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thank you for this video. I've had to try and explain this so many times and there are so many people that think going from 89 to 93 is like adding nitro-methane to their gas tank. "What fuel should you use for your car?" excellent question Scotty... Propane. It's 110octane and burns way cleaner than gas.
You're obviously not watching in 2X speed. Do you even listen to rap? do you like poetry? 😂 I can read right around 450 words a minute it's easy to understand
@@meonly1674 ironically, you call him inbred but you don't even know how to spell intimidate. And you get winded walking around your own home. You are the classic Karen.
I worked in the oil/gasoline industry for 15 years. The rule of thumb is use the minimum grade of gas which prevents knocking (kinda like your car coughing all the time). If it knocks at regular grade, go to mid-grade. If it still knocks, go to premium. The "long term damage" this video talks about will happen to very few people because they never own their cars that long. If you do own a car that long, other mechanical problems will most likely be the bane of your existence well before these engine issues.
I own a 2017 Ford Edge. Bought it brand new. Not a high performance vehicle by any means. Until about six months ago, I was using 93 Octane...no knocking. But with gas prices soaring, I downgraded to 87 octane to save a few dollars and am now noticing the knocking mentioned in the video. Other than being noticeable and somewhat annoying, is the knocking going to cause any long term damage to my non-high performance vehicle engine? Or can I live with the knocking and still expect to get 150 - 200K miles on my engine (with regular service appointments, of course)? Thanks! I appreciate any advice.
@@jimsparaco4637 The answer to this, and most other questions involving gasoline and mechanical issues is "it depends." Not knowing how many miles you have on your Explorer now, I can't speculate on what its condition will be at 150K miles and how much you drive under what conditions. And I know enough about car manufacturing to know that not all engines are built equally - some engines for the same make/model car just perform worse (hence the word "lemon"). If I assuming you're planning on owning and driving this car for a long time, and you really are pressed for the extra cash for premium (who isn't these days?), then try a Plus grade gasoline and see if it works. Or, alternate fuelings with regular and premium and see if your car knocks. Or tweak the ratio of regular/premium fuelings. Oftentimes the occasional premium fill up is good enough. Of course, probably the easiest analogy is that, if you can afford it, it's like insurance. You're paying a little extra fee at the time to potentially avoid paying a lot down the road (again, assuming you own this car for a long time). Engine knock is not great long term for your car, but I've known cars that lasted many years with knocking and some that have developed problems earlier. It depends.
@@reh3884 The manufacturer is always going to over-recommend the car requirements in the manual for both gasoline and oil change frequency. That is for liability reasons. In real life, it's different. My last 3 cars were a BMW and 2 Audi's. All were recommended to use Premium in the manual. In each case, I dropped down to Plus grade, with an occasional fill of regular. Zero problems with any knocking or engine damage after approximately 6-7 years with each car when I traded them in. But if you want to always pay for Premium, then that's your choice.
For a short time I was a fuel tanker driver. Mid-grade is a mixture of regular and premium. Each gas station chain has their own mixture requirement. When I went to pick up a fuel load I'd have to mix a certain amount of each to get that required amount.
Makes sense. Why would you produce several different grades, if you can get the same effect by mixing the two in appropriate ratio? I noticed Sunoco stations have 4 grades of gasoline and I even saw some stations with 5 grades, but that was long time ago.
correct. I've been a fuel tanker driver for 26 years. In CA the mix is 50% of Reg and Prem to make Mid. Most gas stations mix it at the pump, few stations nowdays have a separate tank for Mid in that case we do the blending when loading (called splash loading).
Thank you Scotty, I'm 70yrs old and have been asking these questions most of my life. I'm getting ready to transfer to a gas vehicle from diesel. I never knew what the E-85 actually meant. I will keep this video and use this information as I transition to a regular vehicle. God bless.
E85 is an abbreviation typically referring to an ethanol fuel blend of 85% ethanol fuel and 15% gasoline or other hydrocarbon by volume. In the United States, the exact ratio of fuel ethanol to hydrocarbon may vary according to ASTM 5798 that specifies the allowable ethanol content in E85 as ranging from 51% to 83%. Wikipedia. Unless your specifically says in the owners manual you can use it, do not use it. My experience with a “FLEX fuel” Ford Vehicle was that I got half the fuel mileage on E-85 than on regular gasoline and the E-85 was not 50% of the cost of the regular gas offered at the same station...so it was a bad deal.
This has probably already been said, but...can we imagine how cool it would've been to have Dr Scotty as our autoshop instructor? Man! Thank you Scotty!
I switched to premium on a whim several years ago on both of my old cars. All of a sudden I realized my old engines had been knocking slightly but I didn't recognize it. I just thought they were old engines that didn't run like they used to. Now they run great. I use only premium now.
Any car with a cult following has "that guy" who shows you how to do stuff. Scotty sh!ts on BMW all the time but there's thousands of people who will show you how to fix them.
My last 3 cars have called for mid grade including my current which is turbo. I've always used reg and never had knocking. 4 or 5 years ago my friend and I used a tuning system changing his car for different fuel grades and tracked our fuel mileage using 3 different grades on a long trip. We got slightly better fuel mileage in the higher grades, but it wasnt nearly a large enough increase to make up for the difference in price
I seem to get 3 extra miles per gallon using 91 octane in my Dodge Grand Caravan. It has a 283 hp 6 cyl. Noticeable improvement in performance on interstate highways on long trips!
Fun fact, in WW2 German aircraft engines were designed for 60 octane fuel. US engines for 100 octane. This made the US planes faster and more maneuverable. The Germans eventually switched to 100 octane fuel, but as the engines were not changed they did not get as much out of it.
Fun fact. Germany didn't have a reliable source of oil, so they primarily used synthetic gasoline produced from coal. The allied air campaign against Germany's manufacturing plants and rail infrastructure didn't have a huge impact on the war, but hitting the synthetic oil plants did. By 1945 Germany was essentially out of gas.
yeah this is not his normal format. I wonder who did it or if he edit it himself or somthin like that. It was great. gunna show the kids. the girl the boy and the baby
Great explanation for those who didn't know how the ratings worked.there are a lot of pros and cons to the use of ethanol in gas. As a mechanic I can tell you that ethanol isn't good on injector systems ..it gums the injectors causing poor fuel flow .. injector cleaners help but aren't made to treat ethanol. Many may know already ... do not use ethanol fuel in your small engines ..pure trouble ..
One thing you missed here mate. Some cars have a recommendation for X octane, which is just fine. However, if that car is able to actually advance the timing toward MBT with a higher octane fuel, you are absolutely better off (power wise) to be running a higher than recommended octane fuel, IF the car can’t reach MBT within the higher octane fuel. The simple truth in that instance is that the manufacturer is recommending a MINIMUM octane rating rather than a maximum.
Ethonol is CORROSIVE and bad for engines. And pipelines and it competes with food sources. If your car does not ping on 87 octane, use it. It is by far the cheapest way to get where you are going. And if you want to save on gas, get a hybrid. And do not punch the accelerator or drive fast. Take your time and get there more safely and with better gas mileage.
Scotty, the mechanic, the machinist, the technician, the mechanical & chemical engineer, the physicist. All joking aside, Scotty has shown me a lot and has passed on solid advise and information. Also as a Mechanical Engineer, he explained thing that I remember learning about, but shows the real world applications better then most of my professors ever did, lol.
Thank you for being straight forward and unbiased. I always thought higher octane meant more power but it has to do with avoid premature detonation in the engine cycle.
In the '80s is my buddies race cars we go down to the Avenue and pay $350 a gallon for 107 Octane and it made a difference but then again we're buying racing fuel
Had my 94 chevy truck since 94. Always used regular, engine swap after 312,000 miles. Gonna keep using regular. In my experience what you have to watch for is where you get your gas. Don't go to small stations with just 1 underground tank for each fuel that do not clean the tanks regularly. Fuel starts to break down after a year and you get that sludge pumped into your tank.
Not everyone has a manual and they have to listen to other people's recommendations. I'm one. I've had 6 different vehicles so far and never a manual. I was taught that, unless you have a high end sports car or diesel truck, always use the lowest grade fuel unless you want throw your money away.
I use non-ethanol gas. First it gives me 8 miles more a gallon. My engine runs smoother. Ethanol attracts water. That is why it kills 2 cycle engines. Non-ethanol fuel is a mid grade fuel. Way better than the water attracting cheap fuel. Water + engine = stupid & obnoxious service cost. I pay a little extra at the pump and drive by shops that I don't have to visit and pay for extreme repairs. The cost of a fuel injector with labor is huge. It's not rocket science.
Here in Colorado, the gas companies rip us off by calling 85 octane “regular” and 87 octane “midgrade”. My car requires 87 octane, so that’s what I buy, but it costs me about 30 cents per gallon more than the so-called “regular”.
There is a lot of content about it. In short -- 85 in Colorado is no different from 87 elsewhere. They just label it differently (similarly how Regular in the US is no different from Regular in Europe despite a very different number)
Is that right? Seems like you would need higher octane in higher elevation because the lower atmospheric pressure would make it easier to combust, but maybe atmospheric pressure doesn’t matter inside of an engine.
