Octane

My '95 850 Turbo Wagon runs much better on 93 Octane than the lesser ones
offered in my area (87 & 89). I try to buy only from Tier 1 stations and
those that are always busy, helping assure me that the fuel is fresh.

As our economy has weakened, most people I have talked to are now purchasing
lower octane fuel because of its lower cost per gallon.

So If I am the only person still purchasing higher octane gasoline, am I
going to begin to get stale gas? If so, how can I tell and how will it
affect my car?

I could purchase 87 octane and add octane booster but that would make my
cost per gallon considerably higher.

OUS

On Mar 29, 3:20*pm, "OUS" <sald...@comcast.net> wrote:
> My '95 850 Turbo Wagon runs much better on 93 Octane than the lesser ones
> offered in my area (87 & 89). I try to buy only from Tier 1 stations and
> those that are always busy, helping assure me that the fuel is fresh.
>
> As our economy has weakened, most people I have talked to are now purchasing
> lower octane fuel because of its lower cost per gallon.
>
> So If I am the only person still purchasing higher octane gasoline, am I
> going to begin to get stale gas? *If so, how can I tell and how will it
> affect my car?
>
> I could purchase 87 octane and add octane booster but that would make my
> cost per gallon considerably higher.
>
> OUS

If you mean it runs smoother with HO then you need a tune up, if you
just like more power than ok, but HO doesnt increase milage anywhere
near enough to offset its extra cost.

ransley wrote:
> On Mar 29, 3:20 pm, "OUS" <sald...@comcast.net> wrote:
>> My '95 850 Turbo Wagon runs much better on 93 Octane than the lesser ones
>> offered in my area (87 & 89). I try to buy only from Tier 1 stations and
>> those that are always busy, helping assure me that the fuel is fresh.
>>
>> As our economy has weakened, most people I have talked to are now purchasing
>> lower octane fuel because of its lower cost per gallon.
>>
>> So If I am the only person still purchasing higher octane gasoline, am I
>> going to begin to get stale gas? If so, how can I tell and how will it
>> affect my car?
>>
>> I could purchase 87 octane and add octane booster but that would make my
>> cost per gallon considerably higher.
>>
>> OUS
>
> If you mean it runs smoother with HO then you need a tune up, if you
> just like more power than ok, but HO doesnt increase milage anywhere
> near enough to offset its extra cost.


Some high-performance cars do get better mileage on "HO" gas. My
Civic EX gets 10% better mileage on midgrade, which is more than enough
to offset the price difference. I'd suggest to the original poster that
he try midgrade. And to answer his question: stale gas has a distinct
odor, kind of like kerosene. You'll know it if you smell it.

On Mar 30, 6:26*am, Leftie <N...@Thanks.net> wrote:
> ransley wrote:
> > On Mar 29, 3:20 pm, "OUS" <sald...@comcast.net> wrote:
> >> My '95 850 Turbo Wagon runs much better on 93 Octane than the lesser ones
> >> offered in my area (87 & 89). I try to buy only from Tier 1 stations and
> >> those that are always busy, helping assure me that the fuel is fresh.
>
> >> As our economy has weakened, most people I have talked to are now purchasing
> >> lower octane fuel because of its lower cost per gallon.
>
> >> So If I am the only person still purchasing higher octane gasoline, amI
> >> going to begin to get stale gas? *If so, how can I tell and how willit
> >> affect my car?
>
> >> I could purchase 87 octane and add octane booster but that would make my
> >> cost per gallon considerably higher.
>
> >> OUS
>
> > If you mean it runs smoother with HO then you need a tune up, if you
> > just like more power than ok, but HO doesnt increase milage anywhere
> > near enough to offset its extra cost.
>
> * * Some high-performance cars do get better mileage on "HO" gas. My
> Civic EX gets 10% better mileage on midgrade, which is more than enough
> to offset the price difference. I'd suggest to the original poster that
> he try midgrade. And to answer his question: stale gas has a distinct
> odor, kind of like kerosene. You'll know it if you smell it.- Hide quotedtext -
>
> - Show quoted text -

All cars get a bit better milage with HO, my v40 gets maybe .10 - a
tenth mpg better, but that hardly equals the 10% plus price
difference, I go from 22.3 - 22.4 to 22.5 on HO on a same loop
driving. I would have to get near 25 mpg for the price difference to
may it a break even payback.

