Guest

We are considering leasing a 2001
Acura TL and were wondering if
only premium fuel could be used
or if regular was OK? Thanks.

yu888

Premium fuel is highly recommended to keep your performance and mileage up. I would not run regular or even midgrade unless premium is not readily available. The engine is tuned to accept premium, so I'd follow Acura's recommended fuel.

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1999 Satin Silver TL Dunlop SP9000 215-45/17-mounted on CL-S 17" Rims
H&R Springs-Axiss MetalMasterPads-Crossdrilled Rotors
-Inspire Tailights-20/30/40 tint

Y2k S2K Honda Roadster
- Mingster Aeroscreen, Smokin Front mesh Grill, Clear Sidemarkers...

Tann@808

92+ for me, I know it's more $$'s but my $40K investment is definetly ever Penny!!!

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tann@808-'00 TL
non-Navi(Doesn't work in Hawaii)

Factory body kit & Wing, 19" Racing Hart C-5's,
Nitto 555's, CompTech Springs, CompTech Exhaust,
CompTech Headers, Inspire Taillights, NOS(70 shot),
AEM CAI, Alpine 8080, TL rear door handles in front,
Apexi v-afc, 5% + 30% tints,30% front windshield.
tann@pixi.com

Guest

I'm even picky about the brand of the gas. I don't ever put arco, or anything i don't trust. So far, i've only put Chevron (92) in the car.

Shoofin

Highest octane available for me!
Ed

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Acura-TL.com - Forum Moderator

'99 TL Satin Silver/Ebony, Non/Nav, Comptech lowered, Comptech Air Filter Element, Inspire Tails, AEM Brake Pads all around, Comptech Axle Back Exhaust, "Guy Smiley" doll on the dash as my Co-driver...

Pics of my TL
Pics of my Miata! Wadya think?

SLVR TL

Using lower grade gasoline won't hurt your car too much. The major downside to it would be a tad worse gas mileage and less power (performance).

If you don't intend to keep your car for long, then who cares what kinda gas you use. Like I put the crappiest gas in the rental car, I know everyone puts low grade gas in their leased vehicles.

TLracr

My classmate from school, his dad is a chemical engineer at Texaco, and the final verdict is that the most important difference is octane rating and not brand. The additives found between your local gas stations my make some difference but overall its not that crucial. I used to be picky about what brand I used too (Chevron's Techron, Texaco and 76) ... but if you need gas, go get gas!

TLracr

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Dark Emerald Pearl 2000 3.2 TL with Nav, Sebring Mufflers, Sebring Quad Sport Exhaust System, Factory Spoiler, HP Quantum Mirror Tint, 6 Disc Alpine CD changer, 16" 139C Pacer wheels, yokohama 215/55/16s, PIAA 1700x
------------


http://www.stanford.edu/~sevan9

Guest

I use mid grade, 89 octane all the time. I have not notices any decrease in fuel economy or performance. If it doesn't knock, or detonate, its fine. In fact, generally speaking, from a performance standpoint, you should always use the lowest grade possible, without detonation. I'm sure acura recommends premium because of the high compression ration of their engines - its just a safety buffer so their cars dont go around knocking.

Bill

Acura3200

Sunoco 93 all the way for me. According to Acura Service Dept., the car is rated for 92 Octane. Just pamper your car and give it the good stuff.

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<A HREF="http://www.adamoski.com/acura.html" TARGET=_blank> </A>
2000 Acura 3.2 TL w/ Navigation
Satin Silver / Ebony Interior
* Factory Spoiler
* Factory CD Changer
* Burlwood Shift Knob
* 35% Tint
* Comptech Parts Ordered!!!

jhalderman

I have used plus and regular without any problem. I did not notice a drop in performance, but I did notice a drop in fuel economy. I use Premium in the summer and regular in the winter because regular has more BTUs than premium and I don't notice the drop in fuel economy in cold weather.

VTEC

I put 93 or 94 in my car all the way,i did try put 89 once,i did feel better performance in 93 in 4500-6000 rpm.u really can feel it.not sure for economy.