I’ve wondered about this, myself since moving to Colorado. I think we need Scotty to weigh in here; he’s about the only one I trust on matters such as this.
I use your videos for personal car questions all the time but i thought i would give this a shot because i been reading about gas alot recently to stay informed. I was very impressed with how organized and easy to digest all this info was. I liked the use of plane terms for us laymen and ill likely send this around to some folks i know.
I bought by 93 Explorer new way back when. The manual recommended regular gas, the lowest octane, so that's what I put in it. During the first few months I noticed a rattle from the engine when accelerating. Nobody could figure it out. Then I realized that whenever I used premium gas, the rattle disappeared. With mid-range gas, the rattle was only present during unusually hard acceleration. I ended up settling on mid-grade on everything I drove, and drove reasonably. Never had rattling problems again.
A few facts about ethanol in fuel: 1. If you don't drive your car very often (as in, standing still for weeks at a time) the ethanol starts to attract water from the air. This water can then cause corrosion in your tank. 2. In Europe all fuels containing less than 5% ethanol are marked as E5. Chances are it'll actually have 0% ethanol. 3. In older cars the ethanol can dissolve seals and fuel lines so check before filling up with E10. Finally, some observations: in my own car I've noticed a 5% reduction in fuel economy when using E10. I did not see any change in engine performance.
You saw a reduction in fuel economy because ethanol fuel has less potential energy and (if I remember correctly) a higher oxygen content than regular gas for the same volume of liquid. This means the computer has to compensate by injecting longer, or more fuel, compared to plain gasoline to get the same amount of work (power) out of the engine.
I have heard some of the classic car collectors refuse to use ethanol gas because it will eventually gunk up the engine. Anyone have thoughts on this? I've also heard it's bad for lawn mowers. Any truth to that?
I know most people will laugh...but I swear that my 04 Pontiac montana gets better gas mileage when I put in higher octane. I cam fill a tank with higher and it will last darn near two weeks. Lower octane and I am back at the friggin pump in less than one week. I pretty much drive the same every week. So....who knows...lol
Scotty, not sure if this was covered, but we have the "may contain 10% ethanol " stickers on our Canadian pumps. I also run a lot of small engines for yard work and motorcycle and off road vehicles. There are about 4 or 5 distributors including Costco Canada that their premium does NOT contain ethanol. That's what I use in engines that may not get a big turnover in fuel, like a generator. I have cleaned so many carbs that are just plugged solid from old fuel with ethanol. It also attracts moisture and contributes to rusty tanks on motorcycles and other engines if they are not used regularly. If I use premium with no ethanol, I don't need a fuel stabilizer on engines sitting till spring etc. Ethanol is garbage.
I'm with ya there. Premium here generally means no ethanol we did an experiment with our 07 sierra truck that will also run e85 fuel that isn't available in Canada. Non the less we would generally get after some time using regular fuel we would get a trouble code and reduced power eventually I would have to clean the throttle body. We switched to premium and have not had that issue so far it's been two years we've had the truck for five we also get better fuel mileage so now I always run premium and as you stated premium for the toys always
True, but it keeps the Political Donators happy who control our Congress to keep mandating ethanol which produces LESS POWER and burns MORE FUEL, making them RICHER!
Marty, I’ve heard of ethanol clogging up small engines!! So what is it doing to our vehicles? You see I had this beautiful 2004 Lexus ES 330! and my husband said, it doesn’t make a difference! But it does! I don’t Know why they’re letting them sell us this garbage ethanol that will eventually clog/seize our engines in the long run. From now on, it’s Super for my new car. Thank You
@@gloriacedeno.2737 Car engines have very different designs from most small engines in tools or some motorcycles. The rest of the car (fuel lines, seals, etc.) is also designed with it in mind. Those smaller engines are often using very old designs. For example, you may find a carburetor in a new snow blower or weed whacker. You won't find that in new cars nor used cars going back many years. Also, unless you don't drive your car at all, fuel probably doesn't sit in it for more than half a year at a time. That's where a lot of problems come in.
I haul diesel and gasoline for a Co Op and go to the pipeline on a regular basis. There are 3 grades of gasoline, A grade (910ctane), V grade (83 Octane), and E grade (Ethanol). In order to get the 87 octane you see at the pumps there are 2 ways, a 50/50 blend of A grade and V grade or a 90/10 blend of V grade and E grade. 89 octane at the pumps would be a 75/25 blend of A grade and V grade or an 85/15 blend of V grade and E grade. 93 octane at the pumps is your A grade (91) with an additive to boost the octane rating. Not all gas is created equal, but it all comes from the same pipeline in your area. If you go across the street to get gas because you think the other gas station on the other corner has crappy gas, wrong. I can guarantee you it came from the same pipeline, the difference is the detergents and other additives the supplier put into the gas when they loaded it on the truck. Each supplier has their own formula of additives that they use in their gasoline, and this is all mixed in while being loaded onto the truck to go get delivered to your local gas station. There is one thing that will stop me from getting gas at a location, and that is if I see the truck there making a delivery. It's because when they unload into the underground tanks, they stir up all the garbage in the tanks, and you don't want to pump that into your car. Sure, there's a filter on the pump, but they don't catch everything, and it will eventually plug up your fuel filter on your car causing you issues.
I worked at a gas station for a while, third shift so I'd often be there to assist with refills from the truck but never knew that "fresh" gas would stir up the residue in the reservoir. Makes sense, thanks for the tip.
I talked to a tanker driver at the pumps once,he told me the stations with the ""blue"" caps over the fillers on the ground are pure mid grade..The stations with only "red and yellow"" caps over the fillers on the ground are mixed ..red(high grade) and yellow(low grade) to make mid grade.
@@Enochrry6024 He could be right, but I don't know of any midgrade gasoline, just the 2 grades A and V, then throw ethanol into the mix. I don't deliver to gas stations, just to our own Co Op and we only have one customer that actually has underground tanks. I do know that they can do some fuel blending from their underground tanks, our one customer does it with their diesel during the winter blending #1 and #2 diesel for the plow trucks.
@@mfraze8753 ..I may be wrong,but I think the driver meant the pure mid-grade is mixed at the ""refinery"" to go straight in the tanks in the ground at certain stations(blue caps)..All the rest are mixed at the stations ""high"" and ""low"" to make mid-grade..I think.
Mon and Ron Scotty, we use Motor and Research method when blending gasoline in the US. Also the RVP will change depending on the season. We would set the knock motors with a known proto fuel to compare knocks from the blending sample and adjust the blend recipe to make the octane and vapor pressure. Been making gasoline final product for 20 years. We used to make 93 premium and 93 RFG when MTBE was legal to use.
Actually the US uses the research octane number (the ability to resist detonation at low rpm) + the market octane number (the ability to resist detonation at high rpm) / 2, or the R+M/2 rating.
I was taught by my mother, a Chemist who worked for Union Oil, that you would get better gas mileage from higher Octane (pre ethanol) gasoline, but it was not worth the price difference.
I’m not a chemist,but I know she’s correct….i own 3 vehicles and what I’ve noticed is this…When I use higher octane fuel I get greater gas mileage every single time
Every gas vehicle made since 2006 has a knock sensor so you can use regular or premium gas without engine damage. The caveat is engine hp and fuel economy: Car & Driver tested four high performance vehicles in 2019, they found high octane gas(93) increased hp and fuel economy
The corn being harvested in this video was sweet corn sold in the grocery store, not #2 yellow corn which is converted into ethanol. love your vids Scotty keep up the good work
I discovered you Scotty b/c I had a horrible experience at Firestone getting my car checked; ck engine light was on they wanted to charge me 100.00 to check. You should be teaching this stuff to high schoolers. I learned nothing about cars from anyone when I was a kid. I am empowered now my friend! Now I can’t stop watching you; I love you!
I've learned to use manufacturer recommended gas and oil only...I have a 2017 prius that calls for regular only and 0/20 oil. The reality is that cam phasors and active lifters use oil viscocity to help determine valve timing...changing either can be problematic....
Oh Come on, when you love what you do (which I'm sure Scotty does) every day feels like vacation. But no he probably records a few videos so he can work a normal 5-ish day week like everyone else.
@@scottykilmer Scotty my 2016 1.5L Turbo rough idles now at 107,000 miles but only when the Ac is off. When I turn the Air or ac on it idles normal. Do you know what this could be?
I live in the western USA, where we have garbage 85 octane for regular gasoline. When traveling through the midwest, we fueled up with 10% ethanol gasoline. The ethanol must've cleaned grime off of things in the tank or fuel line, as we ended up with a clogged fuel filter. It's happened twice during trips to the midwest, so we always keep a spare fuel filter with us and we immediately know what the problem is if we encounter engine trouble on those trips.
Sometimes you just get gas from a station that has a lot of crap in it, and it clogs your fuel filter. My son and I changed our fuel filters right before we both drove up North a few hours to stay with a friend for a while. I stopped for gas before him so we ended up going to different gas stations once during the trip. When we arrived he said his car was running bad and was hard to start. We pulled his fuel filter and poured a bunch of really fine black something out on a paper towel. I pulled my filter just to show him it did not have that inside. All it takes sometimes is one bad gas fill-up and you need a new filter.
