Go to nearly any American gas station and you’ll see that you will find different octane ratings. 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. Reading your vehicle’s manual helps, but have you ever wondered why one octane is better for your car than an additional? According to About.com, you will find a number of things to consider, so enjoy the following summary.
Post resource: Know which octane rating puts a tiger with your tank by Car Deal Expert
What octane rating are you dealing with?
Knocking is important here, as a gasoline’s octane rating tells you about just how much knocking is addressed. The infamous knocking sound comes from inefficient burning of the gasoline-air mixture. The octane rating is determined after a gasoline is compared to isooctane and heptane. The previous compound has 100 octane, while the latter has no octane rating at all. Untreated gasoline, says About.com, is 70 octane – that’s 70 percent isooctane and 30 percent heptane. Adding lead to gasoline used to be the common method for combating knocks and pings, but that was replaced by unleaded gas with more expensive anti-knocking compounds.
Is higher octane the obvious answer?
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 worked well with the new engines and didn’t risk damaging the emissions system.
89 octane rating gasoline – How about that?
There’s a common misconception within the U.S. concerning standard-, mid- and premium-grade gasoline. There isn’t a clear delineation between 87/89/92 octane ratings and gasoline grades; the categorization varies from state to state. In one state, 92 octane may be premium, but in one more, it might be 90. Check your owner’s manual and watch for the octane rating on the yellow sticker at the pump.
What about premium gasoline?
If this is the case, you probably have a high-performance engine under the hood. These engines are ultra-efficient and stay away from passing unused fuel into emissions and the catalytic converter, which would produce a distinctive egg-like smell. If you live in a large city with a low air quality index, reformulated gasoline may be required. This kind of gasoline is oxygen-infused and burns more cleanly. So long as you don’t drive with too little fuel within the tank, you’re less likely to dirty the intake valves and destroy your fuel filter. It’ll ruin your car’s day.
Discover a lot more details here:
http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistryarticles/a/which-gasoline-to-buy.htm
http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistryarticles/a/which-gasoline-to-buy.htm
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