Despite the manufacturer’s clearly stated recommendations regarding the use of a brand of gasoline suitable for a particular car model, the debate about whether it is possible to fill in 92 gasoline instead of 95 will most likely never stop. What is the difference between the mentioned brands of fuel, which one is better and are they interchangeable?
Since in the case of modern cars the manufacturer indicates a wider range of fuel options acceptable for use, car owners often prefer to consider 92 and 95 gasoline interchangeable. Is it correct? Which fuel option is more preferable and is it possible to use 92 gasoline instead of 95 and vice versa?
No. 1. What does the instructions say?
Most manufacturers today require AI-95 gasoline and higher. The more “democratic” ones also allow “ninety-second” to be poured. For example, for Vesta the optimal choice is AI-95. If you fill it with AI-92, you will lose a little in dynamics and efficiency. If you buy AI-98, you will overpay, but you won’t feel the difference with “ninety-five” gas stations. Therefore, I am impressed by the instructions, for example, like Volvo: the main gasoline is AI-95, in extreme heat (to eliminate the risk of detonation) fill in “ninety-eighth”, and in extreme cases AI-92 will do.
Mixing 95 and 92 gasoline
As for mixing the two brands of fuel in question under any circumstances, the idea that you will get fuel with average performance is erroneous. The abundance of ether additives in 95 makes it lighter than 92. Mixing will lead to the formation of two fractions in the gas tank: at the bottom there will be 92nd, and at the top, respectively, 95th.
To summarize, it is worth destroying the myth of saving money, which acts as the main argument for replacing the recommended gasoline with another brand. The savings, in fact, cannot be called significant, since we are talking about 1-2 rubles per liter. Over the course of a year, you can save approximately 3-4 thousand rubles if the mileage is 15 thousand km.
Not only are the savings virtually unnoticeable, but the use of unsuitable gasoline on a regular basis provokes the failure of certain vehicle systems. And since you will lose the right to warranty repairs, the costs of major repairs to a group of pistons and cylinders will be on your shoulders. Consequently, there will be no savings.
No. 5. What if he’s “skinny”?
You often hear that high-octane gasolines are more “bodily”, and therefore low-octane gasolines are safer. All gasoline sold today must comply with class 5. And in our fuel examinations, we have not come across “bodied” gasoline recently. The main thing is not to refuel at suspicious gas stations, where the price is several rubles per liter lower than at neighboring ones - there is a really high risk of running into bad gasoline.
Fuel parameters
Octane number is considered a key parameter when it comes to fuel used in the Russian automotive industry. The characteristic under consideration is designed to determine how much the fuel can resist ignition at the moment of compression, that is, the tendency to detonate is established. The fuel detonation threshold is directly proportional to the indicator under consideration.
You can learn more about what the octane number of gasoline is from the article by our specialist.
Additionally, we recommend reading our author’s material on how to choose the right gasoline cans.
The logical conclusion from the information provided is: if the engine is designed to run on AI 95 gasoline, systematically ignoring this fact and refueling with inappropriate fuel leads to rapid wear of the engine as a whole and its individual elements. The frequency of spontaneous combustion will be excessive.
Octane number
When studying the properties of fuel, it is also important to take into account the technology used in processing petroleum products. Direct processing allows you to obtain a product with an octane number of 60. To increase this parameter, various techniques are used, including hydrocracking, thanks to which it is possible to increase the required characteristic by 15 units.
Types of additives
It is customary to distinguish between the following types of additives, which differ not only in their effectiveness of use, but also in their safety of use:
- Lead-based additives , otherwise known as metal-containing additives, were in demand during the Soviet Union. Leaded gasoline acted as a finished product. Despite the effectiveness of their use, they were soon banned for use because the harmful emissions into the atmosphere were too significant.
- Additives with ferrocenes (iron compounds) or manganese compounds are considered less dangerous , however, certain restrictions are imposed on their use. Manganese compounds tend to decompose when exposed to light, which leads to a decrease in the fuel's resistance to spontaneous combustion. Ferrocenes, in turn, provoke the formation of layers of soot and resins, which negatively affect the cleanliness of the engine.
- Alcohols and ethers in the base of additives are optimal components from the point of view of environmental impact, but their octane number is relatively low and is only 120, while in the case of metal-containing additives we are talking about 280. As a result, it is necessary to achieve a higher specific content of such additives in fuel – up to 15%. If we are talking about the disadvantages, it is worth continuing with such an unpleasant side effect as high volatility. Consequently, fuel based on such additives must always be fresh, and its long-term storage is not possible.
Having studied the information about the additives used and their effect on the petroleum product and the environment, we can begin to consider the possibility of replacing 95 fuel with AI-92 gasoline.
