What Octane Rating are you Burning?
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Home
Originally posted by deepblue
I am burning 98
I am burning 98
Unless you're using a tuner to allow you to utilize higher octane fuel.
Higher octane is just a delay in combustion. It's money in the toilet if you're on a stock engine.
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Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Nietzsche's Closet
Originally posted by Droog
You are wasting money
Unless you're using a tuner to allow you to utilize higher octane fuel.
Higher octane is just a delay in combustion. It's money in the toilet if you're on a stock engine.
You are wasting money
Unless you're using a tuner to allow you to utilize higher octane fuel.
Higher octane is just a delay in combustion. It's money in the toilet if you're on a stock engine.
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Joined: May 2004
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From: Sunny FL
Member
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 50
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From: SE Texas
Economics of 89 octane
I'm not going to get into the issues of benefits of octane as far as the performance is concerned, just the economics. Let's say your paying 1.80 for 87 octane, 1.90 for 89, and 2.00 for 93. You don't notice a little error in the math do you? Since no refinery makes 89 octane, and it is only a blend of 87 and 93 made at the terminal you are actually paying 1/2 the difference between 87 and 93 without getting 1/2 of the added octane. You are actually getting a 3:1.5 blend of 87 to 93 octane. And it's costing you 0.05 c/octane for the 89 vs. 0.033 c/octane for the 93
Sorry, it's just the facts.
Sorry, it's just the facts.
Octane Level
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Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Nietzsche's Closet
Re: Octane Level
Originally posted by gsapatka
Wouldn't it be chaper to just buy a fuel octane booster insted in buying 27 gallons at $2.00-$2.50 a gallon?
Wouldn't it be chaper to just buy a fuel octane booster insted in buying 27 gallons at $2.00-$2.50 a gallon?
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Joined: Nov 2004
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From: Chicago
Originally posted by jpdadeo
When dealing with *quality* fuels, the actual BTU content per gallon (or per lb.) of fuel usually does not vary much regardless of octane (in the 87-100 octane range, R+M/2). The actual energy content of gasoline is expressed by the oil company/refiner in terms of the number of BTU's per gallon - say, 110,000 BTU's per gallon, or 98,000 BTU's per gallon, etc. - and that is not "automatically" increased or decreased (all else being equal) based solely on the octane rating.
When dealing with *quality* fuels, the actual BTU content per gallon (or per lb.) of fuel usually does not vary much regardless of octane (in the 87-100 octane range, R+M/2). The actual energy content of gasoline is expressed by the oil company/refiner in terms of the number of BTU's per gallon - say, 110,000 BTU's per gallon, or 98,000 BTU's per gallon, etc. - and that is not "automatically" increased or decreased (all else being equal) based solely on the octane rating.
Octane is a measure of fuel stability, not BTU rating. Repeat, repeat, repeat.
Someone correct me if Im wrong, but I'm fairly certain ethanol (and blends) have a lower BTU rating. A 10% ethanol rating yields a 3-5% decrease in BTU. That can't possible be linear or we'd be in the realm of charcoal starter for the 85% stuff I used to buy occasionally for my old Ranger.
Now..what about detonation and pre-ignition? There's work on motors that take advantage of this. Sorta like a gasoline powered diesel style motor. Sortof a 'controlled detonation' motor. I think I'll wait out the first model year on that one...
-Fatz
p.s. Isn't the 5.4 designed for 87 octane? I thought the owners manual said specifically NOT to use higher octanes.