Fuel Question

[tantrum]

I recently moved to Las Vegas and I am realizing that I cannot get 93 octane like I could back in WI.  All I can get is 91.  Does this pose a problem, should I look into octane boosters?  Opinions please.

[skibeau]

  This brochure recommends a minimum octane rating of 92.

http://www.epicmarine.com/images/300i%20Specs1.jpg

Knocking in our engines probably wouldn't be good...

[epicfire]

All I can get in Arizona (Lake Havasu City) or here in San Diego is 91 and I haven't had any problems at all.

[lilfoo2225]

i live in arizona and use 91 and have no problems.

[wakejunky]

Live in CA. never had a problem with 91. if you really know your boat you may and i mean may feel a slight power loss. due to the lower octane level. lower octane will cause the engine to retard the timing a slight bit.

[blindside]

I run 87 and have zero issues.  I actually have problems when I do run 91 or 93

[lilfoo2225]

 . please explain.

[tantrum]

Thanks for the input.  Guess I won't worry about the 91 versus 93 too much, nothing I can really do.

[lilfoo2225]

no problem. just try to use as high octane as you can. also low octane will burn faster. so using low octane in a motor where high octane is recomended because of high compression, ie. "toyota epics" WILL cause pre-ignition or detonation. you will notice this by knocking sounds and dieseling and poor performance. the computer will compensate for this only so much by retarding the timing to PREVENT pre-ignition or detonation wich is extremely harmful to your engine. like pistons,connecting rods and crankshafts. ever seen a piston with a hole burned through the top? thats pre-ignition and or detonation! so if high octane is called for use it. if not then you just throwing your money away and in some cases on cars damaging emission sensors and or catalytic converters in the process. 

[ScarabEpic22]

blindside, if you run 91 and have problems, you have a problem with your engine. Not trying to call you out, but there is a reason toyota spec'd these engines with 91+, they are high(ish) compression running aggressive camshafts (more so than the car version, not as strict emissions on water apparently).  They need the slower burn of higher octane to make optimal power.  When you say 87 gives you better performance, have you pulled the battery for a few minutes after testing this theory?  The ECU needs to reset the LTFTs and adjust the spark maps for the difference in fuel.

FWIW, only 91/92 goes in my boat.  Seattle has 92 sometimes but usually its 91.  Only Shell/Chevron gas for all my land rides and the Epic gets a full tank at the beginning of the year of it.  During the season whatever the gas docks have unfortunately.

[HCollado]

Wramblinwreck,

Have you seen the BP station across from Ingles in Hartwell advertising Ethanol free gas?

They actually 93 octane!!!

The boat loves this stuff
 

[wakejunky]

Yes 91 or 92 is best. however you can safely run our engine on 87. You WILL feel a significant power loss. and you can run 103 octane race fuel (only because we don't have o2 sensors or catalytic conv) and you WILL feel a significant power increase. The camshaft part numbers here at Lexus are as follows for a 2000 LS400. 13053-50040, 13054-50020, 13501-50040, 13502-50020. cross reference our parts database and yes they are the exact same camshafts. nothing aggressive about them. I have a 2001 LS430 ran a tank of 91 with the Lexus techstream laptop monitoring ignition timing- of course normal. Then ran a tank of 87and definitely felt the power loss, but the computer was able to completely adjust for the lower octane and still have room to adjust lower. Its quite possible blindside doesn't have problems because he runs unweighted. as far as having problems with 91. 91 burns slow and its much easier to build up carbon deposits with it. where with 87 it burns fast and hot and actually helps remove carbon buildup. I typically run heavily weighted and i run 91 because i need all the power its got (no its still not enough at times) i tend to have carbon buildup issues on my plugs because of the rich fuel mixture on our epics. so unfortunately i swap out plugs alot and blindside probably doesn't have the problem so yeah he may have issues with 91 but not with 87. its all about how and what we use our boats for.

so before you call someone out do a little more homework.

[Rambling Wreck]

I hadn't noticed - I have been going to Ingles most of the time or Enmark on Tuesdays when Premium is 7 cents off. I have been told by my brother -in-law that works for a gasolene distrributor that Federal law requires ethanol to be added to automobile gas. I can't imagine how they can sell ehanol free gas uniless this info is incorrect. If they have it I will buy it, espcially when it comes time to winterize the boat.

Thanks for the heads up!

[ScarabEpic22]

wakejunky thats interesting to know about the cams, I was told by this site that the cams are more aggressive due to lower emissions requirements on the water...

[Rambling Wreck]

Wramblinwreck,

Have you seen the BP station across from Ingles in Hartwell advertising Ethanol free gas?

They actually 93 octane!!!

The boat loves this stuff
 

Arrrgghh - they stopped selling ethynol free gas. I noticed the sign was gone so I asked the guy - he says the Federal mandate now applies. They were hoping to get to the end of the year before they had to switch.