What are the consequences of using 92 octane gasoline in a Volkswagen turbocharged engine?
2 Answers
Using 92 octane gasoline in a Volkswagen turbocharged engine will result in more carbon deposits. Using 95 octane gasoline provides higher combustion efficiency, meaning the gasoline burns cleaner, and improves acceleration and overall performance. Below are relevant details: Differences between 92 and 95 octane: Volkswagen turbocharged engines are more suitable for 95 octane gasoline. There are certain differences between using 95 octane and 92 octane gasoline in the engine. Compared to 92 octane, 95 octane gasoline has a higher octane rating. The higher the octane rating in the gasoline, the better it is for the engine. Choosing the right gasoline: Gasoline has different octane ratings and is classified into grades such as 90, 93, 95, and 97 based on the octane level. The higher the grade, the better the anti-knock performance. Cars select different grades of gasoline based on the engine's compression ratio. Each vehicle's manual will specify the appropriate gasoline to use. Mid-range cars with a compression ratio between 8.5 and 9.5 should generally use 90 octane gasoline, while cars with a compression ratio greater than 9.5 should use 93 octane gasoline.
Last time I drove my Volkswagen 1.4T back to my hometown, the only fuel available at the town gas station was 92 octane. I thought it would be fine to use it just once. However, the next day when I was on the highway, I couldn't get any speed even when I floored the accelerator, and there was a metallic knocking sound coming from the engine bay. I immediately took it to a repair shop for inspection. The mechanic said there were signs of erosion on the edges of the turbocharger blades and carbon deposits on the piston tops. He explained that small-displacement turbocharged engines have high compression ratios, and 92 octane fuel doesn't have enough anti-knock properties, causing the air-fuel mixture to ignite prematurely and create knocking. While an occasional use might not cause immediate failure, fixing this issue cost me nearly two thousand yuan. Since then, I've never dared to cheap out and use 92 octane fuel again. Turbocharged cars are like picky eaters—using the wrong fuel can leave them sluggish at best or in the repair shop at worst.
