Premium gasoline isn’t more packed with engine cleaners and almost never impacts performance. It’s mostly just a marketing ploy. Check the owner’s manual. If premium is ever going to be helpful, it will tell you. Don’t waste your cash.

When engines aren’t created for premium gas, it means they never need the higher-octane fuel. It has to do with engine combustion. Premium gas ignites at a higher temperature, so it can deal with high levels of compression without reigniting. Premium gas also has lower levels of heptanes, and that also helps with preventing the reignition at low temps. Even the Federal Trade Commission agrees – there’s no advantage for it in the average tank.

In cases where the owner’s manual does list a need for premium gasoline, you can still probably skip it. If your car isn’t more than 10 years old, that’s particularly true because those engines are likely to have technology that adjusts timing properly. With premium-designed engines that are intended to use premium gas, the high-compression fuel can mean better performance. The pricey unleaded gasoline also prevents pinging or knocking sounds. But the difference is usually minimal, and the price difference is pretty big. The only exception is for engines that have knocking noises when regular fuel is being used, even under normal driving conditions. For these vehicles, use your best judgment or ask our ACE-certified technicians about using the right gas.

Do I Always Need Gas Instead of Diesel?

Gasoline and diesel don’t play nicely together. You could stall the engine and need to be towed. Then, you’ll have to pay the high costs of flushing the system of gas. Diesel is thick and oily compared to gas, and gasoline engines are different in a few ways. Cars designed for diesel don’t have spark plugs. Instead, the fuel is injected directly and ignited by heat. With gas engines, fuel and air are combined first and then the spark plugs ignite the mixture.

Call Christian Brothers

If you have uncertainties about how to fill your gas tank or if you’re having any issues at all with your fuel system, give our trusted team in Land O\’ Lakes, FL a ring. We do maintenance, pre-purchase checks and repairs.