It is better for your car to use
87, 88 or even 91-octane gas
than to go too low. If you have a luxury car that needs premium gas, try to fill up before driving to a high-altitude location in case you cannot find a gas station that provides the octane you need.
Does it really matter what grade of gas you use?
The answer is – it depends. Most modern cars are designed to run on
economy grade fuel
, however, if your owner's manual specifies “premium fuel required”, then choosing the right grade, or octane matters a lot.
Does it matter what fuel I use?
Not necessarily
. Those three mystery numbers are the grade of fuel or its octane rating, and what octane you put in your vehicle does matter.
Raising the octane rating (also known as the anti-knock index) doesn't change the energy content of a gallon of gasoline. A higher octane rating indicates
greater resistance
to knock, the early combustion of the fuel-air mixture that causes cylinder pressure to spike.
Is it bad to put 87 in a car that takes 91?
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
.
Because premium gas has a higher octane rating than midgrade or regular gas, it produces a little more power when burnt. Designed for performance cars with large, powerful engines, premium also helps minimize the risk of preignition inside highly-stressed, hot engine cylinders.
“Use premium unleaded gasoline with
a posted octane rating of 91 or higher
. If the octane rating is less than 91, you could damage the engine and may void your vehicle warranty. … Some manufacturers recommend premium gas but say that regular or mid-grade gas can be used instead.
Yes and
No
. If your car recommends, but doesn't require premium, you'll most likely see improved performance and efficency with higher octane fuel. A lot of cars on sale today recommend that you fill up with premium-grade fuel (91 octane or higher), but don't require it. …
Can I mix premium and unleaded gas? Yes, drivers can mix the two types of fuel. The
combined gas types will result in an octane level somewhere in the middle
— something the vehicle “will survive,” according to The Drive.
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 to a car if you put the wrong gas?
Using lower octane fuel in a vehicle that requires premium gas could cause some serious internal damage. … Luckily, the engine computers can adjust the timing to limit the amount of damage caused, but you'll definitely notice
lower fuel economy
and reduced performance in your vehicle.
Does 87 octane damage engine?
The higher octane gives premium gas greater resistance to early fuel ignition, which can result in potential damage, sometimes accompanied by audible engine knocking or pinging. … But if the vehicle manufacturer
says your engine needs only 87-
octane regular, that is what you should use.
Nope
. Regular, plus, and premium gas all come with detergents to mitigate against carbon deposits in your engine. Plus and premium don't come with special powers for cleaning out the engine. If you're interested in cleaning out your engine, you're better off taking it in for service.
Does 95 octane give better mileage?
For most vehicles,
higher octane fuel may improve performance and gas mileage
and reduce carbon dioxide (CO
2
) emissions by a few percent during severe duty operation, such as towing a trailer or carrying heavy loads, especially in hot weather. However, under normal driving conditions, you may get little to no benefit.
Why is topping off bad?
Huddleston says topping off
can cause gas to spill onto the ground
, causing harmful effects to the environment and people's health. If you damage your car's vapor recovery system, it won't be able to effectively do its job of protecting people from harmful vapors.
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.