Octane number and detonation
Any gasoline has several basic parameters:
- A composition that includes parts of aromatic hydrocarbons, organic compounds containing oxygen, and benzene.
- Percentage of sulfur content that forms active acids. They destroy engine parts, the exhaust system, and the catalyst.
- An indicator characterizing the ability of gasoline to resist detonation, or octane number.
Detonation is the random ignition of the fuel mixture during compression.
Both brands of gasoline - 92 and 95, have different octane numbers:
Conclusion
Each engine is designed by its designers for a certain moment when the fuel should ignite, and it corresponds to a specific octane number of gasoline.
Expensive high-octane gasoline is neither better nor cleaner. It's just designed for modern engine models, and everything new and fashionable is usually more expensive than outdated ones.
It is recommended to fill modern “high-speed” engines with fuel of a class not lower than AI-95. Brands 98, 100 are even more preferable.
“Slow” high-octane gasoline will burn evenly throughout the entire piston stroke. This way it does a great job without causing a shock wave to the piston, connecting rod and crankshaft.
Production technologies
The quality of gasoline is regulated by technical regulations, which list what should not be present: metal-containing additives based on iron, manganese and lead and additives based on methanol.
To obtain high-octane gasoline from oil, different technologies are used, but only one allows obtaining octane numbers up to 99. The rest are produced using less complex technologies. This is where various octane-boosting additives and additives arise. They can be divided into three groups. The first is based on the use of metal-containing additives - tetraethyl lead, which is banned in many countries around the world, including in Russia. Ferrocene replaced it. If the engine contains a large dose of ferrocenes (iron-containing additives), then the iron hood will come first to the spark plugs. The oxygen sensor will fall second, and its death will be followed by the premature death of the catalytic converter.
Another group of high-octane additives works on the principle of a “mixture” increase in octane number: base gasoline is mixed with something very stable. More often they use monomethylaniline (MMA), whose octane number is 280. These gasolines are more expensive than ferrocene ones, but the main obstacle is Euro IV standards, which limit the level of “aromatics”. The third group is ethers and alcohols. Everything is fine with the environment, but there are problems. Firstly, the octane number is relatively low - about 120, so quite a lot of them are required - sometimes more than 10%. Secondly, esters are aggressive towards rubber, paint, and some plastics. It was the aggressiveness of the esters that required limiting their concentration to 15%.
The terrible enemies of car enthusiasts include MMA and MTBE. The use of these additives in the production of gasoline is allowed, but with strict dosage. An MTBE content of more than 15% leads to a drop in engine power and corrodes seals in the fuel system. MMA (no more than 1%) is allowed in fuel up to class four and has been banned since 2016.
Consequences of refueling a car with low-octane fuel
Let's consider what can happen if the car is filled with, say, AI-80 gasoline instead of 92. On fuel with an octane rating significantly lower than the recommended one, the engine “chokes” and begins to work noticeably worse:
- power is lost;
- dips appear when accelerating the car;
- detonation occurs (they also say “fingers ring”);
- The engine starts to smoke (black smoke comes out of the muffler pipe).
It is still allowed to drive a certain distance in such a vehicle if the situation is hopeless, but the car cannot be used for a long time. The constant use of gasoline with low OC leads to very disastrous consequences:
- The piston partitions are destroyed, and piston burnout often occurs;
- the piston rings are stuck, resulting in bluish smoke appearing from the muffler pipe, and oil consumption increases noticeably;
- the catalyst clogs quickly;
- Spark plugs fail prematurely.
The difference between octane numbers 92 and 95 is not so noticeable, however, it is there. If the manufacturer recommends filling with AI-95, then you need to adhere to the instructions; the consequences of mismatching the fuel grade will still manifest themselves someday.
Will you be able to save money?
Is there any reason to refuel with 92-octane gasoline instead of A-95 in order to save money?
It is estimated that in a year a car enthusiast can save about 3 thousand rubles by choosing fuel with a low octane number. But this year the vehicle engine will work under increased load.
If you use the wrong fuel, the following problems will occur:
- formation of carbon deposits in the combustion chamber;
- rapid wear of rubbing engine parts;
- engine running intermittently.
Such consequences will lead to the need for early engine repairs, which will far exceed the saved rubles.
To summarize, there are several recommendations:
- Fuel the car only with the gasoline for which it is designed;
- fuel with a low octane number reduces the power of the power unit;
- new engines are more capricious and require high-octane fuel.
It is not recommended to pour A-92 into new engines designed for 95, as you may lose the warranty right to repair the car. And the thrifty car owner will pay the full cost for repairing the damaged power unit. Consequently, the desire to save will lead to waste.
What kind of gasoline is better to fill?