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2000 3.2TL Firepepper red w/o nav
stock spoiler
Bosch 4+ platinum spark plug
25% Tint/Mud guards/
acura-tl.com sticker at front windshield

SL1200MK4

I have been using Sunoco Ultra 94 since day one. Technically, higher octane will give you a better perfromance.

Lawaia

Same here....how come some of you get 93/94 octane? WTF...hawaii has 92 max. I feel I'm getting short-changed here!

speed

Chevron Supreme Unleaded for me. I haven't tried putting a lower grade in, but I remember when I drove our minivan, my dad puts regular gas in the van and i noticed that it ran like sh*t. I started to use mid-grade and I noticed a biiiiig diferrence in performance. The van was alot smoother with the mid-grade as opposed to the suggested Regular grade. All cars are made different though and so what works for one vehicle may not work for another. For me, i don't think that it's worth taking the chance! Just my $0.02!

Red Hot TL

I only put certain brands in my TL and 91+ cuz sometimes they don't have 92 but only 91.

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2000 Red Hot TL w/o nav
Burlwood Trim and Shift Knob
Wood Trim Set
Gutter Guard Grill
Photos Of My RED HOT TL
I DON'T HAVE A LIFE

TLinBama

I only put 93 octane in my car, and I WILL NOT keep it past Dec. 2003 due to IRS reasons. Anyway, I drive a lot and use about 100 gallons/month. If the difference in price between 87 and 93 is $0.20, that's $20 to me. Hey, I'm paying over $600 dollars a month for this car, what's the extra $20 in all seriousness. I bought the car because of the performance it can offer when called upon to do so, and it won't perform to my level of expectation if running on el cheapo gas. If you can't afford the extra couple of bucks a month for better gas, you need to look over your personal finances and decide if you really NEED to get the TL. Hey, a big house is great, but if you can't afford the utility bills or maintenance, you made a big mistake. If you put cheap gas in the car becuase you simply don't care or don't miss the performance difference that's another story.

BTW, the BRAND of gasoline doesn't matter, but the STATION does. If you go to a run-down brand name gas station with rust on it's eaves and overhangs, imagine the condition of the tanks underground...

FTM-1

Sunuco is 94octane Exxon is 93octane I put Exxon in most of the time.
I put in $10 this mounrning at a $1.66 per gal.The prices vary last year when I got the car I remember paying about $1.84 for 94octane Sunoco.



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2000 3.2TL Nighthawk Black/Ebony/Navigation/ Optional Factory Chrome Multi Spoke 16" Wheels/Factory Underbody Kit/Factory Spoiler/Moonroof Visor/Factory 6-CD Changer/Trunk Mat/Factory Black Wheel Well Trim/Clifford IG8000 Alarm System w/add-ons/%51 Tint/Weathertech Floormats/Factory Car Cover/Michelin Arcctic Alpin Winter Tires on Stock Wheels/Factory Car Cover/Factory Gold Emblems Grille & Exhaust Tips

bebber

I worked briefly at the ARCO refinery plant in Carson, CA so here's some stuff I learned:

Truly, brand doesn't matter, but gas grade does affect to the car's performance.

The octane rating of a car is a measure of it's "oomph", for lack of a better word. More octane means more potential for power. However, a car that is not designed for and cannot handle the extra octane will not benefit from it. Indeed, excessive octane could even damage a car, say if you put jet fuel in there.

The main disadvantages of using a gas with less octane than the manufacturer recommends are that there will be decreased mileage, performance, and possibly increased engine wear. We're fortunate that the 2001 Acura TL (possibly other years too) has an anti-knock sensor that will keep the engine from knocking no matter what kind of fuel you use. Don't abuse the system though, it's not meant to allow you to consistently use cheap- grade gas.

All factors considered, I have always used 92+ gas in my car. I believe only if I feed her well, can she dance at my command. Thus far, it's been true.

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'01 TL with Navi
Naples Gold Metallic
Everything is stock for the moment
except for a big plush teddy bear in the back seat.

Guest

SL1200MK4,

Could you please elaborate on why adding higher octane gas to an engine will increase its performance? If this is true, should we be putting 104 octane in our cars?

Thanks.



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haha98

93 octane...

