RE: High octane gas????
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RE: High octane gas???? - 3/5/2006 12:02:04 PM
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tbone_600cc
Posts: 27
Joined: 1/6/2006
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Here's some facts.
'20/20' Takes on Summertime Myths
http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Health/story?id=939056&page=2
The Price Is Premium, But 'Gas Is Gas'
When you head out on vacation this summer, you'll probably spend big bucks filling your car's gas tank, while griping about the price. But a lot of you who are complaining could be spending less for your gas.
You have a choice of gas at the pump. The price of 93 octane premium is more than regular 87 octane — about 20 cents more per gallon at many stations. Because premium costs more, a lot of people think it's better for their cars.
People told us premium gasoline gives them better gas mileage, more power and cleaner engines.
Regular gas, one woman told "20/20," "leaves a lot of gunk in your engine … That's what my daddy taught me."
But her daddy — and many of you who buy premium — are wasting your money.
NASCAR driver Joe Nemechek knows this. "Believe me, I've pumped gas in from about every gas station there's been in my personal cars. Whether it's around town or on vacation or wherever, you put the regular in there it keeps on running," he said. The NASCAR drivers, mechanics, and car makers will tell you that for 90 percent of the cars sold today, high octane is no better than regular gas. It won't give you better mileage, more power or a cleaner engine. NASCAR crew member Lisa Smokstad told us what every expert told us.
"It is a myth that cars run better on premium gas," she said.
Some cars do need higher octane — older cars that knock, and cars with high-compression, high-revving engines like Ferraris, Bentleys, Jaguars, Acuras, Mercedes and Corvettes.
But 90 percent of new cars don't need it — check your owner's manual.
The car manufacturers and every car expert we consulted told us that for most cars, high octane is a waste of money. Even the gas companies that sell the high-octane fuel — and make more money off of it — admit most people don't need it. But they don't go out of their way to tell you that.
Once you've figured out which octane to buy, does the brand matter? Are the well-known national brands better than the no-name brands, which are usually cheaper?
People we spoke to gave similar reasons for buying name-brand gasoline that they gave for buying high-octane gas. They believed the national brands were higher quality, and better for their cars.
But they may not know that all the gas, brand name and generic, comes from the same refineries. Brand names do use different additives, but it doesn't make them better for your car.
In 1996, the Federal Trade Commission forced Amoco, which denied any wrongdoing, to stop claiming in its ads that it was better than other brands without scientific evidence to back it up.
"It's a myth that brand-name gas is better than a no-name gas," said mechanic Dave Bowman, co-host of "Two Guys Garage" on cable TV's Speed channel.
"It doesn't make any difference whether you're buying a branded product or a no-name product," he said.
"The only difference is price."
The NASCAR drivers agree about that, too. "It's a myth, you don't need the high-octane gasoline, you don't need the, the name-brand stuff," said driver Jimmie Johnson.
Some of the fans have figured that out.
One man summed it up nicely for us. "The manufacturers and the gasoline dealers, they all want you to buy that expensive stuff. It all runs on the same stuff. Gas is gas."
Minnesota Department of Commerce Gasoline Facts and Myths
http://www.state.mn.us/mn/externalDocs/Commerce/Gasoline_Octane_Facts_102902052227_OctaneFacts.pdf
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RE: High octane gas???? - 3/5/2006 9:29:02 PM
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Tahoe SC
Posts: 5798
Joined: 8/24/2005
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quote:
ORIGINAL: 1998f3
Thanks guys. I dont care if the manual calls for 87, cause I'm still not putting that low grade in there. I only have a 4.5 gal tank, so 12-13 to fill er up on premie doesnt bother me. I'll just forget about the octane booster, cause it seems like a waste of a couple bux. I could be spending those hard earned dollars else where. (Im not suggesting it to be spent on some bud-light) wink-wink.
not to totally offend you or anything...but that is pretty ignorant dude...facts show one thing and the science is all there...but you decide to look the other way...
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RE: High octane gas???? - 3/6/2006 5:58:28 PM
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1998f3
Posts: 167
Joined: 8/17/2005
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I'm not trying to be, or sound ignorant. My buddy has a newer ninja, and he filled her up with low test gas a while back. For a while his bike ran and sounded like absolute crap. After he had enough, we syphoned out the old gas and filled it up with premium and let it run for a while to get that gas flowing through the lines. He took it on a test ride and I went with him. The gas made a difference in his bike. It idled smooth and ran a lot better. Thats why I'm saying that I will use premium. Sorry guys, I'm not trying to be ignorant I was just asking for other peoples opinions.
