General Honda Civic Forum Archive. The archive is dedicated to storing threads for research purposes only, please place questions in their appropriate forum.

Gas Question

 
Old Sep 15, 2003
  #1  
C-Loak's Avatar
Thread Starter
New Member
 
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
From: CA
Rep Power: 0
C-Loak is an unknown quantity at this point
Question Gas Question

What kind of gas do you prefer to use? I'm talking about octane level and brand. The 76 station in my town stopped putting MTBE in their gas so I was thinking about getting my gas from there. I was also considering Chevron since their gas has "techron." Does it really matter?
Old Sep 15, 2003
  #2  
FALKEN's Avatar
Civicforums Junkie
iTrader: (55)
 
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 16,087
Likes: 0
From: ARIZONA
Rep Power: 449
FALKEN is a glorious beacon of lightFALKEN is a glorious beacon of lightFALKEN is a glorious beacon of lightFALKEN is a glorious beacon of lightFALKEN is a glorious beacon of lightFALKEN is a glorious beacon of light
87 octane...once a month i add the Techron additive to a full tank
Old Sep 15, 2003
  #3  
BREEZE's Avatar
Yeah, i drive an EP
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,226
Likes: 0
From: OH-DIME
Rep Power: 0
BREEZE is an unknown quantity at this point
same here falken
Old Sep 15, 2003
  #4  
CapYoda's Avatar
Escaped Convict
iTrader: (30)
 
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 6,450
Likes: 0
From: Westminster, California, US
Rep Power: 368
CapYoda has a spectacular aura aboutCapYoda has a spectacular aura about
hmm its been discussed to death if you search for gas.

87. your car doesn't need more than that. (stock anyway)

anytime someone "feels rich" and pumps higher.. they're just wasting gas.

from what I gather, all gas in the US comes from the same pipeline.. then the manufactures put in their own additives... the rest comes down to their marketing power, and which one you end up prefering.

course quality control in transfering the fuel from refineries to station matters too.. so I suppose brand names have a less chance of getting a bad batch of gas.
Old Sep 15, 2003
  #5  
LDB's Avatar
LDB
Registered!!
 
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
From: Houston
Rep Power: 0
LDB is an unknown quantity at this point
From a former client who is an engineer for Texaco... There are minimum additive requirements for each grade of gasoline. That is the detergent, anti knock compound etc. that is in the fuel. There is NO benefit to higher octane in any given engine as long as it doesn't ping or knock. There IS a benefit to more detergent to keep the engine running cleaner longer. Texaco and Chevron put the amount of additive required by regulations for premium fuel in all 3 grades of their gasoline. Using Chevron regular unleaded gives you the proper octane as well as the most additives. That is the best way to go. It is a TOTAL WASTE OF MONEY to use premium in a car designed for regular and may in fact result in degraded performance.
Old Sep 15, 2003
  #6  
civicvtec1ps's Avatar
Search and Learn
iTrader: (34)
 
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 14,004
Likes: 0
From: 909, Socal
Rep Power: 433
civicvtec1ps is just really nicecivicvtec1ps is just really nicecivicvtec1ps is just really nicecivicvtec1ps is just really nicecivicvtec1ps is just really nice
i use 89. for my si
Old Sep 15, 2003
  #7  
jwalker87's Avatar
Bodacious Member
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,864
Likes: 0
From: Roanoke, VA
Rep Power: 0
jwalker87 is an unknown quantity at this point
wow, i seems like everyone uses the bottom grade. I'm gettin the SY turbo kit pretty soon...I should run 93 with that, right?

I use 89 or 93 right now. Dont really care, my parents pay for gas
Old Sep 15, 2003
  #8  
01WingsWestCivic's Avatar
7thgen Man-gina
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,016
Likes: 0
From: Louisville, Kentucky, US
Rep Power: 0
01WingsWestCivic is an unknown quantity at this point
93 octane, cause of the nawz
Old Sep 15, 2003
  #9  
civic01vtec's Avatar
Premium Member
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
iTrader: (20)
 
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 30,677
Likes: 1
From: Dallas, PA
Rep Power: 608
civic01vtec has a reputation beyond reputecivic01vtec has a reputation beyond reputecivic01vtec has a reputation beyond reputecivic01vtec has a reputation beyond reputecivic01vtec has a reputation beyond reputecivic01vtec has a reputation beyond reputecivic01vtec has a reputation beyond reputecivic01vtec has a reputation beyond reputecivic01vtec has a reputation beyond reputecivic01vtec has a reputation beyond reputecivic01vtec has a reputation beyond repute
89 and once in a while........93
Old Sep 15, 2003
  #10  
XSRCivic's Avatar
Premium Member
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
iTrader: (19)
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,351
Likes: 0
From: Houma, Louisiana
Rep Power: 306
XSRCivic is just really niceXSRCivic is just really niceXSRCivic is just really niceXSRCivic is just really niceXSRCivic is just really nice
"I use 89 or 93 right now. Dont really care, my parents pay for gas"

