I don't want to damage my car, but if I can save money by using cheaper gas, I will. I do not drive the car for performance, only to commute to work. Is this okay???
2006-10-31 00:39:36 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Commuting
OK, you have asked a question about which I know a lot.
Let me first comment on the previous answers so that you know what's myth and what is fact.
answerer #1 sez: higher octain [sic] burns slower.
higher octane does not burn slower by any meaningful margin in any of the measured parameters of combustion. It just doesn't
2: use premium if you want better performance...
premium gives better performance if you have a turbo-charged car with a regular-premium switch --OR-- the super-charging or ignition timing is set back by a knock-sensor. Not many cars will do that. If you're driving a 1988 thunderbird with a fuel switch then when you switch to regular, your boost will be limited and your performance peak will be lower. I'm guessing that you're not driving something like that.
3. It won't hurt...
It will hurt...and the damage is cumulative. It adds up over time so when you knock, ping, detonate, pre-ignite your regular fuel you do irreversable damage which could culminate in the results mentioned by #6.
4. Won't damage...two timing belts... I don't know what this guy is smoking but I want some too. I can't imagine an automotive engineer that would hang an engine balancer on a fiber belt. Let me know if you find out he was right. Still, your engine WILL be damaged if it detonates.
5. says that with regular, the engine won't last as long. ** two stars...He's right but doesn't say why.
6. Says higher compression engines need premium and has seen a hole the size of a quarter blown in an engine (I'd guess it was in the top of a piston!). *** He's right too. and seems to know what he's talking about. The engine damage repair price will not be compensated by the money you save between the price of regular and premium!
7. BMW. Premium gives better performance...just not true except for specific circumstances where engines alter their operating parameters to allow for different fuel grades.
8. Premium burns hotter and more powerful. Just myth. It has the same reid vapor pressure, the same flame spread speed, the same BTU, it just doesn't detonate at the same pressure. More octane means higher compression necessary to pressure ignite the fuel.
We don't want to pressure ignite our fuel because it is not possible (practical) to keep gasoline igniting at the right (optimal for torque, emissions and efficiency) time when using a diesel configuration. We like to more finely control the combustion so we fire it with a precisely timed spark. The pressure ignition point needs to be predictably LATER than the range of required fuel ignition times so we need an octane higher for a higher compression engine. Lower octane gas is a little cheaper to make because it has less "octane" (vs. heptane) in it. Octane is the name of the 8 molecule hydro-carbon that has exactly a rating of 100 "Octane" for the gasoline rating. What you pump into your car is a blend of a bunch of different length chains of hydrocarbons.
Anyway, I wouldn't burn regular in my car asking for premium because it will hurt the engine in the long run and save less than it will end up costing in repairs later. It's not okay.
Make your next car less of a performance car but feed this one what it needs.
2006-10-31 05:09:42 · answer #1 · answered by GreatGasMileage 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If it says to use premium, it is probably because the engine has a higher compression ratio than average. I am in the same situation with my BMW. If you use gasoline with too low an octane rating in a high compression engine, the gasoline can actually ignite too early, which is what causes the "pinging" or rattling noise. This WILL damage your engine, and possibly very quickly depending on how bad it is and how tough the parts inside the engine are. I have seen a piston with a hole in it the size of a quarter as a result of this, and the part that breaks out usually bounces around and does even more damage. Granted, this was an extreme case, but the risk is really high for the gain of saving a couple bucks at the pump. Your best bet would be to talk to a Mitsubishi certified tech or mechanic and ask them what octane rating your engine needs. You may find you can use mid-grade and save a little money, but I wouldn't blindly risk it. Buying a new engine will cost a lot more than you can save in the time being. I hope this helps.
2006-10-31 01:08:47 · answer #2 · answered by Jonathan R 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It will not hurt the car to run with a mix, but it is unnecessary. 95% of cars will burn 87 Octane. If the dash says "Unleaded Fuel Only" then it will call for 87 Octane. The other 5% will say "Premium Unleaded Only". Those cars can run on 87 Octane, but the onboard computer will sense the lower octane and dial down the engine output accordingly. I had a Lincoln Mark VIII. When I ran unleaded only we dynotested it and it came back at 260 HP, 20 HP less than rated. When we dynotested it again with Premium, we got 285 HP, which is 5 HP higher than rated. The person that said the car will quit working right does not know what he is talking about.
2016-05-22 16:20:33 · answer #3 · answered by Marie 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a BMW X3 and the dealership told me to run on premium gas too...I asked them if it is okay to run on regular gas and they told me it is ok but the performance of the car(acceleration,speed) will not be as good as it would run on premium...There are 3 options for gas...One is 87ron,90ron,93ron...I take the 90ron...I tested and it runs as fine as the 93ron...
2006-10-31 01:13:33 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would stick to putting premium gas because if the book says so then do it, some engines require premium gas and if you put regular your engine wont last as long.
2006-10-31 01:03:24 · answer #5 · answered by hookeduprides 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It won't hurt to try!
With the lower octane, you may see some power loss, and maybe some "pinging" or rattling. If that happens, go back to the higher octane.
You may can alternate also. 2 tanks regular, then 1 premium or so. You will not do any damage either way.
2006-10-31 00:47:34 · answer #6 · answered by br549 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
If it says to run premium it is because of the higher octain. Your car needs the higher octain to perform as it was designed to whether for high performance or just commuting. Believe it or not in the long run you will save money by using higher octain gas, it burnes slower than regular fuel.
2006-10-31 00:44:13 · answer #7 · answered by dewhatulike 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
just run the premium, you will get better milage with no chance of detonation, or pinging noise. premium gas burns HOTTER and more powerful, which uses less gas in the combustion chamber.
2006-10-31 04:11:54 · answer #8 · answered by troy w 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
yes you can you wont damage it you will damage it if you don't change out the two timing belts at 60,00 miles the second belt is a counter weight belt for the crankshaft , the fuel you will never know the difference.
2006-10-31 00:51:50 · answer #9 · answered by Mechanical 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Well premium is mostly for better performance but if it says only use premium I dunno. I assume you looked in your owners manual. In mine it says use premium but regular is OK but performance will be lower.
2006-10-31 00:44:52 · answer #10 · answered by DialM4Speed 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