Re: A Non-Troll Idea About Reducing Gas Prices
Octane is a cooling agent rating. The higher the octane rating the higher combustion pressure it will withstand before detonating. High compression engines require high octane fuels. Low compression engines require low octane fuel. This is why some engines (high compression) ping on low octane fuels. Pinging engines are actually detonating the fuel due to combustion chamber temperature and pressure before the ignition system has had time to light the fuel and start it burning. Low octane fuels also have a more violent burn/explosion rate, and the high octane fuels control burn more evenly. If you have an engine that require a 89 or 92 octane fuel, I would highly recommend you adhere to these recomendations. If you dont, you will actually kill your engine prematurely due to detonation. Also just because you cant hear it, does not mean the engine is not pinging. This is also the reason for knock sensors on all conputerized engines. If you run low octane in a computerized engine that require a high octane fuel the computer sences the knock/ping and will retard timing trying to eliminate the knock, which will also increase engine temp. Slow ignition timing reduces efficiency.<br /><br />And thats not all, there is more, but my finger is tired of typing.<br /><br />Edit; My wifes car, 2001 Pontiac Grand Am is the only combustion engine that I own that does not require one of the higher octane fuels.