damn i hate you =\
Old Sep 15, 2003
  #11  
jwalker87's Avatar
Bodacious Member
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,864
Likes: 0
From: Roanoke, VA
Rep Power: 0
jwalker87 is an unknown quantity at this point
haha. hey, i'm 16 and my parents are "monetarily gifted." I'm not. Of course, everything that I have saved up i'm dumping on this civic, but oh well. But seriously, should I start always using 93 octane when I get the turbo?
Old Sep 15, 2003
  #12  
krayziebonet4l's Avatar
Samoan<^>(-_-)<^>Power
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,555
Likes: 1
From: Holloman AFB, NM US
Rep Power: 0
krayziebonet4l is an unknown quantity at this point
87
Old Sep 15, 2003
  #13  
mischa49's Avatar
Registered!!
 
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
From: Orinda
Rep Power: 0
mischa49 is an unknown quantity at this point
not that i know anything but... .the turbo runs off exhaust and it doesn't matter what kind of gas you're burning cuz exhaust is the same.

...but then again, i'm just a n00b.
Old Sep 15, 2003
  #14  
tripledoublegs's Avatar
Euro-Spec
iTrader: (11)
 
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,960
Likes: 0
From: So Cal, US
Rep Power: 332
tripledoublegs is just really nicetripledoublegs is just really nicetripledoublegs is just really nicetripledoublegs is just really nicetripledoublegs is just really nice
Yeah, you should. Anyways your parents give you the money for gas, plus your car won't be stock no more(I don't know if that matters).
Won't hurt it, so...yeah....
Old Sep 16, 2003
  #15  
ak's Avatar
ak
Retired Mod
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
iTrader: (19)
 
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 7,230
Likes: 0
From: Los Angeles (Downey), California, US
Rep Power: 0
ak can only hope to improve
Chevron 87 all the way. Like the rest of the people said above, it's a waste of money to use higher octane. HOWEVER, sometimes i dump 89 because it kills the pinging/knocking sound.
Old Sep 16, 2003
  #16  
xRiCeBoYx's Avatar
Administrator
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
Administrator
iTrader: (22)
 
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 21,620
Likes: 1,252
From: Las Vegas, NV
Rep Power: 512
xRiCeBoYx has a reputation beyond reputexRiCeBoYx has a reputation beyond reputexRiCeBoYx has a reputation beyond reputexRiCeBoYx has a reputation beyond reputexRiCeBoYx has a reputation beyond reputexRiCeBoYx has a reputation beyond reputexRiCeBoYx has a reputation beyond reputexRiCeBoYx has a reputation beyond reputexRiCeBoYx has a reputation beyond reputexRiCeBoYx has a reputation beyond reputexRiCeBoYx has a reputation beyond repute
i put nothing but chevron 93.. my 'rents gave me a chevron card tapped to their account
Old Sep 16, 2003
  #17  
Drnknmnky13's Avatar
Registered!!
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,255
Likes: 0
From: Baltimore,MD US
Rep Power: 0
Drnknmnky13 is an unknown quantity at this point
Originally posted by mischa49
not that i know anything but... .the turbo runs off exhaust and it doesn't matter what kind of gas you're burning cuz exhaust is the same.

...but then again, i'm just a n00b.
Forced induction raises the compression in the chamber so you actually DO need a higher octane to prevent premature ignition (saying that just makes me chuckle) So unless you raise the compression there is no need for a higher octane rating.
Old Sep 16, 2003
  #18  
CapYoda's Avatar
Escaped Convict
iTrader: (30)
 
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 6,450
Likes: 0
From: Westminster, California, US
Rep Power: 368
CapYoda has a spectacular aura aboutCapYoda has a spectacular aura about
after me and another person thats more qualified...

telling you guys that pumping higher octane into a stock civic is a waste of gas and money... and that it may even performe worse...

you guys still say you'll pump higher octane?

i'm sorry but thats just stupid.
Old Sep 16, 2003
  #19  
jwalker87's Avatar
Bodacious Member
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,864
Likes: 0
From: Roanoke, VA
Rep Power: 0
jwalker87 is an unknown quantity at this point
however, that guy that said he runs 87, but sometimes 89 to ged rid of the knocking...that's detonation! If you want the best for your car, the reason they have 3 levels is so that you use the minimum level that doesn't detonate. You start at 87, and if you hear knocking, you move up to 89, and so on...
Old Sep 16, 2003
  #20  
l00pb4k's Avatar
But it's a Dry Heat
 
