What Fuel's best for the SS
Senior Member
Joined: 03-09-2008
Posts: 123
From: Ontario, Canada
You can get them to put premium in it at the dealership, just insist on it. A friend of mine got a Matrix XRS a while back and the dealership put regular in it when he picked it up. All the way home it was knocking like mad, he took it back and had them drain the tank and fill it with premium.
My motto has always been if it says premium on the fillercap put it in.
My motto has always been if it says premium on the fillercap put it in.
Senior Member
Joined: 05-26-2007
Posts: 1,554
From: ...
As C2 Vette said, the knock sensor is constantly "listening" for spark knock, and on the first signal of it, the ECU retards the timing until the sensor no longer reports knock. The joy of electronic spark control, yet another modern marvel. 
Senior Member
Joined: 03-09-2008
Posts: 123
From: Ontario, Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 10-14-2006
Posts: 1,186
From: So. Cal
BTW - did my first long distance almost all highway trip today. Mostly cruise controlled driving set between 68 to 75 MPH and I'm absolutely shocked at the gas mileage I got. I was hauling just under 300 pounds of canvas boat cover in the back and I got almost 35MPG!!!! (34.6 actual fill and calculate)
My little red SS continues to amaze me every day....
My little red SS continues to amaze me every day....
Senior Member
Joined: 03-30-2008
Posts: 278
From: Texas
Officially, the SS recomended fuel is Regular according to everything I have read. Premium may be able to supply some advantage, but you will need to run a around tank through the car before the computer "learns" how to properly manage it.
I have an '04 Vette and I always use mid range except on track days. What I do is fill up with premium about a week before a trip to the track and then "Drive it hard". The computer actually learns to extract the best performance from the octane then. It will adjust spark timing, map your fuel mixture, and give you a "Performance Tune Up" simply by driving it hard. I presume the Ecotec computer works the same way, but I do not know for sure. Hope this helps.
I have an '04 Vette and I always use mid range except on track days. What I do is fill up with premium about a week before a trip to the track and then "Drive it hard". The computer actually learns to extract the best performance from the octane then. It will adjust spark timing, map your fuel mixture, and give you a "Performance Tune Up" simply by driving it hard. I presume the Ecotec computer works the same way, but I do not know for sure. Hope this helps.
Senior Member
Joined: 02-17-2008
Posts: 287
From: NJ
Senior Member
Joined: 03-30-2008
Posts: 278
From: Texas
I stand corrected. I reviewed lit and it says 91 recomended but not required. There is no 91 octane fuel label on my fuel door though. I wonder why?