@@ezralord4901 I have been told that it’s not a good idea to buy gas when there’s a fuel truck there at the station filling the underground tanks . It stirs up debris in the tanks and that gets into your fuel lines and can mess up the engine.
@@glennso47 You are very correct. My Grandfather told me that too, and I didn't listen to him once... it did make me end up rebuilding my carb because of all of the trash I got in the gas that fill up (this was back in the 80s), but to this day I will not get gas at a station that is getting their gas truck.
I have a 2008 Volvo XC-90…148k. I’ve only used 93 grade. Never had any issues with the engine in 14 yrs. Can’t prove it’s the 93…but it gives me peace of mind.
I lost two miles per gallon in my V-10 engine when I stopped being able to get straight gasoline and had to start getting gasohol. I was only getting 16 mpg on straight gas as it was. I also lost some performance too.
Both of my cars have 87 octane minimum requirement, I will never put 85-86 octane in them no matter what the altitude. Don't mind paying more for 89-93 or no-ethanol gas
Our local Chevron station here in Western Canada offers a fourth option that does not contain Ethanol . I use that one for applications where I know the fuel may get a little old. (boat,generator, lawnmower,etc) along with a well known stabiliser . Enjoying your vids! CHEERS
Vehicles older than 2002 also should get that 4th blend. All of the rubber/neoprene fuel lines and connections, fuel tank hoses and vents etc. were not made to deal with the caustic effects that ethanol has on those parts.
We can get that stuff here, but it's getting hard to find. In the US, it's called white gas. Boat docks usually have it. But it has a small amount of lead in it.
I always believed that the car companies and the gas companies tricked people in to paying more for gas. I own a 2004 V8 Tahoe and have been putting in 87 octane for over 200k miles and never had any engine trouble and still runs great. Besides normal tune ups and maintenance. Maybe I’m just lucky. Maybe on luxury cars Corvette and Lamborghini this makes sense. Just stating my personal experience.
OK Scotty, I’m gonna have to disagree with you on E85 fuel. The bulk of corn produce in this country does go to producing ethanol. However that’s corn is diverted from cattle feed causing meat prices to skyrocket. The only reason ethanol is cheap is because the government subsidizes it. It’s bad for us.
You’re not correct. The bulk of corn doesn’t go to ethanol. 40% does. Of that 40%, 31% is turned to feed as DDG’s as well as corn oil and carbon dioxide for carbonized products.
I've been wondering about Ethanol for a long time... all the evidence I have seen so far says the process is not energy positive - So the end result of producing ethanol is to waste energy and drive up food prices? Seems like a bad deal for everyone but corn producers.
No. If corn prices rise, it is because the food corn yield in that year was low or bad. Corn farmers were given guarantees by the government to buy/use the ADDITIONAL corn they planted for gas additive. Farmers wouldn’t grow more corn unless it was guaranteed to be purchased knowing unsold corn was going to drive prices down both fuel and food corn. When food corn yield in certain years are down, food prices increased but some called for diverting fuel corn for food instead. Instead, it was decided to not tamper with the market, and allow normal corn yields in the next growing season to bring food corn prices down. The additional growing of corn is NOT crowding out growing food corn. In fact, normally, corn is very plentiful and that’s why it is used in crap products like syrup which causes body inflammation, and in the future, sugar will be proven that it increases risk of Alzheimer’s.
Thank you for putting out a nice calm informative video. So many people believe that higher octane means higher power. Your explanation was right on and I appreciate it.
Depends entirely on the engine. Engines from the "Bad Old Days" ran on something like 106 octane leaded, this 87 octane horse piss they call gas now, yeah, it hurts your performance (in those engines). Some 110 avgas I hear would be wonderful, if not apparently completely illegal.
@@johnsansker7064 I know exactly what you mean. I had to put so many additives in my fuel just to keep my old Chrysler running. Those engines from the fifties and sixties didn't hardly run on this junk we have at the pumps anymore.
In 2011 I bought a 2002 mustang gt 5-speed One day I found a station that sold ethanol free gas and tried it and was surprised to find that I got 3 miles per gallon more than with regular 10% ethanol gas (15 gal. tank) but as long as I was driving every day I mostly stuck to the cheaper 10%. Now that I'm retired and not driving that much I use nothing but ethanol free gas, mainly because I don't like that ethanol just sitting in my engine for a week sometimes two.😎😁
That's a huge difference. 3 mpg for no ethanol to a e10? I have a 5.0 flex fuel capable f150 and I lose less than your figure when I run 85% ethanol vs 10% ethanol fuel.
I have little idea what he just said. I drive a diesel SUV so it doesn't matter to me. I get about 6 kilometres a litre. Less on the highway. About 1000 kms a tank.
I live in Oregon where it is illegal to pump your own gas. I worked as a pump jocky for several years and you can't believe the amount of people who think because it costs more, it's better gas. Then try and explain why it's not and they are lost, so great job of explaining exactly what octane means.
you can't pump your own? wow. we used to have that in FL back in the 60's but then I started noticing self-serve signs wtf? now you can't find NOT pumping your own anywhere in FL. the pit of laziness far as I'm concerned.
@@terrylusk13 Correct. If your car's owner's manual says to use "regular", Use "regular". The people who built the engine knows what it's designed to run on.
@@tmcorey1 shouldn't be any pre-ignition on a cold motor think this is open loop issue, set to mid grade timing till closed loop adjusts for emissions/mileage all that have behaved such have been late 80s to mid 90s with over 150k, likely too much advance in closed loop but doesn't show till the engine gets some wear
@@ty2010 could be a number of things. Almost impossible to diagnose effectively without hearing it directly. You mentioned higher octane seemed to cure it, which would suggest spark knocking (which does occur cold, but more typically hot and under load). Interesting case.
My local dealer tried to convince me that Costco gas sucks. Uh, it's Top Tier... It's literally the same game being sold at any other station. Follow a gas truck sometime, they deliver the same gas to almost ever station.
@@scottykilmer hey Scotty I heard that I can use a 91 octane in a 3.7 l cyclone v6 mustang without a tune I wonder if this is true and would it be okay to do it for the extra horsepower?
I use 93 octane in my 20 year old Toyota Tacoma. Every time I have to use 87 octane the check engine light comes on. When I use 93 the check engine light never comes on. Plus each time I used 87 octane I would always have water coming out of the tail pipe.
Sounds like the intake system needs cleaning. I’m wondering if gumout will actually solve the problem. I had an old car that would give me a few warnings that would go away when using 89, but they also went away after putting extra additives in the gas and went top tier for a while. A mechanic told me I needed a fuel induction service the first time I went in, but not the second time.
Ethanol actually is very corrosive and does actually damage the engine pretty fast if you use only ethanol in engines not designed for flex fuel. The main thing flex fuel engines have different is an extra coating of something that does not react to ethanol, hence protecting the engine
Hey Scotty, have u ever read about the guy in the 50's who could get 100 mpg's on the old engines they made back then. That ppl think he was "bumped off" because he threatened fuel businesses? Would love to hear a story on that!
Yeah, those old conspiracy stories. If it was possible for that high fuel economy, the military would jump on it as fuel supply logistics is always a major concern in battle. I'm waiting for the Phillips Dubai LEDs to become available here.
@@djsteinotc i think they mean stations with less cars & traffic- more water in the gas and degradation of fuel if it sits too long in the reservoir under a crusty old station
Actually octane and grade are different depending on where you live. Where I live, 85 is regular, 87 is midgrade, and 91 is premium. They are specially formulated for areas that are dry, or humid, or high altitude.
Read the fine print in the owners manual of any Ford Ecoboost engine. Will it run on 87 octane? Yep, sure will. Read the fine print. If towing, in operating in extreme ambiet temperature, if hauling heavy loads, it recommends premium fuel. There is a disclaimer in all the Ecoboost engines and vehicle brochures that the official maximum SAE horsepower and torque numbers were achieved using 93 octane fuel. Will it run on 87 octane? Yep. Will it be happier on 93? Yep.
I was hoping you'd go more into the 85 octane that you'll see in the high plains/ out west. The 85 octane pump was on the still for the video, but not really mentioned. Recently I had to explain to someone why they shouldn't run 85 octane in their modern EFI car. Do really that many people have older carbureted vehicles out in Wyoming and Colorado where you see this fuel? I also saw 86 octane on a recent trip out west, and I actually topped off my tank with this 86 octane, in my truck that needs 87 min. The half tank that remained in my truck when I topped off with 86 octane, was 89 octane, so it ended up being over 87 octane anyways. I just think it's weird that fuel with octane less than 87 is even sold in any state.
That's because the GPS sensors in your phone knew you had been at the gas station , and since Google has access to all the data in your phone and they also own Y.T , you get the recommendation for this video. 😳
@@drinkthekoolaidkids I didn’t gps the gas station. Are you saying my location is turned on sending an alert to all online services?? Stay safe, stay blessed.
