Question:
I just purchased a 2005 Buick LeSabre with 3800 engine. i
live in iowa and need to know what octane gas would be
best for this vehicle.
Answer: High octane gas might help
lower NOx if your vehicle suffers from this failure. High
octane burns cooler and slower (keeping NOx low), but it also
produces less power which your engine might not be ready for.
This could cause other emissions such as HC and CO to
increase. It is recommended to use ONLY the manufactures
required octane at all times, specially during a smog test.
Your vehicle's emissions computer is programmed to process
information based on it's required fuel octane. The Low-Down on High Octane
Gasoline:
Are you tempted to buy a high octane
gasoline for your vehicle because you want to
improve performance? If so, the recommended gasoline for
most cars is regular octane (87). In most cases using a higher
octane gasoline than your owner’s manual recommends offers no
benefit. It won’t make your car perform better, go faster, get
better mileage or run cleaner.
If your car
engine knocks when you use the recommended fuel you might want
to try filling a higher octane level. A small number of
vehicle might experience engine knock using the recommend gas
octane.
Buying higher octane gasoline
when your engine is not knocking is a waste of money.
Premium gas typically costs 15 to 20 cents more per gallon
than regular. Studies show that vehicle owners may be spending
hundreds of millions of dollars a year paying for higher
octane gas than needed.
So what are octane
ratings? Octane ratings are a measure a gasoline’s ability to
combust; resist engine knock. Engine knock is a pinging or
rattling noise that results from premature ignition of
the fuel-air mixture in one or more engine
cylinders. Gas stations offer three octane grades:
regular (87 octane), mid-grade (89 octane - a mixture of 87
and 92/93, mixed at the gas station) and premium (usually 92
or 93). The ratings are posted on yellow stickers on each
gasoline pump.
What octane should you choose for
your car? Read your vehicle owner’s manual to determine the
right octane level for your car. Most vehicles requires
regular octane. However, some high performance cars with high
compression engines, like sports cars and certain luxury cars,
require mid-grade or premium gasoline to prevent
knock.
You can tell if you're using the right
octane level by listening to your car’s engine. If it is
not knocking, pinging or rattling when you use the
recommended octane, you’re using the right grade of
gasoline.
Can using a higher octane gasoline
clean your engine? High octane gasoline does not outperform
regular octane in preventing engine deposits from forming, in
removing them, or in cleaning your car’s engine, unless the
gasoline has had carbon cleaning additives added to
it. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
requires that all octane grades of all brands of gasoline
contain engine cleaning detergent additives to protect against
the build-up of harmful levels of engine deposits during
the life of your car. Some gasoline manafacturers add
more.
Should I switch to a higher octane
gasoline? A few car, truck, van, SUV and RV engines may
knock or ping when using the recommended octane rating.
If this is happening to your vehicle, you can switching
to the next octane grade up. Switching to the mid-grade
or premium-grade gasoline will eliminate the knock in many
cases. If the knocking or pinging continues after one or two
fill-ups, this may be an indication that your vehicle needs a
tune-up or other engine repair. After the repair/s is
done, switch back to the lowest octane grade at which your
engine operates without knocking.
Is engine knock
harmful for my vehicle? Occasional a light knocking or pinging
won’t hurt your engine, and does not indicate a need for
higher octane. But we don't recommend ignoring severe
knocking. A heavy or persistent knock can lead to engine
damage, and may be an indication of a more severe engine
fault.
Are "premium" or "regular" gasoline
the same, even if they are from different gas stations? The
octane rating of "premium" or "regular" gasoline is
not consistent across the country. One state may require a
minimum octane rating of premium gasoline to be 92, while
another state may allow 90 octane to be called
premium. Make sure you know what you’re paying for by
checking the octane rating on the yellow sticker on the
gas pump instead of relying on the name "regular" or
"premium".
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Question: I have a 97 nissan altima
sit in garage for 5 month. When i start the car several days
ago, it smell bad. So do i need to use up all old gas in the
gas tank and fill in new gas before i go smog
check?
Answer: We highly recommend you do
that. Old gas will not burn as efficiently as fresh fuel. Go
ahead and use up the old gas and fill fresh 3/4 tank before
the smog check.
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Question: I was wondering if the
octane level of the fuel has any bearing on the emmisions of
the car. Also, if a fuel additive (fuel system/injector
cleaner, Sta-Bil fuel stabilizer, etc) affects the emmisions
(either positively or negatively) if it is present in the fuel
when the test is administered.
Answer: High octane gas might help
lower NOx if your vehicle suffers from this failure. High
octane burns cooler and slower (keeping NOx low), but it also
produces less power which your engine might not be ready for.
This could cause other emissions such as HC and CO to
increase. It is recommended to use ONLY the manufactures
required octane at all times, specially during a smog test.
Your vehicle's emissions computer is programmed to process
information based on it's required fuel octane. The use of fuel additives can be very
helpful in lowering emission levels. Fuel additives are
generally poured into a vehicle's gas tank during fuel
refilling and mixed with ordinary fuel. Their purpose is to
clean carbon deposits with in your engine's intake and exhaust
systems, allowing for both fuel and air to flow freely within
its passages, thus lowering emission levels and improving
overall engine performance. These products offer helpful
solutions to various vehicle emission
problems.
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