Gas stations offer different octane ratings on their gasoline. Diesel, 87, 89 and 92 octanes are most common at standard American gas stations, but not everyone knows which fuel is right for their car. You are able to read the owner’s manual for vehicle, but do you know why one octane is best for your car? As outlined by About.com, there are numerous things to consider, so enjoy the following summary.
Source for this article: Know which octane rating puts a tiger as part of your tank by Car Deal Expert
Are you picking the right octane rating?
Knocking is essential here, as a gasoline’s octane rating tells you about just how much knocking is addressed. The knocking sound is the result of premature ignition of the gasoline-air mixture. Isooctane and heptane are the points of reference when a gasoline’s octane rating is established. The previous sits at the high end of the octane scale (100), while the latter has an octane rating of zero (and knocks like crazy). According to About.com, untouched gasoline has an octane rating of about 70 (70 percent isooctane, 30 percent heptane). Lead used to be the way that fuel companies cut down knocking and pinging, but current environmental standards have barred that practice, so more expensive methods of bumping the octane on unleaded gasoline have exchanged the practice.
Is higher octane always better?
Old engines regulated the fuel mix with the carburetor, and they benefitted from higher octane rating gasoline. As engines became more complex, electronic fuel injectors took over the fuel mix work of the carburetor. At that point, the octane rating standard within the U.S. became 87 octane. This is recommended for most cars because gasoline with too high an octane rating can now damage an engine’s emissions system.
What about mid-grade?
Just a little data about U.S. octane ratings is in order here. There is not a clear delineation between 87/89/92 octane ratings and gasoline grades; the categorization varies from state to state. In one state, 92 octane might be premium, but in one more, it could be 90. Again, paying attention to the owner’s manual and yellow octane stick is important.
What if your car demands premium?
If this is the case, you probably have a high-performance engine under the hood. Instead of passing unburned fuel into the emissions system and catalytic converter (which happens when you use gasoline with too high an octane rating and can produce a rotten-egg smell), a high-performance engine uses the fuel efficiently. If you live in a large city with a low air quality index, reformulated gasoline might be required. This kind of gasoline is oxygen-infused and burns more cleanly. So long as you do not drive with too little fuel within the tank, you’re less likely to dirty the intake valves and destroy your fuel filter. Nobody wants that.
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