Chip information....

[DanGillan]

if I got a chip.... one of those Viper2 chips that e30gumball sells...i was wondering about gas... is it necessary to use premium (91 octane) gas? or is it just better to? If I use 87 octane would it be bad? or would i just not feel the extent of what the chip can do? I was told by him that...

You can use all types in the USA but you will get better power with the higher octane fuels.

this is what I hoped for, but im a little skeptical because I have heard the opposite as well.

thanks in advance for the help,

[natorious]

i always run 93 in my car and i have always seen that you need to run 91 octane or better with the chips...

i would run 93 just to be safe... my boss when i was in highschool had a Merc 500SEL and his wife put 87 into it and it caused like 3k in damage to the engine/emissions controls... just a thought...

93 isnt that much more money anyway

[bimmerphile]

You shouldn't be running anything lower than 91 octane in your car in the first place. Read the manual. Or the sticker on the cluster. Or the sticker inside the gas door. All say no less than 91 with RON + MON / 2 Method.

[Mystikal]

91RON = 87AKI. We use the AKI scale in North America.

Use at least 91 or tick-tick-boom, if the chip has advanced timing like the rest.

[KenC]

91RON = 87AKI. We use the AKI scale in North America.

Use at least 91 or tick-tick-boom, if the chip has advanced timing like the rest.

Yes, 91RON = 87PON. We use the 'Pump Octance Number' (PON) in North America. I ran a full tank of 87 in my car a few weeks ago and it was pinging like crazy. It's only around $2 difference between a full tank of 87 and a full tank of 91 (the highest octane we can get in OR).

[DanGillan]

i always run 87 octane... that's bad? but back to my question about the chip... it would be bad to run low(er) octane than 91?

[nando]

you should be fine with 87 unless you have a chip. the 325i has what, 8.8:1 compression? the B27 is higher, but that isn't exactly a performance engine.

if your motor is stock and you ping with 87, it's either garbage fuel or tons of carbon deposits in your engine. AMPM 87 fuel isn't the same as Shell 87 :P

[DanGillan]

i meant 87 with the chip... yes? no ?

[nando]

i meant 87 with the chip... yes? no ?

no, because the timing on the chip has been advanced, that's where the power comes from.. if you use 87, you might ping and you won't be able to take advantage of the chip, since it was designed for 91 or whatever (we get 92 up here).

[Mystikal]

We get 94. Our 87 costs quite a bit more than your 87 though.

[rayz]

if they reccommend it, i would do so. AA does for their Eproms. so I buy 92 octane. never actually tried running any lower octane. so i cant say if it makes a significant difference.

[BS87]

Gas around here sucks.... we get 87, then 93, then 94.. wtf? i cannot find a gas station withing a 25 minute ride that has 91 octane...

[Tangent]

AMPM 87 fuel isn't the same as Shell 87 :P

You know that they all get their gas from the same refineries right? If you have a refinery near you you can watch an Arco tanker pull up to the very same pumps that the Texaco or Shell trucks just filled up from. Insisting on big-brand gas only helps if the weight of the extra cash in your wallet slows you down.