Gasoline

[Matthew K]

Hello all,

I tried to perform a search of previous posts for this but you have to search for something four characters or longer, so "gas" wouldn't work. I have a '01 Pathfinder and the manual recommends 91 or 93 octane. I haven't tried anything lower yet so I'm jus trying to see if this is a no-brainer and stick with the high-octane stuff, or if anyone has experience with lower-grade fuel and thinks otherwise. Thanks...

 

Matt

[lbinh]

I use 89 Octane and notice very slight performace decrease as the engine compensated for lower octane. Same goes for 87 but with even lower fuel economy and lower performance. I use 93 for towing and people hauling (engine also smoother and quieter with higher octane).

 

VQ35 compensates for lower octane gas to alleviate the engine knocking that would of occurred.

 

IMHO, fuel cost savings using lower 87 octane will be offset by the decrease in fuel economy and not to mention decrease in performance. A good balance b/w fuel cost/economy and performance would be to use 89 octane.

[DJ Dank]

IMHO, fuel cost savings using lower 87 octane will be offset by the decrease in fuel economy and not to mention decrease in performance. A good balance b/w fuel cost/economy and performance would be to use 89 octane.

 

I have to agree with lbinh there. With the price of gas, its hard on the wallet keeping that Pathy tank filled up with Premium. That wasn't the case when I first bought the car and gas was around the $1.50 mark. 89 is what I put in my tank. Nothing less or else I start hearing the knocking and pinging associated with cheap gas. And I also stay away from those cheap supermarket gas stations like Safeway, Costco etc etc. I've heard lots of bad things about the poor quality of gas that is used. But I stick with Chevron mostly.

[big_johnson]

I use 87 octane, but I'm about a mile high here (altitude-wise), so its okay. I have the 3.3, but for the VQ35, I'd say either 91 or 89

[Guest 02Path]

We've got an 02 except for the break in period we've always run 87 in it and never had a problem. Mileage is just over 20 on the highway and it seams to average around 18 everyday driving.

[deej]

Up here in Canada, I've been using 89 "mid grade", it's like $.02/liter more and sometimes it's the same price as 87. The Pathy runs great on it. The 87 or "regular" (I think they call it that to associate it with a bowel movement) just doesn't cut it, it causes engine noise and lack of power. The 92 is just too pricey up here and tried to run it once or twice and never noticed any real improvement in performance or mileage.

[jj big shoe]

...And I also stay away from those cheap supermarket gas stations like Safeway, Costco etc etc. I've heard lots of bad things about the poor quality of gas that is used.

 

Just a little FYI...I used to do maintenance work at a tank farm where gasoline haulers would get the gas to fill the inground tanks at gas stations. At the time, there were four different companies operating facilities next to each other. Texaco, Sunoco, Exxon, and Citgo. They all got their holding tanks filled from the same refinery using the same pipeline from Texas. The different grades of gasoline is determined at the refinery, so Exxon's 87 octane is the exact same product as Citgo's 87 octane. The difference comes into effect when the gasoline companies blend additives into the higher grades, which is actually done at the pumps as the haulers are filled, not in the large holding tanks. "Regular" has no additives, and "Premium" does. "Plus" is sort of a half-and-half blend of the two.

 

Texaco used to blend 1.1 gallon of their additive to 1,000 gallons of regular to make it "Premium". If you didn't dilute it that much, it would eat all the seals in your engine. It could burn through your skin. Good stuff, cleans everything.

 

Citgo's additive, however, has essentially the same chemical make up as dishwashing liquid. The material safety data sheet for the additive said if you happen to drink a quart of it, all you have to do is induce vomiting. That's the real problem with the cheaper gas.

 

If you're filling up with regular, it's all the same. What you really have to look out for with the smaller mom & pop stations is sediment in their tanks or in the independant haulers' trucks which you end up pumping straight into your tank.

