crappy American gas:

[agrimes]

https://www.sunoco.com/quality-fuels/our-fuels/ << station is right around the corner from me, good company; EPAsux.

[paste]

Regular (87 octane)
Plus (89 octane)
Premium (91 octane)
Ultra®93

[/paste]

[RudolfHucker]

If these are AKI octane ratings then they are fairly standard. Here in Great Britain, and western Europe in general, Premium is 95 and Super 97 or 98 (depending on brand) in the RON scale. Lower rated fuels are not commercially available.

[TrackpadUser]

The US uses AKI octane ratings while Europe and Aus/NZ uses RON ratings.

87 octane in the US is pretty much the equivalent of 91/92 in Europe.

If you switch the octane ratings units in the game from RON to AKI, the octane numbers will be closer to those you listed.

[Person012345]

Originally posted by TrackpadUser:

The US uses AKI octane ratings while Europe and Aus/NZ uses RON ratings.

87 octane in the US is pretty much the equivalent of 91/92 in Europe.

If you switch the octane ratings units in the game from RON to AKI, the octane numbers will be closer to those you listed.

Normal unleaded in the UK is 95 RON (super unleaded is 97/98) from what I read. I'm pretty sure what used to be called "standard" unleaded was done away with a while ago and "Premium" took it's place as the normal bog standard petrol.

I'm not clear on the purpose of this thread though.

[FDJPL]

US and European gas is about the same in quality they are just use different rating systems. Just like they measure power differently.

[agrimes]

GAH!! I still cling to my inches/gallons/pounds (Av) but having a troy versus av style conflict for the word "octane" is a bit much. =|

[Person012345]

Originally posted by FDJPL:

US and European gas is about the same in quality they are just use different rating systems. Just like they measure power differently.

Not true, as has been pointed out in this thread. They do use different ratings, but gas in the US can typically have outright lower octane (though I understand that this can depend quite a bit on where in the US you live).

[El Rushbo]

While 87 octane is lower than regular fuel used in Europe, most cars are tuned to run on it so it's not really too much of a bother. Unless you're driving a Corvette or something that specifically calls for something higher, you're just wasting money filling the car with something higher than its rating.

[Usagi]

Originally posted by Person012345:

Not true, as has been pointed out in this thread. They do use different ratings, but gas in the US can typically have outright lower octane (though I understand that this can depend quite a bit on where in the US you live).

I've seen pictures of pumps in the states that sell over 100 octane race fuel, so it can greatly vary.. His 91 is pretty meh for a top tier though, I get 94 locally.

It should also be pointed out that AKI ratings are a combination of RON + MON ratings and therefore should be more reliable than RON ratings alone.

[Person012345]

Originally posted by Epic Fail Guy:

Originally posted by Person012345:

Not true, as has been pointed out in this thread. They do use different ratings, but gas in the US can typically have outright lower octane (though I understand that this can depend quite a bit on where in the US you live).

I've seen pictures of pumps in the states that sell over 100 octane race fuel, so it can greatly vary.. His 91 is pretty meh for a top tier though, I get 94 locally.

It should also be pointed out that AKI ratings are a combination of RON + MON ratings and therefore should be more reliable than RON ratings alone.

I don't know which octane ratings you are using in this post.

[shiggies713]

I can buy 105 octane at a station right down the street from me, available to all. Though that is rare, it is the only station I know of around here that sells it, and I live in Indianapolis, the greatest city in the world to live in if you love racing.

[FireHawk]

Originally posted by shiggies713:

I can buy 105 octane at a station right down the street from me, available to all. Though that is rare, it is the only station I know of around here that sells it, and I live in Indianapolis, the greatest city in the world to live in if you love racing.

I am about 20 minutes south of Fort Wayne and we have the same thing.

[PinballWizard79]

Originally posted by Person012345:

Originally posted by FDJPL:

US and European gas is about the same in quality they are just use different rating systems. Just like they measure power differently.

Not true, as has been pointed out in this thread. They do use different ratings, but gas in the US can typically have outright lower octane (though I understand that this can depend quite a bit on where in the US you live).

It does depend on where you live. Most US regular unleaded is 87 octane (RON+MON/2). In the Rockies, you will typically find 85 sold as regular unleaded at the pumps. Lower octanes contain more heptane, cetane etc. Allowing higher quantities of these molecules means more fuel per barrel of crude, which makes 85 a little cheaper, and since air is thinner at high altitude, 85 octane performs acceptably well as long as you stay above 5000 feet or so.

If you are on your way down from the rockies, 85 requires a retarded timing and the engine will feel weak and get terrible mileage--a lesson I learned on the drive from Salina, Utah to Las Vegas (about 7000 and 2000 feet ASL, respectively).

[The Raven]

We used to go to the private airport and buy 107 octane avgas for our racing engines.

[HorseMeat]

It says right on the pumps (if you look at any of the required by law stickers) AKI is literally RON + MON / 2
We use this in Canada as well.

US/Canada AKi Ratings: Regular 87, Plus 89, Supreme/Premium 91, Ultra 93+ (Sunoco/Petro Canada sells it's Ultra at 94 Octane) It should be noted that these are minimums and that there are strict guidelines for detergency levels set by the federal government. I Buy Shell V-Power 91 AKI Premium as in testing it consistently rates 92 or better.

And the addage that a car tuned for 87 not getting anything out of 91 is also incorrect. The federally mandated detergency levels in Supreme/Premium help keep a motor cleaner, and cleans out deposits that may have formed from low grade fuel, and many fuel companies add more than the minimum for extra cleaning.
Also on that thought, most modern cars have a knock sensor and if tuned to do it, the engine can advance it's timing, if it detects higher octane (resistance to knocking). The Hyundai Genesis Coupe is a prime example of this, where it makes 306 hp on 87, but 313 hp on 91, thanks to it's knock sensor and a computer that adjusts accordingly. There are many cars that can do this, but don't announce it.