In a consumer notice, the Federal Trade Commission, notes: “In most cases, using a higher-octane gasoline than your owner's manual recommends offers absolutely no benefit . It won't make your car perform better, go faster, get better mileage or run cleaner.”
Octane ratings are plastered all over every gas pump, and, contrary to marketing terminology, “premium” does not necessarily indicate a fuel is “better” for your car as much as whether it is “right” for your car. Fuel with an 87 octane rating burns more quickly while higher-octane fuels burn more slowly.
Does higher octane gas burn faster?
Fuel with an 87 octane rating burns more quickly while higher-octane fuels burn more slowly. ... By contrast, a higher-performing engine, which includes engines with higher compression ratios and/or forced induction, requires the slower burn rate of higher-octane fuels to defend against engine knock.
Does higher octane gas ignite easier?
Gas with a high octane rating requires more pressure to ignite , and certain engines take advantage of this quality. ... In very powerful engines, however, the pressure in each cylinder is much higher, and gas that has too low an octane will cause the off-time ignition that leads to pinging and a loss of power.
Does higher octane gas really make a difference?
Fuel with a higher octane rating can stand up to higher compression before it detonates. Essentially, the higher the octane rating, the lower the likelihood that detonation happens at the wrong time . On occasion, this occurrence will likely not harm your vehicle.
Can I put 89 gas in my BMW?
Most modern BMWs can run on regular gas , thanks to more electronic components, but this can place stress on parts including electronic knock sensors in your engine. These electronic components allow the engine to detect the type of gas it's running on and adjust performance accordingly, avoiding damage to your engine.
What happens if you put 93 gas instead of 87?
If you usually fill your tank up with 87-octane gasoline and you accidentally put in a higher octane blend (say, 91, 92, or 93), don't worry. You're actually filling your car or truck with a different blend of gas , which means it will burn differently in your engine.
Can you run too high octane?
The higher the octane rating, the slower and colder the fuel burns. If you run too much octane in your engine it won't run very well because the burn is way too slow. ... If the octane is too low, the fuel will burn too fast and too hot which causes detonation and leads to sure-fire engine damage.
Does 110 octane burn hotter?
Higher-octane fuel does not burn hotter . It will not clean out deposits from an engine combustion chamber. And it will not provide any higher fuel economy. But an engine's octane rating can change over time.
Will running lower octane damage engine?
If the octane rating is less than 91 , you could damage the engine and may void your vehicle warranty. ... They usually warn that using lower-octane gas could reduce performance and fuel economy. When that happens noticeably, or if engine knock occurs, they advise to start using premium.
Does high octane fuel clean your engine?
Will higher octane gasoline clean your engine better? No . High octane gasoline doesn't outperform regular octane in preventing engine deposits from forming, in removing them, or in cleaning your car's engine.
How much HP does 93 octane add?
When switching from a 91 octane tune to a 93 octane tune you can expect to see an increase of 5 to 6 more horsepower on top of the gains you are already getting from an 87 octane Bama tune.
Which gas station has the highest quality gas?
Of America's largest nationwide chains, Chevron scores the highest points in overall customer satisfaction. Its reach spans over 7,800 stores, and while some gas stations offer convenient food marts, one location in North Hollywood goes above and beyond gasoline.
No matter your model, BMW recommends using only premium-unleaded fuel . That's not to say your BMW won't run on lower-grade fuel, but premium-unleaded fuel will maintain its quality in the long run, letting you drive at peak performance consistently.
“ There generally isn't any harm done to the engine by using lower-octane fuel ,” said a BMW spokesman, Thomas Plucinsky. “Because our engines do have very good forms of knock sensing and are able to deal with lower-octane fuels, you will not have any drivability issues. You will, however, lose some of the performance.”
Sadly, there's nothing in premium gasoline that would make it last longer than other fuels from the pump . Since the distinguishing feature is the higher-octane levels, the only real benefit you gain is lowering the chance of engine knocking, which isn't much of a threat on most modern fuel systems.