On Mar 29, 4:20*pm, "OUS" <sald...@comcast.net> wrote:
> My '95 850 Turbo Wagon runs much better on 93 Octane than the lesser ones
> offered in my area (87 & 89). I try to buy only from Tier 1 stations and
> those that are always busy, helping assure me that the fuel is fresh.

I would be very surprised if your car ran much better on 93 octane
than on 91, 89 or 87. If this is true then the knock sensor might be
dead on your car.

>
> As our economy has weakened, most people I have talked to are now purchasing
> lower octane fuel because of its lower cost per gallon.

I understand that with a well tuned car one can eke out a small net
cost benefit by switching to lower octane gas. The difference is not
simply the difference in price per gallon however.

>
> So If I am the only person still purchasing higher octane gasoline, am I
> going to begin to get stale gas? *

I doubt that you are the only person buying high octane gas.

> If so, how can I tell and how will it affect my car?

Just continue to buy at busy stations. I've driven cars for over 45
years and have yet to buy a tank of bad gasoline.

>
> I could purchase 87 octane and add octane booster but that would make my
> cost per gallon considerably higher.

Yes, you could do that. You should plug all the variables impacting
the net cost of gasoline to you as a consumer into a spreadsheet and
see what the real difference is.


>
> OUS

My owner's manual calls for 91 octane. I don't know how much it would help
my car if I used 89. I can not hear engine knocks with 89 but that doesn't
mean they aren't happening. And I can't think that constantly retarding the
spark of the engine is healthy.

At this point I will stick with 93 and keep a sharp nose on the odor.

OUS


"Leftie" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news81Al.178767$(E-Mail Removed)...
> ransley wrote:
>> On Mar 29, 3:20 pm, "OUS" <sald...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>> My '95 850 Turbo Wagon runs much better on 93 Octane than the lesser
>>> ones
>>> offered in my area (87 & 89). I try to buy only from Tier 1 stations and
>>> those that are always busy, helping assure me that the fuel is fresh.
>>>
>>> As our economy has weakened, most people I have talked to are now
>>> purchasing
>>> lower octane fuel because of its lower cost per gallon.
>>>
>>> So If I am the only person still purchasing higher octane gasoline, am I
>>> going to begin to get stale gas? If so, how can I tell and how will it
>>> affect my car?
>>>
>>> I could purchase 87 octane and add octane booster but that would make my
>>> cost per gallon considerably higher.
>>>
>>> OUS
>>
>> If you mean it runs smoother with HO then you need a tune up, if you
>> just like more power than ok, but HO doesnt increase milage anywhere
>> near enough to offset its extra cost.
>
>
> Some high-performance cars do get better mileage on "HO" gas. My Civic
> EX gets 10% better mileage on midgrade, which is more than enough to
> offset the price difference. I'd suggest to the original poster that he
> try midgrade. And to answer his question: stale gas has a distinct odor,
> kind of like kerosene. You'll know it if you smell it.

"Radioguy" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:c6add6fa-c6b4-450e-ac0d-(E-Mail Removed)...
On Mar 29, 4:20 pm, "OUS" <sald...@comcast.net> wrote:
> My '95 850 Turbo Wagon runs much better on 93 Octane than the lesser ones
> offered in my area (87 & 89). I try to buy only from Tier 1 stations and
> those that are always busy, helping assure me that the fuel is fresh.

I would be very surprised if your car ran much better on 93 octane
than on 91, 89 or 87. If this is true then the knock sensor might be
dead on your car.

I have no idea how well it runs on 91 octane, I have not seen it available
in my area. But on the 93 octane that is available, it runs much better
than on 89 or 87.

>
> As our economy has weakened, most people I have talked to are now
> purchasing
> lower octane fuel because of its lower cost per gallon.

I understand that with a well tuned car one can eke out a small net
cost benefit by switching to lower octane gas. The difference is not
simply the difference in price per gallon however.

>
> So If I am the only person still purchasing higher octane gasoline, am I
> going to begin to get stale gas?

I doubt that you are the only person buying high octane gas.

> If so, how can I tell and how will it affect my car?

Just continue to buy at busy stations. I've driven cars for over 45
years and have yet to buy a tank of bad gasoline.

I did buy bad gas at a Valero station when prices shot up last year. I was
able to recognise the problem before damage was done to my wife's Saturn.
It turns out that the propriator of the station was adding water to the
underground tanks to streach his supply. He is not in business now.

