View Poll Results: Regular, Mid-Grade, or Premium?
Regular
4
10.00%
Mid-Grade
0
0%
Premium
36
90.00%
Voters: 40. You may not vote on this poll
Gas: Premium vs. Regular advantages, disadvantages (merged threads)
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,026
Likes: 52
From: Florida
Not to get off the subject but has anyone use marine fuel in their cars? I know its the same as any other fuel but just doesnt have any sort of ethanol in it. We use it in watercrafts and boaters use it on outboars because the ethanol eats up the rubber rings and such in the motors but using it in waverrunners and running regular pump gas, we can feel the power difference. We also use it on our large scale RC cars and it build more power.
Rookie
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: IL
Not to get off the subject but has anyone use marine fuel in their cars? I know its the same as any other fuel but just doesnt have any sort of ethanol in it. We use it in watercrafts and boaters use it on outboars because the ethanol eats up the rubber rings and such in the motors but using it in waverrunners and running regular pump gas, we can feel the power difference. We also use it on our large scale RC cars and it build more power.
I know on some other cars, track guys sometimes use Aviation Gas mixed w/ regular gas ..not sure I'd recommend this for an LS460 ..I think Avgas runs 105-110 octane !!
Moderator
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,761
Likes: 72
From: Atlanta, GA
I find it strange that people buy premium cars and up to flagship ones complain/wonder about having to put premium gas in the car. You had to know you were stepping up in class and level of a vehicle right down to maintenance, the car was designed to perform at its best on higher octane fuel. In the end it the owners choice what they put in their car but for me I go with what is recommended per the manufacturers instruction. Oh well to each their own.
Last edited by Tee; May 16, 2011 at 06:52 AM.
+4
I find strange that people buy premimum cars and up to flagship ones complain/wonder about having to put preminum gas in the car. You had to know you were stepping up in class and level of a vehicle right down to maintenance, the car was designed to perform at it's best on higher octane fuel. In the end it the owners choice what they put in their car but for me I go with what is recomended per the manufacturers instruction. Oh well to each their own.
I find strange that people buy premimum cars and up to flagship ones complain/wonder about having to put preminum gas in the car. You had to know you were stepping up in class and level of a vehicle right down to maintenance, the car was designed to perform at it's best on higher octane fuel. In the end it the owners choice what they put in their car but for me I go with what is recomended per the manufacturers instruction. Oh well to each their own.
Driver
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
From: canada
It's strange people use synthetic oil when the manufacturer does not call for it .everyone makes decisions on the research they have done .I don't think it's a reflection on buying a high end car and cheeping out people that cheap out don't buy high end cars .
Pole Position
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 211
Likes: 0
From: California
The real reason why we should be using premium is because of the compression ratio, or CR, which is > 10:1, and the newer they get, the higher the compression ratio. The number that is reference on the pump is the octane rating, not news, I know. In leman's terms, octane is the resistance to detonation. So let's say you take a mid 90's 350 Chevy, it's going to be 9.0:1 compression ratio. It will squeeze the volume in the cylinder 9x smaller from where it starts at bottom dead center, or BDC to TDC. What is important about this is that this is where detonation come into play. The Chevy engine will call for 87 octane, because the more volatile gas, 87 octane will not effectively compress more than (IIRC) 10:1 CR. If you were to use premium in the Chevy engine, you wouldn't notice one bit because the extra resistance to detonation isn't required. Now, for the Lexus V8, which I believe are all at least 10:1 CR, and with VVT-i, it's even more important as the compression ratio will change per firing cycle. If you were to run 87 octane in a UZ V8, the electronics will take care of any real issues with spark timing and fuel trim, so you'll never notice the difference. However, what you don't see is that the 87 octane fuel is actually combusting before the piston reaches TDC, because the fuel to volatile to handle the added pressures of high compression ratios. Likewise, race cars often using ethanol based fuels because they have higher octane ratings, which give them the ability to make more power, while reducing detonation, knocking, and ultimately failure.
