The Price of Gas

Martiansky · Post by **Martiansky** » Tue May 03, 2005 4:53 pm

I was wondering what octane people use, 87%, 89% or 92% since the price of the high octane is usually so much higher then the others?
I usually get the 87%, but if the 89% is the same price or a couple cents more then I get that.

sputnik · Post by **sputnik** » Tue May 03, 2005 5:58 pm

I think most auto companies recommend 87. I always get 87.

bullD · Post by **bullD** » Tue May 03, 2005 6:27 pm

higher octanes are bullshit! unless of course your racing but then the track one might race at has the special way high octane on hand for sale so again, high octanes are bullshit!

now if we are talking motorcycles then higher octanes are a must. my bikes always get the highest octane. High octanes rock!

uhhhhh, ummmmm...

synchronicity · Post by **synchronicity** » Tue May 03, 2005 6:53 pm

For an interesting experiment with results that will vary with individual cars, and also with the manner in which the octane in your area is modified. (also easier to observe variations if you have a commute, so you can keep conditions more roughly the same)
You all know your gas mileage, right? Oh, what the heck - check it next tank as a reference. Now, splurge. Fill the tank with the next higher octane - and check the mileage. Compare the difference in mileage to the difference in price. It can be cheaper to operate a car on a more expensive blend. This variation can also be found between different stations. Experiment!
But please don't go below the manufacturers suggested octane rating, adjusted for elevation. Too low of octane causes engine damage - burned/broken pistons - It is not possible for too high of an octane rating to hurt a motor.
Remember - octane is a rating of the fuels resistance to uncontrolled combustion.

stuart · Post by **stuart** » Tue May 03, 2005 6:56 pm

I use the highest I can buy. Using lower octane gets me icky performance. Preignition for sure. Sucked when the highest dropped by two several years ago.

robbidobbs · Post by **robbidobbs** » Tue May 03, 2005 8:09 pm

For a good source on more bad news on the price of gas...

http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/w ... es.shtml#0

Isotopia · Post by **Isotopia** » Tue May 03, 2005 9:14 pm

higher octanes are bullshit! unless of course your racing but then the track one might race at has the special way high octane on hand for sale so again

I am NOT convinced of that BullD. My car has over 100k and I made the mistake *once* of putting something other than 91/2 octane in it. It powered my engine down by 3/4 I swear. Jumped, spurted, popped and one semi-backfire AFTER a major tune up. Never did it again. Never had the situation repeat itself either.

bullD · Post by **bullD** » Tue May 03, 2005 9:59 pm

yeah, I've heard of those situations recently but have not experienced. Way back when I was driving a 1957 VW bug (oval window), low octane would make it run shitty but then again I built the motor for performance so I noticed those things. and I do remember my first ever car, a 1973 chevy monte carlo, would ping in certain situations with low octane.

geez, maybe I'm outa touch with my four wheel vehicle. I still think it will not make a difference but next time I fill up I will try high octane. report to follow...

Isotopia · Post by **Isotopia** » Wed May 04, 2005 10:00 am

I still think it will not make a difference but next time I fill up I will try high octane. report to follow...

There's a world of difference between engines designed for high octane and running lower stuff and an engine designed just the opposite and running high octane. If your's routinely drives well with regular I wouldn't expect you to notice a bit of difference using 92 octane.

bullD · Post by **bullD** » Wed May 04, 2005 10:18 am

a bit of naivete on my part... what modern cars other than purpose built are designed to run 92 or higher octane?

Martiansky · Post by **Martiansky** » Wed May 04, 2005 11:27 am

One of the gas stations near me sells Non-oxygenated gas. You have to make sure you watch out because it is the higher octane but has a sticker stating it is non-oxygenated for older vehicles, atv's, snowmobiles and for gas powered lawn-care machines and I'm sure I'm missing a few more appropriate gas engine it's used in.

stuart · Post by **stuart** » Wed May 04, 2005 12:23 pm

my M52 2.8 straight six is designed for 93 oct. 93 oct Was available when I bought it in 1999. The 91 oct I get now bums me out.

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Wed May 04, 2005 5:32 pm

a bit of naivete on my part... what modern cars other than purpose built are designed to run 92 or higher octane?

I have a 5 cylinder Volvo turbo. They note it in the owner's manual.

bullD · Post by **bullD** » Thu May 05, 2005 8:28 am

no shit!

I guess I just kinda figured this stuff would be standardized by now,,, silly me.

sputnik · Post by **sputnik** » Thu May 05, 2005 8:32 am

synchronicity wrote:You all know your gas mileage, right? Oh, what the heck - check it next tank as a reference. Now, splurge. Fill the tank with the next higher octane - and check the mileage.

OK. I'm taking you up on this. I just filled up. I was using 87 octane and got 28mpg on my mixed driving route with my 03 Saturn ION. I filled up with 93 Octane. I'll let you know in a week or so if it was worth the extra $2.10

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Thu May 05, 2005 8:46 am

Don't know about newer cars. But the old 440s had to be tweaked if I changed octane. That's when I would do a little Sat. nite street zooms. Dumd cops had a 59 Chev 6/w vaccum shift. They would call in the county but we would be long gone.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Thu May 05, 2005 11:32 am

Badger wrote:[
I have a 5 cylinder Volvo turbo.

hippie

Isotopia · Post by **Isotopia** » Thu May 05, 2005 3:40 pm

It really isn't a hippie car.

For starters it runs flawlessly. No dumbass hippie-shit bumperstickers about saving the planet while my Swedish iron belches out black smoke because I'm too cheap to get a ring job.

Basic, stealth white to keep a low profile from LEO and K's sleuthing, private investigators..

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Thu May 05, 2005 5:52 pm

Some one murdered our station attendent early this morning. Just a block up the street from me. God I hope it wasn't just for a tank of gas. There are some low lifes in this world.

stuart · Post by **stuart** » Fri May 06, 2005 10:55 am

I could not really do the octane study for mileage. It would take years. Seasonal weather variations (wondows up/down, a/c on or off), seasonal traffic variations (school in/out of session), route variations depending on traffic (over the pass or through downtown), etc., etc..

Martiansky · Post by **Martiansky** » Fri May 06, 2005 11:40 am

unjonharley wrote:Some one murdered our station attendent early this morning. Just a block up the street from me. God I hope it wasn't just for a tank of gas. There are some low lifes in this world.

Oh man, Unjon! Sorry to hear that!
You are right about lowlifes!

synchronicity · Post by **synchronicity** » Fri May 06, 2005 4:53 pm

[quote="stuart"]I could not really do the octane study for mileage.[quote]

It isn't the octane that makes the difference, it is the additives used to modify the octane. (Used to be tetraethyl lead - "ethyl") Currently depending upon location, the additives when burned may increase or decrease the amount of oxygen in the exhaust "tricking" the oxygen sensors - causing an effect upon fuel economy.
Note: It may go up OR down.

helitack · Post by **helitack** » Sat May 07, 2005 7:09 pm

Chevy calls for 89 octane leaded gas in my 85 Suburban, if I put anything lower in, knock city around Vegas and DV. In Colorado I could get away with 88. But hey, 300,000 miles and still going, 16 mpg loaded for BRC on the highway(4 speed manual tranny), what the heck.