I really enjoyed learning more about the different types of gasoline and their potential benefits; it’s good to know I am not harming my vehicle by paying less at the pump.
A word of advice that is not mentioned. Older cars and lawn equipment with carburetors should NEVER use ethanol diluted gas. That syrup will cause all kinds of carburetor issues. Also, it should be mentioned that ethanol decreases fuel mileage as it is stated in the video, it is lower in energy output. I'm fortunate to have 2 ethanol free gas pumps within 2 miles of me, my Opel GT's are happy.
Not sure if that is completely true, but we do have to consider the fuel burned in the production of the so-called environmentally friendly ethanol. Plus corn, which produces a lot of material per acre, requires massive amounts of chemical fertilizer and weed killer. There's always a trade
I have to wonder if this is comparing total production pollution, and I doubt the full environmental costs in oil production are reflected in whatever source you are referring to. I'm pretty sure the oil spills are not factored in. Did they do a comparison with standard oil wells and tar sands? Tar sands oil production pollutes a lot more than well production.
Ethanol is lower energy and requires more energy to produce. It is also a prime reason for the destruction of the rain forest in South America. The beginning identified clear reasons for fuel rating and then proceeded into a rambling presentation.
Scotty up here in Canada, we store our summer toys with premium gasoline because we know that the boat, atv, dirtbike, lawn mower will start easily in the spring. Why is it alot of 85 octane gasoline spoils in a few months?
8:29 : Ethanol isn't as "renewable" or "carbon neutral" as its proponents like to claim. Planting the corn, harvesting the corn, turning the corn into cornstarch, turning the cornstarch into corn syrup, fermenting the corn syrup into ethanol -- all of these steps consume energy. Some studies even go so far as to state that it takes MORE energy to make 1 gallon of ethanol than the chemical energy contained in 1 gallon of ethanol!
Also, without government subsidies, the prices would be way higher. I've seen some videos comparing mpg of straight gas vs ethanol gas and straight gas wins every time.
@@Llew70: That's not really a fair comparison. It's well known that it takes 1.7 gallons of ethanol to equal the fuel power of 1.0 gallons of gasoline, so we'd expect a gasoline-powered car to get 1.7x the miles *per gallon* of the same car running on methanol. The real issue isn't the MPG, it's the COST of 1.7 gallons of ethanol, vs. the cost of 1.0 gallons of gasoline.
I started using only premium (98 in my area) ethanol-free Top Tier gas in all my vehicles because pure gas has higher energy density and results in 5 to 10 percent better fuel economy. My old Camry especially notices the difference and the manual recommends premium for best performance. It's absurdly overpriced because the gubmint doesn't want us to use it but screw em - My vehicle's engines are more important than some farmer's subsidy.
I live in a state where they have 10% ethanol. When I drive across the border and fill up with 100% gasoline I’m astounded by how much better my engine runs.
My state has stickers at the pumps that say, "May contain up to 10% ethanol", which I know is code for it has *at least* 10%. I wonder what the actual percentage of watered down gas is that we're really getting.
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Your educated videos are superb thank you Scott for all of your hard work and knowledge
Ghb n
thank you for this video. I've had to try and explain this so many times and there are so many people that think going from 89 to 93 is like adding nitro-methane to their gas tank.
"What fuel should you use for your car?" excellent question Scotty... Propane. It's 110octane and burns way cleaner than gas.
i’ve never heard him so calm
it concerns me when he's calm
You're obviously not watching in 2X speed.
Do you even listen to rap? do you like poetry? 😂 I can read right around 450 words a minute it's easy to understand
@@__The_Real_V__ um? the point was clear.
@@johnwolford2715 you misspelled cRAP
@@johnwolford2715 not
When he is calm he is Professor Kilmer. No reving engines, no popin’ out of the trunk Scotty.
An inbred being called a professor??? 😂
@@meonly1674 ironically, you call him inbred but you don't even know how to spell intimidate. And you get winded walking around your own home. You are the classic Karen.
Comes with age!
@@jondbaptis2184 😂
If he was boring, would you watch him?
Not only is Scotty a excellent mechanic, he is also an excellent teacher, Thank you Scotty!
Brilliant
I know houston lost an extremely brilliant man when he moved
And editor!
His voice is too annoying to listen to no matter what he has to say imho
Teacher? The man is a SCIENTIST!
I worked in the oil/gasoline industry for 15 years. The rule of thumb is use the minimum grade of gas which prevents knocking (kinda like your car coughing all the time). If it knocks at regular grade, go to mid-grade. If it still knocks, go to premium. The "long term damage" this video talks about will happen to very few people because they never own their cars that long. If you do own a car that long, other mechanical problems will most likely be the bane of your existence well before these engine issues.
I own a 2017 Ford Edge. Bought it brand new. Not a high performance vehicle by any means. Until about six months ago, I was using 93 Octane...no knocking. But with gas prices soaring, I downgraded to 87 octane to save a few dollars and am now noticing the knocking mentioned in the video. Other than being noticeable and somewhat annoying, is the knocking going to cause any long term damage to my non-high performance vehicle engine? Or can I live with the knocking and still expect to get 150 - 200K miles on my engine (with regular service appointments, of course)? Thanks! I appreciate any advice.
@@jimsparaco4637 The answer to this, and most other questions involving gasoline and mechanical issues is "it depends." Not knowing how many miles you have on your Explorer now, I can't speculate on what its condition will be at 150K miles and how much you drive under what conditions. And I know enough about car manufacturing to know that not all engines are built equally - some engines for the same make/model car just perform worse (hence the word "lemon"). If I assuming you're planning on owning and driving this car for a long time, and you really are pressed for the extra cash for premium (who isn't these days?), then try a Plus grade gasoline and see if it works. Or, alternate fuelings with regular and premium and see if your car knocks. Or tweak the ratio of regular/premium fuelings. Oftentimes the occasional premium fill up is good enough. Of course, probably the easiest analogy is that, if you can afford it, it's like insurance. You're paying a little extra fee at the time to potentially avoid paying a lot down the road (again, assuming you own this car for a long time). Engine knock is not great long term for your car, but I've known cars that lasted many years with knocking and some that have developed problems earlier. It depends.
@@ishave1627 Awesome...thanks for your informative and prompt reply. Much appreciated.
No, just use whatever your manual says your engine requires.
@@reh3884 The manufacturer is always going to over-recommend the car requirements in the manual for both gasoline and oil change frequency. That is for liability reasons. In real life, it's different. My last 3 cars were a BMW and 2 Audi's. All were recommended to use Premium in the manual. In each case, I dropped down to Plus grade, with an occasional fill of regular. Zero problems with any knocking or engine damage after approximately 6-7 years with each car when I traded them in. But if you want to always pay for Premium, then that's your choice.
For a short time I was a fuel tanker driver. Mid-grade is a mixture of regular and premium. Each gas station chain has their own mixture requirement. When I went to pick up a fuel load I'd have to mix a certain amount of each to get that required amount.
Makes sense. Why would you produce several different grades, if you can get the same effect by mixing the two in appropriate ratio? I noticed Sunoco stations have 4 grades of gasoline and I even saw some stations with 5 grades, but that was long time ago.
correct. I've been a fuel tanker driver for 26 years. In CA the mix is 50% of Reg and Prem to make Mid. Most gas stations mix it at the pump, few stations nowdays have a separate tank for Mid in that case we do the blending when loading (called splash loading).
I recently notice this. I got more gallons out another station and less at another.
That’s incredible 😮
I always use Super Premium in cold weather. My hands don't get as cold when I put 20 bucks in.
Good one Stanley; I confess I had to blink a couple of times and read it again, but I got it.
i dont get it
im slow
@@arhamahabab7356more expensive, less time fueling car
I find that it lasts a lot longer myself.
@@arhamahabab735620 bucks takes a lot less time to pump when you use premium because it costs an arm and a leg
I imagine Scotty still moves his hands in the air even tho there isn't even a camera in front of him.
You make a funny
I approve all the above messages and wish you all good while trying to imitate Mr. Kilmer with hands 360.
Top guy Mr. Kilmer, love him.
THATS IT.... We should make an app in kilmers name called hands 360
How do you think he powers his equipment???
Ikr
i can't see scotty's hand waving, i'm worried and nervous.
I think it's a Scott impersonator.
Hahahahahaahahah
His voice is too calm.. something's wrong 😬
@@Paige-Turnner alien
I agree with all theories listed here.
Thank you Scotty, I'm 70yrs old and have been asking these questions most of my life. I'm getting ready to transfer to a gas vehicle from diesel. I never knew what the E-85 actually meant. I will keep this video and use this information as I transition to a regular vehicle.
God bless.
@Mark Codiroli I made a Typo. E-85. I will pay attention now to see what's most available at gas stations. I prefer not to use the E-85.