Read this in the LS400 Thread
Read this in the LS400 Thread
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,026
Likes: 52
From: Florida
Wow, interesting aspect. I just read up on the engine and its actually 11.8:1 ratio. Thats higher than I though.
As far as the marine fuel, LiveWire was right, there are no additives, mainly ethanol. It keeps the seals from breaking up.
As far as the marine fuel, LiveWire was right, there are no additives, mainly ethanol. It keeps the seals from breaking up.
Driver
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
From: canada
The real reason why we should be using premium is because of the compression ratio, or CR, which is > 10:1, and the newer they get, the higher the compression ratio. The number that is reference on the pump is the octane rating, not news, I know. In leman's terms, octane is the resistance to detonation. So let's say you take a mid 90's 350 Chevy, it's going to be 9.0:1 compression ratio. It will squeeze the volume in the cylinder 9x smaller from where it starts at bottom dead center, or BDC to TDC. What is important about this is that this is where detonation come into play. The Chevy engine will call for 87 octane, because the more volatile gas, 87 octane will not effectively compress more than (IIRC) 10:1 CR. If you were to use premium in the Chevy engine, you wouldn't notice one bit because the extra resistance to detonation isn't required. Now, for the Lexus V8, which I believe are all at least 10:1 CR, and with VVT-i, it's even more important as the compression ratio will change per firing cycle. If you were to run 87 octane in a UZ V8, the electronics will take care of any real issues with spark timing and fuel trim, so you'll never notice the difference. However, what you don't see is that the 87 octane fuel is actually combusting before the piston reaches TDC, because the fuel to volatile to handle the added pressures of high compression ratios. Likewise, race cars often using ethanol based fuels because they have higher octane ratings, which give them the ability to make more power, while reducing detonation, knocking, and ultimately failure.
Read this in the LS400 Thread
Read this in the LS400 Thread
Driver School Candidate
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 20
Likes: 1
From: Georgia
You can "get away" with using 87 octane, the question is, why would you want to? Even used the sedan is over 30k, cheap insurance to make sure the car runs at its best. With oil, its been proven on the dyno that synthetic oil can make a difference in hp, as well longer intervals, between changes. Really haven't read any benefits to using a lower octane that recommended.
CL Community Team
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,264
Likes: 481
From: MA
The real reason why we should be using premium is because of the compression ratio, or CR, which is > 10:1, and the newer they get, the higher the compression ratio. The number that is reference on the pump is the octane rating, not news, I know. In leman's terms, octane is the resistance to detonation. So let's say you take a mid 90's 350 Chevy, it's going to be 9.0:1 compression ratio. It will squeeze the volume in the cylinder 9x smaller from where it starts at bottom dead center, or BDC to TDC. What is important about this is that this is where detonation come into play. The Chevy engine will call for 87 octane, because the more volatile gas, 87 octane will not effectively compress more than (IIRC) 10:1 CR. If you were to use premium in the Chevy engine, you wouldn't notice one bit because the extra resistance to detonation isn't required. Now, for the Lexus V8, which I believe are all at least 10:1 CR, and with VVT-i, it's even more important as the compression ratio will change per firing cycle. If you were to run 87 octane in a UZ V8, the electronics will take care of any real issues with spark timing and fuel trim, so you'll never notice the difference. However, what you don't see is that the 87 octane fuel is actually combusting before the piston reaches TDC, because the fuel to volatile to handle the added pressures of high compression ratios. Likewise, race cars often using ethanol based fuels because they have higher octane ratings, which give them the ability to make more power, while reducing detonation, knocking, and ultimately failure.
Read this in the LS400 Thread
Read this in the LS400 Thread
Driver School Candidate
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 15
Likes: 1
From: GA
If you seat down and do the math. It's cheaper to use premium fuel then regular stuff. Because you'll get better MPD(Miles Per Dollar). Just try a few tank! It don't hurt the engine neither way.