[LittleHoov]

Im well aware of knock, what it is, and how it affects performance, Ive been lurking around the 3800 SCed community for 5 or better years now, so knock issues have come up.

What you posted is true, but in an engine with low compression such as the 3.5 I dont see how knock is an issue at all. When GM says I can use regular gas right there in the owners manual I say go for it.

As for fuel economy, you and I have posted quite the same numbers on many occasions, ive pulled over 30mpg on good ol' 87 octane. I cant complain when it comes to performance either. Im just wondering what makes the LX5 so gosh darned special that it needs premium gas....high-compression? nope, forced induction? nope...maybe tuned for extreme performance? hell nope.

Im just saying that id like to see some numbers and proof before you go around telling every member here to use premium gas on a low-compression, otherwise non-performance engine. Because as of now it seems like your claims are based entirely on a seat of the pants feel, which may or may not be real.

Also, im not sure where you got that info, but octane is a measure of a fuel's resistance to being ignited. Also, from my understanding knock is caused by pre-detonation not post-detonation as your article describes.

So far, Im not convinced, and ESPECIALLY not convinced that a lack of premium gas is causing an overheating problem.

Also, since that article you posted seems to have originated from a Cadilliac forum, I dont know that it applies here. The N* V8s do run higher compression than our engines. How do you think they get all that power out of relatively small displacement engines?