Octane is gasoline question...

Hey all, should I be worried here? I filled up at a local gas station here in NJ and the non English speaking attendant put in 87 octane instead of 93 in my car. It took 14.5 gallons so, the car was almost empty.

Thanks in advance,

Steve

98 SVT Cobra #5098 Triple Black Steeda Underdrive Pulleys Steeda Adjustable Clutch Quadrant Steeda Tri Ax Shifter BBK Twin 62mm Throttle Body Borla Cat Back Exhaust Bassani X Pipe MAC Cold Air Intake
Reply to
SJB
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Just don't beat on the car, the computer will compensate for the different octane gasoline.

SJB wrote:

Reply to
Bill S.

Remove NO-SPAM from email address when replying

Reply to
Rein

I always watch very carefully what the attendant puts on ym cars, particularly after I started driving my '68 Galaxie which needs 89 octane. Half the time I'll just get out and pump myself simply because it's faster than waiting for the attendant to work his way to me if it's busy.

Anyway, as Bill said the knock sensor will keep the timing retarded to reduce detonation/pinging, so just drive very lightly. Personally if I were you I'd put some octane booster in it as Rein said and after 100 miles or so top it off with either 93 or Sunoco Ultra 94.

This is all assuming you've got a higher compression engine that _needs_ the added octane. But so long as it doesn't diesel you ought to be fine. The aluminum engine should definitely help with that. My '68 would diesel on 87, even though I got it tuned to where it wouldn't knock or ping. When I got it the tank was full of 87 (my uncle drove it for 6-7 years on 87, dieseling and pinging every day) so I tried to make it run on it, but it just didn't like it. Anyway, you'll probably be fine.

Cory

Reply to
Cory Dunkle

A '98 Cobra is required by higher compression to use 91 octane or higher. My '97 is much the same.

Yes, the knock sensor will de-tune the car somewhat to compensate, but I agree with the others... drive lightly. Octane boost would be up to you but I'm not entirely sure how much I trust fuel additives. I might just run the tank out. It'd be great if you had a reason to go on a 300 mile drive... problem solved... easy driving and a chance to burn all of the cheap stuff off.

You'll be looking forward to the moment the 93 gets back in there. Remember to give it a few miles to feed up to the engine first, because it'll still be in the fuel lines....

JS

Reply to
JS

I thank everyone for their quick replies to my dilemma here. I went out on a nice 300 mile ride today to Delaware and back. I used up the tank then quickly filled up with Sunoco 94. It is amazing how different the car feels with good gas in it. Thank you all again.

Steve

98 SVT Cobra #5098 Triple Black Steeda Underdrive Pulleys Steeda Adjustable Clutch Quadrant Steeda Tri Ax Shifter BBK Twin 62mm Throttle Body Borla Cat Back Exhaust Bassani X Pipe MAC Cold Air Intake
Reply to
SJB

Wow, stations with attendants??? In my area, you pump your own fuel, period.

I don't, I just think that I would definitely raise the devil with the station owners and insist that they get some English speaking help or send their people to school to learn it.

Non-English speaking people in any kind of customer service just make me shake my head and mutter things I don't want to say in public.

Kate

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Reply to
SVTKate

If you change your mind and move to Oregon, they have a regulation (law?) that says the attendant must pump your gas. I think it has something to do with people who like to top off their tank to the point where it overflows and spill out. I go until it shuts off automatically and pump it to the nearest whole $.10. (I like round numbers)

Reply to
Greg B.

I like the news report that said that topping off put air bubbles in your fuel line. Now I'm no physicist but in *all* my observations, the bubbles have *always* floated their way back to the top. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure this was just another lie said to prevent people from wasting fuel by topping off.

Sean

Reply to
Fao, Sean

Hey Kate...

Raise Hell with the owner? lol.. The owner was the one who pumed it in... I am not sure out by you but here in NJ, Americans for some reason do not own gas stations anymore. Come to think of it, convenience stores such as 7-11, Dunkin Donuts, Krausers etc. are not owned by Americans either.. I am just glad it is over for me and my car is back to normal now. Just out of curiosity, if I mix 10 gallons of 93 octane and 10 gallons of 87 octane, does it become 20 gallons of 90 octane?????

Steve

Reply to
SJB

Attendant?? WTH is an attendant? Haven't seen one of those here in the Midwest for too many years!!

Steve

Reply to
Steve Marshall

Here in NJ, they do not normally allow the end user to pump their own gas. Of course, I have yet to let anyone pump gas in to my cars, if they tell me I am not allowed to do it myself, I move on to the station across the street..................

Bill S.

Steve Marshall wrote:

for too many years!!

Reply to
Bill S.

snipped-for-privacy@optonline.net (Bill S.) wrote in :

It is actually *illegal* to pump your own gas here in NJ, but it's done all the time. I don't mind it too much, though -- gas prices in southern NJ are actually lower than they are in nearby DE and PA, where you have to pump it yourself!

-- Jim

Reply to
Jim J

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