E85 is an abbreviation typically referring to an ethanol fuel blend of 85% ethanol fuel and 15% gasoline or other hydrocarbon by volume. In the United States, the exact ratio of fuel ethanol to hydrocarbon may vary according to ASTM 5798 that specifies the allowable ethanol content in E85 as ranging from 51% to 83%. Wikipedia. Unless your specifically says in the owners manual you can use it, do not use it. My experience with a “FLEX fuel” Ford Vehicle was that I got half the fuel mileage on E-85 than on regular gasoline and the E-85 was not 50% of the cost of the regular gas offered at the same station...so it was a bad deal.
I've always said E85 waste of food.
why? you're gonna be disappointed in your mileage, bigtime. I haven't driven a gasser in 30 years.
Hundred percent agree with going for higher ethanol ratio! Who cares about gas mileage when it's more renewable for the long run?
This has probably already been said, but...can we imagine how cool it would've been to have Dr Scotty as our autoshop instructor? Man!
Thank you Scotty!
My auto shop teacher was as cool as you could get!!
I never thought of it but yea he would be a great shop teacher.u could learn so much from him
I’d be distracted by the constant movement of his hands😂
@@MichaelRei99 Unless compared to Scotty Kilmer! :)
@@JamesJohnson-eg6yd especially when compared to Scotty Kilmer!😉
I switched to premium on a whim several years ago on both of my old cars. All of a sudden I realized my old engines had been knocking slightly but I didn't recognize it. I just thought they were old engines that didn't run like they used to. Now they run great. I use only premium now.
I grew up knowing nothing about cars before I found your channel. Thank you for the videos, Scotty!
Good vehicular education at the cost of Toyota propaganda.
Now you know to avoid these money pits!
Best way to learn is to work on cars. It's not that hard. It's easy to look at something and see how it works.
Any car with a cult following has "that guy" who shows you how to do stuff. Scotty sh!ts on BMW all the time but there's thousands of people who will show you how to fix them.
If you've been listening to this guy, you still don't
This needs to be running in the background in DMVs!
Agree! Any Scotty K video (or audio) would suffice in the background at the DMV.
Wow. I was just expecting a few fun facts, but you delivered an entire lesson!! Thank you Scotty!!
My last 3 cars have called for mid grade including my current which is turbo. I've always used reg and never had knocking. 4 or 5 years ago my friend and I used a tuning system changing his car for different fuel grades and tracked our fuel mileage using 3 different grades on a long trip. We got slightly better fuel mileage in the higher grades, but it wasnt nearly a large enough increase to make up for the difference in price
I seem to get 3 extra miles per gallon using 91 octane in my Dodge Grand Caravan. It has a 283 hp 6 cyl. Noticeable improvement in performance on interstate highways on long trips!
@@kimdelong3429You're still pissing your money away. I would not suggest your bother.
I’ve seen 85, 87, 89,, 91, 93, and 95 octane at gas stations--never all at the same time; never more than three options.
I had a truck that had over 150K miles on it, when it started pinging, and I found that using higher octane gas prevented this.
I love picture demonstration of understanding this. It makes it so much easier how everything is done in a car dealing with gas.
Me too. I'm a visual learner so it was much appreciated.
@@agoogleuser4443me too.
Fun fact, in WW2 German aircraft engines were designed for 60 octane fuel. US engines for 100 octane. This made the US planes faster and more maneuverable. The Germans eventually switched to 100 octane fuel, but as the engines were not changed they did not get as much out of it.
Courtesy of a Frenchman, Eugene Houdry
That hurt my brain
Thanks for the information
Fun fact. Germany didn't have a reliable source of oil, so they primarily used synthetic gasoline produced from coal. The allied air campaign against Germany's manufacturing plants and rail infrastructure didn't have a huge impact on the war, but hitting the synthetic oil plants did. By 1945 Germany was essentially out of gas.
Fun fact: By the end of the war Germany was as flat as a pancake.
Well done Scotty! 👍
Hi
@@hunteralberytalt hi!
@@BaltimoreAndOhioRR whats up
yeah this is not his normal format. I wonder who did it or if he edit it himself or somthin like that. It was great. gunna show the kids. the girl the boy and the baby
Great explanation for those who didn't know how the ratings worked.there are a lot of pros and cons to the use of ethanol in gas.
As a mechanic I can tell you that ethanol isn't good on injector systems ..it gums the injectors causing poor fuel flow .. injector cleaners help but aren't made to treat ethanol.
Many may know already ... do not use ethanol fuel in your small engines ..pure trouble ..
you referring to E-10 or 15?
One thing you missed here mate. Some cars have a recommendation for X octane, which is just fine. However, if that car is able to actually advance the timing toward MBT with a higher octane fuel, you are absolutely better off (power wise) to be running a higher than recommended octane fuel, IF the car can’t reach MBT within the higher octane fuel. The simple truth in that instance is that the manufacturer is recommending a MINIMUM octane rating rather than a maximum.
Ethonol is CORROSIVE and bad for engines. And pipelines and it competes with food sources. If your car does not ping on 87 octane, use it. It is by far the cheapest way to get where you are going. And if you want to save on gas, get a hybrid. And do not punch the accelerator or drive fast. Take your time and get there more safely and with better gas mileage.
It's amazing how many so called mechanics these days don't understand something this simple. Thank you for this excellent video.
Scotty, the mechanic, the machinist, the technician, the mechanical & chemical engineer, the physicist.
All joking aside, Scotty has shown me a lot and has passed on solid advise and information. Also as a Mechanical Engineer, he explained thing that I remember learning about, but shows the real world applications better then most of my professors ever did, lol.
Thank you for being straight forward and unbiased. I always thought higher octane meant more power but it has to do with avoid premature detonation in the engine cycle.
In the '80s is my buddies race cars we go down to the Avenue and pay $350 a gallon for 107 Octane and it made a difference but then again we're buying racing fuel
hmmm so to fix my nightly premature detonation it sounds like I'll have to fill myself up with some higher octane fuel.
Avoiding premature detonation = more power...
my high school sweetheart was, in fact, less than pleased with my premature detonation issues. this isn't about cars.
@@ilyas6875 Did this malfunction take place in the cylinder or the injectors? Asking for a friend! 🥴🥴
Dang Scotty. Production on this vid took a step up. I feel like I’m in class. 👍
😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚
I said the same thing. 🤣🤣🤣
Had my 94 chevy truck since 94. Always used regular, engine swap after 312,000 miles. Gonna keep using regular. In my experience what you have to watch for is where you get your gas. Don't go to small stations with just 1 underground tank for each fuel that do not clean the tanks regularly. Fuel starts to break down after a year and you get that sludge pumped into your tank.
Wow man! You are comprehensive and a public service to us all. I have learned so much. I’m grateful.
Save you 10 minutes: use whatever your owner’s manual requires.
thank you
exactly...so many ignore their manual and listen to internet "experts".
Not everyone has a manual and they have to listen to other people's recommendations. I'm one. I've had 6 different vehicles so far and never a manual. I was taught that, unless you have a high end sports car or diesel truck, always use the lowest grade fuel unless you want throw your money away.
Came here for this 🙌
@@Moraenil you can look up the manual of any car online for free.
Scotty, I learned many things from this video. I enjoyed the history about Ford and it's "flex-fuel" capabilities.
I use non-ethanol gas. First it gives me 8 miles more a gallon. My engine runs smoother. Ethanol attracts water. That is why it kills 2 cycle engines. Non-ethanol fuel is a mid grade fuel. Way better than the water attracting cheap fuel. Water + engine = stupid & obnoxious service cost.
I pay a little extra at the pump and drive by shops that I don't have to visit and pay for extreme repairs. The cost of a fuel injector with labor is huge. It's not rocket science.
Me too
Here in Colorado, the gas companies rip us off by calling 85 octane “regular” and 87 octane “midgrade”. My car requires 87 octane, so that’s what I buy, but it costs me about 30 cents per gallon more than the so-called “regular”.
There is a lot of content about it. In short -- 85 in Colorado is no different from 87 elsewhere. They just label it differently (similarly how Regular in the US is no different from Regular in Europe despite a very different number)
Because Colorado is run by idiots
I thought it has to do with elevation which is why 85 is sufficient whereas 87 would be used at lower elevations.
Is that right? Seems like you would need higher octane in higher elevation because the lower atmospheric pressure would make it easier to combust, but maybe atmospheric pressure doesn’t matter inside of an engine.
I’ve wondered about this, myself since moving to Colorado. I think we need Scotty to weigh in here; he’s about the only one I trust on matters such as this.
LOVE THESE SPECIALS, KEEP IT UO SCOTTY, BEST ALWAYS!!!
Dear Scotty, Sir, thank you for helping people to better understand and know so much.
I use your videos for personal car questions all the time but i thought i would give this a shot because i been reading about gas alot recently to stay informed.
I was very impressed with how organized and easy to digest all this info was. I liked the use of plane terms for us laymen and ill likely send this around to some folks i know.
I bought by 93 Explorer new way back when. The manual recommended regular gas, the lowest octane, so that's what I put in it. During the first few months I noticed a rattle from the engine when accelerating. Nobody could figure it out. Then I realized that whenever I used premium gas, the rattle disappeared. With mid-range gas, the rattle was only present during unusually hard acceleration. I ended up settling on mid-grade on everything I drove, and drove reasonably. Never had rattling problems again.
my car suggests premium and it's turbo charged so I'll never put anything different in it lol
A few facts about ethanol in fuel:
1. If you don't drive your car very often (as in, standing still for weeks at a time) the ethanol starts to attract water from the air. This water can then cause corrosion in your tank.
