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I usually buy the 87 octane gas but yesterday the pump had the same price on the 89 octane so I put that in. Can I expect better mileage? Normally that price is a few cents higher. Is it worth putting in the 89 all the time?
I usually buy the 87 octane gas but yesterday the pump had the same price on the 89 octane so I put that in. Can I expect better mileage? Normally that price is a few cents higher. Is it worth putting in the 89 all the time?
What octane level does your car's manufacturer call for (in your owners manual). That is probably where your optimum mileage will come from
91 Octane, which is what the manufacturer recommends. Tried 80% Ethanol for a while, but mileage dropped enough that it was more expensive even with the tax credit per gallon.
If your car is only suppose to use 87 (or the lowest octane) putting in a higher octane means that you'll be burning the fuel at a HIGHER temperature which means you could MELT certain parts of your engine!!!!!!!!!
There's a REASON certain cars take certain octane levels.......
NEVER EVER EVER put in a different kind!!!!!!!!
(Not only could you potentially melt certain parts of your engine, but since a higher octane burns off differently then the lower one you could mess up the ratio of fuel to oxygen in your cylinders and subsequently need to have your engine tuned which will cost MAJORRRRRRRR money!!!!!!!)
I duno why people aren't educated on the whole FUEL-OXYGEN mixture for cars..... each car is specifically tuned to allow a certain amount of oxygen and fuel into the cylinder. The car is tuned to ONLY that kind of octane when it if first manufactured. You throw off the tuning SO bad when you use incorrect octane fuel!
I've SEEN first hand what happens when a car that's suppose to take a high octane fuel puts in regular....... their engine knocks, it runs really slow and inefficiently, and then they end up having to flush their fuel system and have it put on a computer and RETUNED and lemme tell you, JUST putting a car onto that dang diagnostic computer will cost you SO much money you will be CURSING yourself for putting in the wrong fuel!!!!
BTW, doing it this ONE time won't hurt (don't mean to freak you out!) but seriously, do NOT continue to put it in! You will inevitably hurt your engine REALLY bad!
I usually buy the 87 octane gas but yesterday the pump had the same price on the 89 octane so I put that in. Can I expect better mileage? Normally that price is a few cents higher. Is it worth putting in the 89 all the time?
No, you should only use what the manufacturer recommends in the owner's manual. That is what it is designed for. Generally only higher performance (compression ratio) engines need higher octane. Or if you're vehicle pings or makes noises, then higher octane may help. Otherwise there is no need for it.
About 30 years ago, the Federal Gov't required all vehicle engines to run on 87 octane. 89 and 91 are refined for the few vehicles that need it. Using higher octane in a 87 engine will not improve the mileage or make the engine run any better. You are throwing away 10 and 20 cents more a gallon for nothing. But if you have an engine that requires a higher octane, it must be used. And gasoline is gasoline no matter what brand you use. [unless it contains ethanol] It all comes from the same tank farm.
I usually buy the 87 octane gas but yesterday the pump had the same price on the 89 octane so I put that in. Can I expect better mileage? Normally that price is a few cents higher. Is it worth putting in the 89 all the time?
My car calls for 87 and I use 91. I get better gas mileage (maybe 2mpg) and the car runs noticeably smoother.
Not only octane, but brand of fuel makes a difference.
If your car is only suppose to use 87 (or the lowest octane) putting in a higher octane means that you'll be burning the fuel at a HIGHER temperature which means you could MELT certain parts of your engine!!!!!!!!!
There's a REASON certain cars take certain octane levels.......
NEVER EVER EVER put in a different kind!!!!!!!!
(Not only could you potentially melt certain parts of your engine, but since a higher octane burns off differently then the lower one you could mess up the ratio of fuel to oxygen in your cylinders and subsequently need to have your engine tuned which will cost MAJORRRRRRRR money!!!!!!!)
I duno why people aren't educated on the whole FUEL-OXYGEN mixture for cars..... each car is specifically tuned to allow a certain amount of oxygen and fuel into the cylinder. The car is tuned to ONLY that kind of octane when it if first manufactured. You throw off the tuning SO bad when you use incorrect octane fuel!
I've SEEN first hand what happens when a car that's suppose to take a high octane fuel puts in regular....... their engine knocks, it runs really slow and inefficiently, and then they end up having to flush their fuel system and have it put on a computer and RETUNED and lemme tell you, JUST putting a car onto that dang diagnostic computer will cost you SO much money you will be CURSING yourself for putting in the wrong fuel!!!!
That is a common myth. Octane is nothing more that gasoline's resistance to detonation (precombustion due to high cly temp and or pressure). A higher number does not burn hotter. They all burn the same temp. The higher octane burns slower that the lower octane. Whoever told you it would damage your engine is full of it. If your car calls for 87 feed it 87 if you want to waste your money then feel free to use 91 octane. It will not hurt your engine but you may actually loose MPG and be polluting more due to the slow burning and possibility of an incomplete burn.
i have a honda civic 2001 my manual says to put unleaded 86 or higher, but my question is that here where i live we dont have 86 we have 87, 89, 93 which of all these 3 should i use and it would hurt my engine if i use the one that is not recommended, thanks
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