Changing from unleaded to premium gasoline

[mark_celiz09]

Hi,

I'm planning to change my fuel from unleaded to premium gasoline, what are the things to be considered? Do I have to change any parts on my car for this? I have a Honda Civic Lxi 97 car.

Thanks!

[K.I.L.L.]

Hi,

I'm planning to change my fuel from unleaded to premium gasoline, what are the things to be considered? Do I have to change any parts on my car for this? I have a Honda Civic Lxi 97 car.

Thanks!

Why are you changing your fuel type? I don't think there would be an issue with the car you have.

[Walter]

All gasolines being sold here are now unleaded, regular or premium.

[mark_celiz09]

Why are you changing your fuel type? I don't think there would be an issue with the car you have.

I'm after the octane rating actually. I would like to observe if it will have a significant effect on my car's performance.

[mark_celiz09]

All gasolines being sold here are now unleaded, regular or premium.

If that's the case, I think the gasoline companies should change how they brand their products.
So it means there is no issue if I change to unleaded to premium? No parts to be changed. :D

[bwiseat]

If that's the case, I think the gasoline companies should change how they brand their products.
So it means there is no issue if I change to unleaded to premium? No parts to be changed. :D

Definitely no need to change parts.

[jhnkvn]

I'm after the octane rating actually. I would like to observe if it will have a significant effect on my car's performance.

Octane isn't an indicator of gasoline energy density.

[Manilablock]

Siguraduhin mo lan na ung gas station ay hindi madumi ung gasoline nila (hindi binabaha, hindi hinahaluan ung tanke, etc.).

experience ko same brand, same type of gasoline, pag sa gas station A maganda performance, pag sa gas station B, poor performance. Kaya meron ako suking gas station, pag hindi maiwasan max na ung Php500 sa hindi suking gas station.

[dr. d]

naming of fuel grades is probably more simplistically related to octane rating.

octane rating is a measure of a fuel's ability to resist pre-ignition.
pre-ignition is precisely that: fuel ignition before it is supposed to do so, as dictated by the spark plug. pre-ignition can prematurely ruin an engine.
some engines have higher compression, in an effort to increase power output.
unfortunately, higher compression tends to pre-ignite a fuel. hence, the need for higher octane fuel in higher compression engines. using lower octane fuel in these engines can result in poor engine performance and shortened engine life.

so, if your question is, will i need to do engine adjustments if i want to use higher octane (premium grade) fuel than what the manufacturer recommends? the answer is probably, no. but it will probably be just an un-necessary expense.

[vinj]

It's basically knock resistance (octane levels). Some cars can get more power from higher gas octanes if the engines are tuned to higher parameters (i.e. timing advance) where regular fuel will encounter engine knock. In the case of Hondas, per my experience there's really no need to go for higher octane levels on their regular rides.

[LN106G]

Just stay within the octane rating that is recommended in your owner's manual. You can use higher octane rating once in a while (like out of town trips). Putting a fuel with a higher octane rating than what is recommended in a stock engine will not it stronger but it will make you spend higher fuel cost...

[xagent_orangex]

so, if your question is, will i need to do engine adjustments if i want to use higher octane (premium grade) fuel than what the manufacturer recommends? the answer is probably, no. but it will probably be just an un-necessary expense.

meron kasi dito, akala niya e lalakas pa yung 1.3 engine niya kapag mas mataas na octane gas ang ikinarga.

[stavros]

Hoy kayong dalawang posts before nito, alamin nyo muna pinagsasabi ninyo. Nag-iiba hatak ng kotse depende sa octane na kinakarga, so more power humatak, mas nakakatipid.

[baludoy]

^ challenge extended!

:popcorn:

[Retz]

Hi,

I'm planning to change my fuel from unleaded to premium gasoline, what are the things to be considered? Do I have to change any parts on my car for this? I have a Honda Civic Lxi 97 car.

Thanks!

I see no problem with that. The only thing you will consider is the added cost for premium fuel.

[dr. d]

some intelligent engines, actually adjust themselves to accomodate and maximize the octane rating of the fuel being used. i believe this was mentioned somewhere above. one way they do this, is to automatically change the ignition timing.. retard for low octane, advance for high octane..
other engines do not have this advantage for adjustment.
how intelligent is the threadstarter's 15 year old engine?

now, if your engine is older and already has a garden of deposits inside the cylinders, these cylinder deposits actually decrease the effective cylinder volume, thereby effectively increasing the compression ratio and perhaps, engine ping (which some experts say, are not always audible). these older engines can benefit from the use of higher octane fuels to decrease engine ping and improve performance. that is why, some experts sometimes recommend the use of higher octane fuels for the older cars.

some car aficionadoes, use higher octane fuels in their cars, and tweak their engines (i.e., advance ignition timing) for "improved performance".

as has been mentioned before elsewhere, if there is no documentation in "improvement" in performance with measurable numbers, then the improvement is probably psychological. i believe a number of the advertised fuel and oil additives, rely on this human frailty: "i spent more for premium fuel, therefore i am experiencing more performance!".
i have a 10 year old car, and i seem to sense that it prefers unleaded over premium..
happy driving.

[stavros]

If you can achieve a higher mileage while using a higher octane gas vs a lower octane, is it still psychological?

[dr. d]

If you can achieve a higher mileage while using a higher octane gas vs a lower octane, is it still psychological?

some questions to ponder when comparing fuel performance:
is the difference credibly measurable?
are we talking of numbers too small or too erratic, as to be roundable to zero?
may the improvement not be due to a change in driving habits / traffic / road conditions?
are we talking about a perfectly good engine, or are we talking about a modified engine, or a tired engine with lots of cylinder deposits, etc?
is the engine intelligent enough as to modify its adjustments in order to maximize the higher octane?
was the driver originally using a lower octane fuel than that recommended by the manufacturer, then changed to the recommended octane, noting afterward the improved performance..?
DID the manufacturer intentionally understate the engine's octane requirement, in an effort to introduce lower fuel costs to the potential buyer? (heh heh.)

if threader started by saying he actually experienced improved mileage and not just read about it, then it becomes a more meaningful statement that would offer a potentially livelier argument in search for an explanation..

[stavros]

Im merely talking about my experience with a brand new car and not of the TS. i get higher mileage if its a higher octane gas. Same parameters(city driving, tire psi, no change in driving habits, same load) as compared when using lower octanes.

[xagent_orangex]

Im merely talking about my experience with a brand new car and not of the TS. i get higher mileage if its a higher octane gas. Same parameters(city driving, tire psi, no change in driving habits, same load) as compared when using lower octanes.

ows di nga?

you mean to say on a given amount of days/time parehas ang bilang ng tapak mo sa preno? nasukat mo kung gaano ka-diin ang paa mo sa accelerator? ilang minuto ka sa stoplight?

it is plainly placebo effect.