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Preferred fuel for the 2LTZ Turbo!

26K views 55 replies 18 participants last post by  DrivenDaily 
#1 ·
For everyone with the 2013 Malibu 2LTZ what kind of fuel are you filling up with? I started off with regular 87 Octane the first three fill ups and since then I have experimented with midgrade 89 Octane where I did notice the Bu being a bit more smooth overall on changing gears when getting up to speed. To fully take advantage of the car I know they recommend to use premium 91 or 93 Octane which I'd like to try next. What are your thoughts and/or recommendations on this?

I'm currently waiting for my BP $100 gas card to come in so I can start trying the premium stuff...........:) I gotta ease myself into going for the good stuff..........lmao
 
#33 · (Edited)
From the Cadillac ATS manual that uses the same 2.0 turbo

If the vehicle has the 2.0L L4
engine, use premium unleaded
gasoline with a posted octane rating
of 91 or higher. You can also use
regular unleaded gasoline rated at
87 octane or higher, but the
vehicle's acceleration could be
slightly reduced, and a slight
audible knocking noise, commonly
referred to as spark knock, might
be heard. If the octane is less
than 87, a heavy knocking noise
might be heard when driving.
If this occurs, use a gasoline rated
at 87 octane or higher as soon as
possible. Otherwise, you could
damage the engine. If heavy
knocking is heard when using
gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher, the engine needs service.
 
#35 ·
This has come up before on the forums. You guys are talking about two different turbo engines.

The Buick Regal Turbo and GS models use the previous generation 2.0T. It is not the same engine as in the new Malibu and Cadillac ATS.

The 2014 Regal is being refreshed. It will have an updated exterior and interior, the new 2.0T from the Malibu/ATS, and optional Haldex AWD.
 
#40 ·
just wanted to update in case anyone in the future looks for this...Chevrolet has now listed Turbo information for the 2013 manual (information not in the paper version that came with the car new) and lists that Chevrolet recommends 91 or better octane for the Turbo models...furthermore, the GF's 3LT runs a bit better and now near 10K miles gets better fuel efficiency...

Bill
 
#45 · (Edited)
The octane rating is the fuel's resistance to self ignition during the compression cycle.
Higher octane fuel does not necessarily have more energy in it.

"Octane ratings are not indicators of the energy content of fuels."

"Many high-performance engines are designed to operate with a high maximum compression, and thus demand fuels of higher octane. A common misconception is that power output or fuel efficiency can be improved by burning fuel of higher octane than that specified by the engine manufacturer. The power output of an engine depends in part on the energy density of the fuel being burnt. Fuels of different octane ratings may have similar densities, but because switching to a higher octane fuel does not add more hydrocarbon content or oxygen, the engine cannot develop more power."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane_rating)
 
#46 ·
I think that the 2.0 turbo that GM uses in all of their vehicles is basically the same, just with different tunes. Our 2.0 turbo Regal manual recommends premium fuel but says you can run 87 octane. I put Top Tier 91 ethanol free in our Regal. I use Top Tier 87 in my 2.5 Malibu 1LTZ. Top tier Fuel is recommended on both vehicles.
 
#47 ·
depending on the year of your 2.0 Turbo that GM makes...they aren't all the same...the 2.0 in the Chevrolet and Cadillac ARE the same and the 2.0 in the Buick may now be the same but it wasn't in 2013 when the Malibu came out with it...GM used different designations for the turbocharged 2.0s in those cars...and I agree with ken4...different tunes...even in the Malibu and ATS

The 2.0 in the Malibu is now recommended to have 91 or higher but when it came out, not only wasn't it mentioned in the owner's manual (it has since been updated to state 91 octane is recommended) but it wasn't on the window sticker...one review mentioned it while most all others said 87 was fine...

GF's 3LT (2.0 Turbo) was getting 18+ MPG in mostly all city driving on 87 and is now getting 22+ using 93 (91 or better-Premium) with the same type driving...

I'm sticking with Top Tier, Premium fuel of at least 91 octane for her car...

Bill
 
#55 ·
I agree, it became confusing to follow GM's 2.0T applications, however both engines were always premium-recommended. You are correct that the Regal switched to the new 2.0T for 2014 and beyond.

The issue of the 2013 Malibu Turbo recommendation was a strange omission on GM's part, but there were parts of the Chevy website and press releases that stated the turbo called for premium just like the Cadillac ATS 2.0T. Seems to be a case of one hand not knowing what the other was doing, apparently.
 
#48 · (Edited)
Higher octane actually burns slower .. that's it's intent . So there is NO pre ignition..

M.I.T.
, higher-octane fuel confers an advantage in some cars, but not others. It allows performance-oriented engines (specifically, those with higher compression ratios) to burn gasoline at higher pressures and higher temperatures. These conditions at the moment of combustion create better thermodynamic efficiency, so a greater percentage of the gasoline’s heat energy gets converted into motive power.

Octane rating is a measure of grace under pressure: how evenly a gasoline will burn under difficult conditions, like hard acceleration. Ideally, the vaporized gasoline inside an engine’s cylinder burns by the propagation of a wave of flame, ignited by the cylinder’s spark plug. This allows a smooth transfer of power to the engine’s crankshaft and the car’s wheels. But at higher pressures or temperatures, small pockets of gasoline vapor can prematurely explode, or self-ignite, creating a distinctive “knocking” sound, as well as potentially destructive shock waves.

Gasoline with a higher octane rating does not self-ignite easily, and burns more evenly than lower-octane fuel under harsh conditions, resisting detonation and knocking. Modern engines, with electronic sensors and controls, are very good at preventing detonation of lower-octane gas (this is why drivers no longer hear much knocking). But high-octane fuel is still specified when designers want to achieve better acceleration and power output, and when they are willing to accept a slightly bulkier and heavier engine with higher operating costs. — Peter Dunn
 
#50 ·
I second that applause of a great explanation of octane vs power! I don't believe I've ever connected those dots but now I have, thanks to you.
 
#54 ·
Again, this is out of context. The link even states "we advise you adhere to your owner’s manual recommendations." A car that recommends regular gas is unlikely to make additional power on premium, this is the conclusion they are presenting.

A car that recommends premium, but is tuned to accept regular (like the GM 2.0T) will pull timing to burn cheap stuff safely at the expense of power and/or fuel economy. Turbocharged engines are especially sensitive to this.

Ford's Ecoboost line of turbo 4-cylinder engines also recommends premium fuel, but actually advertises separate decreased power ratings for regular gas. Many manufacturers will state a disclaimer that their horsepower claims for high output engines are based on usage of premium fuel.
 
#56 ·
Put simply, octane is a measure of a fuel's resistance to ignite. Higher octane fuels burn more slowly and resist pre-detonation (aka "ping") better.

An engine designed to benefit from higher octane will suffer performance and economy losses as a result of using lower octane fuels.

THAT is where a lot of folks, including me in the past, made the incorrect conclusion that higher octane is higher power, no matter which engine it's in.
 
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