Best brand and type of gasoline?

[Hubris]

^^what he said. I got burned once b/c i was coming back from Grand Blanc, MI and there were no big name gas stations on my way home (i was on empty and needed gas NOW). I went to a no-name station and filled up about half a tank (so that i could fill up the rest at a reputable station) and about 20 miles away from the station, my explorer started chugging away and i started getting a slight engine pinging. I filled up at a Mobil not too much further and used a high 91 to try and mix the two, and the problem stopped after a little driving.

Moral of the story: only goto trustworthy/reputable stations (like Shell, Mobil, er...those are the only two i goto).

-=bmacd=-

Amen to that. My sister and I were driving cross-country in her '86 Accord and we stopped at a no-name station on an Indian reservation in New Mexico (might have been Colorado), and we headed up some mountains and her car went to sh!te. No power whatsoever. We limped along until we could get to another gas station and eventually purged the crap gas out.

 

[freebee]

I make my own.

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: B00ne
Here the octane number are: normal 92, Super 96 Super Plus 98, some companies also offer special high performance gasoline (shell optimax) They claim it reduces wear and is more environmental friendly dunno if those claims are supported by real numbers....

jeez... where do you live? those seem high

Probably in Europe. US and Europe use different ways to define octane (RON and the other which I dont remember)

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: FrustratedUser

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: B00ne
Here the octane number are: normal 92, Super 96 Super Plus 98, some companies also offer special high performance gasoline (shell optimax) They claim it reduces wear and is more environmental friendly dunno if those claims are supported by real numbers....

jeez... where do you live? those seem high

Probably in Europe. US and Europe use different ways to define octane (RON and the other which I dont remember)

Research Octane Number and Motor Octane Number. Add them both together and divide by 2 equals your pump octane level.

The best pump gas ever? Sunoco 260 baby! Its a gas!

 

[alphatarget1]

you need a higher octane fuel for a engine with a higher compression ratio. lower octane rating means there is less octane in the gas and more heptane. the problem is that heptane ignites when it's compressed, that's why you need a higher octane rating in an engine with a high compression ratio (octane handles compression better)

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: kenleung
you need a higher octane fuel for a engine with a higher compression ratio. lower octane rating means there is less octane in the gas and more heptane. the problem is that heptane ignites when it's compressed, that's why you need a higher octane rating in an engine with a high compression ratio (octane handles compression better)

Lower octane ignites at a lower temp. It is more volatile. Winter gas in cold areas has less octane so your car will start easier. I think the worst is ether.

As to your compression statement: you are essentially correct. Remember though that engines nowadays are designed more effeciently and while they may have a high compression ratio they need only regular gas because unlike older engines (pre 1972) the increase in compression and its increase is combustion chamber temps, which cause ping and detonation, is controlled by removing the heat very quickly. Whether it be aluminum heads or better designed chambers or better chamber cooling or even a combination of all of them, the old rules do not apply any more.

 

[alphatarget1]

Originally posted by: Iron Woode

As to your compression statement: you are essentially correct. Remember though that engines nowadays are designed more effeciently and while they may have a high compression ratio they need only regular gas because unlike older engines (pre 1972) the increase in compression and its increase is combustion chamber temps, which cause ping and detonation, is controlled by removing the heat very quickly. Whether it be aluminum heads or better designed chambers or better chamber cooling or even a combination of all of them, the old rules do not apply any more.

so when you have a car that requires premium fuel, you don't need to fill it up with premium gas?

 

[olds]

I perfer Chevron. You'll probably be fine with regular unleaded. The only thing I would avoid is buying gas while they are filling the tanks. It stirs up all the gunk.

 

[tommigsr]

bahh u guys with lower octane gas i miss the old days of driving a camry. i now drive an acura tl type s and it takes in 91 octane or higher only...suppose to be rated for 92, but can't find one anywhere

 

[Piano Man]

There is some good info here, I didn't realize there was a difference. For the record, I use 89 Octane with 15% Ethanol. Is ethanol safe? Its usually cheaper here than the regular stuff, plus the octane is usually higher.

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: kenleung

Originally posted by: Iron Woode

As to your compression statement: you are essentially correct. Remember though that engines nowadays are designed more effeciently and while they may have a high compression ratio they need only regular gas because unlike older engines (pre 1972) the increase in compression and its increase is combustion chamber temps, which cause ping and detonation, is controlled by removing the heat very quickly. Whether it be aluminum heads or better designed chambers or better chamber cooling or even a combination of all of them, the old rules do not apply any more.

so when you have a car that requires premium fuel, you don't need to fill it up with premium gas?

Let me qualify that. Most high compression engines are designed for lower octane fuel and some are not. Why? Because of availability of high octane gas in some areas is limited. The car will still run fine on low octane fuel, but you won't get full performance out of it. The onboard computer will limit advance and check for ping. Your car will make less power but it won't blow up from detonation. I thought people knew this already. It is in your owners manual.

 

[Moonbeam]

You get better gas mileage on lower octane gas because it doesn't have the additives that slow its burning. Suppose, for example, that by adding 10% water to a gallon of pure gas you could slow its combustion. In the process you would get 10% less miles per gallon.

 

[Atrail]

All pretty much the same!

 

[gopunk]

Originally posted by: tommigsr
bahh u guys with lower octane gas i miss the old days of driving a camry. i now drive an acura tl type s and it takes in 91 octane or higher only...suppose to be rated for 92, but can't find one anywhere

yep yep same here.... don't pull the lower octane gas thing if you have a nicer car

 

[StattlichPassat]

Chevron w/ Techron Supreme 93 ONLY in my ride. I prefer Chevron, Mobil and Texaco in other cars.

 

[StattlichPassat]

Originally posted by: res1bhmg
Unless you're driving a highly tuned twin-turboed 4-cylinder, any regular unleaded gas will do.

Whatever.

They are all different, and I can tell differences in nearly all of them.

And there are no twin-turbo four cylinder cars on the NA roads today.