Octane difference?

Costco gas is Tier 1. I just don't often use it because the lines are too long.

 

There's a wealth of misinformation on the internet as well. How do you know what's true and what isn't?

 

Thanks!

No stations near me.

 

I don’t think that site has been updated in several years.

 

Damn, I wish I could disagree with everything the poster said since every article, scientist, professional, whatever says it can't happen but absolutely I notice slight improvement in performance and definitely a 10-15% increase in MPG.

 

But would a transmission cooler help mileage even more?


<doing the trans cooler jig>

 

No but tow hooks would most def

 

Your right there is a lot information on the internet. But it only takes a little bit of thinking to know that higher octane doesn’t burn hotter. It also doesn’t clean your engine better. How about that it scientifically been proven that all grades of gas have the same BTU. Every source of energy has a BTU rating, propane, diesel, electric, etc. The BTUs in gas don’t magically change because of higher octane. Plenty of creditable sites that know a thing or two about it would be good place to start. Instead of telling random people on the internet that he read from a friends uncles brothers, that his truck does everything he mentioned because they know.

 

Only if you used low octane trans fluid. It doesn’t burn as hotter as high octane trans fluid.

 

it's also hella fresh gas..they have new gas twice a week

 

Where did you get 108 octane? Racing fuel is not even 108.

 

Eh - that depends. We run 116 in the drag boat.





87 in the Tundra.

 

This has been similar to my experience with ethanol gas as well going from 87 to 89 octane, which has been consistently $0.20/gal more in Gods country. I saw no difference with 91 octane, so I suspect there are other constituents in the fuel causing the bump. Have not tested ethanol-free. (Side note: I can say I’ve broken the no-ethanol-in-small-engines rule and am now paying the price with fuel system rebuilds on my yard equipment.)

My conclusion is, I like the bump (closer to 8% in my case) and the additional insurance benefits of added solvents in the fuel.

I didn’t see this mentioned, but there are a number of factors here, right? Speed, hauling loads, humidity and temperature, road profile, AC on/off, etc. And another interesting question… does the increased mileage hold steady at 65, 70, 75 and 80, or does the increased mileage degrade?

 

I have always heard of this no ethanol on lawn equipment or boats, I have owned a few boat and use to hear it all the time on the boat forums. I guess I must have been lucky because I have never had an issue. I have had to do maintenance but never a total engine failure. What do you mean by added solvents in the fuel? All fuels from a certain manuf has the same solvents/additives across all grades. Now if you use E-15 or E-85 then yes, there is more solvents. Alcohol is a solvent. Only way to know about your last question, is a blind test. Give someone a vehicle and tell them to drive it normal. In the past when I have tried higher octane or non-ethanol, you tend to be more cautious to try to achieve better results.

 

I did just that.

i ran 3 tanks of Costco 87
and 3 tanks of Costco 93

I drive like an old robot (albeit with a trans cooler). South Houston - 60mph to work and back - 56 miles round trip.

it made Zero difference. 17mpg.

this was before boost. using the tried and true Scanguage 2. that thing was within a tenth of a gallon at fillup.


now I use 93 octane - because that's what the Dr. ordered.

so I took it a step further after boost and bumped my octane to ~95 using royal purple octane boost.

again....no difference.


I still get 17mpg with the Harrop blower - right up until I press the skinny pedal.


to address a concern a few comments up....if I was going to tow/haul a load for an extended distance...I would probably bump my octane a couple points - because.

 

I'm sure the mpg numbers shrink, but I'm also sure the smile on your face increases!

 

It would have worked if you tweaked the timing more. But yeah just adding octane boost does nothing. Funny you mentioned octane boost. This goes to show you how advertising works. Back in my dirt bike days, I was around 10-11, I use to think that octane boost would make my dirt bike run faster. Boy did I waste money on OB.

 

maybe.

my tuning map is set up quite nice. (according to the blabbage the tuner was barking at me)

Octane will only help me under rare circumstances....like pulling a load, under full boost, at slow speed.

these conditions would produce the effect you are alluding to. Toyota pulls timing when it see big knockers.....wait...when it hears the knock sensors. sorry.

but my tune is set to accommodate that with timing... up until an ECU threshold. since I don't haul heavy sh1t, I'm all good.

 

He said he's rebuilding fuel systems. That's a fair bit away from total engine failure. Ethanol is more acidic and harder on seals, and it attracts moisture.

You'll burn more ethanol to go the same distance compared to gasoline because ethanol has less energy in it. It has nothing to do with a driver being more cautious. It is measurable and documented. Ethanol free will get better MPG than fuel with ethanol, regardless of octane.

 

I'm gonna test ethanol free next week. Buccee's in has 92 octane ethanol free & beaver nuggets*.

I'll run it and see if I bump higher than my usual 17mpg.


I'm not sure of the effects that the beaver nuggets will have, but it is worth the effort.


*for the unwashed...Beaver nuggets are Texas sized super sugar crisps. Remember the honey bear?

 

I have a hard time staying on topic.....

 

I know what he said. Just that in the boat forums they would say don’t use ethanol or your engine will blow.

I understand that ethanol burns faster. I am just saying that if you do a blind test the results would probably come out different. In my head I would be thinking how much better mpg I could really get, so my driving habits would change. Obviously non-ethanol will get mpg than ethanol but I was saying blind test on ethanol 87 vs 93. I know I worded it weird with non vs ethanol.

 

Ethanol pulls water into the fuel tank....bad ju-ju

boat fuel tanks tend to sit for a long time..

 

That is true. But you should see some of the comments that where made over on those forums. It was like the end of the world.

 

amateurs.

 

I agree. The only way I could see higher octane making a difference is if it has less ethanol in it?

That said, my uncle IS a Toyota Master Mechanic and drives his own Tundra and says they run better with mid-grade.

EDIT: I will ask next time I see him in person to grok why.

 

Anybody know stickers and premium gas gives you more HP…it’s dyno proven…lol