Premium Gas Usage
Short answer: Compression ratio drives the octane requirement. Per Pontiac engineer John Sawruk, the pre-1971 (~10:1) engines were qualified on 100 research octane — he suggested ~94 pump octane plus a can of booster. The 1968 engines that actually required premium were the H.O., Sprint, and Ram Air.
Be careful of preignition you can’t even hear, and strongly consider changing all fuel hoses that contact today’s gas and its vapors.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
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