Switching to Premium gasoline
- Thread starter Al
- Start date
Very interesting since I have a CR-V.
Which would make sense. I still say that for some the feel difference is just placebo/expected outcome but any turbo motor *should* gain some high end on higher octane. I want to see a blind test e.g. "here is your car, this has premium in it now instead of regular" but actually not put premium in it and see what folks say...I suspect many would say they noted a difference.
I am a bit dubious all around we have a 2017 same same Touring
That's a healthy HP gain.
I guess it shows in the 0-100 mph..............yeah all seems like a wash
75 MPH fuel economy? Hmmmm...........how much boost then? I think the testers subconsciously enjoyed the better perf. (kidding about that)
Ours around town, boosted and spirited country road driving, way back when we measured was more like +2-3 mpg difference.
Still dubious!!
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2022
- Messages
- 5,922
I was going to say octane and mpg are not related, don’t use it unless your application calls for it. But I see some intelligent people here say mpgs improve with premium.
I ran my 1998 Maxima 1998-2023 on 87, and didn’t feel mpgs suffered. I did use premium when the knock sensor was malfunctioning, but back to 87 once fixed.
I ran my 1998 Maxima 1998-2023 on 87, and didn’t feel mpgs suffered. I did use premium when the knock sensor was malfunctioning, but back to 87 once fixed.
As you can see - it varies - by car and even by car and circumstances.
Obviously we can't say it NEVER makes a difference. Because Car and Driver casually showed it may.
Nor can we say it's always better.
It's like old people on the pickleball court. Depends!!
My Camry audibly pings on less than 91, and it's definitely less responsive
OTOH, the owners manual warns of this
I believe that it's 10.8:1 compression is to blame, it pulls stronger to redline and significantly less audible pinging on 93 Top Tier
All the turbocharged engine in the family (GM 2.0T LSY) get premium, because forced induction
I've had some drive time with 1.5/2.0 EcoBoost Ford's that ran just fine on 87, that suddenly did much better highway pulls with 93 in it
YMMV, but I would agree I'm not a fan of paying for it if the extra octane isn't going to good use
OTOH, the owners manual warns of this
I believe that it's 10.8:1 compression is to blame, it pulls stronger to redline and significantly less audible pinging on 93 Top Tier
All the turbocharged engine in the family (GM 2.0T LSY) get premium, because forced induction
I've had some drive time with 1.5/2.0 EcoBoost Ford's that ran just fine on 87, that suddenly did much better highway pulls with 93 in it
YMMV, but I would agree I'm not a fan of paying for it if the extra octane isn't going to good use
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2022
- Messages
- 5,922
I’m thinking that by definition, octane has nothing to do with mpgs. However, it may be related to how people drive on each.
But, if the vehicle does not call for 91+, I would still recommend using what it’s designed for. My 02 ymmv, literally!
Higher octane fuel has NO more energy that regular gas.
It's what the EM does with a fuel with "less inherent knock" that makes the difference.
It's what the EM does with a fuel with "less inherent knock" that makes the difference.
My 2011 Ford Ranger pickup has the dreaded 4.0 SOHC and I use nothing but premium. This has been a topic on the Ranger forums. The truck has 155,000+ miles.
The 4.0 engine was made by Ford Germany and designed to take higher-octane gasoline. Ford put a knock sensor on these engines in US applications and instructed owners that regular fuel is just fine. The problem is that the knock sensor is constantly retarding the timing when regular is used, which isn't optimum for smoothness, economy, or for those sensitive timing-chain cartridges and tensioners. The knock sensor is detecting what? Knocking, right? Knocking does what? Causes damage over time, right?
It was easy to tell a difference when using premium. The engine runs a lot smoother, acceleration is better, and the economy is better, especially on the highway. I'm talking as much as 24 miles/US gallon on premium at 60–70 mph v. only about 20 on regular (which was the EPA highway rating). Just took a trip to Pennsylvania doing 70+ with the air conditioning on most of the way and got 23.6 mpg, all on premium.
The 4.0 engine was made by Ford Germany and designed to take higher-octane gasoline. Ford put a knock sensor on these engines in US applications and instructed owners that regular fuel is just fine. The problem is that the knock sensor is constantly retarding the timing when regular is used, which isn't optimum for smoothness, economy, or for those sensitive timing-chain cartridges and tensioners. The knock sensor is detecting what? Knocking, right? Knocking does what? Causes damage over time, right?
It was easy to tell a difference when using premium. The engine runs a lot smoother, acceleration is better, and the economy is better, especially on the highway. I'm talking as much as 24 miles/US gallon on premium at 60–70 mph v. only about 20 on regular (which was the EPA highway rating). Just took a trip to Pennsylvania doing 70+ with the air conditioning on most of the way and got 23.6 mpg, all on premium.
The only modern vehicle I've ever heard audible/real pinging was my son's Focus that has an aftermarket 93 octane tune and he was running 87 - duh. I'm not sure most folks that started driving after ECUs/knock sensors even know what pinging sounds like b/c it really doesn't happen b/c the ECUs are so good. Our Lexus RX350/takes premium...runs perfectly on 87 for daily use. If you are hearing audible knock that is bad and I'm sure your pistons look like something that someone with tryphobia would gag looking at.
Also, cars don't call for 87, they call for a fuel with a min. octane rating of 87, you can run what you want and *may* see benefits running premium...I bought from a mpg anyone can show the slight bump, if even there, counters the additional cost/gal of using a premium gas.
Also, cars don't call for 87, they call for a fuel with a min. octane rating of 87, you can run what you want and *may* see benefits running premium...I bought from a mpg anyone can show the slight bump, if even there, counters the additional cost/gal of using a premium gas.
Could it have carbon build up in the combustion chambers and that's the source of the pinging?My Camry audibly pings on less than 91, and it's definitely less responsive
OTOH, the owners manual warns of this
I believe that it's 10.8:1 compression is to blame, it pulls stronger to redline and significantly less audible pinging on 93 Top Tier
Does GM call for this? Many forced induction cars run perfectly fine and have 87 as the min required octane rating. Modern MK7 VWs are this way (Golf/GTI).All the turbocharged engine in the family (GM 2.0T LSY) get premium, because forced induction
Did you measure this?
Hermann
Site Donor 2023
E0 91 oct has become so expensive I am no longer using it much. I did have a tank in recently during a 2 week stretch of uber hot weather and it does make the Maverick Hybrid run smoother. Like Ford says in the manual, 91 recommended 87 required.
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2022
- Messages
- 5,922
I heard it on my Maxima 1998-2023. I always went with the thinking if my knock sensor (the one where replacement necessarily means cut hand) works, engine is fine on 87. I just never got the 190/205 shown in the brochure, as that’s with 91+. Premium was cheap (relative to regular , always 20 cents more) in 1998, it’s not today.
Hermann
Site Donor 2023
Way back in the late 1980's my Taurus 3.0L vulcan would ping on several brands of regular unleaded. Quick Trip being the most noticeable, with Shell regular unleaded being another that would ping on occasion. Have not noticed anything in the past 25 years.
You use 93 in the Malibu to prevent lspi?
Similar threads