[Runnerman]

Up here in Canada, I've been using 89 "mid grade", it's like $.02/liter more and sometimes it's the same price as 87. The Pathy runs great on it. The 87 or "regular" (I think they call it that to associate it with a bowel movement) just doesn't cut it, it causes engine noise and lack of power. The 92 is just too pricey up here and tried to run it once or twice and never noticed any real improvement in performance or mileage.

mmm, I use the regular and doesn't cause any engine noise, figure until that happens I'll stick wih elcheapo gas.

[DJ Dank]

...And I also stay away from those cheap supermarket gas stations like Safeway, Costco etc etc. I've heard lots of bad things about the poor quality of gas that is used.

 

Just a little FYI...I used to do maintenance work at a tank farm where gasoline haulers would get the gas to fill the inground tanks at gas stations. At the time, there were four different companies operating facilities next to each other. Texaco, Sunoco, Exxon, and Citgo. They all got their holding tanks filled from the same refinery using the same pipeline from Texas. The different grades of gasoline is determined at the refinery, so Exxon's 87 octane is the exact same product as Citgo's 87 octane. The difference comes into effect when the gasoline companies blend additives into the higher grades, which is actually done at the pumps as the haulers are filled, not in the large holding tanks. "Regular" has no additives, and "Premium" does. "Plus" is sort of a half-and-half blend of the two.

 

Texaco used to blend 1.1 gallon of their additive to 1,000 gallons of regular to make it "Premium". If you didn't dilute it that much, it would eat all the seals in your engine. It could burn through your skin. Good stuff, cleans everything.

 

Citgo's additive, however, has essentially the same chemical make up as dishwashing liquid. The material safety data sheet for the additive said if you happen to drink a quart of it, all you have to do is induce vomiting. That's the real problem with the cheaper gas.

 

If you're filling up with regular, it's all the same. What you really have to look out for with the smaller mom & pop stations is sediment in their tanks or in the independant haulers' trucks which you end up pumping straight into your tank.

So you've just reinforced my beliefs then, to stay away from cheap gas stations. Yes, everyone's heard of citgo, exxon, texaco, chevron etc...selling gas is their specialty. Its just when places like supermarkets(ie safeway, albertson's) try to jump on the gas selling bandwagon.

 

I knew about the additive deal. I've read a lot of good things about Techron by Chevron so i try to stick with them. But whats stopping one of those cheap places from adding something instead of buffering the gas, you're diluting it?

[squam1]

the VQ will adjust for octane as noted previously, my 02 has a sticker on the gas door that says: for best performance user premium fuel. I have used 87 for two years and just switched over to 89 as the fuel prices have dropped some. I have noticed a power increase, less gear hunting on the highway, etc. I don't tow, so haven't bothered with the high test as yet. perhaps I'll put a tank of the good stuff in her to see what kind of a difference it makes...

 

however, for now, 89 works great, but 87 gets the job done...

[jj big shoe]

I just didn't want anyone to think when they fill up with Regular 87 octane at Mobil as opposed to the Sheets down the street that they're getting a better product because it costs more.

 

I would definately avoid a place like "Fred's Discount Gas and Wig Repair" but as far as 87 octane goes, it is essentially all the same.

 

...But whats stopping one of those cheap places from adding something instead of buffering the gas, you're diluting it?

 

I don't understand what you mean. I'm pretty sure that the gasoline is blended as it goes in to the tankers, not at the station. I haven't heared of a station pouring anything additive-wise in their tanks, but then again anything's possible.

[Precise1]

Just a note to the aware... I used to work in gas stations, and learned this little tidbit. DO NOT fill up at a gas station if a tanker is there. All tanks have some sediment, etc in them (some more than others) but when they fill the tanks, it all gets stirred up. If you pump your gas, you get the whole mix. Your fuel filter will catch most of it.... most of it ! Not ALL. Watching the owner of the gas station leaving in a hurry one day when a tanker was delivering, and filling up across the street drove this point home. Worth sharing in my book.

 

Bernard