Are High Octanes really high OCTANE

pratheesh · 14th December 2005, 14:16

Please tell me whether high octane petrols are really made of those highly branched octane................or are they called because of their high octane numbers...

i asked this question because, ethyl alcohol is said to ve an ocatne rating of 127, and when mixed with petrol it should exhibit high octane rating....

though ethyl alcohol, according to latest trends, is a better fuel than petrol...when used in a petrol engine will deteriorate the rubber sealings and pipes...it may also produce high temperatures...

also the advertisements claim their fuels are capable of CLEANING the interior of engine from dirt n soot....which is possible when ethyl alcohol is used...

also provide me with the ingredients of premium petrols...

please clear my doubts....

quicksilver · 14th December 2005, 15:21

yes high Octane petrols really do have a high Octane content as advertised. This can easily be experienced in the older cars where the engine knocking will be reduced to a good extent. However, on modern cars there is an advanced ECU along with Knock sensors etc which adjust the fuel/air musture automatically and hence the higher octane does not really make much of a difference in modern cars, except an improvement in FE.

Speed/XTraPremium etc all contain regular fuel + additives. these additives are what is said to clean up the fuel systems and it is not comprised on Ethanol. Though most of the dealers advise not to use Premium fuels, my advice would be to spend that extra buck and go for Premium. I have been using XTraPremium only on my 2003 Honda City and have had no issues whatsoever so far. The car is only getting better as days pass

pratheesh · 16th December 2005, 12:07

but think, ethyl alcohol can do the same detergent effects (cleaning), and of course is a cleaner, cheaper fuel than petrol.......
but the only problem is that more heat is produced when burning ethanol....
why is it that ethyl alcohol is not accepted as a motor fuel in India...
Petroleum lobby????

tsk1979 · 16th December 2005, 12:54

Shortage of so much ethyl alcohol. Till recently it did not make economic sense. Now with govt intervention 5-10% mix will be there soon. I would term it down to petrolium lobby, Govt laziness, lack of initiative from manufacturers, and low priced diesel.

vigsom · 19th September 2006, 23:50

Yes..premium fuels like Speed and XTra Premium are definitely worth the extra buck..they make a great difference in driving.FE also improves,though marginally.

Ethanol is not good for the engine if its concentration in petrol is over 5%.There are proposals to blend motor spirit with ethanol .That is one more avenue to lower the cost of fuel ex Refinery and raise profit margins.Gradually the concentration of ethanol in motor spirit would rise and and unsuspecting customers' cars engines would face the music !!!!

Steeroid · 20th September 2006, 00:53

ADNOC (Abu Dhabi National Oil Co) has promised to release a new variant of gasoline in the market here which will be cheaper than the existing fuels (93, 95 and 98 octane). Perhaps this is regular 89 octane which is not available here, or perhaps they're planning an alcohol additive......will keep you guys updated.

but I bought STP Fuel System Cleaner for my car today and it had a large sticker which said "Made with Jet Fuel!". If I'm not mistaken, Jet Fuel is KEROSENE and the damn concoction smelt very much like kerosene....is that all it takes to clean up injectors?

sandeep108 · 20th September 2006, 11:02

I thought naphtha and kerosene were adulterants, not cleaners

tsk1979 · 20th September 2006, 11:30

Jet kerosine is not something you get from local hatti. Its highly purified Kerosene and is really really expensive. How much you pay for your air ticket depends quite a bit on the price of Jet kerosine in the international market.

sandeep108 · 20th September 2006, 11:59

Of course I know, tsk - just a light moment...

gd1418 · 20th September 2006, 22:48

This is very strange. I have a 2004 Accord 3.0 and initially used Speed from BP. The vehicle started giving probs. While accelarating there were hiccups. Switched pumps and started using Power from HP. Initially ok and then the same problem cropped up. So, finally consulted the workshop - Ring Road Honda. Was very clearly told to use normal petrol only without additives. Listened to their advice and no problems whatsoever there after. I've no explanation to this. The same thing was corroborated by a fellow Accord 2.4v user. Any comments???

