regular or higher test gasoline?

[Mary Ann]

Hi everyone! I have an 06 BF24RB. Does everyone use regular gas, mediium grade or high test? I have been using regular, but a friend said I should be using a highter grade. What do you do? Thanks for your input.
Mary Ann

[Mary Ann]

Thanks for your reply! I will happily continue using regular gas!
Mary Ann

[KTnLen]

The owner's manual for our Chevrolet Kodiak C5500 states that unleaded fuel is fine as long as the octane rating is 87 or higher. It cautions that using a lower octane rating can result in engine 'knock' and noticeable loss in performance. Some brands of regular gasoline I see at the pumps are at 81, 83, or 85 octane ratings.

My BMW owner's manual, on the other hand, specifically recommends 'premium unleaded fuel' with an octane rating of 91 or higher. It goes on to say that oxygenated fuels, and other additives are alright to burn up to various tolerances, and that this would not void the warranty. Beyond that, engine damage could void the warranty.

A 2003 Honda CR-V that I owned previously had a statement in the manual that the engine was designed to run on regular unleaded fuel, and that no higher grade was necessary.

Advice: follow manufacturer's guidelines.

[bcope01]

... specifically recommends 'premium unleaded fuel' ...

The operative word here is recommends. IMHO no automovite vehicle intended for consumer use requires anything more than "regular" (normally 87 octance, may be lower in the mountainess area due to the effects of thin air on internal combustion) gas. In this regard, I agree with Sam that the vehicle onboard computers in modern vehicles automatically adjust (retard) the timing to allow for this. Using an octane less than that recommended may result in less power and poorer mileage, but other than that, I see no adverse effects. YMMV.

For the "Straight Dope" on what the difference is between regular and premium gas, check out this link:
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/041008.html

Bill