Gas Premium or regular?

[thill]

Why even deal with putting lower octane fuel when you are talking about $100 or so a year to use regular vs premium? If you drive 10,000 miles a year and get, on average, 25mpg, we are talking about $80 a year or so to put the recommended octane in your car.

If you can't afford to put premium fuel in the car, I would recommend buying a different car.

[Partial Stall]

I'd like to see dyno figures of someone using 93 octane E10 and someone using 93 octane pure gas. I've always wondered what ethanol does to our power. The manuel says E10 is fine, but nothing over that. I have a degree in physics, not chemistry, but from what i know of it ethanol explodes and evaporates sooner than conventional gas.

Since the whole point of high octane fuels is to raise the specific heat values of gas by increasing molecular complexity, the addition of ethonal, in my opinion, would mar atleast some of the gaines added by the higher octane.

Heres another tidbit:
"1.5 gallons of ethanol has the same energy content as 1.0 gallons of gasoline.
The energy content of 1.0 US gallon of ethanol is 76,100 BTU, compared to 114,100 BTU for gasoline."

Anyone a chemist or an expert on this stuff?

[HunterGreene]

Originally Posted by Partial Stall

I'd like to see dyno figures of someone using 93 octane E10 and someone using 93 octane pure gas. I've always wondered what ethanol does to our power. The manuel says E10 is fine, but nothing over that. I have a degree in physics, not chemistry, but from what i know of it ethanol explodes and evaporates sooner than conventional gas.

Since the whole point of high octane fuels is to raise the specific heat values of gas by increasing molecular complexity, the addition of ethonal, in my opinion, would mar atleast some of the gaines added by the higher octane.

Heres another tidbit:
"1.5 gallons of ethanol has the same energy content as 1.0 gallons of gasoline.
The energy content of 1.0 US gallon of ethanol is 76,100 BTU, compared to 114,100 BTU for gasoline."

Anyone a chemist or an expert on this stuff?

Not an expert, no, even though I like to pretend I'm one now and again. The addition of ethanol really doesn't affect engine output much below 10%. If I recall correctly, the biggest reason against ethanol is that it is more corrosive to the fuel system.

[sofrsnsokleen]

Originally Posted by NeedsmoreCowbell

How many people got 87 in the tank on delivery? all my toyota dealership had in stock was 87. When I noticed them filling it up they said they had to let me leave with a full tank of gas. I asked them to stop but by then it was almost full and they said "these cars have oxygen sensors that compensate for the lower octane" I wasnt happy about it but one tank of 87 should not cause a huge problem. That being said. How many people probably got a car with 87? Prob alot.... because at the 2 dealers I went to only had 87 on their pumps on the lot. So buyer beware. You probably are getting the first full tank filled with 87. Really not a big deal but would have loved to be able to get the ball rolling on my terms. food for thought

my tank was about half full and my dealer noticed and said, oh shit, this takes premium, run it to E, fill up on premium, and send me the receipt, we'll reimburse you. HELL YEAH!!

[Stealth]

The only E free I can get near by is 89 octane. I'm just not sure if it would be as good as 91 octane e-10

[kidgogeta]

91 shell vs 94 chevron?

[SuperDave]

Originally Posted by rikdrt1

i hate our stupid state of CA. stupid Environmentalists and the Left movement have ruined our gas too. only 5 in the entire state have no Ethanol - im sure its down to 0 by now.... sucks - i remember buying 95octane or 100 in some places in the early days..

oh wow, having a nice place to live or driving my car with 91 which doesn't make that much of a difference...

i'd rather live here than texas which probably has a horrible environmental record because there aren't enough environmentalists there.

[nethater]

I can get 91 or 92 non ethanol all day. No big deal .20 more per gallon, I can afforded it and I prefer the performance. Only the best for my FR S.

[jmaryt]

Originally Posted by Draco-REX

Read your owner's manual. It requires Premium.

Don't worry about the price. Premium is usually only 20 cents/gal more than regular. That's only about $2 per fill-up. A pittance to pay for peace of mind.

premium of 0.25 around here! it adds up!

[idreamofdrifting]

Originally Posted by moniz

Premium is required, but it will run on 87, as will all cars that require premium, if it HAS TO, like in an emerg situation, like if you in the middle of a nowhere gas stop and all they have is 87. The computer will adjust the timing to accommodate the 87, but, BUT, it will run like crap, have less power and get WORSE mileage. The money you think you're saving by putting in 87 gets eaten up right away in getting less per mile so you're not saving a damn thing and potentially costing yourself more in the long run if you run 87 regularly.

If putting 91 or higher is a problem for people, them why even but the damn car? These kind of people remind me of the old quote "...those that know the price of everything, and the value of nothing."

+1 (even my AE86, only gets premium, and she's 28yrs old!)
Amen!

[Colominicano]

Run it on Premium. Even my '97 Prelude requires Premium and 93 is all she ever gets.

[jmaryt]

i hear ya! but unless the car is tracked,it doesn't need to run on premium.it could have been tuned for 87,and still be a blast to drive around on public roads. they could lower the compression ratio,and the car will still be a ton of fun.

[TommyFive]

Originally Posted by jmaryt

i hear ya! but unless the car is tracked,it doesn't need to run on premium.it could have been tuned for 87,and still be a blast to drive around on public roads. they could lower the compression ratio,and the car will still be a ton of fun.

I'm not convinced they could have lowered the compression ratio and still achieved 100hp/liter.

It's a high-compression performance engine. It needs premium. They don't try to hide that fact either so that you can calculate that into your cost of ownership.

[jmaryt]

in the final analysis,if ya want the car,it can burn jet fuel,you'll still buy it!