>
> I could purchase 87 octane and add octane booster but that would make my
> cost per gallon considerably higher.

Yes, you could do that. You should plug all the variables impacting
the net cost of gasoline to you as a consumer into a spreadsheet and
see what the real difference is.

I am more concerned with the health of my car than the price of fuel at
least at this point. I'll stick with buying premium.


>
> OUS

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> My owner's manual calls for 91 octane. I don't know how much it would help
> my car if I used 89. I can not hear engine knocks with 89 but that doesn't
> mean they aren't happening. And I can't think that constantly retarding the
> spark of the engine is healthy.
>
> At this point I will stick with 93 and keep a sharp nose on the odor.
>
> OUS
>


Lower octane will probably not hurt anything, there's a pretty
significant safety margin, but I would stick with what the manufacture
recommends. If the car was designed to take advantage of high octane
fuel then I don't see much reason to skimp, even at the peak of high gas
prices, it was only a few dollars more per tank than the low grade
stuff, yet a lot of people blow the money they saved in gas on a single
latte on the way to work.

Generally gas stations will order less of a grade that isn't moving as
quickly so they don't get stuck with stale fuel. So long as you buy from
a reputable station you shouldn't have a problem.

ransley wrote:
> On Mar 30, 6:26 am, Leftie <N...@Thanks.net> wrote:
>> ransley wrote:
>>> On Mar 29, 3:20 pm, "OUS" <sald...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>>> My '95 850 Turbo Wagon runs much better on 93 Octane than the lesser ones
>>>> offered in my area (87 & 89). I try to buy only from Tier 1 stations and
>>>> those that are always busy, helping assure me that the fuel is fresh.
>>>> As our economy has weakened, most people I have talked to are now purchasing
>>>> lower octane fuel because of its lower cost per gallon.
>>>> So If I am the only person still purchasing higher octane gasoline, am I
>>>> going to begin to get stale gas? If so, how can I tell and how will it
>>>> affect my car?
>>>> I could purchase 87 octane and add octane booster but that would make my
>>>> cost per gallon considerably higher.
>>>> OUS
>>> If you mean it runs smoother with HO then you need a tune up, if you
>>> just like more power than ok, but HO doesnt increase milage anywhere
>>> near enough to offset its extra cost.
>> Some high-performance cars do get better mileage on "HO" gas. My
>> Civic EX gets 10% better mileage on midgrade, which is more than enough
>> to offset the price difference. I'd suggest to the original poster that
>> he try midgrade. And to answer his question: stale gas has a distinct
>> odor, kind of like kerosene. You'll know it if you smell it.- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>
> All cars get a bit better milage with HO, my v40 gets maybe .10 - a
> tenth mpg better, but that hardly equals the 10% plus price
> difference, I go from 22.3 - 22.4 to 22.5 on HO on a same loop
> driving. I would have to get near 25 mpg for the price difference to
> may it a break even payback.


No, not all cars get better mileage on HO - it depends on their
design and the driving conditions. Our '95 Camry gets better mileage on
regular, as long as there aren't a lot of hills involved. So did my old
Civic.

James Sweet wrote:
> (E-Mail Removed) wrote:
>> My owner's manual calls for 91 octane. I don't know how much it would
>> help my car if I used 89. I can not hear engine knocks with 89 but
>> that doesn't mean they aren't happening. And I can't think that
>> constantly retarding the spark of the engine is healthy.
>>
>> At this point I will stick with 93 and keep a sharp nose on the odor.
>>
>> OUS
>>
>
>
> Lower octane will probably not hurt anything, there's a pretty
> significant safety margin, but I would stick with what the manufacture
> recommends. If the car was designed to take advantage of high octane
> fuel then I don't see much reason to skimp, even at the peak of high gas
> prices, it was only a few dollars more per tank than the low grade
> stuff, yet a lot of people blow the money they saved in gas on a single
> latte on the way to work.
>
> Generally gas stations will order less of a grade that isn't moving as
> quickly so they don't get stuck with stale fuel. So long as you buy from
> a reputable station you shouldn't have a problem.


It should also be noted that "Midgrade" isn't a separate gasoline.
It's actually a pump-blended mixture of Regular and Super, so as long as
people are buying Midgrade, the Super is getting used up.