2. In Europe all fuels containing less than 5% ethanol are marked as E5. Chances are it'll actually have 0% ethanol.
3. In older cars the ethanol can dissolve seals and fuel lines so check before filling up with E10.
Finally, some observations: in my own car I've noticed a 5% reduction in fuel economy when using E10. I did not see any change in engine performance.
You saw a reduction in fuel economy because ethanol fuel has less potential energy and (if I remember correctly) a higher oxygen content than regular gas for the same volume of liquid. This means the computer has to compensate by injecting longer, or more fuel, compared to plain gasoline to get the same amount of work (power) out of the engine.
I have heard some of the classic car collectors refuse to use ethanol gas because it will eventually gunk up the engine. Anyone have thoughts on this? I've also heard it's bad for lawn mowers. Any truth to that?
My 2017 VW Passat 1.8T only requires 87 octane. But I noticed a definite power increase when running 93 octane.
Especially the smaller the engine. I also notice more power with the e3 spark plugs in my Honda Civic.
Period
Same we use 98
All forced induction engines do better with higher octane.
I know most people will laugh...but I swear that my 04 Pontiac montana gets better gas mileage when I put in higher octane. I cam fill a tank with higher and it will last darn near two weeks. Lower octane and I am back at the friggin pump in less than one week. I pretty much drive the same every week. So....who knows...lol
Scotty, not sure if this was covered, but we have the "may contain 10% ethanol " stickers on our Canadian pumps. I also run a lot of small engines for yard work and motorcycle and off road vehicles. There are about 4 or 5 distributors including Costco Canada that their premium does NOT contain ethanol. That's what I use in engines that may not get a big turnover in fuel, like a generator. I have cleaned so many carbs that are just plugged solid from old fuel with ethanol. It also attracts moisture and contributes to rusty tanks on motorcycles and other engines if they are not used regularly. If I use premium with no ethanol, I don't need a fuel stabilizer on engines sitting till spring etc.
Ethanol is garbage.
I'm with ya there. Premium here generally means no ethanol we did an experiment with our 07 sierra truck that will also run e85 fuel that isn't available in Canada. Non the less we would generally get after some time using regular fuel we would get a trouble code and reduced power eventually I would have to clean the throttle body. We switched to premium and have not had that issue so far it's been two years we've had the truck for five we also get better fuel mileage so now I always run premium and as you stated premium for the toys always
True, but it keeps the Political Donators happy who control our Congress to keep mandating ethanol which produces LESS POWER and burns MORE FUEL, making them RICHER!
Marty, I’ve heard of ethanol clogging up small engines!! So what is it doing to our vehicles?
You see I had this beautiful 2004 Lexus ES 330! and my husband said, it doesn’t make a difference! But it does! I don’t Know why they’re letting them sell us this garbage ethanol that will eventually clog/seize our engines in the long run. From now on, it’s Super for my new car. Thank You
@@gloriacedeno.2737 Car engines have very different designs from most small engines in tools or some motorcycles. The rest of the car (fuel lines, seals, etc.) is also designed with it in mind. Those smaller engines are often using very old designs. For example, you may find a carburetor in a new snow blower or weed whacker. You won't find that in new cars nor used cars going back many years. Also, unless you don't drive your car at all, fuel probably doesn't sit in it for more than half a year at a time. That's where a lot of problems come in.
Are the small engines two stroke or four stroke?
I haul diesel and gasoline for a Co Op and go to the pipeline on a regular basis. There are 3 grades of gasoline, A grade (910ctane), V grade (83 Octane), and E grade (Ethanol). In order to get the 87 octane you see at the pumps there are 2 ways, a 50/50 blend of A grade and V grade or a 90/10 blend of V grade and E grade. 89 octane at the pumps would be a 75/25 blend of A grade and V grade or an 85/15 blend of V grade and E grade. 93 octane at the pumps is your A grade (91) with an additive to boost the octane rating. Not all gas is created equal, but it all comes from the same pipeline in your area. If you go across the street to get gas because you think the other gas station on the other corner has crappy gas, wrong. I can guarantee you it came from the same pipeline, the difference is the detergents and other additives the supplier put into the gas when they loaded it on the truck. Each supplier has their own formula of additives that they use in their gasoline, and this is all mixed in while being loaded onto the truck to go get delivered to your local gas station. There is one thing that will stop me from getting gas at a location, and that is if I see the truck there making a delivery. It's because when they unload into the underground tanks, they stir up all the garbage in the tanks, and you don't want to pump that into your car. Sure, there's a filter on the pump, but they don't catch everything, and it will eventually plug up your fuel filter on your car causing you issues.
I worked at a gas station for a while, third shift so I'd often be there to assist with refills from the truck but never knew that "fresh" gas would stir up the residue in the reservoir. Makes sense, thanks for the tip.
Thank you for the tip! And Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
I talked to a tanker driver at the pumps once,he told me the stations with the ""blue"" caps over the fillers on the ground are pure mid grade..The stations with only "red and yellow"" caps over the fillers on the ground are mixed ..red(high grade) and yellow(low grade) to make mid grade.
@@Enochrry6024 He could be right, but I don't know of any midgrade gasoline, just the 2 grades A and V, then throw ethanol into the mix. I don't deliver to gas stations, just to our own Co Op and we only have one customer that actually has underground tanks. I do know that they can do some fuel blending from their underground tanks, our one customer does it with their diesel during the winter blending #1 and #2 diesel for the plow trucks.
@@mfraze8753 ..I may be wrong,but I think the driver meant the pure mid-grade is mixed at the ""refinery"" to go straight in the tanks in the ground at certain stations(blue caps)..All the rest are mixed at the stations ""high"" and ""low"" to make mid-grade..I think.
Feel like I am back in class. Great going Scotty, explaining how octane works, most people do not know this.
Mon and Ron
Scotty, we use Motor and Research method when blending gasoline in the US. Also the RVP will change depending on the season.
We would set the knock motors with a known proto fuel to compare knocks from the blending sample and adjust the blend recipe to make the octane and vapor pressure.
Been making gasoline final product for 20 years. We used to make 93 premium and 93 RFG when MTBE was legal to use.
Actually the US uses the research octane number (the ability to resist detonation at low rpm) + the market octane number (the ability to resist detonation at high rpm) / 2, or the R+M/2 rating.
Great another class!! I hope your enjoying your trip visiting your family. Take time off to enjoy
so far yes, and thank you!
This is one of your best webcast ever, well explained, documented, illustrated, good job!
I was taught by my mother, a Chemist who worked for Union Oil, that you would get better gas mileage from higher Octane (pre ethanol) gasoline, but it was not worth the price difference.
I’m not a chemist,but I know she’s correct….i own 3 vehicles and what I’ve noticed is this…When I use higher octane fuel I get greater gas mileage every single time
Every gas vehicle made since 2006 has a knock sensor so you can use regular or premium gas without engine damage. The caveat is engine hp and fuel economy: Car & Driver tested four high performance vehicles in 2019, they found high octane gas(93) increased hp and fuel economy
The corn being harvested in this video was sweet corn sold in the grocery store, not #2 yellow corn which is converted into ethanol. love your vids Scotty keep up the good work
I haven't seen sweet corn harvested with a combine. Sweet corn is hand picked. Most of the combine harvested corn is used as feed for livestock.
Hmm I like creamed corn on toast.Yumo!
@@bwtv147 sweet corn is rarely picked by hand, unless it's in a garden
@@jic630 I overstated that. Sweet corn to be sold canned or frozen is combined. Sweet corn sold on the cob is picked by hand.
I'm from Iowa...you people are all *wrong!*
Sweet corn is picked by Mexicans.
I always learn something watch your videos. Thank you for what you do!
I discovered you Scotty b/c I had a horrible experience at Firestone getting my car checked; ck engine light was on they wanted to charge me 100.00 to check. You should be teaching this stuff to high schoolers. I learned nothing about cars from anyone when I was a kid. I am empowered now my friend! Now I can’t stop watching you; I love you!
Literally no one charges $100 for a check engine light.
@@higgy82 yes they do, every shop I’ve ever worked at charged at least $99. Because we had better scan tools than the part stores.
@@fallenhero99
So you openly admit you worked at scam shops?
@@higgy82 They do!A few years ago Courtesy-Chevrolet charged $99.00 for check a light in my Buick.
say no and call around and get a ob2 reader
I've learned to use manufacturer recommended gas and oil only...I have a 2017 prius that calls for regular only and 0/20 oil. The reality is that cam phasors and active lifters use oil viscocity to help determine valve timing...changing either can be problematic....
You should be selecting your oil mainly depending on your environment.
@@pinionification ..Yes,specially with temperatures reaching 105 in the summer in the south.
Take a day off Scotty! We will still be here when you get back. :)
never!