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1996 2.5 TL Dark Green
HKS Powerflow, HKS Fuel Pressure Regulator, Sebring Exhaust, Jacobs Pro Street, Apex-i AFC, Jet ECU, Powerslot Rotors, Axxis Metal Master Pads, PIAA 1100x, Clarion 9255, Tube Driver Amps, Boston Pro 10's (2) , CD Technologies 6-4-2, Clarion MVA6491 (3), Valentine 1, Cliford Avant Guard 4, Monster Capacitors (2), Jacobs Accuvolt, Trunk, Underdash and Underbody Neons
No nav yet but soon!!!

yu888

I just put in a tank for 100 octane fuel! Unocal76 has it at a few stations. I figured what the heck right. Only needed 8 gal today, so actual octane level in the tank is more like 96? I'll let you all know how it feels this week. (expensive as hell tho @$3.69/g)

Edub-TL

100 octane?? damn..
what stations in San Jose??

Hella expen$ive! I thought $2.00/gal for 92 was bad...

Guest

Hey,

I've been reading here for a long time, and haven't registered until now to clear up the popular misconceptions about high octane fuel. You've listed most of them here: more power, cleaner, hotter, etc. None of these are true.

Octane is simply a measurement of the fuel's resistance to ignition. The higher the octane number, the more resistant to detonation the fuel is. That means that your car tends not to knock and ping on higher octane because it won't detonate until lit by the spark. Knocking and pinging is pre-ignition of the fuel charge, caused by hot spots in the cylinder, compression, and other factors like heat and load (and conversely, lower octane fuel does not contain more BTUs than high octane, it's just more vulnerable to pre-ignition).

The reason cars like the TL need high octane is to prevent detonation, not make more power. What the high octane does is allow the engine to MAKE ALL THE POWER THAT WAS DESIGNED INTO IT. It is rated at 225HP, and that's all it'll ever make (without modifications), even if you put in 130 octane fuel.

You will, however, notice a loss in performance by using lower grades of fuel, but not because of the fuel itself. The TL is equipped with a knock sensor that retards timing when knock is detected, effectively cutting power. With high octane fuel, there is no knocking, therefore, no retarding of the timing and full power. But the fuel itself WILL NOT MAKE MORE POWER. Like one gentleman said, use only as much octane as you need to prevent knocking--any more (like the 100 octane mentioned) is just throwing your money away. You aren't getting more power out of fuel. A set amount of air and fuel, regardless of octane, will only make a certain sized explosion. Whatever you may hope or have heard from people who are not quite sure what octane does, it definitely does not magically make more horsepower from otherwise standard engines.

I hope this is helpful. Feel free to drop me a line any time with questions. Check out my web page if you want some references to my credentials.
--
Matt in Cleveland

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Guest

Thank God!!! Finally, someone who knows that higher octane fuel is not going to make your car faster - if you've never had a problem with lower octane.

Great response Toolman, and 100% correct, as you know. I started to type that whole explanation, computer froze, and I gave up.

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">[This message has been edited by Bill91Lx on February 12, 2001 @ ]</font>

adamyankee

If you are worried about Gas prices, go buy a freakin' Hyundai!!!! PREMIUM ONLY

djalliance

Professor Toolman, Very Impressive. Can you tell us what else you know?
Thanks for the info!

yu888

Toolman, agreed, but curiosity got the best of me on the 100 octane stuff.

Edub- Unocal 76 at Foxworthy and Almaden Expwy has 2 pumps with 100 racing fuel. yes, it is unleaded.

NBP TL

I use sunoco ultra 94 most of the time. I just filled up yesterday at $1.74/gallon. The highest ive paid for premium has been $2.10/gallon and that was for Mobile 93 octane. The money doesnt bother me because reg unleaded by me is in the $1.60 range.
Also, acura says to use at least 91 octane.

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2001 Nighthawk Black Pearl TL

• Inspire tailights
• Weapon-R hyper intake
• Burlwood shift knob
• Razo carbon fiber pedals
• Inspire fog light switch (no fogs yet)

v_i_s_i_o_n

Premium .. sometimes octane boost additives once awhile...

