Octane Fuel Numbers: What They Do and Don’t Mean
Have you ever wondered what the numbers on the buttons at the gas station mean? Some assume the higher number indicates better quality gas, while others assume these figures determine more efficient performance. Here’s what to know about octane numbers.
What Octane Means
The octane rating represents how heat-resistant that particular fuel is. In other words, different octanes of fuel alter how swiftly the air-fuel mixture in the motor will ignite.
Gasoline powertrains work by fusing a mixture of air and fuel at meticulously timed intervals, though the air-fuel mixture is compressed before it’s ignited. That compression changes how much energy is removed from the mixture.
Each engine operates differently, so one may need to choose a different octane of gas to ensure that the car continues to perform as it should. The question is: How do you know which one to use?
What The Car Manufacturer Recommends
Fortunately, car manufacturers will tell owners what the vehicle needs. One can typically find it on the recommended octane ratings in their owner’s manual. If the car truly needs a higher fuel octane rating, it should say “required” when referring to the octane.
Most vehicles also place the octane rating on the fuel cap or near the fuel filler door. It will likely be written “XX Octane Minimum,” “XX Octane,” or “XX AKL.” The placement of this message ultimately suggests the recommendation for the type of fuel the car needs.
For those driving a standard vehicle, it’s probable that the car will only necessitate a regular grade of gas. However, if the car uses a turbocharged or supercharged engine, it may need mid-grade or premium fuel. These particular engines have higher compression levels, so they need an octane level that works with the heightened performance.
Does A Higher Octane Translate To More Horsepower?
There is much confusion surrounding the role of higher octane. Since these octanes are linked with augmented performance, performance, and fuel consumption, people assume that higher octane will result in more performance on all cars, but this doesn’t ring true for all vehicles.
There are some cases when using a 91- or 93-octane fuel in a vehicle that only necessitates 85- or 87-octane can bring about a highly increased engine performance; however, most instances will result in something that isn’t too noticeable.
What Happens If You Use the Wrong Octane?
Those using higher fuel octane than the engine requires usually won’t encounter problems, as many motors don’t run into issues using this fuel type, though it isn’t always recommended. One should know that doing this frequently may experience damage over the long term.
However, if one drives a car needing high octane and uses a lower level may experience a problem more swiftly. Today’s cars are usually built to deal with lower octane and even have sensors to prevent any immediate damage, but it’s likely one will experience problems over the long run. This will prevent the car from reaching its listed fuel economy and may result in some knocking sounds. Here’s a tip: Listen to the manufacturer.
Driver’s Auto Mart
At Driver’s Auto Mart, we have vehicles that are powered by several different types of motors like gas-only, hybrid, diesel, all-electric, and more. Those who are interested in what we have to offer can view our online pre-owned inventory and chat with one of our representatives for more information and assistance.
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