GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Written by special guest editor Carter Jung, editor of Import Tuner. Carter is an automotive enthusiast, journalist and photographer.87. 89. 91. 93. Octane numbers. You've seen them hundreds of times at your local gasoline station, but do you know what they mean? Sure, it signifies the different grades of gasoline, but what is octane? Why do you need it? How do you know which grade is right for you? Simply put, octane is the rating of a fuel's resistance to knock. Knock--also referred to as pinging or detonation--is aptly named for the sound the engine makes when fuel improperly combusts in the engine. The higher the octane number, the more controlled the fuel burns preventing engine knock. The lower the octane rating, the opposite occurs, increasing the chance for knock, especially in sports or exotic cars. At best, engine knock can cause your car's engine control unit (ECU) to revert to a conservative "safe mode," decreasing its overall efficiency. At worse, the spike in cylinder pressure from detonation can damage crucial engine parts, and can lead to engine failure.Given the potential effects of knock, it's important to check your car's owner manual for the recommended octane level. Most performance-oriented vehicles with high compression, direct injected or turbocharged motors require high octane premium gasoline, such as Shell V-Power®, but not all cars require premium grade. If your car doesn't require premium but you are experiencing engine knock (hot weather, altitude, towing heavy load or build-up of performance-robbing engine gunk), try switching to a higher octane. Although, taking your car to a certified mechanic is a good idea as well. Remember, going up a grade or two in octane will never hurt your engine, it's only going down a grade from the manufacturer's recommendation that can cause mechanical woes. To put a fun twist on a famous saying from Benjamin Franklin: A penny saved on low octane can cost tens of thousands of pennies in repair fees.So if my car requires high octane, as long as I use premium grade gasoline, am I good? Not necessarily. Despite what the term "premium" connotes, it only refers to the octane level of the fuel. Not all premium gasolines are the same and not all of them contain the necessary detergents to keep your engine running at peak performance. A TOP TIER premium gasoline, like Shell V-Power, not only is a high octane fuel, (NOTE: 100% octane is highest and octane varies by region), but it also contains five times the amount of cleaning agents required by federal government standards. Engineered with the patented Nitrogen Enriched Cleaning System, Shell V-Power seeks and destroys performance-robbing gunk that other lower quality "premium" fuels can leave behind. Shell V-Power was developed for those looking for maximum engine performance and efficiency, especially for those vehicles that recommend or require premium gasoline.For more information about all grades of Shell Nitrogen Enriched Gasolines, check out http://www.shell.us/passionate-experts.

NOW - my issue.Why do we have to waste money on high octane just to get the "advantage" of maximum cleaning power.I think all Shell gasolines are certified as "top tier" so that should be sufficient anyway.

sounds like the guest editor was paid by Shell.

...and the "payment" was under the table.

Quote, originally posted by jake75 »NOW - my issue.Why do we have to waste money on high octane just to get the "advantage" of maximum cleaning power.Nothing like the power of marketing to make you spend your money!!Buy a bottle of fuel system cleaner (your favorite brand) and throw it in every 15000 miles or so.I wonder if they have any studies on how fast engine gunk will build up using regular Shell 87 vs. 93???

For higher compression engines, yes.

Quote, originally posted by star_deceiver »Buy a bottle of fuel system cleaner (your favorite brand) and throw it in every 15000 miles or so.For me that would be every two years or so. How much does that cost? $4 at Walmart? I fear that many of these additives do as much harm as good.

Quote, originally posted by jake75 »For me that would be every two years or so. How much does that cost? $4 at Walmart? I fear that many of these additives do as much harm as good. Chevron Techron http://www.chevron.com/product....aspx