I've heard that manufacturers requiring premium fuel is a scam
and cars will run just as well with regular.

Has anyone used regular fuel in their TL ?

If you use regular, will this ruin the engine, or will
performance suffer ?

 

Sure use regular if you don't plan on gettin' on it. For just cruisin' it's fine, but forget using that glorious VTEC. Higher compression (or lower compression with power adder) engines do better with higer octane fuel.

You will notice the difference (negative) after the first tankfull of regular. If you have a car that doesn't require premium, it won't necessarily gain from using a higer octane.

In short, using regular won't hurt, but it won't help either (down the road).

I like my fuel like I like my women... Premium!

 

Premium is only for cars that "require" it such as the TL. In cars that don't require it it is unecessary. Octane is the "anti knock factor" only cars with high compression require a higher number.

 

In my personal experience, I have a TL and MDX - both of which "require" premium.

With the MDX, I can get by on 87 octane no problem.

With the TL, the higher octane really does make a difference. I try to stick with Mobil 93. Just my 2 cents.

 

The TL has a high compression engine, hence the recommendation for premium fuel. It will run on regular, but sensors will recognize the lower octane and compensate by retarding the timing to avoid engine damaging pinging. Your performance will diminish in the process. I love the way my TL accelerates. I don't want to compromise that thrill, so I pony up for the premium and enjoy the ride.

 

Prem. is only 12 to 20 cents higher per gallon then 87, that's $1.80 to $3.00 more for a 15 gal. fillup. We paid $30somethousand for our cars, I don't think $3 more for a tank will break us.
If your engine retards the timing because you're running 87, not only will the power suffer, so will your gas mileage. So... everything will even out. You save $3.00 at the pump, but your car eats more gas. Nothing saved.

 

Amen!

 

I put regular in the car on my second tank... (to used to putting this in ALL previous cars!!). Since I was in the break in period I did not get it up to high revs. However, I did not see any change in gas mileage.

But I agree, why worry about $50 to $100 a year for the better gas that is recommended. If you wanted to use regular, should have bought the Accord.

 

The TL requires premium because it has 11:1 compression. Every car I've owned that required premium did so for good reason. Any mechanic who tells you to use what ever probably worked on Yugo's in the past.

My last car that required premium was a Lincoln Mark VIII, one time I was on fumes and the gas station was out of the good stuff so I had no choice but to go 89, the car ran like crap performance wise and mileage wise not because it couldn't run on 89 octane but because it wasn't designed too. I don't care what engine controls you throw at a high compression engine, anything below premium will degrade performance and mileage.

There are some gas stations that sell crap 87 octane in all three pumps and laugh all the way to the bank, but they smell different so it's easy to tell before putting it in.

Also, if you stay away from the Speedways, Thorntons etc.. you should be fine.

 

I saw at a Sunoco gas station a pump with "Racing Fuel"... 98 OCTANE!!

What happens if you put that in your TL?

Is that too high? Anyone ever use this?

 

Running higher than recommended octane rating is of no real benefit. It's important to run a high enough octane rating to support your engine's compression ratio in order to prevent pinging. Going above and beyond that won't hurt you, but you're pretty much throwing your money away. Cars that need 98 octane are running much higher compression ratios.

 

if you put lower octane in your car you will get less gas mileage and lower performance.

 

In Ontario premium (91) runs about 10 to 12 cents a litre more than regular. Thats about 40 to 48 cents a gallon. I tend to go through about 50 litres a week or about $5.00 extra for premium. That amounts to about $260.00 a year (I know its only Canadian dollars).

In my 96 Maxima and my 00 Avalon, I found that after the first year if I used regular the engine knocked under any acceleration. I ended up using mid-grade (89) gas for the balance of each lease. I am getting my my Satin Silver Metallic/Ebony Navi tomorrow. I think I will try a few tanks of premium and then a few tanks of mid grade and see if I notice any real difference.

The manual indicates that premium is recommended and that if you use a lower grade you may experience reduced performance and knocking. It doesn't suggest this is a problem. Every manual I have seen before specifically indicated what the minimum requirements for fuel were. I found the TL manual's treatment of gas grades a little odd.

I can't wait to get the car tomorrow.

BTW, does anyone know whether anyone of the major gas retailers in Canada used MMT additives that the manual indicates should not be used?

 

Knocking isn't a problem??
You may only experience pinging not knocking. But the inside of the TL is so quite, would you hear it? Pinging over a period of time will also damage the engine. Like put holes in the pistons. The engines knock sensors should detect any of this and retard the timing. Then... see above statements.
I'm not trying to be an a$$ here, but if we can afford this car, why can't we afford to put premium in it? I don't understand the discussion. If it costs an extra $150-200 a year for the premium, is that so bad? Look at what we're paying for the car itself. The insurance. The Mobil 1 or Redline that I use. If the use of prem is a concern because of some added $$s, then I should have bought a cheap car that runs on reg gas, doesn't have high insurance premiums and isn't so easy to drive fast that it gets me tickets.
Sorry. SoapBox Mode = OFF.

 

Ok, fill me in... What's wrong with Speedways and Thorntons? I've been going to a Thorntons for years now...

 

Not only high compression, but lean-burning combustion like the ULEV TL does is another reason for premium.

 

It's never a good idea to run regular fuel into your premium-feul-car for a long period of time. Although our engine would recognize the lower octane and retard the timing to avoid engine having damaged, IMO, I don't think it's a brilliant idea to ask your engine to keep doing so everyday.

I suppose octane above 91 is Premium. You should have budgets on this type of gasoline if you like to buy 04TL.

 

Yup, that's my thought, too. If we've spent mid-30's for a great machine, why skimp on a couple of cents at the pump?