Fuel Octane

November 17th, 2006 at 04:11pm By Mike Lambert
Under Car FAQ: Car Maintenance: Engine

What level of octane does my car really need? This is a common question, as many people know very little about the octane ratings they see at the gas station. The octane ratings you see (usually 87-93) are representative of the gas’s resistance to “knock,” or detonation. This is a process when more combustion then normal takes place within the engine, which causes the pistons and associated parts to be bashed around. Obviously, this will quickly cause severe damage to your engine. However, in the old days you could often hear a “knock” when detonation took place, signaling you that something was wrong. Today’s cars all have knock sensors, which listen for engine knock and decrease the spark plug’s activity shortly, which lessens the affects of knock… but you will often NOT be able to hear anything! If this process goes on long enough, it will damage your engine! So what level of octane do you need? Look in your owner’s manual, and use what the manufacturer recommends. If it says to use premium, then you must unfortunately use it.

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