@@scottykilmer Haha, that's what I figured! :)
@@IJoeAceJRI I’m guessing he pre records then works on cars rest of the week
Oh Come on, when you love what you do (which I'm sure Scotty does) every day feels like vacation. But no he probably records a few videos so he can work a normal 5-ish day week like everyone else.
@@scottykilmer Scotty my 2016 1.5L Turbo rough idles now at 107,000 miles but only when the Ac is off. When I turn the Air or ac on it idles normal. Do you know what this could be?
I love this calm version of Scotty's video. so much easier for me to keep up with and to understand thank you
I live in the western USA, where we have garbage 85 octane for regular gasoline. When traveling through the midwest, we fueled up with 10% ethanol gasoline. The ethanol must've cleaned grime off of things in the tank or fuel line, as we ended up with a clogged fuel filter. It's happened twice during trips to the midwest, so we always keep a spare fuel filter with us and we immediately know what the problem is if we encounter engine trouble on those trips.
Sometimes you just get gas from a station that has a lot of crap in it, and it clogs your fuel filter. My son and I changed our fuel filters right before we both drove up North a few hours to stay with a friend for a while. I stopped for gas before him so we ended up going to different gas stations once during the trip. When we arrived he said his car was running bad and was hard to start. We pulled his fuel filter and poured a bunch of really fine black something out on a paper towel. I pulled my filter just to show him it did not have that inside. All it takes sometimes is one bad gas fill-up and you need a new filter.
@@ezralord4901 I have been told that it’s not a good idea to buy gas when there’s a fuel truck there at the station filling the underground tanks . It stirs up debris in the tanks and that gets into your fuel lines and can mess up the engine.
@@glennso47 You are very correct. My Grandfather told me that too, and I didn't listen to him once... it did make me end up rebuilding my carb because of all of the trash I got in the gas that fill up (this was back in the 80s), but to this day I will not get gas at a station that is getting their gas truck.
I have a 2008 Volvo XC-90…148k. I’ve only used 93 grade. Never had any issues with the engine in 14 yrs. Can’t prove it’s the 93…but it gives me peace of mind.
85 octane is available at stations in high altitude areas--equal to 87 in lower areas.
Yes it is but most car manufacturers don’t want you to use regular 85 octane
@midnitesquirldog1 I remember Sunoco ultra 95
I lost two miles per gallon in my V-10 engine when I stopped being able to get straight gasoline and had to start getting gasohol. I was only getting 16 mpg on straight gas as it was. I also lost some performance too.
Both of my cars have 87 octane minimum requirement, I will never put 85-86 octane in them no matter what the altitude. Don't mind paying more for 89-93 or no-ethanol gas
Our local Chevron station here in Western Canada offers a fourth option that does not contain Ethanol . I use that one for applications where I know the fuel may get a little old. (boat,generator, lawnmower,etc) along with a well known stabiliser . Enjoying your vids! CHEERS
Vehicles older than 2002 also should get that 4th blend. All of the rubber/neoprene fuel lines and connections, fuel tank hoses and vents etc. were not made to deal with the caustic effects that ethanol has on those parts.
We can get that stuff here, but it's getting hard to find. In the US, it's called white gas. Boat docks usually have it. But it has a small amount of lead in it.
My motorcycles always get ethonol free gas
Many gasoline station in Ontario have ethanol free premium fuel.
@@Garth2011 Most cars built after 1986 can use E10 fuel, only cars built after 2001 can use E15.
Scotty you are a national treasure your worth your weight in gold
National?? He's international, I live in Mexico
@@carlos3m13 I stand corrected international treasure
wish he were my mechanic - I'd drive old cars instead of buying new every 100k.
I always believed that the car companies and the gas companies tricked people in to paying more for gas. I own a 2004 V8 Tahoe and have been putting in 87 octane for over 200k miles and never had any engine trouble and still runs great. Besides normal tune ups and maintenance. Maybe I’m just lucky. Maybe on luxury cars Corvette and Lamborghini this makes sense. Just stating my personal experience.
What happened to the "rev up your engines!" intro? Scotty is so serious here.
Love Scotty’s videos! He’s helped me fix my car a couple dozen times
OK Scotty, I’m gonna have to disagree with you on E85 fuel. The bulk of corn produce in this country does go to producing ethanol. However that’s corn is diverted from cattle feed causing meat prices to skyrocket. The only reason ethanol is cheap is because the government subsidizes it. It’s bad for us.
You’re not correct. The bulk of corn doesn’t go to ethanol. 40% does. Of that 40%, 31% is turned to feed as DDG’s as well as corn oil and carbon dioxide for carbonized products.
I've been wondering about Ethanol for a long time... all the evidence I have seen so far says the process is not energy positive - So the end result of producing ethanol is to waste energy and drive up food prices? Seems like a bad deal for everyone but corn producers.
@@JohnDoe-pz6yq Exactly!
No. If corn prices rise, it is because the food corn yield in that year was low or bad. Corn farmers were given guarantees by the government to buy/use the ADDITIONAL corn they planted for gas additive. Farmers wouldn’t grow more corn unless it was guaranteed to be purchased knowing unsold corn was going to drive prices down both fuel and food corn. When food corn yield in certain years are down, food prices increased but some called for diverting fuel corn for food instead. Instead, it was decided to not tamper with the market, and allow normal corn yields in the next growing season to bring food corn prices down. The additional growing of corn is NOT crowding out growing food corn. In fact, normally, corn is very plentiful and that’s why it is used in crap products like syrup which causes body inflammation, and in the future, sugar will be proven that it increases risk of Alzheimer’s.
You do not mention that a byproduct of the ethanol production is a high protein feed for live stock - it is not wasted.
Thank you for putting out a nice calm informative video. So many people believe that higher octane means higher power. Your explanation was right on and I appreciate it.
In a way, it does. Anti-knock sensors will retard timing in your car when the detect pinging...which lowers the power.
Depends entirely on the engine. Engines from the "Bad Old Days" ran on something like 106 octane leaded, this 87 octane horse piss they call gas now, yeah, it hurts your performance (in those engines). Some 110 avgas I hear would be wonderful, if not apparently completely illegal.
@@johnsansker7064 I know exactly what you mean. I had to put so many additives in my fuel just to keep my old Chrysler running. Those engines from the fifties and sixties didn't hardly run on this junk we have at the pumps anymore.
@@1stupidfish In the process of buying a 1966 F100 with a 352, will have to look in to what will be needed to keep it happy.
@@johnsansker7064 in the 70s we would take 5 gallon cans to the local airport and get fuel for our "boat"
In 2011 I bought a 2002 mustang gt 5-speed One day I found a station that sold ethanol free gas and tried it and was surprised to find that I got 3 miles per gallon more than with regular 10% ethanol gas (15 gal. tank) but as long as I was driving every day I mostly stuck to the cheaper 10%. Now that I'm retired and not driving that much I use nothing but ethanol free gas, mainly because I don't like that ethanol just sitting in my engine for a week sometimes two.😎😁
That's a huge difference. 3 mpg for no ethanol to a e10? I have a 5.0 flex fuel capable f150 and I lose less than your figure when I run 85% ethanol vs 10% ethanol fuel.
Scotty fuels the auto traveling public with knowledge.
I have little idea what he just said.
I drive a diesel SUV so it doesn't matter to me.
I get about 6 kilometres a litre.
Less on the highway.
About 1000 kms a tank.
this will confuse people they just want to know how to watch tv, text, and keep their butts warm while the cars self drive and park
You know what I like more than sports cars? KNOWLEDGE.
Thank You Scotty for this video
I live in Oregon where it is illegal to pump your own gas. I worked as a pump jocky for several years and you can't believe the amount of people who think because it costs more, it's better gas. Then try and explain why it's not and they are lost, so great job of explaining exactly what octane means.
Why is it illegal to pump your own gas
you can't pump your own? wow. we used to have that in FL back in the 60's but then I started noticing self-serve signs wtf? now you can't find NOT pumping your own anywhere in FL. the pit of laziness far as I'm concerned.
Legal pmin Oregon but onky specific locations for commercial use only, I believe. Where were you talking about.
I like the power point style and whatever vocal style editing is a nice change for pace even though I love scottys upbeat personally
I have spent WAY too much time TRYING to explain a concept that Scotty nails in the first minute and a half! 😳👍😊👍
So if your car requires regular Unleaded gas ⛽. You don't have to use premium?
@@terrylusk13 Correct. If your car's owner's manual says to use "regular", Use "regular". The people who built the engine knows what it's designed to run on.
@@jamesslick4790 Thank you.
@@terrylusk13 👍😊👍
@@terrylusk13 "Leaded" petrol doesn't exist again
if higher grade eliminates rattle on cold start, also go with that
That’s not “rattle”, that’s “spark knock” from pre-ignition. Very bad for pistons. Yes, higher octane cures that, typically.
@@tmcorey1 shouldn't be any pre-ignition on a cold motor
think this is open loop issue, set to mid grade timing till closed loop adjusts for emissions/mileage
all that have behaved such have been late 80s to mid 90s with over 150k, likely too much advance in closed loop but doesn't show till the engine gets some wear
@@ty2010 could be a number of things. Almost impossible to diagnose effectively without hearing it directly. You mentioned higher octane seemed to cure it, which would suggest spark knocking (which does occur cold, but more typically hot and under load). Interesting case.
