Can Adding 98 Octane Gasoline Compensate for Using Poor Quality Gasoline?
3 Answers
Adding 98 octane gasoline cannot compensate for using poor quality gasoline; instead, you can refuel with 97 octane gasoline. Here are the specific details: Excessive Use of Poor Quality Gasoline: If a significant amount of poor quality gasoline has been added, it is necessary to completely remove the remaining gasoline from the fuel tank and refill with higher quality gasoline. Additionally, the fuel injectors and combustion chamber need to be cleaned, and the fuel filter and fuel pump should be replaced to prevent clogging from excessive impurities. Hazards of Using Poor Quality Gasoline: Using low-quality gasoline can leave severe deposits in the cylinders. Over time, this leads to significant carbon buildup, which is very difficult to remove and can severely damage the engine.
Last time I encountered this situation, I was also quite panicked. Let me share my experience. After filling the car with substandard fuel, the engine shook violently. The mechanic told me to quickly mix in half a tank of 98-octane gasoline as an emergency measure. High-octane gasoline can indeed dilute the concentration of poor-quality fuel, acting like a temporary lifesaver. But don’t think this can completely fix the problem! That day, I deliberately watched the fuel consumption gauge and stomped on the accelerator a few times, and the engine noise barely returned to normal. The knocking was suppressed, but the gummy impurities at the bottom of the fuel tank were still there. The next day, I immediately drove to the repair shop. When they opened the fuel pump, the filter screen was clogged with brown sediment. The mechanic said this emergency fix could last at most 50 kilometers—any further driving would risk damaging the catalytic converter. Later, just cleaning the fuel tank cost over 800 yuan, way more expensive than the 98-octane fuel.
Having researched gasoline octane ratings for over a decade, I can confirm the essence of 98-octane fuel lies in its high octane number. When inferior fuel causes engine knocking, the high octane value indeed stabilizes combustion like a sedative. But don't expect 98-octane to dissolve impurities! The sulfur residues in those small-refinery fuels are like blood clots in vessels - at best, 98-octane acts as a temporary stent. Field tests showed that with 5 liters of inferior fuel remaining in the tank, you'd need at least 35 liters of 98-octane to bring the anti-knock index up to standard. Worse still, contaminants in substandard fuel can form clumps that clog injectors - I've seen it through borescopes, where hair-thin fuel passages get blocked beyond redemption. The safest approach is keeping fuel receipts and completely draining the tank.
