.

 

lol i would take either or of them, but one has over 13:1 comp and the other has 8.5:1 comp and a SC61 that doesnt start spoolin till after 5600 rpm's so they arent really options...

but as for the safc and dumping alot of extra fuel, wont that help the issue?

 

You should just get it tuned for 91 octane.

 

i have no other options, my other cars wouldnt last the trip, they can barely make it down the 1320, but anyways i have no other means, i mean i bought this car as a daily to mess around and now i have to take some one to mex and i am the only person that can take her down south becasue a plane ride and bus ride is out of teh option, so im stuck with teh bill...

so wait, i can take it to a shop and have my car reflashed to run on 87??

 

The stock ecu will pull timing to prevent det. If you're worried about it... run a lil rich.

 

will the stock ecu take care of 87 though, will it move the timming that much?

 

Yes.

Think of it this way... how many people out there own turbo charged cars... that have to run premium... now think of all the people out there that have NO idea why they need to run premium... and with gas prices now adays...

Yea... it'll adjust for the 87.

Saying this... this is assuming it's the stock ecu... if I were you, i'd make sure I'm running a tad fat, and no more than 16# at readline. (To be comfortable, I'd run even lower #)

 

i see, but getting back to the re-flash is there a place that would be able to get a flash to run ok on 87 (So-Cal)? so i dont have to worry about much?

 

For a price... anything is possible.

 

id bring some race gas with me and then just mix them to even it out

 

going to Mexico in an Evo is asking for the Federales to pull you over and order you for your car... and it will happen, i wouldn't risk it....

 

LOL yeah, i think im going to end up going that route and having it detunned, that way im safe for the trip...

yeah i would to, but im going to need like a 55gal container, because its roughly around 3k miles there and back

nah im not afraid of them, i drove last year in my boosted LS/V CRX (with no plates, and before the build) and i recall getting pulled over all the time, but i just held my ground and didnt let them play me...I think out of the 6 times i got pulled over and searched i only had to pay 2 cops off , not bad if u ask me...and another thing, im going to swap plates with my buddies car (baja california) and reg off of his 00 lancer (mexican cops never check vins for the most part) the whole trip down there, so i think i wont get messed with as much because of the Mexican plates...