Quote:

Originally Posted by quicksilver

I have been using XTraPremium only on my 2003 Honda City and have had no issues whatsoever so far. The car is only getting better as days pass

14th December 2005, 14:16	#1
pratheesh BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Omnipresent Posts: 49 Thanked: 0 Times	Are High Octanes really high OCTANE Please tell me whether high octane petrols are really made of those highly branched octane................or are they called because of their high octane numbers... i asked this question because, ethyl alcohol is said to ve an ocatne rating of 127, and when mixed with petrol it should exhibit high octane rating.... though ethyl alcohol, according to latest trends, is a better fuel than petrol...when used in a petrol engine will deteriorate the rubber sealings and pipes...it may also produce high temperatures... also the advertisements claim their fuels are capable of CLEANING the interior of engine from dirt n soot....which is possible when ethyl alcohol is used... also provide me with the ingredients of premium petrols... please clear my doubts....
	() Thanks

14th December 2005, 15:21	#2
quicksilver BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Coimbatore Posts: 455 Thanked: 12 Times View My Garage	yes high Octane petrols really do have a high Octane content as advertised. This can easily be experienced in the older cars where the engine knocking will be reduced to a good extent. However, on modern cars there is an advanced ECU along with Knock sensors etc which adjust the fuel/air musture automatically and hence the higher octane does not really make much of a difference in modern cars, except an improvement in FE. Speed/XTraPremium etc all contain regular fuel + additives. these additives are what is said to clean up the fuel systems and it is not comprised on Ethanol. Though most of the dealers advise not to use Premium fuels, my advice would be to spend that extra buck and go for Premium. I have been using XTraPremium only on my 2003 Honda City and have had no issues whatsoever so far. The car is only getting better as days pass
	() Thanks

16th December 2005, 12:07	#3
pratheesh BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Omnipresent Posts: 49 Thanked: 0 Times	but think, ethyl alcohol can do the same detergent effects (cleaning), and of course is a cleaner, cheaper fuel than petrol....... but the only problem is that more heat is produced when burning ethanol.... why is it that ethyl alcohol is not accepted as a motor fuel in India... Petroleum lobby????
	() Thanks

16th December 2005, 12:54	#4
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,717 Thanked: 22,825 Times View My Garage	Shortage of so much ethyl alcohol. Till recently it did not make economic sense. Now with govt intervention 5-10% mix will be there soon. I would term it down to petrolium lobby, Govt laziness, lack of initiative from manufacturers, and low priced diesel.
	() Thanks

19th September 2006, 23:50	#5
vigsom Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: NSEW Posts: 3,768 Thanked: 25,496 Times	Yes..premium fuels like Speed and XTra Premium are definitely worth the extra buck..they make a great difference in driving.FE also improves,though marginally. Ethanol is not good for the engine if its concentration in petrol is over 5%.There are proposals to blend motor spirit with ethanol .That is one more avenue to lower the cost of fuel ex Refinery and raise profit margins.Gradually the concentration of ethanol in motor spirit would rise and and unsuspecting customers' cars engines would face the music !!!!
	() Thanks

20th September 2006, 00:53	#6
Steeroid Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: N.A Posts: 7,046 Thanked: 2,751 Times	ADNOC (Abu Dhabi National Oil Co) has promised to release a new variant of gasoline in the market here which will be cheaper than the existing fuels (93, 95 and 98 octane). Perhaps this is regular 89 octane which is not available here, or perhaps they're planning an alcohol additive......will keep you guys updated. but I bought STP Fuel System Cleaner for my car today and it had a large sticker which said "Made with Jet Fuel!". If I'm not mistaken, Jet Fuel is KEROSENE and the damn concoction smelt very much like kerosene....is that all it takes to clean up injectors? Last edited by Steeroid : 20th September 2006 at 00:56.
	() Thanks

20th September 2006, 11:02	#7
sandeep108 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,050 Thanked: 302 Times	I thought naphtha and kerosene were adulterants, not cleaners
	() Thanks

20th September 2006, 11:30	#8
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,717 Thanked: 22,825 Times View My Garage	Jet kerosine is not something you get from local hatti. Its highly purified Kerosene and is really really expensive. How much you pay for your air ticket depends quite a bit on the price of Jet kerosine in the international market.
	() Thanks

20th September 2006, 11:59	#9
sandeep108 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,050 Thanked: 302 Times	Of course I know, tsk - just a light moment...
	() Thanks