87 octane ?

Well, 80mph is the speed limit in some places. But I think he may have been meaning if you drive 70 you're boggin in 5/6th gear but if you keep it at 80 it doens't bog as much (?) dunno.

 

This is what I like to fill up with too. I feel with most consumer end products and consumables that the middle ground gives the best compromise/balance of both ends.

 

https://www.youtube.com/embed/kfVsfOSbJY0

 

So your traction control turned on and gas is to blame... alright then

This is a simulation Atkinson cycle engine. It uses the variable valve timing to effectively adjust the dynamic compression ratio... it leaves the intake valve open during the compression cycle to reduce cylinder volume, so that the ignition expansion is fully absorbed by the pistons. So yes 11.1:1 compression static but definitely not all the time. Also, the engine has knock sensors that will protect the engine from high load pre-ignition events. Running 91 octane is just a waste of money, especially with gas prices now!!!

Edit: mistakenly listed wrong valve for Atkinson cycle operation. Thank you @RX1cobra for the correction

 

Some of the confusion here is octane is an imprecise word....or more correctly, we misuse and misunderstand the word.

Octane is a specific hydrocarbon molecule.

A generic octane rating attempts to compare how a specific gasoline blend combusts vs pure iso-octane.

This is done through testing but there are different ways to do the test and based on how you test you will come up with a different "octane rating".

See below for a clip from another site that explains this better than I can:

How is fuel quality measured and rated

Gasoline quality is measured experimentally but using different tests. Depending on the test that is done to control fuel quality, we get

• Research Octane Number (RON) , used in Europe and most of the world
• Motor Octane Number (MON)

Because two different tests define RON and MON, with MON testing done under more difficult conditions, MON number is always lower than RON.

Europe vs the States

In Europe, gas stations describe different types of gasoline based on their RON rating. It is typical to have 100, 99, 98, 97 or 95 RON with prices varying accordingly. In the States the descriptions look a lot like RON, but they are not.

Pump gas

In the United States gas stations describe the types of gasoline based on the Pump Octane Number (PON). That number is the average between RON and MON. This causes many problems.

If a fuel is 98 RON then it will be 93 PON -> 93 PUMP
If a fuel is 95 RON and 87 MON then it will be 91 PON -> 91 PUMP

Is American fuel quality bad after all?

No, not at all. Contrary to popular belief, fuel quality in the States is as good as anywhere else in Europe. Most Americans think that because they are running 91 octane fuel, their engine will blow up. It is the same as if they were using European 95oct fuel.

Everywhere else in the world, 98 RON and 95 RON gasoline usually are fit.Anything lower then that and your modern engine will have a lot of trouble adjusting, even on the stock calibration.

 

Lower octane = more easily combustible = more efficient. Higher octane = harder to unexpectedly combust = less efficient. That said, higher octane alone does not give you more power, but it allows an engine to be tuned to make more power. With today's automotive ECUs, they are monitoring for 'pings' and adjusting things pretty quickly to prevent it as it is not a good condition for the engine. Some of that adjusting can give you a little power increase; noticeable? Maybe. It depends on how hard you're looking for it.

I rode many miles on an air-cooled, fuel injected motorcycle and while the manufacturer recommended at least 87 octane, the thing would ping badly if the air temps were over 50F unless I used super-unleaded. I had to run at least 89 in the cooler months but summertime, I had to run 91 octane to prevent the pinging. I never noticed a real power or performance difference so I went with the 'least expensive' fuel I could get away with. I ended up riding 170,000 miles on that bike without any issues. I did usually put an ounce or two of Seafoam in the tank on most fill-ups but that was to help keep the fuel system clean, and is not an octane booster.

So far I've been running 87 octane in my '21 Tacoma without any issues and plan to keep doing it unless there is a good reason for me to change it. I've done some light towing, heavier hauling (stuff in the bed) without any obvious issues (yet). Side note: I did have to fill up a few weeks ago using 'ethanol free' gas and also did not experience any noticeable performance differences. The mileage I got out of that tank of fuel was also not any great increase but given the opportunity, I will use the ethanol free stuff, also in 87 octane.

 

Anything above the recommended octane is just wasted money.

 

Should I be going to top tier gas stations instead? I usually pump at Fred meyers since I get a lot of rewards for gas. I had $.80 off last time so paying under $4 again was nice.

 

I use “octane remover” (a mixture of borax and lemon juice) to lower the octane to 78. The gas company sends me a cheque at the end of each month. It’s a real money maker.

 

Mazda 3 has a 13:1 compression ratio. It runs on regular and I doubt anyone using a basic econobox is putting 91 or higher in their cars. So 11:1 is pretty low in comparison.

 

Research octane 91 IS US octane 87. It’s just what other countries use as a label.

1. 87 AKI = 91 RON.
2. 91 AKI = 93 RON.
3. 93 AKI = 98 RON.

 

I've run E10 89, really couldn't tell any difference from the 87 except cost more. Jump up to a few fill-ups of 93 which i noticed a big change after a tank...truck seemed to have no power up hills with the transmission downshifting, and upshifting much like it did when new with no miles. I noticed the the tail pipe tip turned all sooty black and didn't get any better.

 

I haven't had any problems with 87. Maybe you just got some bad gas.

 

I use 87 but drive very easy. When I need more power, I hit the ECT button (but generally don't need to very often).

 

I got the premium package from the factory so I didn’t have to run premium fuel. OEM savings are really paying out right now

 

I just run E85 24/7/369/420

Easier on the wallet and my car smells amazing.

 

Pretty sure the simulated Atkinson cycle is accomplished by leaving the intake valve open for the start of the compression stroke. Effectively blowing some of the air it drew in on the intake stroke back into the intake manifold.

 

Imo, you always try to use a top tier fuel. At least you'll know what your getting. Those other guys skimp on detergents to help keep your fuel system clean.