Does a 2024 Z51 with 6.2 require premium fuel?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

BacDoc

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2024
Posts
178
Reaction score
228
Location
Vero Beach Florida
For many years cars have had Knock sensors, which prevent any issue using a lower octane gas where premium was recomended. I use Regular in my Lexus sedan and my V12 BMW with no issues that I'm aware of.
Wow!
You have a V12 BMW and put regular gasoline in that?

Im sure there’s some German motor heads thinking “that’s fighting words!”
 

Marky Dissod

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 3, 2023
Posts
1,632
Reaction score
2,237
Location
(718)-
For many years cars have had Knock sensors, which prevent any issue using a lower octane gas where premium was recommended.
So, even though the engines (not the cars) have had knock sensors, they still recommend premium.
Sure, one of the reasons is likely that the carmakers are being paid to recommend premium.
One of the other reasons cannot possibly be, that it actually is better for the engine to use premium?

I got away with NOT wearing my seat belt, for DECADES.
(I was a NYC cabdriver / livery driver / chauffeur, back when it was perfectly legal for us to not wear our seatbelts inside NYC - prior to 2016.)
I would never recommend to ANYONE to not wear their seatbelt, ever. Just cause you can get away with doing it, doesn't mean you should do it.

Knock sensors don't prevent knock.
They DETECT knock - far sooner than a human ear - and RESPOND TO KNOCK by retarding timing, and sometimes by wasting a lil gas, to stop the knock.
However, most pcms / ecms do NOT learn this in order to prevent any knock. In other words, this can keep happening, over and over again.
I use Regular in my Lexus sedan and my V12 BMW with no issues that I'm aware of.
So, you could be having issues that you are NOT aware of, like knock that the knock sensors detected, before you became aware of the knock.
In fact you may never become aware ...

Cast pistons do not recover from any knock event; the damage, however small, is cumulative in all cases.
Eventually, a cast piston exposed to too much knock will shatter, especially if the knock occurs on the same spot on the piston.
Forged pistons do recover from knock - except if the singular knock event is itself catastrophically enormous -
because their molecular structure is far more resilient, like a well-forged sword that can be repeatedly bent out of and back into fighting shape.

Of course, if you never accumulate enough knock, you will say you never experienced any problems ...
 

SavageDad

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2023
Posts
114
Reaction score
69
So, even though the engines (not the cars) have had knock sensors, they still recommend premium.
Sure, one of the reasons is likely that the carmakers are being paid to recommend premium.
One of the other reasons cannot possibly be, that it actually is better for the engine to use premium?

I got away with NOT wearing my seat belt, for DECADES.
(I was a NYC cabdriver / livery driver / chauffeur, back when it was perfectly legal for us to not wear our seatbelts inside NYC - prior to 2016.)
I would never recommend to ANYONE to not wear their seatbelt, ever. Just cause you can get away with doing it, doesn't mean you should do it.

Knock sensors don't prevent knock.
They DETECT knock - far sooner than a human ear - and RESPOND TO KNOCK by retarding timing, and sometimes by wasting a lil gas, to stop the knock.
However, most pcms / ecms do NOT learn this in order to prevent any knock. In other words, this can keep happening, over and over again.So, you could be having issues that you are NOT aware of, like knock that the knock sensors detected, before you became aware of the knock.
In fact you may never become aware ...

Cast pistons do not recover from any knock event; the damage, however small, is cumulative in all cases.
Eventually, a cast piston exposed to too much knock will shatter, especially if the knock occurs on the same spot on the piston.
Forged pistons do recover from knock - except if the singular knock event is itself catastrophically enormous -
because their molecular structure is far more resilient, like a well-forged sword that can be repeatedly bent out of and back into fighting shape.

Of course, if you never accumulate enough knock, you will say you never experienced any problems ...
...so what you're saying is I need to talk the Mrs into a forged top end rebuild for the Suburban
 

Marky Dissod

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 3, 2023
Posts
1,632
Reaction score
2,237
Location
(718)-
... so what you're saying is, I need to talk the Mrs into a forged top end rebuild for the Suburban.
Thought pistons were technically part of the bottom end, but yes, forged pistons would be an upgrade that would withstand knock better than cast pistons.
 

SavageDad

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2023
Posts
114
Reaction score
69
Thought pistons were technically part of the bottom end, but yes, forged pistons would be an upgrade that would withstand knock better than cast pistons.
You know in bikes pistons were part of a top end rebuild, every time I did a race or a really long ride (80-90mi mostly WOT) I'd have to swap out the piston and ring on my old KX125, but the pistons sit in the block is an automotive engine so you're probably right. Either way some forged pistons, better flowing heads, a fat cam, and a little more rpm...wait what were we talking about again?
 

Marky Dissod

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 3, 2023
Posts
1,632
Reaction score
2,237
Location
(718)-
... what were we talking about again?
The difference between
91 octane recommended
vs
91 octane required
and the gaping chasm in-between,
where idiotards expect immunity from any consequences from working/playing hard,
while failing to understand or consider the PROVEN FACT that the MpG improvement from using 91 octane always offsets its extra cost to some quantifiable degree.
 

Geotrash

Dave
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2018
Posts
6,211
Reaction score
15,231
Location
Richmond, VA
Sorry I missed all of the fun. Y'all do what you want with YOUR 6.2's. Mine both get only premium fuel, and that's the way it will stay. Plenty of videos on YouTube of blown pistons on 6.2's run on 87. I understand exactly how the knock sensors and timing tables work together to reduce the risk of damage, but the system is NOT perfect and the risk is NOT zero. Like I tell my kids: Respect the equipment.
 

ProfeZZor X

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2022
Posts
487
Reaction score
399
Location
High Country
Ever since I moved 10 months ago, I've been using a midgrade gas for my 22' AT4. I had been using the premium grade since I got it back in March of 22', but when gas prices started to climb last year and I moved much further from work, I made the switch. So far, I haven't experienced any knocking or pinging in my 6.2, so I guess it's safe to say that you'll be just fine... I live in California where everything is a lot more expensive, so that's my reason for downgrading.
 

jerry455

TYF Newbie
Joined
May 19, 2024
Posts
5
Reaction score
4
You might not notice a difference but the computer is probably pulling timing back, especially when the air temps get hot. If you don't run the recommended fuel, drive it like your grandmother. As been said by previous people, you probably won't hear it knocking, unless under a higher load, but the computer is dialing back the timing.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
131,224
Posts
1,847,163
Members
95,232
Latest member
Beniskickbutt
Top