Gas grades and types: How to determine what is best for your vehicle
(WTAJ) — We see gas prices drop around each holiday, but usually, there is some sort of catch.
This Thanksgiving, Sheetz dropped gas prices to $1.99 , but only for Unleaded 88 fuel. Get Go also lowered gas prices by a dollar for all of their fuel types.
This could be beneficial to those who are traveling for the holiday season, but what if you don’t know the difference in fuel types? Not knowing what fuel to put in your vehicle and/or putting the wrong fuel in your car could cause problems down the road.
Most retail gas stations in the country sell three main grades of fuel at different octane levels. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) breaks them up below.
E10 represents 97% of gasoline sold in the United States, so you might wonder why Midgrade and Premium exist and what they are used for.
According to Progressive , these premium gases offer a higher resistance to engine knock in luxury and performance vehicles, including those with turbochargers or high-compression engines. These gases can also increase fuel efficiency potential to bring better gas mileage.
This sounds nice; however, you will still want to check your owner’s manual to see what your manufacturer recommends for your car’s make and model. These gasses, as the name suggests, also come at a bit higher price.
So what are these two less-used fuel types and can your vehicle run them? Below is a breakdown of these “newer” gasoline options.
(FLEX FUEL)
Unlead 85 came out in 1996 and was created by Ford. Some gas stations, including Sheetz and Rutters, have this fuel type which is commonly known as Flex Fuel. Unleaded 85 consists of 51% to 83% ethanol depending on where you are located in the country and the time of the year, according to The U.S. Department of Energy.
Flex Fuel is specifically for vehicles that are designed to run on gasoline or gasoline-ethanol blends. Vehicles that use Flex Fuel usually have yellow gas gaps if they are from 2008 or newer. Some vehicles even have a sticker on the fuel door letting you know it takes Flex Fuel. Vehicles also usually have this badge on the vehicle letting you know it is a FFV or Flex Fuel Vehicle.
If you don’t have an FFV you should put Flex Fuel in your vehicle. The U.S. Department of Energy (EPA) said using this lower octane fuel can cause the engine to run poorly and can damage the engine and emissions control system over time. This could also void your warranty. Older vehicles might even hear the engine making “knocking” or “pinging” sounds.
You can find gas stations with E85 fuel here .
This leaves us with Unleaded 88, also known as E15. Unleaded 88 is a bit newer, coming out in 2009 after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved the ethanol industry to make a blend that included 15% ethanol, thus creating E15.
There are a lot of gas stations in our area that carry the fuel. But what is it and is it safe for YOUR vehicle?
Unleaded 88 is a blend of 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline that burns cleaner and has higher octane that’s better for your engine, environment, and wallet. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, this fuel is approved for cars 2001 and newer. It is highly recommended to check your vehicle’s warranty to confirm your vehicle’s make and model can use this fuel.
So why not cars before 2000? Well, the EPA said those older vehicles have a number of variables. Some vehicle models lack the computer controls in today’s vehicles to adjust for fuel variations, which is why the EPA didn’t approve it.
This is the technical meaning behind it. However, many, are still skeptical about putting this fuel in their cars. Why take the chance of damaging the engine or lowering your average mile per gallon when you know unleaded 87 works for you?
Unleaded 88 has just 5% more ethanol than E10, which was approved in 2009. Thus far, there have been more than 6 million miles of testing by the U.S. Department of Energy and no problems have been found.
Auto manufacturers have also been approving the use of Unleaded 88. Things change from manufacture to manufacture though. For example, General Motors recommends using Unleaded 88 on vehicle models from 2012 and newer, while Ford recommends it for 2013 and newer.
Unleaded 88 has also been approved by Volkswagen, Audi, Toyota, Land Rover, Porsche, Jaguar, Honda, Subaru and certain Mercedes-Benz and Lexus models.
If you are thinking of taking advantage of any gasoline sale during Thanksgiving or any upcoming holiday sale, the best thing to do is check your owner’s manual or contact your car manufacturer.
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