My local dealer tried to convince me that Costco gas sucks. Uh, it's Top Tier... It's literally the same game being sold at any other station. Follow a gas truck sometime, they deliver the same gas to almost ever station.
Good evening Scotty stay safe while traveling over to Boston!!!!
evening and thanks!
@@scottykilmer hey Scotty I heard that I can use a 91 octane in a 3.7 l cyclone v6 mustang without a tune I wonder if this is true and would it be okay to do it for the extra horsepower?
@@scottykilmer for a first car I've been thinking about the 2014 3.7 v6 mustang and I want to know all I can about it before I buy
@@aestheticswim3397 u dont need a tune to run 91 or 93 octane in any vehicle.
@@stopmaverick2 I just wanted to know thanks,I heard the cyclone v6 mustangs where pretty damn fun
As Johnny Carson would often say, "I didn't know that"!. Good Stuff !
‘I did not know that’ - Johnny Carson
I use 93 octane in my 20 year old Toyota Tacoma. Every time I have to use 87 octane the check engine light comes on. When I use 93 the check engine light never comes on. Plus each time I used 87 octane I would always have water coming out of the tail pipe.
Sounds like the intake system needs cleaning. I’m wondering if gumout will actually solve the problem. I had an old car that would give me a few warnings that would go away when using 89, but they also went away after putting extra additives in the gas and went top tier for a while. A mechanic told me I needed a fuel induction service the first time I went in, but not the second time.
One of the potential reasons is carbon buildup in the cylinders. Now you need more knock resistance.
Also agree sounds like you need some sort of system cleaning because of carbon build up.
Ethanol actually is very corrosive and does actually damage the engine pretty fast if you use only ethanol in engines not designed for flex fuel. The main thing flex fuel engines have different is an extra coating of something that does not react to ethanol, hence protecting the engine
Hey Scotty, have u ever read about the guy in the 50's who could get 100 mpg's on the old engines they made back then. That ppl think he was "bumped off" because he threatened fuel businesses? Would love to hear a story on that!
Yeah, those old conspiracy stories. If it was possible for that high fuel economy, the military would jump on it as fuel supply logistics is always a major concern in battle. I'm waiting for the Phillips Dubai LEDs to become available here.
You have no idea how many times i've tried to tell people this. I've given up.
You can tell me
You are right. One more thing is do not refill at gas station with fewer or scratch looking. The gas might contain more water.
@@LVang152 Cool any other tips
@@LVang152 "with fewer or scratch looking?"
I'm not understanding what you mean by this.
@@djsteinotc i think they mean stations with less cars & traffic- more water in the gas and degradation of fuel if it sits too long in the reservoir under a crusty old station
Actually octane and grade are different depending on where you live. Where I live, 85 is regular, 87 is midgrade, and 91 is premium. They are specially formulated for areas that are dry, or humid, or high altitude.
Utah has 85,87,88,89 and 91. I use 87 or 88 whichever is available in top tier gas. My car recommends 87 so that's what it gets.
Read the fine print in the owners manual of any Ford Ecoboost engine.
Will it run on 87 octane? Yep, sure will.
Read the fine print. If towing, in operating in extreme ambiet temperature, if hauling heavy loads, it recommends premium fuel.
There is a disclaimer in all the Ecoboost engines and vehicle brochures that the official maximum SAE horsepower and torque numbers were achieved using 93 octane fuel.
Will it run on 87 octane? Yep.
Will it be happier on 93? Yep.
I was hoping you'd go more into the 85 octane that you'll see in the high plains/ out west. The 85 octane pump was on the still for the video, but not really mentioned. Recently I had to explain to someone why they shouldn't run 85 octane in their modern EFI car. Do really that many people have older carbureted vehicles out in Wyoming and Colorado where you see this fuel? I also saw 86 octane on a recent trip out west, and I actually topped off my tank with this 86 octane, in my truck that needs 87 min. The half tank that remained in my truck when I topped off with 86 octane, was 89 octane, so it ended up being over 87 octane anyways. I just think it's weird that fuel with octane less than 87 is even sold in any state.
This video is relatable because I just put fuel in my car
lol
Same. Stay safe, stay blessed.
That's because the GPS sensors in your phone knew you had been at the gas station , and since Google has access to all the data in your phone and they also own Y.T , you get the recommendation for this video. 😳
@@drinkthekoolaidkids I didn’t gps the gas station. Are you saying my location is turned on sending an alert to all online services?? Stay safe, stay blessed.
@@telisah9611 bingo !
I really enjoyed learning more about the different types of gasoline and their potential benefits; it’s good to know I am not harming my vehicle by paying less at the pump.
Did we watch the same video? I could have sworn he said putting lower grades fuels in a car which required higher grades CAN HARM your vehicle.
Parked in my driveway is a 04 Supercharged monte carlo with 286,000 reasons to Never use super unleaded.
Hope you have a great evening scotty. Along with a great Easter
These videos are the best. Thank you Scotty!
What a lot of helpful, factual information! With a high WPM, Scotty's fast talking really covers the whole gamut. Thank you, sir!
A word of advice that is not mentioned. Older cars and lawn equipment with carburetors should NEVER use ethanol diluted gas. That syrup will cause all kinds of carburetor issues. Also, it should be mentioned that ethanol decreases fuel mileage as it is stated in the video, it is lower in energy output. I'm fortunate to have 2 ethanol free gas pumps within 2 miles of me, my Opel GT's are happy.
E-85 produces more emissions from growing the corn, making it from corn, and shipping it than it will ever save.
Not sure if that is completely true, but we do have to consider the fuel burned in the production of the so-called environmentally friendly ethanol. Plus corn, which produces a lot of material per acre, requires massive amounts of chemical fertilizer and weed killer. There's always a trade
I have to wonder if this is comparing total production pollution, and I doubt the full environmental costs in oil production are reflected in whatever source you are referring to. I'm pretty sure the oil spills are not factored in. Did they do a comparison with standard oil wells and tar sands? Tar sands oil production pollutes a lot more than well production.
No it doesnt.
Ethanol is lower energy and requires more energy to produce. It is also a prime reason for the destruction of the rain forest in South America. The beginning identified clear reasons for fuel rating and then proceeded into a rambling presentation.
Scotty up here in Canada, we store our summer toys with premium gasoline because we know that the boat, atv, dirtbike, lawn mower will start easily in the spring. Why is it alot of 85 octane gasoline spoils in a few months?
8:29 : Ethanol isn't as "renewable" or "carbon neutral" as its proponents like to claim. Planting the corn, harvesting the corn, turning the corn into cornstarch, turning the cornstarch into corn syrup, fermenting the corn syrup into ethanol -- all of these steps consume energy. Some studies even go so far as to state that it takes MORE energy to make 1 gallon of ethanol than the chemical energy contained in 1 gallon of ethanol!
Also, without government subsidies, the prices would be way higher. I've seen some videos comparing mpg of straight gas vs ethanol gas and straight gas wins every time.
@@Llew70: That's not really a fair comparison. It's well known that it takes 1.7 gallons of ethanol to equal the fuel power of 1.0 gallons of gasoline, so we'd expect a gasoline-powered car to get 1.7x the miles *per gallon* of the same car running on methanol.
The real issue isn't the MPG, it's the COST of 1.7 gallons of ethanol, vs. the cost of 1.0 gallons of gasoline.
All I’m sayin is read your manual on which octane is recommended
He's so calm on this one he sounds like he smoked some🔥
I started using only premium (98 in my area) ethanol-free Top Tier gas in all my vehicles because pure gas has higher energy density and results in 5 to 10 percent better fuel economy. My old Camry especially notices the difference and the manual recommends premium for best performance. It's absurdly overpriced because the gubmint doesn't want us to use it but screw em - My vehicle's engines are more important than some farmer's subsidy.
Not all premium gas is E free. Most of it, the many brands, has E added.
@@Garth2011 Right. That's why it's so expensive - only a few stations have it. And only one has regular ethanol free.
You look at your drivers manual, use that octane.
Wish you would have went into the deal about the 85 octane at higher elevations. With and without MAF sensor, etc. Thank you for this.
I live in a state where they have 10% ethanol. When I drive across the border and fill up with 100% gasoline I’m astounded by how much better my engine runs.
My state has stickers at the pumps that say, "May contain up to 10% ethanol", which I know is code for it has *at least* 10%.
I wonder what the actual percentage of watered down gas is that we're really getting.
I live in Nebraska and every single gas station has gas with ethanol
of course, youre not pumping sugar in it.
They should all have ethanol to prevent knocking. That was the additive used after lead was removed. The octane ratings are equivalent ratings.
yep. do they have 7/11 in that state? They don't sell flex.
Video editor: what cars should we use for B rolls?
Scottie: TOYOTA! of course!
I sit in my Toyota while I wait Scotty's videos.
MY 94 CeLiCa 🤪🤪