If you have a car that takes premium gas, or if you have driven a car that takes premium gas, you may be wondering what exactly would happen if you put regular gas into the car. You may not even drive a car that takes premium gas, but may simply be curious about the matter. Many people wonder if maybe they will save money by using regular gas, or perhaps whether or not using regular gas will end up positively or negatively affecting their gas mileage. Or maybe you have stumbled upon this blog post because you have accidentally put regular gas in your premium car. There’s a variety of reasons people ask the question, but what matters is the answer. So, sit tight, because we’re going to explain to you what happens when you put regular gas into a premium car.
What won’t happen
If you have found yourself in the situation that you accidentally put the wrong kind of gas in your car (regular gas into a premium gas vehicle), you don’t need to worry too much in terms of how it will affect your car physically. Making this mistake once or twice isn’t going to destroy your car, and you should be totally fine in the long run. Also, your car likely won’t experience any significant change in gas mileage, etc., just from that one time. But, you should not make it a habit.
What can happen
A few things can go wrong as a result of using regular gas in your premium tank, therefore, we would recommend that you do not use regular gas in your car if it asks for premium. First things first, you should consult your car’s manual. Turn to the right section regarding fueling your engine, and read on to find out whether the premium fuel is a dire requirement for your specific make and model.
Over time, using regular fuel against your car’s requirements can damage your vehicle. Prolonged use can cause knocking of the engine, which can in turn void the warranty of your car; especially if the car’s manual specifically warns against using regular grade fuel. If you hear or feel this ‘knocking’ in your engine, you should consult a nearby McKinney car shop to make sure everything is still running okay.
Most likely, using regular gas in your premium engine will end up costing you slightly more depending on your neighborhood gas prices. Why? It can result in less power for your car, as well as poorer gas mileage. So, once again, we suggest you just stick to what the manual calls for.
The ‘science’ behind it
Premium gas has a higher-octane level than regular gas; or, in other words, a higher resistance to detonation. As various pressures rise inside of the cylinder of the engine, this will also result in a temperature rise, and the gasoline will sometimes detonate, or, “explode” in the cylinder. Basically, denotation is the bad guy. It isn’t good for your car’s engine, and it’s not something you want to be happening in there. The denotation, or explosion, is what causes the mentioned ‘knocking’ of the engine that can happen when the lower octane gas is used in the premium vehicle.
For car maintenance or engine service in McKinney, you want to take your car to a shop that you can trust. Here at Nortex Lube & Tune, we can give you that security. Contact us or come by today and let our caring team of automobile experts assist to help keep you and your car running smoothly and safely on the road.