Can Regular Cars Use 101 Octane Gasoline?
3 Answers
Using 101 octane gasoline requires a high-compression ratio engine. Currently, Chinese automakers only produce vehicles compatible with up to 98 octane gasoline. Below are the reasons why a car might emit a gasoline smell: 1. Gasoline leakage: Over time, gasoline pipes can develop cracks, leading to leakage. Gasoline vapors may enter the car through the air conditioning system, or aging carbon canister rubber hoses can cause gasoline vapor leaks. 2. Lack of warm-up preparation: Gasoline is refined from various components like straight-run gasoline, catalytic cracking gasoline, and catalytic reforming gasoline, blended with high-octane components. Not warming up the car before driving or overfilling the fuel tank can result in a gasoline smell inside the car.
To be honest, I've thought about this issue myself since I often drive long distances. It's not a good idea to use 101 octane gasoline in regular cars. It's essentially high-octane fuel designed for sports cars or performance engines, mainly to prevent knocking. For our daily private cars, the engines are tuned to run perfectly fine on 92 or 95 octane. Using 101 octane is significantly more expensive, costing several yuan more per liter - over a thousand kilometers, you'd be throwing away dozens of yuan for nothing. Plus, the engine doesn't need that level of anti-knock performance, and it might even lead to deposit buildup, making cleaning more troublesome. I tried it once at a highway service station and noticed no difference when stepping on the accelerator - pure waste. Stick with what's recommended in the owner's manual - it saves money and hassle.
I remember when driving the family's old car, the fuel cap clearly stated that 92-octane gasoline was the most suitable. The 101-octane fuel was ridiculously expensive - filling up a tank could cost me a whole day's meal budget, completely unnecessary. Regular car engines don't have such high compression ratios, and using higher octane fuel won't increase horsepower or save gas. On the contrary, long-term use might cause sensor errors, like oxygen sensors misjudging emissions. A mechanic once told me that for regular cars, just follow the manual's recommendation - blindly using premium fuel is just paying the 'IQ tax'. Money-saving tip: Gas stations often run promotions on lower-grade fuel, paying attention can save you more.
