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What Do Octane Ratings Mean?

4/25/2023 4:02:00 PM | (911) View Count | Return

You have probably heard of an octane rating before, but you may not know what exactly it is. Simply put, an octane rating is a measurement of fuel stability. More gas pump with different octane buttons

specifically, octane ratings are based on the amount of pressure at which the fuel will auto-ignite in a specific engine, also called spontaneous combustion. Higher octane ratings mean that fuel is more stable.

An octane rating is also known as an octane number. This number is the simple average of the research octane rating and the motor octane rating. The research octane rating and the motor octane rating are two distinct octane rating methods. The main difference between the research octane rating and the motor octane rating is the operating conditions' specific details.

What's the difference between ratings?

As previously stated, the difference between octane ratings is that they give you different measurements of fuel stability. Lower octane ratings mean that fuel is more unstable and higher octane ratings mean the exact opposite. However, this does not mean that you should put the wrong kind of fuel in your vehicle just because it is more stable. If you put the incorrect kind of fuel in your vehicle, it can cause all sorts of problems. That is why it is important to know which grade of gasoline you should put in your car.

How do I know which octane to put in my car?

You can get three primary grades of gasoline at a retail gas station in the US. These three grades of gasoline are regular, mid grade, and premium. You can find out which grade of gasoline you should put in your car by reading the owner's manual to see the minimum octane rating.

gas pump

If a car needs premium fuel, you will likely see something specifying that fact near or on the gas cap. You may even see something indicating that the car needs premium fuel close to the fuel gauge. In the event that your car needs premium fuel, you should fill it up with premium fuel.

You should never assume that your car uses a certain grade of gas. You should find out what kind of gas your car needs before you refuel it. However, it is more likely that your car uses regular-grade gas. The majority of cars use regular-grade gas.

Additionally, there are even some luxury cars that also use regular gas. The octane rating for regular-grade gas in the US is 87. The octane rating is not out of 100, in case you were wondering.

Why is higher-octane fuel more expensive than lower-octane fuel?

The reason that higher-octane fuel is more expensive than lower-octane fuel is that the fuel components that increase octane are typically costlier to make. Therefore, that expense carries over to you, which is why you have to pay more for higher-octane fuel. In any case, you should just read your owner's manual and fill up your car with whatever kind of fuel it needs.

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At United Tire & Service, our staff is here to serve customers throughout Pennsylvania. We offer top-quality auto repair services done by expert technicians. From an oil change or brake repair to auto air conditioning repair, muffler repair, engine diagnostics, wheel alignment, car batteries, fleet repair, tire repair, suspension repair and Pennsylvania state vehicle inspections, we do it all. We also stock a wide selection of tires from all the top brands in the industry including Goodyear Tires, Dunlop Tires, Kelly Tires, and many more. Schedule an appointment with us today at one of our locations in Concordville, Downingtown, Emmaus, Feasterville, Phoenixville, Southampton, Paoli, West Chester or Willow Grove, PA. We are your number one source for top quality, affordable auto repair and tires!