Guest

You guys certainly aren't doing any harm by running the higher octane stuff. The 100 is probably too much for a street car, but I do occasionally use it in my supercharged 5.0L Ranger, which, because it's blown, likes all the octane I can get. Otherwise, I run all my performance cars (including the TL) on 93 or 94. The 94 Sunoco is about the best gas for a street car that needs premium fuel, and, as was pointed out earlier, it's cheap insurance when you're running hard. I can't imagine, however unlikely, what a new head gasket in one of these things would cost...

I just cringe when I see people at the gas station filling up their Cavaliers and Hyundais with expensive gas--it doesn't do anything if your car doesn't need it. Sometimes I try to explain it, but people are so set in their misconceptions that they will not be deterred by facts or information. They heard that high octane makes more power and cleans their engine better, then god damn it, they're gonna dump that expensive gas in their beater cars, regardless of what anyone else may say.

I just hope I've been helpful. Thanks for the kind feedback.
--
Matt in Cleveland

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TLinBama

Toolman is absolutely correct. To break things down a little further for the average car driver... Diesel fuel has an extremely low octane rating (in the 50s) so that it will detonate with nothing more than compression (no spark necessary). That's what you don't want with "gasoline." The explanation on why lower octane fuel would decrease power is because it will detonate too early in the piston's travel (due to the increased pressure) rather than when the spark plug ignites, actually decreasing the piston's momentum at the TDC. This will reduce the potential power of the fuel/air mixture (fixed by the ECU) and lower your efficiency (mpg). High compression engines need the reduced tendency of detonation in order to time combustion properly and get the most out of the fuel/air mixture.

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John

2000 TL WDP Nav

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NBP TL

everyone who has posted has a very good point. when i filled up yesterday i put 94 octane at $1.74/gallon. 93 octane was $1.69. it works out to about .75 extra on 15 gallons, which i dont feel is a big deal when im driving around in a $30k car. If an extra dollar breaks me then i have bigger problems to worry about than the octane in my gas! but hey thats just my opinion. to each his own.

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2001 Nighthawk Black Pearl TL

• Inspire tailights
• Weapon-R hyper intake
• Burlwood shift knob
• Razo carbon fiber pedals
• Inspire fog light switch (no fogs yet)

25flamingTL

Shit I have a 96 TL and I go only too Sunco because of that great 94 juice. Everytime I put it in my car just be jumping. I'm usually hyped to go to the gas station. Use it all the time and You'll see a change. I promise you.

Guest

Hey Flaming,

Are you saying that 94 octane makes your car faster than it would be if you put in 92 octane? This difference is noticeable to you?

Just curious...

97slammedTL

....i have a 97, and i also follow what is very noticable on my dash, so i only put premium fuel in my car.......premium here in maryland ranges from 1.54 a gallpn in some areas-to 1.89 a gallon in others.i usually go to the ghetto to fill up

shooter

always 92 octane for my ride

VTEC Animal

I think we've covered this topic pretty good.... Thanks Toolman for clearing up the air that was pretty fogged up. The fact remains that Acura recommends 91 or higher according to the manual. When I bought the car it wasn't an issue at all because 92 is only about 18 cents more per gallon than 87 (the lowest grade in Cali, 89 being mid). I use on average about 22 to 25 gallons a month. Which equates to less than 2 dollars a month more in fuel costs. Now I realize that I use less fuel than probably 95% of the people here, so a normal person might use say 60 gallons a month, that is less than $6 a month more to run premium. So ask yourself, are you willing to pay an extra $6/month? I would surely hope so.

Guest

The question was not related to cost. We
have a Lincoln now (which is going back) and
we have sucessfully used both regular and
premium. I have even read that excess octane is not good for an engine. I have yet to meet a car salesman who can answer even a simple question, so I wanted several owners opinions, that's all.

Guest

The question was not related to cost. We
have a Lincoln now (which is going back) and
we have sucessfully used both regular and
premium. I have even read that excess octane is not good for an engine. I have yet to meet a car salesman who can answer even a simple question, so I wanted several owners opinions, that's all.

Guest

Thanks for a straight answer rather than
derogatory comments or the ramblings of testosterone-induced, 100 octane-crazed motorheads.


<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">[This message has been edited by Sprocket on February 13, 2001 @ ]</font>

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">[This message has been edited by Sprocket on February 13, 2001 @ ]</font>