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---BadAzz1998F3---
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RE: High octane gas???? - 3/6/2006 6:02:03 PM
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929_erion
Posts: 223
Joined: 4/2/2005
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+1
quote:
ORIGINAL: Calkidd
You don't want to spend extra money on octane boost because you think it is a waste of money, but you will spend the extra money for the higher octane you don't need? It is the same principle, either way you look at it your are wasting money....
First off there is no such thing as "low grade" fuel. The quality has nothing to do with the amount of octane additive it is all processed the same way.
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RE: High octane gas???? - 3/6/2006 6:52:02 PM
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Tahoe SC
Posts: 5798
Joined: 8/24/2005
Status: online
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quote:
ORIGINAL: 1998f3
I'm not trying to be, or sound ignorant. My buddy has a newer ninja, and he filled her up with low test gas a while back. For a while his bike ran and sounded like absolute crap. After he had enough, we syphoned out the old gas and filled it up with premium and let it run for a while to get that gas flowing through the lines. He took it on a test ride and I went with him. The gas made a difference in his bike. It idled smooth and ran a lot better. Thats why I'm saying that I will use premium. Sorry guys, I'm not trying to be ignorant I was just asking for other peoples opinions.
ok dude, i sounded like a total dick when i said the ignorant thing. i so apologize...but good you didn't take it the wrong way.
check this out...for older motors that have carbon build up in them, they tend to run hotter than new motors that are all nice and smooth like my wife's legs....but that's not my point here.
so with these bikes that run hotter because of the build up, you'll need to run higher octane because regular would cause it to predetonate, but if you gots a brand spanking new motor and haven't done anything to it nor mess with the a/f, timing, etc...then you should just run the minimum required so it doesn't ping.
my bike has 38K on it, but i still run regular cause i haven't heard it ping at all...i'm sure there are some deposits on it though...also...when i'm riding that thing...with the rattling cctl and the exhaust, i can't hear shite anyway!
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RE: High octane gas???? - 3/6/2006 11:00:25 PM
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1998f3
Posts: 167
Joined: 8/17/2005
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It's okay Tahoe SC. I didn't take it personally. I also didn't want to sound bad either. My bike says that it has 12k on it, but with the +1 sprocket on it, the mileage is off. I know for a fact that the guy who had it before me rode it kinda hard, so I tend to baby it a little. I just always put premie in it. Thanks for all the comments guys.
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---BadAzz1998F3---
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RE: High octane gas???? - 3/7/2006 10:26:10 AM
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05Tribal
Posts: 919
Joined: 5/23/2005
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Why are so many people hesitant of doing what the manufacturer suggests? The owners manual for my wife's 05 600RR recommends lower octane gas like 86-88 and my 06 1000RR says to use only premium. There must be an excellent reason Honda went through the trouble of coming up with a sticker that they placed on tank right near the fill access door, on the 1000RR, that states use premium gas only. (I will be removing all warning sticker by the way.) Just to see what difference there might have been I've used both premium and regular grade gas in the 600RR and could not tell a difference but you can be sure since Honda went out of there way to advise me to use premium in the 1000 premium will the only gas I use in it.
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2006 Red & Black CBR1000RR
Street Bike With a few mods
2007 White & Silver CBR600RR
For the wife
2005 CBR600RR
Totally for the track!
Columbus, OH
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RE: High octane gas???? - 3/7/2006 4:52:42 PM
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chainstretcher
Posts: 3984
Joined: 11/5/2004
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Because it's been drilled into our heads that if it costs more it is better. And face it, we all love our 2 wheeled friends and want the best for them. The actual cost to the oil companies to make 93 over 87 is on a few cents but you wouldn't know it at the pump. And with all the talking car commercials telling how much they love the premium ....
Here's the good news. Using higher grade octane than you need won't hurt a thing. Your bike can not get "used" to it and then need it for real after that.
Tahoe brought out a great point about older engines with carbon deposits running hotter. The little carbon kling-ons will predetonate your fuel charge. There's an easy way to diminish these deposits. Involves squirting water into the throttle bodies while the engine is running. Fortunately fuel injection has helped a lot with keeping the pistons and valves free from crud.
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It's better to burn out ...
Than high side!
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