What happens if you accidentally add 92 octane fuel when you usually use 95 octane?
2 Answers
If you accidentally add 92 octane fuel when you usually use 95 octane, there will be no major impact. Mixing different grades and types of gasoline will not cause obvious problems in the short term. Carbon deposits and fuel line blockages are caused by long-term mixed use. In such cases, there is no need to worry excessively or perform special maintenance. Simply refuel with the appropriate grade of gasoline as required by your vehicle when conditions permit. Some car owners believe that using higher-octane fuel can improve performance, but this is unnecessary. If the engine's compression ratio does not meet the standard, even the best fuel will not make a difference. Gasoline is a volatile, flammable hydrocarbon mixture liquid derived from petroleum through distillation, cracking, or pyrolysis, and is used as fuel. It appears as a transparent, flammable liquid with a distillation range of 30 to 220 degrees Celsius, primarily composed of C5 and C12 aliphatic hydrocarbons, cycloalkanes, and a certain amount of aromatic hydrocarbons.
I usually fill up with 95-octane gasoline, but last time I accidentally added 92-octane. After that, the engine started making a knocking sound, the power noticeably softened, and acceleration became sluggish. Upon checking, I learned that the lower octane rating caused engine knocking. When the engine has a high compression ratio, premature ignition can easily lead to unstable cylinder pressure. Driving like this for a short period isn’t a big issue, so I diluted it by adding twice the amount of 95-octane fuel and drove gently until the tank was empty. After refilling with 95-octane next time, everything returned to normal. If you accidentally use lower-octane fuel, avoid sudden braking or aggressive acceleration to prevent worsening the knocking. If the engine light comes on, visit a professional shop to check the spark plugs or sensors to prevent carbon buildup and potential cylinder damage.
