So I just realized the type of gas does matter

[Zebo]

I used to have a 98 regal with a super charger and it would run like shit with 86/87. Believe me my cheap ass tried it numerous times.

 

[Zap]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane_rating

Just had a chance to read through that and boy was it informative. Learn sumthin' new everyday! :thumbsup:

 

[Paperlantern]

Just had a chance to read through that and boy was it informative. Learn sumthin' new everyday! :thumbsup:

Yeah it is... though I'm not sure why the link was posted twice in the same thread... I think people aren't reading...

 

[LTC8K6]

They used some wildly high octane fuel in those 27L Supercharged V12 Merlins/Packards in WW2. 150 Octane and even higher.

 

[KentState]

I could never tell the difference between 87 and 91/93 in my GTO. Premium was recommended but not required.

However I have not went below 91/93 in the Vette. It's been so hot and I like to get on it, so it's really not worth testing the waters.

 

[angry hampster]

Is an extra $2 a fill up for a $40 tank really a deal breaker?

Should have specified. It wasn't necessarily the price that made it annoying. It was the availability. I travel quite a bit in rural Iowa. Diesel and E85 are much easier to come by than premium in a lot of the state.

 

[Paperlantern]

Found my manual, it says 91 octane is recommended for my car. However, i can only find 89 or 92... wtf... where can i get 91? Would it make a difference to put in 92? Should I run 89? 0.o

 

[zerocool84]

Found my manual, it says 91 octane is recommended for my car. However, i can only find 89 or 92... wtf... where can i get 91? Would it make a difference to put in 92? Should I run 89? 0.o

Do you live in the United States? 92 was switched over to 91 years ago.

 

[basslover1]

Found my manual, it says 91 octane is recommended for my car. However, i can only find 89 or 92... wtf... where can i get 91? Would it make a difference to put in 92? Should I run 89? 0.o

You'll be fine. My car recommends 91, but about 1 out of 15 gas stations actually sells 91, it's usually 93 and that's what I use.

 

[Paperlantern]

You'll be fine. My car recommends 91, but about 1 out of 15 gas stations actually sells 91, it's usually 93 and that's what I use.

Can anyone else confirm this?

Yeah im in the states, and the 3 gas stations that Ive stopped at to get gas in the last week during this discussion all sell 87/89/92.

 

[Eli]

Should have specified. It wasn't necessarily the price that made it annoying. It was the availability. I travel quite a bit in rural Iowa. Diesel and E85 are much easier to come by than premium in a lot of the state.

Put like 9 gallons of regular and 1 gallon of E85 in it. lol

 

[LTC8K6]

Found my manual, it says 91 octane is recommended for my car. However, i can only find 89 or 92... wtf... where can i get 91? Would it make a difference to put in 92? Should I run 89? 0.o

There's no need to worry over 91/92/93. What your car needs is at least 91. So 92 or 93 are fine.

 

[iGas]

The Aurion V6 in Australia (Camry in North America) with Toyota spec get an additional 5 hp when use 92 or greater instead of the regular 87.

Yes fuel does make a different in performance, specially if it is indicated by the manufacture.

 

[zerocool84]

The Aurion V6 in Australia (Camry in North America) with Toyota spec get an additional 5 hp when use 92 or greater instead of the regular 87.

Yes fuel does make a different in performance, specially if it is indicated by the manufacture.

Fuel only matters for performance if your car was designed to run for it. Nothing more.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

We're talking 20 cents a gallon x (~ 15 gallons) = $3.00
So, you were so tight that one gallon would have stranded you?

I realized that the difference makes up in the mileage after doing the math.

 

[marvdmartian]

Had a work truck one time (Dodge Ram V6), used to knock like hell using 87 octane, but we were forbidden from putting anything else in it.

Needed gas one time, stopped at gas station, they were out of 87, so we said to hell with it, put in 89. Damn thing didn't knock once during that tank of gas. With 87, under hard acceleration, it sounded like it had rocks in the engine, but with 89, it was smooooooth. Of course, we caught shit a couple months later, when it was discovered the dasterdly deed we had done, but I offered to compensate them the quarter difference in price.


Was home visiting this past week, in upstate NY, and noticed they have 87, 89, 91 & 93 octane gas at the Sunoco. Weird thing was, 91 & 93 were the same price. Who the heck would use 91, if they can get 93 for the same price?? :hmm:

 

[Gillbot]

This thread.... it's just FULL of fail.

93 must be better than 91 and 89! It's a higher number, so it has to be better for my vehicle!

Seriously?

