Am I wrong to be using regular gas in my V6 car? A friend told me I was

[Whoa_Nelly]

I switched from using mid-grade to regular about three months ago when prices really started skyrocketing..and in CA the prices are HIGH and HUGH!!!1!

My friend told me that my GM V6 engine needs mid-grade. Is it true??? Have I been unintentionally hard on my poor car? (It's a 2000 Olds minivan).

[NMDemDist2]

1. my 2002 Olds SUV with a V6 doesn't need mid grade

do you have the owners manual? it should tell you what octane gas the engine is designed for

[ET Awful]

3. Yup, it'll be in the owners manual, also, if it's required, it's usually

on a sticker inside the door to the gas cap or on the gas cap itself.

[NMDemDist2]

15. sometimes inside the driver's door frame too n/t

[Kingofalldems]

2. Check the handbook that came with the car

It will state what kind of gas to use.

[LeftyMom]

4. Unless the owner's manual says to use midgrade

or performance suffers, there's no advantage to using midgrade over economy fuel.

[sendero]

5. Very..

... very unlikely. Few cars, especially basic family transportation, require anything more than standard 87 octane gas.

[Oeditpus Rex]

6. Virtually no American-made cars since the early '70s

require an octane higher than 87 — especially those made to be sold in Kollyforniya.

A higher octane rating means the fuel burns more efficiently. Lead was in gasoline because it slowed the burn rate. Since lead was removed from gasoline in the '70s, other additives to control combustion have been devised.

The surest way to tell if your engine needs a high-octane fuel is to check its compression ratio. If it's greater than 9.0:1, going to 89 or 90 octane might be advisable. I'd guess the compression ratio in your van's engine is between 8.0:1 and 9.0:1, so you're good.

Oh — a higher-octane fuel also won't help an older engine run any better.



Edit: I originally had "higher than 89." I was thinking of the old days. :eyes:

[Whoa_Nelly]

9. Hey there, OR!

Was hoping you would weigh in on this one! You are tops as a car guy in my book!

[Oeditpus Rex]

11. Oh, blush

I just know what I've been taught. :blush:

And I had me some real good teachers. :thumbsup:

:hi:

[Whoa_Nelly]

13. And you have tons of hands-on experience...

Have read many of your good input posts here re: cars/engines/other vehicle input :hi:

[Oeditpus Rex]

22. But all of it on older cars

Or, I guess that'd be "old cars" by today's standard.

I lift the hood on somethin' built after about 1984 and I go, "Where's the engine??" :shrug:

But the theories still apply because the internal combustion engine really hasn't changed much since it was invented. No automotive system really has. They've all been improved, but they still work basically the same way as they did more than 100 years ago.

'Course, now they got all these computers on 'em... :eyes:

[Xithras]

7. Unless it's a sports car, there's no chance.

Some modern sporty cars do require mid-grade, and honestly you either need to have an old 1960's muscle car or a high end sports car (aka Porsche) to need the top grade fuel. The engines in normal cars don't have the high compression that sports car engines do.

[Whoa_Nelly]

8. DUH! Am SOOOO Car-Savvy-Deficient!

I looked in the manual. Says I can use regular fuel 87 octane or higher.

Whew! Seems I'm doing OK for my car then :D

Thanks for all the replies...you guys are so

FAST!

[sendero]

10. We're..

... just here to help, maam :)

And BTW, it's your friend who is car-savvy-deficient :) You did the right thing, looked up the actual manufacturers recommendation.

[Whoa_Nelly]

12. Could you check my tires and the oil, too, please?

And I would so appreciate my windshield cleaned today. And could you be quick about it? I have places to go and people to see, you know... :evilgrin:



...and I'll be sure to let my friend know :rofl:

[sendero]

14. Well..

....we're only virtual help.

But if you have any questions about how to clean your windshield (windex and newspaper) or check the oil (try to be on level ground with the engine off) I'm sure any number of hairy car guys will come to your virtual assistance :)

[Whoa_Nelly]

16. oooooooo Hairy Guys and Assistance!

The Lounge = New & Strange Dream Sequences! :rofl:

[LeftyMom]

17. Hey, those of us who are non-hairy and female know this stuff too

Well, some of us do. I blame my childhood fondness for all of Dad's car magazines.

[sendero]

18. Of course they do..

... and I didn't mean to imply otherwise :)

[LeftyMom]

20. Cool.

:toast:

[Oeditpus Rex]

23. And a woman who'll get greasy with me

is a and a




(I meant underneath a car, you pervs.) :eyes:

[LeftyMom]

26. !

:blush:

[Crazy Dave]

19. You gotta do what you gotta do

If there were any negative effects you'd have noticed it by now. If your car is driving fine, no noticeable difference, save as much money as you can. :hi:

[LeftyMom]

25. Yep. My sister's car needs premium and runs like crap on midgrade even.

If you haven't noticed a difference, you're fine.

[Dangerously Amused]

21. I saw an expose' not too long ago

...about how the guys who provide gas to the individual gas stations will dump their extra "regular" gas into the "mid-grade" well, and none of us are ever the wiser.

[Whoa_Nelly]

24. Naughty, Naughty Gas Guys!!!

Bad Boys of Fuel! :spank:

[Oeditpus Rex]

28. Yeah! We should beat up

Vin Diesel.

:rofl:

[Whoa_Nelly]

30. ROFLMAO!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[AlCzervik]

27. looks at the manual, unless it specifies "High octane fuel" use regular

[politicat]

29. Check the owner's manual

They will have an octane rating you need to use.

If you live well above sea level (+4000 feet) you can subtract 2 from the owner's manual number. But only if you live above 1000 m.

Using octane that is not recommended for your car is a good way to crud up the injectors and varnish the cylinders. (I'm quoting Car Talk here.)