A Sad Day for Toyota Owners: ua-cam.com/video/tI2fTWjsowE/v-deo.html Thanks for watching! Like and Subscribe for More Vids Daily ► ua-cam.com/channels/uxpxCCevIlF-k-K5YU8XPA.html ⬇️Scotty’s Top DIY Tools: 1. Bluetooth Scan Tool: amzn.to/2nfvmaD 2. Mid-Grade Scan Tool: amzn.to/33dKI0k 3. My Fancy (Originally $5,000) Professional Scan Tool: amzn.to/31khBXC 4. Cheap Scan Tool: amzn.to/2D8Tvae 5. Dash Cam (Every Car Should Have One): amzn.to/2YQW36t 6. Basic Mechanic Tool Set: amzn.to/2tEr6Ce 7. Professional Socket Set: amzn.to/2Bzmccg 8. Ratcheting Wrench Set: amzn.to/2BQjj8A 9. No Charging Required Car Jump Starter: amzn.to/3i7SH5D 10. Battery Pack Car Jump Starter: amzn.to/2nrc6qR ⬇️ Things used in this video: 1. Common Sense 2. 4k Camera: amzn.to/2HkjavH 3. Camera Microphone: amzn.to/2Evn167 4. Camera Tripod: amzn.to/2Jwog8S 5. My computer for editing / uploading: amzn.to/301tYt9 🛠Check out the tools I use and highly recommend ► goo.gl/rwYt2y Subscribe and hit the notification bell! ► goo.gl/CFismN
I'm in the middle of a particularly rough day. Took a break and saw a new Scotty video just came online... Gotta love this man's attitude! Sure made me feel better!
@@OldManShoutsAtCloudsit’s really about pre detonation though. That’s what the knock sensor is for. Would just flood with fuel to stop pre detonation. That being said I always put premium in my 350z. But my Wife does it in her Rav and it annoys me.
But he knows exactly where to find that brake shim and lubricant that came with the pads he changed on a vehicle 20yrs ago. Could take hima minute to get to it,but its there in a jam.😂
You young people watching this guy don't know how lucky you are. I've been a backyard mechanic for almost 70 years and learned more from him than I did from my feeble attempt at repair, Like auto manuals, bad advice, folk lore, creative thinking, destructive thinking. etc.
Isn’t the internet WONDERFUL …. Now if only there’s a way to unglue the kids from it so they can learn how to survive like we did… in the back yard taking things apart and building things with their hands 👍🏼
Scotty is the real Mcoy "TOPGUN" of auto mechanics and he's NOT full of crap either, the best honest advice anywhere and that's NO BULL! THANK YOU SCOTTY!
Most "young people" are spoiled. My first cars needed a lot of work, and I didn't get to drive it unless I spent hours fixing it. Carb rebuilds, shocks and struts, points / rotors / dist caps, wires, starters, batteries, heating coils, leaky radiators and sometimes top-end engine rebuilds. Necessity is the mother of invention, and being able to go see your girlfriend who doesn't live within walking distance lol.
Lol locksmith here. I'm not that old but juuuuust old enough to remember trying to learn lockpicking in the pre youtube days from a book lol Kids have more access to more tech skill building info than ever before and even at 38 years old I'm the YOUNGEST locksmith I know. You youngins need to get to it. Contrary to what they tell you at school, college isn't for everyone and you CAN make good money without it if you're willing to work hard and learn a trade
I will say my Honda prelude absolutely hates 87 grade fuel. It will begin knocking after a full tank of it. If I bump up the grade to 91, it will run smooth again and no knocking.
Don't they have a mid-grade (89) octane in your area ? That's what I run in my '05 Trailblazer, and have had no problems with knock, ping, or hard starts, and that is our lowest grade available here (Az.) !
Plenty of sports cars only take 91 the reason it “hates 89” is because you’re never supposed to use 89 it was not designed for 89 it says so on the gas cap
I used to work in a Shell refinery lab. We did regular tests on the different grades of gasoline one of which is the residue remaining after combustion. Regular gas left a lot more residue after combustion than the higher grades did.
I used to work for a company called island pump & tank. We would use nippers and cut holes in underground storage tanks. Go inside with supplied air. And scoop up the sludge and put it in a 55 gallon drum. 87 octane was always the worst one for sludge. ✌️
Can second this information 87 always had the highest gums. If someone wants to go above and beyond the manual just go one step up to mid grade save the few cents, mid grade and premium were pretty much the same for quality.
