What octane do you guys use and how much do the different octanes affect engine performance. So in other words if I had something like intake, low restrct. cat back, exhaust I can still use 87 at the pump right? That's pretty much what I use on mine.
And what do you think about octane boosters?

 

Try doing a search. This question's been asked and answered several times before. Your best bet with general questions is to do a search first, because people are far less likely to regurgitate the same answer as ignore the thread.

The short: Whatever octane you feel like paying for. It really doesn't matter at all aside from cost.

 

93 octane

 

Here comes some regurgitation:

Unless you're running boost and/or advancing your timing there is ABSOLUTELY NO NEED or real benefit from using anything above regular octane.

 

A higher octane will benefit you if you live in an area where there is a lot of hills, otherwise, like me, you will experience pinging. And we all know pinging sucks.

 

I live on the back side of the Palisades along the Hudson River. I live on a flat spot on a hill. I drive up hill to word and downhill back every day and I drive up and downhill just about every day to go to 7-11. I run regular octane and I have never once had a problem with pinging.

Do you drive an auto or 5spd?

 

Well some people just drive harder than others. To each his (or her) own.

 

I'm assuming you haven't seen/didn't look for other threads. Are you CERTAIN you're pinging? That really seems strange to me. I ran higher octane for about a month...enough time to get some driving in. Even took a trip to and from MA on high octane.

Anyway...here 's the one I was talking about in particular.

 

Unless you drive your timing off then I don't know what point you're trying to make.

 

Yes I am sure it is pinging. I only noticed it when driving on hilly roads. My point being, you don't need to be running any boost or advancing in timing for higher octane. And no I did not drive my timing off.

 

It's not that I don't believe you. It's that I'm curious what's causing it. Read the thread I linked to. I'm kinda bewildered.

 

What link?

 

That one.

 

Cool. I guess I can continue to save money especially of high gas prices!
Anyway, yeah the forum link about higher octane on non NA
cars is right on the spot. Unless you somehow advance the timing on an NA then there's no need for anything higher than 87.
I'm staying NA on mine for its a daily driver, but I'll probably improve the handling somehow. Oh and its an Auto Transmission.
Eventually, I'm doing a project car probably a 1st gen DSM AWD Turbo or possibly the EVO? In other words, that's when I'm going with higher octane.

cheers!
-Pat