Toyota Corolla 2004, 110 l. With. - observation
Cars for sale
Toyota Corolla, 2004
Toyota Corolla, 2005
Toyota Corolla, 2006
Toyota Corolla, 2001
Comments 16
I also came across this issue, surfed a bunch of forums, and came to the conclusion that it doesn’t matter to her what kind of gasoline she eats, it’s already about 50 thousand. I drive 92, there are 0 changes.
I mostly use Corolla 95 because that’s what the instructions say. After all, there is less detonation...
The knock sensor solves the problem with detonation
I have 95 more consumption on the CUBA, but the engine sounds quieter ((
I pour it whenever, from 92 to 98, it eats everything and doesn’t even slurp...
In Russia, 95 is almost entirely filled with Chinese additives! High-quality gasoline goes to the west. I fill up with 92, and use 95 for BP...the quality is certainly noticeable. At other gas stations I didn’t feel any difference from 92 - 95(
My dad bought an Avensis at the dealership and they told him that it was only 92, since it is 92, and there is no 95 beyond the Urals :-). So together we all pour 92 from Sibneft and that’s it.
I think everything is somewhat more complicated there... Like the compression ratio and the octane number for this compression ratio. In short, you need to pour what the manufacturer recommends - then everything will go as expected)
better than 92, we also kind of need to pour 95, but you can pour 92, we pour 92, mostly few people use it, 95 is used more often
I can't get it to work at 92...
strange... in theory 92 is better, but I realized she just somehow needs to fill in a little 92 when the duck is empty and let her drive it, the computer will change to 92 and it will crash, she was just given that way out of habit
or vice versa, fill in 95 and 92 then the computer will quickly adjust and will even run at 92 =)
Car manufacturers indicate in the accompanying documentation the brand of gasoline recommended for this vehicle. Two brands are indicated, for example, the recommended gasoline is A-95, and the acceptable gasoline is A-92.
Let's consider how important it is to use a brand of fuel with a high octane number, and what the consequences of refueling with low-quality gasoline will be.
What happens if you fill in 92 instead of 95?
Many car enthusiasts ask the question: is it possible to replace 95 gasoline with 92 gasoline? Experts and manufacturers do not give a clear answer.
Mechanics say that for normal and long-term operation of the car’s power unit, it is necessary to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. Otherwise, the engine life will be reduced and unscheduled repairs will be required.
Manufacturers recommend following fuel quality recommendations for several reasons:
- Firstly, the quality of the A-92 does not meet the standards at every gas station.
- Secondly, modern turbocharged engines are very fuel sensitive and are tuned to a high compression ratio. Low octane gasoline in such engines can do more harm than good.
Reverse situation
We figured out whether it is possible to fill in 92 gasoline instead of 95, but what about the opposite situation? There is a misconception among drivers that 95 gasoline will allow an engine designed to work with 92 gasoline to operate more efficiently. But in fact, the opposite situation is also harmful for the engine, since the mixture will be ignited late, and this can cause the same negative consequences.
Note that modern cars are quite smart and have systems for automatically adjusting engine operating parameters to the changed octane number of fuel. True, the change is possible within a small range. The “brains” of the car monitor:
- Detonation.
- Engine speed.
- Composition of the air-fuel mixture.
- The moment of ignition of the mixture.
If necessary, engine operation will be adjusted by the electronic control unit. But it is worth noting that the operation of this unit is limited, and if the difference in octane numbers is large, then it will not help.
Almost all modern cars can be filled with 92 or 95 grade gasoline, since the difference in octane numbers does not exceed 3%. However, this cannot be done systematically under any circumstances. There are situations when the driver has an empty tank, and the gas station does not have the fuel he needs. In this case, it is permissible to fill in a small volume of unsuitable gasoline.
Rules to help avoid filling with a surrogate
To avoid getting stuck on the road due to filling your tank with bad gasoline, follow the unspoken rules:
- refuel your car at a gas station of the same company that inspires your trust;
- even if you run out of gasoline, try not to fill up at small gas stations far from the city; gasoline of questionable quality is more common here;
- Don’t be fooled by the suspiciously cheap price of fuel; a good product cannot be sold for pennies.
Receipts issued at the gas station must be kept: if the engine fails after filling with surrogate gasoline, they can be presented in court. In this case, you should drain the gasoline from the tank into any small container and give it for examination. If there is undeniable evidence of the gas station's guilt, the court will side with you, and the culprit will have to pay for unscheduled repairs.
Is it possible to refuel 95 instead of 92 gasoline and vice versa? What is the difference between 92 and 95 gasoline, and what do all drivers need to know?
The performance of a car engine depends on the quality and brand of gasoline. The higher the octane number, the better the car - many people think so. However, this is a fundamentally wrong belief. You should only use gasoline of the brand specified by the factory specifications.
