Octane (2024)

FAQs

What to do if I accidentally put 87 instead of 93? ›

For some car models, higher octane fuel is recommended instead of required. If that's you, the lower stuff should be sufficient enough to not cause problems. But if you hear knocking and pinging noises, or you're not getting the mileage you should, switch to higher octane gas at your next fill up.

What if I use a lower octane fuel than required for my vehicle? Using a lower octane fuel than required can cause the engine to run poorly and can damage the engine and emissions control system over time. It may also void your warranty.

Most octane boosters only raise octane 20 points (that's 2 on the octane scale). So a 91 goes to 93 with a bottle of booster. For the cost, its vastly more expensive than just filling up with 93 to start with though.

If you put lower-octane fuel into your high-octane vehicle, whether by mistake or to save money on gas, you'll probably notice the effects right away: things like poor fuel economy, reduced acceleration, and spark knock, which sounds like a high-pitched pinging or rattling noise.

No, this can potentially cause harm to your engine. Always select the octane gas you are currently running in the vehicle. If you are in a location that doesn't have the exact octane levels offered on the device then always use the tune lower than the octane you have in your vehicle.

Mixing 93 and 87 gas doesn't have any ill effects. It simply creates a new formula referred to as “midgrade” that's often available in gas stations. Additionally, the difference between premium and regular gas is that the premium ones are of higher quality.

No Vehicles Need 89-Octane Fuel

At worst, it could cause the engine computer to slow the ignition timing a bit or adjust the fuel injection, potentially lowering fuel economy or performance.

— Octane ratings alone do not equal better gas mileage. However, if your engine is knocking, it is not getting the designed mileage. In addition, some premium fuels are formulated with more detergents to help keep your fuel system clean, which also helps maintain the engine's designed mileage.

If your car is designed to use 87 octane gas, you have nothing to fear. Putting higher octane gas in a car that can use lower octane is simply a waste of money. Putting lower octane gas in a car designed to use higher octane gas can cause engine damage.

The BOOSTane Professional Octane Booster can treat octane between 94 to 116. It's suitable for high compression, turbocharged and blower motors. It can also be used in boats, motorcycles, ATVs or any other 2-stroke or 4-stroke engine.

Does Costco have 91 or 93 octane? ›

Q: What products do you sell? A: Regular and ​p​remium ​gasoline, and ​d​iesel at select locations. Gasoline ​octane can vary by state, but at Costco, it's typically 87 octane for Regular and 91 octane for Premium Gasoline.

Switching from 87 octane to 93 yielded a 7-hp gain on the dynamometer, but that advantage was lost in the noise at the track.

Does higher octane gas last longer? No, any fuel efficiency gained using premium fuel would stem from engine performance, not the gas itself. Buying premium gas won't have you visiting a gas station any less frequently, especially with a standard engine not designed to take advantage of premium gas.

Using a higher-octane gas than your owner's manual says you should do any good. Make your car run better, faster, get more mileage, or run cleaner: “It won't.” The detergent additives in your Gas are far more important than the octane level. They help clean your engine and make your car run better.

It will sound bad and perform poorly, but even so, will probably escape permanent damage. Modern vehicles (like, post-1990) have much smarter onboard computers that can typically adjust their engine parameters accordingly when low-octane fuel is detected.

You are perfectly ok. Car's perfectly fine. 93 is only a recommendation, not a requirement. The car will run with no problems on 87.

Using low-octane fuel in a vehicle that requires premium fuel could result in catastrophic internal damage. You'll probably notice the spark knock (a sort of high-pitched pinging or rattling noise).