So today was oil change day; not really scheduled, about 400 miles early, but I just woke up today and though, "I think I'll change my oil", lol

So after fighting to get the filter off ( I don't know how the darn thing got on so tight; I just tighten it on by hand ), I decided I'd check the plugs, just fer kicks

The looked kinda narly, they maybe had 6,000 miles on them; not a whole lot, but I expect some blow-by with the mileage I've got. So she got new plugs, and while I was at it, a new cap and rotor.

So I started her up and took her for a test drive, and all was well.

I came back home, popped the hood, and continued looking at the other fluids; added some washer fluid, topped off my PS fluid (cause my steering box leaks), and checked the radiator.

Now I've noticed in the past month or so that I was loosing about a half gallon of antifreeze a week. Odly enough, I remove the cap to find a full radiator!

The only thing I can assume was a leak in a coolant line; I had one bust about a little while ago on my way home from work (yall may have rad the thread), and after the road-side repair and coolant top-off, I think that hose was letting the coolant seep out before it finally let loose. And now that there's a new hose, there's no more leak! Which hopefully means my head-gasket is actually in good shape, cause that's why I though I was loosing coolant, lol.

So after that, I thought I toy with the timing a bit, cause not too long ago I thougt I heard some pinging, so I retarded it a bit, bit I was probably mistaking my exhaust leak for that, lol.

So I advanced it a little bit, and OH MAN, SHE WOKE UP! Now I didn't want to advance it too far cause I don't have my timing light right now; it's at a friend's house, so I couldn't tell you want it's set at.



So I guess the whole point of this thread is to ask, on a stock 22re ( in a 91 ), what's the furthest anyone has ever advanced it with any issues?

I'm running at pretty much sea level (Florida, what do you expect...), and tipically run 89 octane (not the cheap stuff, but I'm not put'n the most exspensive fuel in a motor with almost 300k on it either, lol).

I don't have any pinging now, but I'm wandering what will happen if I were to drop down to 87 octane...

 

ud be fine. i use 87 in my 22re, and its got around 300,000 miles on it. (actual miles). according to the DMV, i have about 260,000. (taking into account the mileage calculations from the oversized tires). anyways, in my 22re, i never notice any pinging with 87. hell right now im using 87 in my moms expedition with a V8 (reccomended 89 in the users manual) and am getting NO problems. so if a ford V8 can use 87, then why cant a 4 banger that will eat ANY gas leaded or unleaded use 87? lol. (dont ask how i know they like leaded fuel... okay ill tell you i was in mexico and all they had was leaded, so i filled up, and damn if she didnt wake up and just take off. i failed smog shortly after due to a bad cat, but still LOL).

 

worse you could do is run it down to almost empty and put 1/4 tank 87 in it. If it starts pinging, fill it up with 89.
I've advanced Sin91's truck to 12 once and got some pinging when the trans (auto) was shifting, so bumped it down to 8 and it seems fine, and we run 87 from arco/bp.

 

yeah, I try to use only BP; don't ask why, I've just stuck with them fer a while... their everywhere, and I've never had any problems, lol

I'm gunna try to get ahold of my light to see just where I'm at though

thanks guys!

 

I pump regular into premium recommended cars all day. I get a lot of people saying how "topping off" cars are bad for them...and I also do that all day long. Never had a complaint. Your engine will run fine on 87.