Our 2001 GP SE has really been running great since it got its new Walker factory replacement cat, rear O2 sensor, new Delco platinum plugs and wires, fuel pump, fuel filter and MAF sensor. Pulls like a locomotive now all the way up to 5 grand going uphill, prior to the cat replacement it could barely get out of its own way of late on even the slightest upgrade.
Today, I decided to treat it to a near full tank refuel with 93 octane Gulf and a bottle of Chevron Techron FI cleaner. I have always run regular 87 octane in it up to now.
It seemed to have a some more strap and smoother top end response up near WOT right out of the gas station... wondering if that's the 93 octane talking due to getting less ignition timing advance dial back from the knock sensor, wishful thinking, or the Techron kicking in... thinking that the Techron, if it did anything significant at all (I usually throw some in every 3K miles or so) would take a while to show a difference.
Anyone else run 93 vs 87 octane in a stock 3100 and see much of a performance difference between the two? I may try running some time series data with my scanner to look see if there are any big differences in timing advance that tracks with the tank octane.
I suppose that at 95K, there might be some carbon buildup in the combustion chambers that might be causing early knock inception on 87 octane that would cause the knock sensor to dial things back a bit..and would therefore running on 93 might help.
Chris B.
Stonington, CT
Bog Stock 2001 GP SE 3100 95K (Unless you count the boy racer stainless steel exhaust tip I put on to cover the Swiss cheesed original!)