I did construction work several years ago on a building where they packaged motor oil. they made several different brands of oil, and it all came out of the same huge black railroad tanker,, Only difference was the additive package that was added during the filling process,, :-)
@@pleasedontwatchthese9593 That is also why all of the motor oil containers are the same shape and size,, They have to go through the same machine to get filled and capped,, Is a really impressive looking machine,, :-)
I worked for a company researching gasoline direct injection in the early 2000s. Yes, engines are mapped for specific fuels and it is justly a waste of money the use higher octane fuels if your engine isn’t designed for it. However, we did do about 2 yrs of carbon deposit testing and we did extensive testing on Chevron’s Techron additives. Yes they do reduce carbon deposits.
I was a service writer for Saturn the engines with carving up and they pulling Techron the intake and it would clean it right out and then they would run great
as a automotive machinist that builds all sorts of engines and we specialize in racing engines, all this advice and knowledge is dead on correct. I have lots of knowledge from inside the industry and can confirm Scotty knows what hes talking about.
So I just got my first car (2010 honda civic ex) and have been putting the cheap stuff in. Should I switch to the premium or use regular? Is there anything I have to do prior to the switch?
@@fadedchicken check your owner's manual first make sure you're putting the grade of gasoline in the car was designed to run on. If it was designed to run on regular unleaded then it's safe to put regular unleaded in it. Some manufacturers use octane ratings to specify fuel if that's the case match the octane rating to your manufacturer's recommendations. There is nothing else you need to do. Was a mechanic for over 40 years, don't waste your money paying for premium fuel if the manufacturer doesn't recommend it.
@@fadedchicken Brooo you have a Civic. Nothing special about those engines (besides them running forever), BUT yeah regular 87 fuel works just fine. Your vehicle does not have a performance engine
@@montejones5788 does that SHEETZ 88 gas that’s 15% ethanol hurt cars? I have a 2006 Pontiac and asked GM. They said it wouldn’t hurt so I tried it a couple of times but worried it messed up stuff.
@@mem1701movies unless they've changed things recently it's not supposed to be over 10% ethanol your car is new enough it should already have ethanol resistant hoses and lines in the fuel system so you should be okay but if they're advertising 15% that's approaching the point where it might negatively affect your fuel mileage so you might run a tank of the 15% and a tank of the 10 and check to see if the fuel mileage is better with the 10
I live in California where gas is super expensive. Years ago we had a gas price hike across the nation. I drive a Toyota Tacoma v6 (5VZ-FE) I did an experiment, I filled my truck 4 times with regular gas. Then when I would fuel up again I would calculate my miles per gallon and I was getting right about 15 miles per gallon, regular gas was $4. per gallon. 400 pennies divided by 15 miles equals 26.66 cents per mile, Then I fueled up 4 separate times with super at $4.20 per gallon and I averaged right around 16 miles per gallon. 420 pennies divided by 16 miles equals 26.25 cents per mile. My truck ran better, it never pinged while driving up long steep grades. I can only assume that the super was better for my engine and while the cost per mile is small it is a better deal. If your car gets only a slight increase in miles per tank while using super then you are not wasting money. This dead horse has been kicked around for decades now. Do the test yourself.
This guy deserves a PHD in auto mechanics. He studied all the history, he understands the science at a PHD level. He should write a dissertation and apply for a PHD and be the first PHD mechanic.
Interesting history but he's completely wrong about performance If you have a turbo, supercharger, or any high performance engine you're going to spend more money repairing things than it costs to use higher octane
@@vesuviusenigma7739 Been putting 91 in my stock impreza since I got it, maybe not needed, but I'm sure it's helping to keep it alive at 215k lol terrible oil leak though thing smokes from the hood like a damn chimney.
After fixing my brother’s car I usually put a full tank of highest octane fuel. One day he told me that how come the car accelerated fast after you fixed it and after one week the car not accelerated fast any more. I ask him What kind of fuel you put in the car ? and he said regular unleaded. And I said that is why.
Seems like Scotty can dig up the rarest things. I went up and down the grocery store cereal aisle 5 times. I’ll be damned if I could find a box of Colon Blow.
My dad had a 63 Ford Galaxy with a stock 427 cobra motor. When I was young he would go to the small airport in our town to fill up. After the fuel became unleaded and he couldn't get it from the airport he had to use 92 and octane boost or it would knock hard.
As someone who has calculated the mpg of every tank of gas I’ve ever bought, with a calculator not the on board systems. I can say it depends on the car whether or not premium is worth it. I had a 1994 Honda civic that got 36 mpg on premium and 30 on regular. The price of gas when I owned the car was around 2 dollars with around a 15 cent difference in the 2. So the difference that car got in mpg more than paid up for the increased cost of premium. But I’ve owned cars that weren’t as efficient on premium so they just got regular. Just have to test each car.
road testing is completely inaccurate, even over time. since the "testing" of each tank of fuel was not in controlled conditions, it's completely invalid. You don't drive with the exact same load, throttle, temperature, air density every test cycle- utterly useless and anecdotal data. Plus, manufacturer testing that is done properly disagrees with anecdotes like this.