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,025
Likes: 0
From: 909
Rep Power: 0
l00pb4k is an unknown quantity at this point
I heard somewhere that the ECU adjusts for the octane level anyway so you will get the same performance out of 87 as you will for 91 (I hate you guys that get 93 where you live ) Just something I heard, but I don't think you need the higher octane unless you need it for an upgraded ECU, turbo, NOS, or similar application. Plus, if you think you do...go buy a bottle of the NOS Octane Booster. It is like $5 and is good for a couple of tanks of gas. Brings your Octane up like 5 - 10 points.
Old Sep 16, 2003
  #21  
jwalker87's Avatar
Bodacious Member
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,864
Likes: 0
From: Roanoke, VA
Rep Power: 0
jwalker87 is an unknown quantity at this point
when they say 5-10 points, what they really mean is 5-10 TENTHS of a point. So if you get 91 octane and use a 5 point booster, you'll have 91.5 octane.
Old Sep 16, 2003
  #22  
l00pb4k's Avatar
But it's a Dry Heat
 
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,025
Likes: 0
From: 909
Rep Power: 0
l00pb4k is an unknown quantity at this point
eh, okay, it is all mental unless your engine can actually utilize the gas anyway. It FEELS like it has more power
Old Sep 16, 2003
  #23  
Bellz's Avatar
Registered!!
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 1,143
Likes: 4
From: Fort Oglethorpe
Rep Power: 316
Bellz has a spectacular aura aboutBellz has a spectacular aura about
I put 87 in mine a few months ago and it ran like ****. I've kept 89 or higher from that point on and I've had no problems. Maybe the computer was used to the higher octane and needed to adjust, I don't know for sure. It doesn't cost that much more to get 89, so thats what it gets.

I found this website that talks about Octane Ratings:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/autos/octane.htm\
and
http://www.howstuffworks.com/question90.htm
Old Sep 16, 2003
  #24  
DaveyD's Avatar
Mr. Negative
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 9,165
Likes: 0
From: Duluth, MN
Rep Power: 395
DaveyD is a jewel in the roughDaveyD is a jewel in the roughDaveyD is a jewel in the roughDaveyD is a jewel in the rough
I have only used higher octance only a couple times when I was driving through Iowa. The 90 octance was cheaper than 87 octance. I think for the basic fact it had ethanol in it. But with the ethanol, i got much better mpg. But otherwise around town, I buy the cheap 87 octane. I hve tired higher once, but whats the point, I drive a Civic, with no performance mods.
Old Sep 17, 2003
  #25  
nongv's Avatar
Registered!!
 
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 527
Likes: 0
From: sacramento, California, US
Rep Power: 0
nongv is an unknown quantity at this point
will mixing octane do anything to your car? like lets say i have 91 octane and the tank isn't empty yet and i pump 87 in it. will it do anything to the car? and by knocking, what do you guys mean? do i listen for a knocking of some sort?
Old Sep 17, 2003
  #26  
Bellz's Avatar
Registered!!
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 1,143
Likes: 4
From: Fort Oglethorpe
Rep Power: 316
Bellz has a spectacular aura aboutBellz has a spectacular aura about
This is from: http://www.citgo.com/Products/QuestionsAnswers.jsp#Q3

"Engine knock is a sharp metallic noise, sometimes referred to as engine clatter or pinging, caused by the pre-ignition of fuel as it's compressed in the cylinder, milliseconds before the normal spark plug firing. This condition typically occurs during acceleration, such as merging into highway traffic, or under heavy load conditions, such as pulling a boat or travel trailer. Under knock conditions, a vehicle will experience a reduction in power output as well as reduced fuel economy."
Old Sep 17, 2003
  #27  
Legxcy's Avatar
Registered!!
 
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 289
Likes: 0
From: U.S.A
Rep Power: 0
Legxcy is an unknown quantity at this point
The owner's manual says 87... So I just do that. If I hooked up my car though... I would want to get like 91, or 93 where ever that is? Or go to the 76 and get some 100 octane... OH OH!!! I was thinking... if I ran 100 octane in my car... what would happen? Super speed? Or super trouble? Or super NOTHING!!! Always a question I thought of...
Old Sep 17, 2003
  #28  
01WingsWestCivic's Avatar
7thgen Man-gina
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,016
Likes: 0
From: Louisville, Kentucky, US
Rep Power: 0
01WingsWestCivic is an unknown quantity at this point
i thought almost everyone got 93 octane... lucky me i guess
Old Sep 17, 2003
  #29  
Legxcy's Avatar
Registered!!
 
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 289
Likes: 0
From: U.S.A
Rep Power: 0
Legxcy is an unknown quantity at this point
YEA YOU ARE... does anyone know what would happen with 100 octane in a stock Civic?
Old Sep 17, 2003
  #30  
Drnknmnky13's Avatar
Registered!!
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,255
Likes: 0
From: Baltimore,MD US
Rep Power: 0
Drnknmnky13 is an unknown quantity at this point
Originally posted by Legxcy
YEA YOU ARE... does anyone know what would happen with 100 octane in a stock Civic?
It would be faster due to your lighter wallet. Other than that nothing.

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:44 AM.