Fuel Octane?

[ALVARADO302]

Alright guys sorta of topic but I was having this discussion with my brother the other day about fuel octane... He drives an 03 Ford Explorer his manual clearly states his SUV runs FINE on 87 octane but he figures that he will put 89 octane instead because it will put less strain on his motor! Can anyone confirm this? I tell him that 87 to 89 is only 2 more octane and that it wont make any difference I'm i right or does it really put less strain by going up to mid grade? Let me know what you guys think...

Tony

 

[03ghoststang]

honestly octane all really is is the resistance to detonation, so 87 will have the lowest resistance, 89 a little more and 91 or 93 is the highest on the street and of course race fuel has a higher resistance... that is why when we install a performance tune in the car we use 91 or 93 so it wont detonate or start to ping

 

[ALVARADO302]

Which means STRAIN on the motor is not applicable right

 

[03ghoststang]

nope i dont see how it would put a strain on it its not a mechanical part if anything oil would play an affect on straining the engine a bit

 

[ALVARADO302]

Thats what i figured I would use 87 octane on my 1989 Gt and the car ran fine of course until i modified it. Now maybe he will save 12 cents per gallon and use 87 on his SUV

 

[Gearbanger 101]

Right....he's not straining the motor at all by running higher octane. Were he running additional compression, timing or some sort of power adder, then he would benefit, but otherwise he’s getting nothing out of it. If anything, higher octane in an engine that doesn't require it raises emissions levels, shorter duration between the need for oil changes and shortens the life of O2 sensors…..as well as lightens his wallet.

 

[ALVARADO302]

thanks 03 Ghost what part of LA you from?

 

[ALVARADO302]

Gearbanger my point exactly

 

[03ghoststang]

thanks 03 Ghost what part of LA you from?

in the city of Bell, why do live in L.A?

 

[ALVARADO302]

Yeah I live in Highland Park close to Glendale

 

[03ghoststang]

hey if you want you can meet up with this car club im in we are meeting at hooters in west covina send me PM and i give you the info if you want to go

 

[ALVARADO302]

Just sent you a PM