Octane?

[Stepside Billy]

Maybe a dumb question but with a 1987 350 TBI with a few miles should I run a higher octane gas? Not sure if would make a difference. Truck runs good as is but don't know if it's worth the extra money. Thanks!

 

[yevgenievich]

It would not make a difference without a tune

 

[Stepside Billy]

It would not make a difference without a tune

That's what I thought. Thanks.

 

[da_raabi]

I can get 89 octane ethanol free around here. I run that and get waaaay better gas mileage than with the 87 octane E15. Just a thought if you have access to E0 gas

 

[87scotty]

Well that must be nice

 

[SkinnyG]

If it runs fine on the cheap stuff, run the cheap stuff. Unless there is a problem (ie: your engine is built for higher octane), you would be throwing money away.

You will make the most power on the lowest octane you can safely run.

Don't get sucked into fuel company marketing.

 

[Stepside Billy]

Thanks all. I figured I'd ask seeing I haven't had anything older than a '99 Dakota in a while!

 

[Driver4r]

If it runs fine on the cheap stuff, run the cheap stuff. Unless there is a problem (ie: your engine is built for higher octane), you would be throwing money away.

You will make the most power on the lowest octane you can safely run.

Don't get sucked into fuel company marketing.

ACTUALLY, with more octane come more resistance to combustion, which means you can add more timing without it detonating. Which in turn WILL make more power. But in a bone stock sbc. I would just run the 87-89. I run 89(e10) in my 355 in my truck. 10:1 flat tops, with a cam. But your TBI should have a knock sensor that it will use to adjust the spark advance acordingly.