Photo: David Roumanet / Pixabay
Officially, the octane rating of regular gasoline is 87 . However, it is not surprising that in some parts of the United States this type of gasoline is identified with a few degrees less or a few degrees more, something that also happens with gasoline median and premium, whose official values are between 88 – 90 Y 91-94, respectively . All these numbers refer to the same characteristic: the ability of each of these mixtures to withstand engine knocking or, in short, its anti-knock capacity, which is improved thanks to the use of additives that are added to the mixture. to improve its performance and that replace the tetraethyl lead used in the past, a compound that, in addition to being polluting, was also harmful to health .
One of the additives contained in regular gasoline is ethanol, an ecological fuel derived from the processing of corn, sugarcane and pasture plants that, In addition to improving the performance of the mixture, it reduces the amount of polluting emissions generated during the combustion process. Ethanol can be found in different proportions in gasoline and is represented by other values that should not be confused with the grade octane. In the specific case of regular gasoline, its percentage of ethanol is 10%, and the resulting mixture is also known as E 10.
At the other end of this classification is gasoline of optimum quality or of a higher level, which is distributed by those stations that have the Top Tier label , practically a quality seal that guarantees that the mixture distributed is free of chemical additives that could affect the good performance of the engine and even its useful life. This gasoline is very special because it also contributes to the cleaning of these additives, coming from other gasoline used in the past . Some of the stations that distribute this type of fuel in the United States are: Shell, Costco, Chevron, Mobil and Sinclair, but this list extends to more than fifty brands throughout the country that distribute gasoline with the same characteristics, according to Gossip. Vehicle.
Although regular gasoline is the most common throughout the country, it is very important to be aware of the octane rating that corresponds to your car . The exact value for each model is recommended by the manufacturer in the vehicle’s user manual and is the one that you must take into account every time you are going to recharge the tank.
You may also be interested in: When should I change my car battery