Does my car really need octane 93 gas?

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: SupaDupaCheez
My MiniCooper S manual says 93 or higher. I tried 91 (no ethanol added) and it ran like crap. When I asked the dealership mechanic about it, he said that with most engines, it really doesn't make much of a difference, but some engines (mine included as well as most BMWs) will run like crap and/or become damaged by using lower octanes. He also told me that if I was to continue using the lower octanes, my engine light would come on.

Now....the opposite is true with my '04 Corrolla. The mechanics at Toyota actually told me not to run HIGHER octane (calls for 89) because MPG would go down and it could damage the engine (I didn't ask how since I'm perfectly happy paying less for gas)

Either this isn't true or your mechanic is full of it. One of the features that Mini brags about on it's S series is that it can run on premium OR regular. Check here:

http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/MiniCooper/

Active Knock Control enables the engine to run on regular or premium octane fuel. Premium fuel will produce full power, but the engine will run fine on regular with slightly reduced power output. This is fine for people who never like to floor the gas (yes, there are people like that -- and they always seem to be in front of me).

 

[SupaDupaCheez]

I'm not sure if you were implying that the article states that the MiniCooper S can run on 89 or not but I couldn't find it there. Also, the article is talking about the regular MiniCooper only (which I believe will run on lower octane since it does not have a supercharger and is therefore more forgiving).

Also, even if they were talking about both cars, it said it would RUN on both octanes but at LESS THAN FULL POWER. I equate that with running like crap. It also states in the manual and on the car that ONLY Premium be used or risk damage to the car.

 

[Philippine Mango]

Originally posted by: Lucifer

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango

Originally posted by: Shawn

Originally posted by: goku
There is no point in using less than Octane 93 for cars these days since the premium is so small compared to what it used to be.

WRONG! There is NO reason to use premium if your car only needs regular. In fact, it is actually harmful.

I disagree, my friend's Dodge Van is a V8, says to use 87 octane but when driving up the hill it knocks, so he put in octane 93 and it doesn't knock anymore... HTF would it be bad for your engine? All it is is just less likely to combust so the fuel either combusts or it doesn't, you don't want lower octane because it's cheaper and can combust when yuo don't want it to.

lol you logged into your other account so you can reply with a rebuttal.

No, I was looking up SLcentral and I found this thread. I made a reply and that was it, what do you want, a cookie? You want a cookie because you thought you found an easter egg when you really just found something out of the ordinary and decided to make a big deal about it because you're an idiot?

 

[drum]

Originally posted by: Amol
RTFM!

beaten to it.
end of thread

 

[bwatson283]

i agree with the majority! Use what the manual says. They didnt write the manual to blow smoke up your a@@, they wrote it telling you how to use it to make it last!

 

[imported_Lucifer]

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango

Originally posted by: Lucifer

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango

Originally posted by: Shawn

Originally posted by: goku
There is no point in using less than Octane 93 for cars these days since the premium is so small compared to what it used to be.

WRONG! There is NO reason to use premium if your car only needs regular. In fact, it is actually harmful.

I disagree, my friend's Dodge Van is a V8, says to use 87 octane but when driving up the hill it knocks, so he put in octane 93 and it doesn't knock anymore... HTF would it be bad for your engine? All it is is just less likely to combust so the fuel either combusts or it doesn't, you don't want lower octane because it's cheaper and can combust when yuo don't want it to.

lol you logged into your other account so you can reply with a rebuttal.

No, I was looking up SLcentral and I found this thread. I made a reply and that was it, what do you want, a cookie? You want a cookie because you thought you found an easter egg when you really just found something out of the ordinary and decided to make a big deal about it because you're an idiot?

No, I just decided to laugh at you because you logged into your other account to reply to Shawn.

 

[fitzov]

higher octane means more fuel can be compressed before the power stroke. a specified amount of fuel is injected into the cylinder.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question90.htm

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango
I disagree, my friend's Dodge Van is a V8, says to use 87 octane but when driving up the hill it knocks, so he put in octane 93 and it doesn't knock anymore... HTF would it be bad for your engine? All it is is just less likely to combust so the fuel either combusts or it doesn't, you don't want lower octane because it's cheaper and can combust when yuo don't want it to.

Lower octane fuel also has a faster moving flame front and burns faster. Running premium, which burns slower, in an engine designed to run on lower octane fuel, will vastly increase carbon build-up.

If your engine knocks, then move to a higher grade, yes. It is possible that production variances will sometimes cause an engine to be more or less likely to knock than the reference design, but these instances are the exceptions, not the rules.

