Quote:
kfrosty previously said:
87 personally.
Topic actual spurs another thought. I'd like to see somebody test the octanes at the gas stations on a regular basis to actually see if to verify the actual differences in the octanes of gas you buy out of the pumps.
I know I'll get flamed and haven't taken the time to collect samples but out on the road I've shot the s*(* with some tankers and whether they are pulling my leg or not I can't say but I've heard several say they've pulled in stations and used the same gas in all the tanks and you can bet they aren't putting the premium in the 87 tanks. With the other things oil, the states and gas stations are pulling now, milking all they can out of us, it wouldn't surprise me in the least.
Anyway, I've had a pretty good variety of cars, Vets to Rx-7's, trucks blah, blah blah and never run premium. Only time I've had a knock or sputter is when I've gotten bad gas and not octane I purchased.
To each his own but I'll never run the premium and mine will do just as good as any over the same period of time at about 15 to 20% of the cost.
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There are cars that will suffer engine damage if they use anything below 91. For example, I used to own a BMW E36 M3. It called for a minimum of 91 octane, (ran best on 98-102 octane race gas). I was running out of gas on my way home with the OBC saying I had ------ miles to empty. I came into the 1st gas station I could find at 1am and all they had was 87. Didn't want to do it but I filled up with a couple of gallons (30 miles to empty showing on OBC now) just to get home. The car ran like crap as soon as I got off the HWY!!!! Noticeable loss of power and PING PING PING going uphill. I filled up with 91 before heading back to work later that morning(highest we can get at the pump around here) and added 1/2 gallon of Tualene(sp?) to get the octane back up since there was still the 87 in there. Car went back to normal after a couple of days.
If you use low octane IN SOME high compression engines with engine management, the computer will retard the timing to prevent detonation(lower octane gas burns quicker than higher octane). This results in less power, lower gas mileage and engine damage. I'm still not sure if it completely necessary to use anything higher than 87 in the FJ but until I find more info about the V6 I'll use the 91. BTW Octane by itself does not produce more power or is any cleaner than the lowest grade gas. It only makes a difference in an engine that has system that can adjust engine performance for higher octane.