If your car calls for 5W20, do you put in 10W40 because the higher number must be better?

If your car calls for a specific gap spark plug, do you knock it open wider because bigger must be better?

Seriously..... same sort of people who buy one product over another just because it costs 15% more.

Read your freaking manual people, and understand WHY they want you to use a specific octane.

Now I'm going to go put Antifreeze in my car. I think I'll put the concentrate in without adding water. After all.... it's concentrated, right? That's better!

Kudos to Paperlantern for actually learning the difference.

Truth! ^

No... did you read this thread?

It may give you a slight horsepower boost (2-5 perhaps) and fuel economy boost, but cost wise may be less mileage/dollar spent.

LOL NO. Read what octane is and why specific engines call for it. Using too much octane can REDUCE power output due to slow/uneven fuel burn and incomplete combustion.

The rest of this thread just makes me lol overall.

 

[DivideBYZero]

I always use 99 RON fuel (Shell V-Power) in my car.

 

[Paperlantern]

Truth! ^



LOL NO. Read what octane is and why specific engines call for it. Using too much octane can REDUCE power output due to slow/uneven fuel burn and incomplete combustion.

The rest of this thread just makes me lol overall.

This is why i was concerned with putting in 92 where the manual calls for 91. I did try putting 89 in it because i WAS concerned with putting higher octane than called for, and at least havent seen any difference power or behavior wise yet, but ive only ran about a quarter of a tank of it so far. Should I just say fuck it and go back to 87? Ive ran 87 for 6 years in it and the car has never been anything but smooth, I was just wanting to learn about this in case it would actually give me better mileage or performance.

 

[jlee]

This is why i was concerned with putting in 92 where the manual calls for 91. I did try putting 89 in it because i WAS concerned with putting higher octane than called for, and at least havent seen any difference power or behavior wise yet, but ive only ran about a quarter of a tank of it so far. Should I just say fuck it and go back to 87? Ive ran 87 for 6 years in it and the car has never been anything but smooth, I was just wanting to learn about this in case it would actually give me better mileage or performance.

It'll be fine with 92.

You won't damage an engine by running higher octane than rated. Modern engines are pretty smart, but with older engines bad things could happen by pushing an engine with octane that's too low.

 

[teatime0315]

So if I ran 91 on an 87 required engine, it would actually be bad for me?
Just trying to clarify because of these conflicting posts.

 

[Gillbot]

It'll be fine with 92.

This ^

This is why i was concerned with putting in 92 where the manual calls for 91. I did try putting 89 in it because i WAS concerned with putting higher octane than called for, and at least havent seen any difference power or behavior wise yet, but ive only ran about a quarter of a tank of it so far. Should I just say fuck it and go back to 87? Ive ran 87 for 6 years in it and the car has never been anything but smooth, I was just wanting to learn about this in case it would actually give me better mileage or performance.

You won't damage an engine by running higher octane than rated. Modern engines are pretty smart, but with older engines bad things could happen by pushing an engine with octane that's too low.

However, I will disagree that you can't damage by going too high on octane. I've learned to never say never. I saw a few local import drivers insist they felt the power gains by running 100 race fuel over the recommended 87 octane. Only later did they realize they destroyed their engines due to incomplete combustion and fuel wash down.

 

[DominionSeraph]

However, I will disagree that you can't damage by going too high on octane. I've learned to never say never. I saw a few local import drivers insist they felt the power gains by running 100 race fuel over the recommended 87 octane. Only later did they realize they destroyed their engines due to incomplete combustion and fuel wash down.

I doubt it's the octane. They probably all have a fart can and a chip they bought off the internet. Then add a fuel that doesn't play well with oxygen sensors....

 

[Gillbot]

They still sell 100 unleaded around here. There was excessive wall scoring which is a tell tale sign of wash down.

the bores and the piston skirts that take the beating worst but it really depends on the metallurgy. if it was bad you would see vastly accelerated wear on everything and some vertical scoring in the bores. the ring lands will take a beating as well and you might see some dishing on the top surface of the compression rings if it ran that way a long time.

Basically lost a lot of the sealing power of the rings due to fuel washing off the oil on the walls, thus causing it to be polished.

 

[DominionSeraph]

They still sell 100 unleaded around here. There was excessive wall scoring which is a tell tale sign of wash down.

Doesn't mean it's the octane. There's also this little thing called "running rich."

Going from 93 to 100 gives you greater resistance to autoignition, it doesn't turn gasoline into water. A spark will light 'er just fine.
Tons of older aircraft were designed for AVGAS 80. Guess what they're running now? 100LL. Hey, it burns!