ZV

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: BoomerD
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question90.htm
"The compression ratio of your engine determines the octane rating of the gas you must use in the car. One way to increase the horsepower of an engine of a given displacement is to increase its compression ratio. So a "high-performance engine" has a higher compression ratio and requires higher-octane fuel. The advantage of a high compression ratio is that it gives your engine a higher horsepower rating for a given engine weight -- that is what makes the engine "high performance." The disadvantage is that the gasoline for your engine costs more."

Grossly over-simplified.

Static compression ratio in my old Lincoln was lower than it is in my Mustang, however the Lincoln required 91 while the Mustang only needs 87. The reason is combustion chamber design and heat dissipation capabilities of the heads as well as ignition timing. Absolute cylinder pressure plays a role as well.

ZV

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Fritzo
Every expert on the subject (even Jay Leno!) says to try it with 89 octane and see if you get any knocking. If you do, go up to the next highest. Most single turbo and supercharged cars can get by with 89. If it's really hot out you might need to go higher though.

Your experts have been drinking. You only need a single incident of heavy knock under load to melt a piston or blow the head off the engine.

ZV

 

[HaxorNubcake]

never ever seen 93 gas. my mb e320 runs on 91 (I hope).

 

[RGN]

Originally posted by: Syringer
Try a lower grade, if you don't hear knocking or pinging you're fine.

You really think you can hear the knocking and pinging before it damages the engine?

:shocked:

 

[Philippine Mango]

Originally posted by: Lucifer

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango

Originally posted by: Lucifer

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango

Originally posted by: Shawn

Originally posted by: goku
There is no point in using less than Octane 93 for cars these days since the premium is so small compared to what it used to be.

WRONG! There is NO reason to use premium if your car only needs regular. In fact, it is actually harmful.

I disagree, my friend's Dodge Van is a V8, says to use 87 octane but when driving up the hill it knocks, so he put in octane 93 and it doesn't knock anymore... HTF would it be bad for your engine? All it is is just less likely to combust so the fuel either combusts or it doesn't, you don't want lower octane because it's cheaper and can combust when yuo don't want it to.

lol you logged into your other account so you can reply with a rebuttal.

No, I was looking up SLcentral and I found this thread. I made a reply and that was it, what do you want, a cookie? You want a cookie because you thought you found an easter egg when you really just found something out of the ordinary and decided to make a big deal about it because you're an idiot?

No, I just decided to laugh at you because you logged into your other account to reply to Shawn.

No, no I didn't. How can I login to my other account to reply to shawn when I don't own a second account? Anyways you're a dumbass because look at the date his reply to what I said was, he made that post on june 10th, like I'm going to wait a whole month, login to an alleged 'another account', find my post where shawn quoted it and then backup my statement? WTF are you?

 

[imported_Lucifer]

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango

Originally posted by: Lucifer

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango

Originally posted by: Lucifer

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango

Originally posted by: Shawn

Originally posted by: goku
There is no point in using less than Octane 93 for cars these days since the premium is so small compared to what it used to be.

WRONG! There is NO reason to use premium if your car only needs regular. In fact, it is actually harmful.

I disagree, my friend's Dodge Van is a V8, says to use 87 octane but when driving up the hill it knocks, so he put in octane 93 and it doesn't knock anymore... HTF would it be bad for your engine? All it is is just less likely to combust so the fuel either combusts or it doesn't, you don't want lower octane because it's cheaper and can combust when yuo don't want it to.

lol you logged into your other account so you can reply with a rebuttal.

No, I was looking up SLcentral and I found this thread. I made a reply and that was it, what do you want, a cookie? You want a cookie because you thought you found an easter egg when you really just found something out of the ordinary and decided to make a big deal about it because you're an idiot?

No, I just decided to laugh at you because you logged into your other account to reply to Shawn.

No, no I didn't. How can I login to my other account to reply to shawn when I don't own a second account? Anyways you're a dumbass because look at the date his reply to what I said was, he made that post on june 10th, like I'm going to wait a whole month, login to an alleged 'another account', find my post where shawn quoted it and then backup my statement? WTF are you?

Date doesn't really mean anything. I notice how you switch around with your accounts. For a few weeks, you use your goku account. Then after that, the other weeks you use your Mango account. It's really not that hard to figure THAT out.

And don't give me the P-MANGO or GOKU IS MY BROTHER!!1! bs. lmao

 

[SampSon]

I only use 103 octane race gas, all the time.