@@GenXPertChannel as someone who put 200,000 miles on that civic. Over 14 years I assure you I drove in the exact same situations multiple times. But I agree it’s anecdotal in the sense you don’t believe it because it’s my use case. But in reality my use case is all I cared about. That is why I test each car I get. With different fuels. And more over I do test on the same roads. I have put 500 miles of country driving on a car over 2 days just to test mpg. But not everyone is obsessed with mpg like me. So most people wouldn’t have real world data that is as consistent as mine. Even if mine wasn’t done in a lab. 🤷♂️ which is why I said just test your cars. Just different for everyone.
I watched one video of yours pertaining to a topic I was curious about. I've since gone down a huge rabbit hole of auto knowledge and history. Great channel!
Nope, like Ive said. Have a 02 Maxima VQ35de, and 03 Atlima vq35de Maxima says Regular and Altima say Premium 🤔 Buts its the same engine same technology everything is interchangeable so why is it okay to run 87 and get optimum performance in on VQ35de then why on earth would I need 93 to get opt performance on the Identically exact same engine. Its a marketing trick the 350z and G35 do the same thing the G35 is suppose the be the luxury top end platform and the Z dont
@@brianripple6798 if your engine is TUNED for premium it will have detonation on 87. These are just facts. You can tune any engine in the world that runs on 87 but then need 91 or 93 if that's what the different tune calls for. I'm sure that's exactly what Nissan did with those engines. That's precisely why there is a 10 horsepower difference between them. If you tuned the Altima for 93 octane it would make at least 10 horsepower more and run more efficiently.
In 1998 I bought a 1989 corvette. First car I ever owned that recommended "premium fuel" so I bought only the 92 octane at first, but after a while I was curious what would happen if I used 87 instead. The car actually ran better and got 2mpg better mileage on 87 octane than on 92. I verified this over several tanks of gasoline. I stopped buying premium and never will again.
I used to work for SUNOCO on their tanker ships. We would load various grades of gasoline. IF it was going to ZZ GAS STATIONS we would throw in a certain color dye, if another a different color dye SCOTTY is right, gas from ONE refinery goes to ALL brands of gas stations, it's NOT SPECIFICALLY SHELL, BP, MURPHY, CHEVRON, CITGO etc.
@@dorothywiggins1371 No ship hauls gasoline, just unrefined crude oil. If additives were added in a ship, the additives would be processed out in the cracking process.
Very informative video. Here in Antigo Wi., we have two gas stations that have 87 octane gas with or without ethanol, the gas without ethanol is a little higher in price, I believe $3.37 a gallon. And speaking of price, I remember up until about the mid to late 2000s gas prices being in 10 cent increments, so say Regular is $3.17 a gallon, Mid Grade would've been $3.27 and Premium $3.37. Gas in town these days is $3.17 for Regular, $3.57 Mid Grade and $3.97 for Premium and also $3.57 for Diesel which was at one time a little cheaper then Regular gas. Why did the oil companies stop selling the 3 grades in 10 cent increments? They need to bring that way of pricing back.
For the most part I agree with Scotty, but I've found with my 2013 Lexus ES350 I gain about 5 miles per gal on the highway. I drove from NY to Naples Fl on regular gas and then came back the same route using Premium 93. Result was Premium was 25% more expensive and the mileage was 20% better; however , the engine was more responsive and quieter. So unless I making a major trip, which is about 5 times a year, I use regular.
I have a 1994 Toyota Celica GT, the exact same model that you have Scotty. It's been my daily driver for over 8 years and has over 200K miles on it. I've always put Supreme Gas in it. There have been about a dozen times where I've had to put regular gas in it because of regular shortages and every single time I have notices a decrease in performance and intermittent hesitation. As soon as I would fill up again with Premium, it would go back to normal.
Ive got a 2013 Mazda 3. Im not mechanic. It does seem that the car runs smoother on higher octane then regular gas. Could be the station too right...the quality of their gas? Hard to know.
buildup of h2o in the fuel tank. the higher-octane fuels and better-quality fuels do a better job of drying out the fuel in your tank. these fuels don't cost that much more.....
Scotty always on time with the quick inside jokes flashing on the screen🤣 Should have been a stand up comic or even have a late night tv gig! Keep up the Lord’s work Scotty!
Scotty, when was the last time you saw the back wall of your garage ? ? ? HAAA ! ! I'm a big fan of your page brother. I had to ask after seeing what's sitting behind you in your garage.
I was a small engine mechanic for years. Ethanol in the fuel caused 80% of the work we seen. Even 10% ethanol can destroy the fuel systems in your small engines given a very little amount of time.
