What type of octane I should use???

[why?]

So you've done tests with it? If so, where is your data? If not, you can't possibly know if it does something or not.

[swng]

Originally Posted by AutoTech1

It won't void the warranty. Sure, you can use a higher octane, but you'll void common sense, if you void anything...

I was talking about whether adding acetone to the gasoline(not about using higher octane gas) could void the car's warranty. Yariman seems to agree that this is a reasonable concern(thanks Yariman). I think it is common sense that putting uncommon additives into the gasoline may void the warranty.

[AutoTech1]

Originally Posted by why?

So you've done tests with it? If so, where is your data? If not, you can't possibly know if it does something or not.

Sorry. I thought you were asking about octane still.

As with acetone, it makes perfect sense, but I have never tested it, so I can't say that it does/doesn't work... But how it was explained, it sounded like it'd work.

[Adriaan]

from experince with previous cars i've only used 91 octane on long distance drives and there you do see a difference, since the long drive cleans out the car the high octane help also. with my paseo normal gas i got abot 400km and with 91 octane 430km. for my corolla 440km normal 465 km 91 octane. I'll see when i make that trip to toronto in the spring.

[swng]

Originally Posted by Adriaan

from experince with previous cars i've only used 91 octane on long distance drives and there you do see a difference, since the long drive cleans out the car the high octane help also. with my paseo normal gas i got abot 400km and with 91 octane 430km. for my corolla 440km normal 465 km 91 octane. I'll see when i make that trip to toronto in the spring.

How about this? New cars benefit little from higher than user's manual specified octane no. but old cars benefit more. In my experience, new cars do not knock/misfire often(knocking will automatically result in low efficiency). Old and badly maintained cars knock more often and so they stand to benefit from higher octane no. fuel.

[why?]

Originally Posted by AutoTech1

Sorry. I thought you were asking about octane still.

As with acetone, it makes perfect sense, but I have never tested it, so I can't say that it does/doesn't work... But how it was explained, it sounded like it'd work.

lol, ok.

[AutoTech1]

Originally Posted by Adriaan

from experince with previous cars i've only used 91 octane on long distance drives and there you do see a difference, since the long drive cleans out the car the high octane help also. with my paseo normal gas i got abot 400km and with 91 octane 430km. for my corolla 440km normal 465 km 91 octane. I'll see when i make that trip to toronto in the spring.

That doesn't mean anything. Many things could have altered your gas mileage... Like how you drove the car the first time compared to how you drove it the second time. You might have been going slower, and burned less gas. The other time you might have been going faster and burned more gas. And that is a likely thing to do, if your repeating the same route, since you know where to go. Hey... If you think you can prove me wrong though, keep trying. But you won't go no where.

[AutoTech1]

Originally Posted by swng

How about this? New cars benefit little from higher than user's manual specified octane no. but old cars benefit more. In my experience, new cars do not knock/misfire often(knocking will automatically result in low efficiency). Old and badly maintained cars knock more often and so they stand to benefit from higher octane no. fuel.

I would never use a higher octane on a older car... Again, you're just wasting your money... Either get a tune-up (which should target or solve the problem) or get a newer model year car. Engine's wear... Timing changes, rings wear, aluminum parts break down so on and so forth. That knocking is most likely a result of a car that's gone bad after years.

[swng]

Originally Posted by AutoTech1

I would never use a higher octane on a older car... Again, you're just wasting your money... Either get a tune-up (which should target or solve the problem) or get a newer model year car. Engine's wear... Timing changes, rings wear, aluminum parts break down so on and so forth. That knocking is most likely a result of a car that's gone bad after years.

For now, I will not rule out using higer octane fuel in old cars as a short term measure. Maintenance is the ultimate solution if a new purchase is out of the question for one reason or another. Let's hear more comments from our knowledgeable fellow members. I am sure there are very well qualified people among us.

[swng]

Originally Posted by GabL

Use what is recommanded in your user manual...

http://autorepair.about.com/od/engin...hoctanegas.htm

I refer to my previous post and the link recommended by Gabl above(Thanks Gabl!).
I am not here to convince anyone to use higher octane fuel on old and not so well maintained cars(NB: more old than new cars are not too well maintained because of lack of warranty and regular attention or willingness of the owners to invest further money in them; lots of exceptions exist though). I do not think I ever can.
Yet, I wish to point out that I have based my comments on the paragraph under "Should You Ever Switch to A Higher Octane Gasoline?" of the linked article. Obviously, the writer thinks it is o.k. to try using higher octane fuel first when knocking is detected on a car (on which the user's manual recommended grade of fuel is already in use). If the problem persists, then he reommends to have the car repaired or tuned up, which is utterly logical.

[AutoTech1]

Originally Posted by ToTo

Acetone only destroys rubber, hoses and perhpas plastics, can it harm the engine or other parts itself?

I was thinking it could do that too, but I wasn't sure. It sounds like some alcohol. Is that what it is?

As for the engine, I don't think so...

[AutoTech1]

Originally Posted by swng

For now, I will not rule out using higer octane fuel in old cars as a short term measure. Maintenance is the ultimate solution if a new purchase is out of the question for one reason or another. Let's hear more comments from our knowledgeable fellow members. I am sure there are very well qualified people among us.

Don't get me wrong. I agree that using higher octane on a older car would work. I understand what you're getting at. But I just wouldn't do it. I'd rather get a newer car.

[swng]

Point understood friend!

[why?]

Originally Posted by AutoTech1

I was thinking it could do that too, but I wasn't sure. It sounds like some alcohol. Is that what it is?

As for the engine, I don't think so...

No. Acetone is what they use for paint thinner, nail polish remover, etc.

What is supposedly does in the engine is make the water is the gasoline come apart easier, making the engine able to burn the fuel more completely.

Alcohol, which is water based, would do the exact opposite.

[AutoTech1]

Originally Posted by why?

No. Acetone is what they use for paint thinner, nail polish remover, etc.

What is supposedly does in the engine is make the water is the gasoline come apart easier, making the engine able to burn the fuel more completely.

Alcohol, which is water based, would do the exact opposite.

Thanks.

I don't think I'd use it though... Rubber seals and stuff... Ahhhh... Doens't sound pretty.

[why?]

If it actually does anything to them. The person who wrote the website stated that he has soaked hoses and other parts in up to a 20% acetone/ 80% gasoline solution for months, and has seen no adverse affect except in the highest concentration he used to test that theory. Considering 3 ounces to 10 gallons is a .002 % concentration.

[AutoTech1]

Originally Posted by why?

If it actually does anything to them. The person who wrote the website stated that he has soaked hoses and other parts in up to a 20% acetone/ 80% gasoline solution for months, and has seen no adverse affect except in the highest concentration he used to test that theory. Considering 3 ounces to 10 gallons is a .002 % concentration.

Yeah true... You do make a good point.

[DollaZo]

sup all

just letting you all know that when I first got my Yaris 1.5L i thought that if I had put expensive fuel in the car that it would benefit my car. 91 octane being cheaper than 98 which is what I put for about 3 months. After a while I started to notice that the car was being harder to drive in terms of playing with the accelerator and the clutch. After speaking to a family friend he recomended me to start using 91 octane. Instantly I noticed that the car was easier to drive, it felt as if the car was happier to drink 91 than 98. So in my opinion I would not recomend using 98 octane as the car was made to run with 91.