Difference between Premium/Regular gas and consequences?

[Braves]

For cars that require premium, what does using regular gas do to them?

 

[Ryan]

It can cause damage to the engine, and decrease performance.

<---Always uses premium on his Maxima

 

[Viper GTS]

Octane content.

Octane retards flammability, the higher the octane content the more compression can be obtained before ignition.

In cars that are designed to obtain high compression, pre-mature ignition can cause pinging.

It has no benefit in cars that were not designed to use it.

Gasoline 101

Viper GTS

 

[vi edit]

Decrease in performace, and actual decrease in gas milage. Significane depends upon specific makes/models. I've seen some BMW's loose upwards of 10% in performance on a dyno by not putting in the right octane levels.

If compression is high enough, you can actually damage the engine I believe, if you don't put premium in a car that specifically requires it. High output cars with supercharges or turbos running at high levels of boost are the main ones that come to mind.

 

[diskop]

You can damage the engine and some parts. That's a nono. Happened to me once Learned my lesson quick

 

[Radiohead]

Originally posted by: rbloedow
It can cause damage to the engine, and decrease performance.

<---Always uses premium on his Maxima

Hey nice to see a fellow Max owner here

using premium gas is not for increasing performance (not directly) or for giving you extra horsepower. What it does for you is to prevent detonation or pre-ignition. Detonation means that the fuel and air mixutre ignite at the wrong time due to the high compression and heat. This is very bad for the engine. The effets of detonation is cumulative, meaning the damage adds up. Higher octane gas will be more resistant to detonation and allow the engine to run as intended.

 

[hoihtah]

if you had enough money to purchase a car that's designed to run on high octain gas...
then you have enough money to spend less than $1 more on a full tank of fuel.



but if you do decide to be cheap with your gas...
make sure you add some "turbo" stickers on your car to make up for the loss horsepower.

 

[SniperWulf]

Now I don't claim to be an expert, but I have noticed that on most mid-1990's japanese cars that say "Regular Unleaded only" actually run better/get better gas milage if you put premium gas in it continuously. That was the case with my old 95 Mazda Protege', my cousins Mitubishe Mirage and moms Subaru Wagon. Not to mention they also performed better/ran stronger.

 

[Jzero]

Higher octane gas will be more resistant to detonation and allow the engine to run as intended.

That depends on how the engine was designed and intended to be run.
You should use the octane level recommended by your manufacturer. Lower than recommended is really bad. Higher than recommended is really just a waste of money.

 

[hoihtah]

if your car isn't designed to run on premium gas...
it makes such a lil' difference for your car...
you're really wasting your money by putting in high octane gas.

there are lots of studies done on this.
but they all seem to indicate that while there's a difference, it's too small to be noticeable.

you most definately won't be able to feel the power difference.

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: SniperWulf
Now I don't claim to be an expert, but I have noticed that on most mid-1990's japanese cars that say "Regular Unleaded only" actually run better/get better gas milage if you put premium gas in it continuously. That was the case with my old 95 Mazda Protege', my cousins Mitubishe Mirage and moms Subaru Wagon. Not to mention they also performed better/ran stronger.

That's what we call the "placebo effect".

Unless you put your Mirage or subaru wagon on a dyno w/ both regular and premium....

 

[SniperWulf]

Originally posted by: hoihtah
if your car isn't designed to run on premium gas...
it makes such a lil' difference for your car...
you're really wasting your money by putting in high octane gas.

there are lots of studies done on this.
but they all seem to indicate that while there's a difference, it's too small to be noticeable.

you most definately won't be able to feel the power difference.

I agree and disagree. For example, I already explained my experience with my old Mazda, but i also believe i could tell the difference because the engine was fairly weak (1.5l 4banger with only 93hp). PLUS i just bought a Jetta 1.8T which is designed to run off premium gas. The fill up that the stupid service guy gave me was only mid-grade... needless to say about a 1/4 tank into my first fill up the car felt a bit more peppy and pulled stronger. But then again I did make it a point to notice...

*EDIT*
Oh ya i forgot to tell about the time i had to put regular unleaded in the protege. and boy did it run like crap. it burned a whole tank on a 100 mile trip (all highway). now I know the ECU needs time to adjust, so just for sakes i re-filled with regular unleaded again (same brand btw EXXON if i remember right) and on the way back i got a whole 30 miles more... LOL

 

[SniperWulf]

Originally posted by: notfred

That's what we call the "placebo effect".

Unless you put your Mirage or subaru wagon on a dyno w/ both regular and premium....

Now I DO agree with that

 

[Braves]

it's not me being cheap, it's that I work @ an infiniti dealership and went with someoen to gas up their loan cars, and we used regular since the people didnt tell us otherwise, and then went back. next time i went i remembered to ask and the people siad premium only... whoops =/

 

[JohnCU]

I believe I read somewhere using premium in a car designed for regular was bad, because the gasoline didn't ignite completely and it left more buildup in the engine.

 

[bcmind]

I thought I was the only one who knows about it....

damn you Viper GTS

 

[Lucky]

That's what we call the "placebo effect".

Unless you put your Mirage or subaru wagon on a dyno w/ both regular and premium....

Honda claims a 10hp improvement on the new accord if you use premium instead of regular, although its rated for regular.

 

[RGN]

Originally posted by: rbloedow
It can cause damage to the engine, and decrease performance.

<---Always uses premium on his Maxima

<-----Always uses premium in his Maxima too.

 

[RGN]

Originally posted by: notfred

Originally posted by: SniperWulf
Now I don't claim to be an expert, but I have noticed that on most mid-1990's japanese cars that say "Regular Unleaded only" actually run better/get better gas milage if you put premium gas in it continuously. That was the case with my old 95 Mazda Protege', my cousins Mitubishe Mirage and moms Subaru Wagon. Not to mention they also performed better/ran stronger.

That's what we call the "placebo effect".

Unless you put your Mirage or subaru wagon on a dyno w/ both regular and premium....

I don't agree either. My Dad only put in mid grade - in any car. When I bought my previos car from them, I too used mid-grade. I switched to premium one day, and I got a large performance increase and increased gas mialge to boot (about 10%).

 

[Superdoopercooper]

I have a 2002 Acura 3.2TL (no Type-S... didn't have it in the right color )... anyways... I've done some experiementing... and with regular, my car just doesn't have as smooth acceleration, and the power is just not there. i can really tell when using the autostick to bump it down a gear or two... just doesn't go as well. I can also tell that if I keep doing it... it will lead to some knocking and pinging down the road
But, if I put premium (esp. a good gas like Chevron) in... that thing just hums. Driving the curves in the hill country is like butta' (butter for those of you not in the know).
that is my $0.02. As cheap as I am ... I'll put premium of some sort in...