WITH GAS PRICES SO HIGH, I 'M WONDERING IF I CAN USE REGULAR
UNLEADED INSTEAD OF MY USUAL PREMIUM--ANY THOUGHTS? WHAT
IS THE RISK? THANKS.

 

I experimented with this in a thread about 2 weeks ago. Based on some responses, you'd have thought I put sand in the thing people were so outraged. The first tank didnt feel different and in fact my mileage went up 10%. (I may have been driving extra smooth). On the second tank it felt heavy and sluggish and the mileage went down 10% from normal. I'm now using 89 and it feels no different from 91. Than again, I dont drive it that hard.

If you drive hard, stay with premium. If not, 89 is fine. I would only use 87 again in a pinch based on my experience.

 

in a word

No

Sand, that's a good one

 

how many cents more is premium than regular national avg is like 17 so what are you going to save three dollars? is that worth putting that crap in your engine?
http://www.fuelgaugereport.com/

 

Yes you can use 89, or 87 octane. However, that comes at a price. JA32 does have a knock sensor. If, repeat if, 87 octane produces a knock and or pre-detonation the knock sensor will change the timing and then you will not be producing full power. Once that event takes place it may take several tanks full of 93 octane to get the sensor to return to optimum power timing.

 

How about a regular TL? I really don't want to put 93 in the TL loaner I have. I will have it for at least another week.

 

Dude, if it's a loaner, why even worry about it. Just use the cheapest gas you find, and don't worry about it.

 

loaner => cut the gas with water...50 grade baby

 

I agree.
SHIT, for a buck a tankfull I wouldn’t chance the risk of future damage to the car.

If that extra few bucks a month is really killing you I think you bought the wrong car.

Shawn S

 

Who told you that lie?

It WILL NOT take several tanks of high octane fuel to return to the original timing curve.

The only time the sensor will retard timing is when knock is detected. At all other times, the timing will be normal.

______________________________________________


Acura says it's okay to use 87 octane, so listen to them, not the guys on this forum.

 

I went to 89 oct for two tanks, mileage went from 28 mpg to 25 mpg,, I pulled over once thinking I left my parking brake on,, now back on 93 oct and the mileage is up to 28.5, 30.5 for last two tanks,, soooo if there is a 4 mpg diff, thats 68 miles per tank,,, Don't see any REAL cost saving using 89 oct.

 

It is an excerpt from an ACURA service manual that was refering to the JA32 knock sensors. Prior to JA32 the computer's input for timing was only knock. On JA32 the computer's input for timing is knock as well as oxygen. The excerpt said, "If one or the other of these 2 sensors signals are not high it could take a couple of tanks to reset them."

 

The TL-P loaner gets nowhere near 93!!

 

 

The input for ignition timing is totally different than the timing being retarded due to knock sensor input. More than one sensor may share in the input, sure, but it's still completely different.

Obviously, the only time the knock sensor will pull out timing is when it detects knock. When the knock is gone, it will be returned to it's "normal" input.

In other words, the knock sensors are not gonna pull back timing and keep it there for TANKFULLS of gas....that's ridiculous.