What Type of Gasoline Should a Mustang Use?

[DelArthur]

Mustang should use 92-octane gasoline. This octane rating is recommended in the vehicle's official user manual. In addition to checking the user manual for the appropriate gasoline octane, you can also find this information on the fuel tank cap, which will indicate the recommended octane. Typically, the octane can also be determined based on the engine's compression ratio. Vehicles with an engine compression ratio between 8.6-9.9 should use 92-octane gasoline, while those with a compression ratio between 10.0-11.5 should use 95-octane gasoline. If the compression ratio is higher, 98-octane gasoline is recommended. However, with the use of new technologies, the octane cannot be solely determined by the compression ratio. Engines with high compression ratios can also be tuned to use lower-octane gasoline because, apart from the compression ratio, other factors such as ignition timing, turbocharging technology, and Atkinson cycle technology also play a role. Generally, the higher the octane rating, the higher the octane number and the better the anti-knock performance. 92-octane gasoline contains 92% isooctane and 8% n-heptane, while 95-octane gasoline contains 95% isooctane and 5% n-heptane. If a Mustang occasionally uses the wrong octane gasoline, simply switch back to the correct octane after the tank is empty. However, long-term use of the wrong octane can have the following effects: For vehicles designed for lower octane, using higher octane gasoline will not cause damage, but the increased octane can alter the fuel's ignition point, leading to delayed combustion in the engine. This reduces the engine's power output and thermal efficiency, resulting in poorer performance. For vehicles designed for higher octane, using lower octane gasoline can cause engine knocking. Because the octane is significantly lower, the fuel's ignition point decreases, causing premature ignition during the compression stroke. If the fuel ignites before the spark plug fires, resistance occurs during the upward stroke. This resistance makes the engine run very unstably. If the knocking is mild, it may only increase noise without significant engine damage. However, noticeable knocking indicates severe engine conditions, affecting not only driving stability but also causing abnormal wear on pistons and cylinders, and in severe cases, cylinder scoring.