Designed by General Motors Company, and introduced in 2019, the GM 2.7 Turbo engine is a turbocharged gasoline engine with an inline-four cylinder configuration. This is a powerful engine that is made for a wide range of vehicles and it's currently featured in the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, Cadillac CT4, Chevrolet Colorado, and the GMC Canyon.
Key features and my opinion about the engine
- Production years:2018-now
- Average lifespan of L3B:170,000-200,000 miles
- Fuel supply type:direct injection
- Power range:310-325 hp
- Fuel efficiency:average
- Engine block material:aluminum
- Engine reliability score:medium
- The most common problems:wiring issues, carbon buildup on intake valves, very sensitive fuel supply system, AFM system problems.
Design specifications
The main factor that determines the kind of fuel that an engine consumes is its design. The GM 2.7 Turbo engine is designed to be a high-performance engine. It was built with some unique specifications that include:
- 310 horsepower at 5,600 RPM.
- Made of aluminum.
- 10.0:1 compression ratio.
- 420 lb-ft. of torque at 1,500 RPM.
- Active Fuel Management.
- Active Thermal Management.
- Auto Start/Stop.
- A 3-phase Camshaft.
- Variable Valve Timing.
- Direct Injection.
- 8-speed automatic transmission.
- Carrying capacity of 2,280 lbs.
- The towing capacity of 9,600 lbs.
- High fuel efficiency.
*Specs may slightly change from one vehicle to another.
Premium fuels
A premium gas, or super gas, is a gas with a high-octane rating. This is the kind of fuel that is defined by an octane rating of around 91 to 94. Regular gas, on the other hand, has an octane rating of 87 while midgrade gases are represented by the zone between 88 and 90. Depending on the design of the engine, each kind of fuel comes with its own advantages and drawbacks.
While it is true that premium gas improves the performance of an engine, it should be noted that not all vehicle engines are optimized for premium gas. This means that in some vehicles, you cannot see any difference in performance whether you use regular or premium gas. You are therefore better off using regular as you can save some cash.
However, it should be noted that all vehicles that feature the GM 2.7 Turbo engine require premium fuel.
Why the GM 2.7 Turbo requires premium fuel
Most engines can use both regular and premium gas. However, some engine manufacturers specifically design their vehicle engines with high-octane fuels in mind, meaning that only premium fuel should be used with the engine. When the General Motors Company designed the GM 2.7 Turbo engine, they optimized it for use with only premium fuel. This is what GM recommends all users use in their tanks. However, if you go ahead and use regular or any other fuel with the engine and something goes wrong, you cannot go complaining to the manufacturer because you clearly violated their rules and you are at fault
The GM 2.7 Turbo engine can produce up to 310 HP at 5,600 RPM, has a high carrying capacity of around 2,280 lbs, and also a great towing capacity of 9,600 lbs. In order to get all these perks from the engine, you will need to be burning premium fuel. If you however decide to use regular or some other kind of fuel, the performance of your car will be severely affected and will not show the best of it. Additionally, your car could end up burning more regular fuel.
The use of premium gas as recommended by the manufacturer also ensures that the engine not only runs at full capacity but that it also burns fuel efficiently. It should be noted that high-octane fuels also have lower emissions and are generally better for the environment. We live at a time when fuel is blamed for the increase in global temperatures and also for the general degradation of the environment. There are plans to completely phase out fossil fuels in favor of electric-powered machines. This is however still a long way off and, in the meantime, we are tasked with properly using the fuels that we have.
Some people however ignore the manufacturer's recommendations and use regular gas in their GM 2.7 Turbo engines. Using regular gas in such a high-performance engine can result in the engine knocking. An engine knock is a shockwave in the engine that occurs when fuel does not burn evenly in the cylinders as a result of less-than-optimal air-fuel mixture. Fixing an engine knock can be an expensive process, or it may even be impossible, meaning that you need to get a new engine. All this results in a huge financial burden that could have been avoided if premium fuel had been used in the first place.
One disadvantage of premium fuel, however, is that it costs more per liter than regular fuel. This means that running the GM 2.7 Turbo engine will cost a bit more than when running a similar engine on regular fuel.
Final thoughts
The General Motors GM 2.7 Turbo engine is a high-performance engine that runs on premium fuels. We have seen that the engine requires premium fuels for the following reasons:
- It is a design requirement.
- It can only deliver peak performance with premium fuel.
- Premium fuel is better for the environment
- Premium fuel protects the engine.
That said, it would be very irresponsible and unwise to use regular fuel with the GM 2.7 Turbo engine simply because regular fuel tends to be slightly cheaper.
About the authors
The CarAraC research team is composed of seasoned auto mechanics and automotive industry professionals, including individuals with advanced degrees and certifications in their field. Our team members boast prestigious credentials, reflecting their extensive knowledge and skills. These qualifications include: IMI: Institute of the Motor Industry, ASE-Certified Master Automobile Technicians; Coventry University, Graduate of MA in Automotive Journalism; Politecnico di Torino, Italy, MS Automotive Engineering; Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Mechanical University in Skopje; TOC Automotive College; DHA Suffa University, Department of Mechanical Engineering
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