I believe you - I avoid ethanol-added gas whenever possible in both small engines and automobile engines. It's only hyped because it's supposedly environmental, and I have questions about how environmental it really is when we dedicate so much acreage to growing corn (with all the pesticides, etc. that go with growing corn).
My car requires premium but can also run on regular. With regular the power drop is definitely noticeable, and I have to push down on the gas more to get the same acceleration as when I had premium, amounting to less fuel mileage so I had to fill up more often which kills the savings. It's always better to use premium for cars that require it.
@@TheSakuragihanimichi I drive a MK5 Supra and an Infiniti Q50 Red Sport but both cars really drop in power when fed regular, so performance engine are definitely better off with premium.
No ofc it doesnt, but manufactering and offering a “better” fuel wont be offered for the same price on the market..… Look ive harvested two potatoes, one classic one, and one I can sell for a premium price, you think I will sell the premium one for normal price even if I did not gave it any special treatment? Think twice about how markets workz
I live only a few miles from one of those gas farms. I can attest that all day and all night. Tankers from every brand of gas station are in and out of that facility. Particularly in the morning, there will be a line of trucks a mile or two long. Waiting to be filled.
I am retired from owning a liquid lawn spraying business. Tankers with with gasoline company logos often delivered my liquid lawn fertilizer. The driver said they were washed out before refilled with gasoline, hmmm.
Small engines such as chainsaws, mowers, etc. perform noticeably better on premium fuel, especially the non-ethanol stuff. Anyone will immediately notice the difference if they typically use premium and then for some reason end up with a tank of regular mix.
@@EviLLivEClan , if the car requires 93...then Scotty says to use 93...are you lost? He always says to use the gas that is required by the manufacturer. This video is about cars that say to use the lowest brand...no reason to put premium in those ones.
Oh wait... I'm not an American, but the low end gas we use is 95, the premium is 97. Can't even find 93 anymore. 95 cost ~50 US cents per litre, 97 cost ~1-2 US cents. Is the US still using 89?
@@moochoopr9551 they are not measuring octane levels the same in Europe as they do in the usa You’ll have to read some literature to understand the difference but our 93 is just the same basically as your 97
I would be very interested to see that test kit used on gas from all of your local gas stations. Just to see how contaminated/diluted any of their gas is, compared to the pumps claims.
I did the gas challenge in the 90s. Premium vs regular. For my 89 Chevy Beretta GT, 2.8 engine, the premium would get better mileage which would be compensated for the cost differential. With regular, I would get 28 mpg, and with premium I would get 32 mpg. So I would have more range with the premium. The cost per mile was the same. That effect did not happen with the 2001 Grand am GT.
My Acura RDX switches ignition timing depending on what octane. On 93 there is more power in acceleration. If I want more leisurely driving then it's 91. For 87 octane, the car is radically g in limp mode
The RDX has to use 91 octane or higher to run like its meant to.I dont know what year your SUV is but it should say the minimum octane in the owners manual.
Some premium fuels do give you more miles (tested myself in diesel regular car, turbo, and 2.5 l BMW), but where you notice the diference in perfomance is on supercars. So you are right, for regular use of cars 👍👍👍
Scotty, I too knew an auto engineer who told me when I was 18 yrs old he could not justify the more expensive fuel in his car when I asked. Point taken. That was over 50 years ago. I suspect I have save bundles of money during the 2.5 Million miles I've driven since then, not to mention the $$$ saved by kicking the smoking habit 25 yrs ago. Keep up the good work, Scotty.
I've been running 87 octane since day one in a 2012 Acadia. No issues and at 90k miles now. My 84 Bronco on the other hand... rebuilt 351w motor with gm distributor, and eldebrock headers and 600 4 barrel carb. That fuc*er runs like I poisoned it if I run anything other than 92.
All this may as well be true but, I know when I use Premium Super Unleaded in my old ‘97 4Runner it sure runs better and I get more MPG, better performance and no spark knocking. I can’t stand hearing a vehicle spark knock! 👍🏼
You're so right and if you put regular or super in a Subaru WRX or STI it'll cause major engine problems, Scotty's wrong this time; also you have to use only premium in rotary vehicles
We're u running high octane for a while before trying regular? Sometimes cars adjust to the tyoe of gas after long use when u switch it runs diff.. had same issue with my old car , but a friend who had same car always used regular from get go and never had the issue I did when I tried regular after using 93 for a few years
Most modern cars I've driven will take up to E15 which is sold at some of our local pumps. Our Sienna specifically says on the gas cap it only takes up to E10 and not to use E15.
I have a mini. I put mid grade in it and the engine light came on. I took it back to the dealer. They said only use premium. I haven't had any problems since.
Been saying the same thing for years. Finally someone says the truth. Octane doesn't build horsepower all it does is prevent detonation. If no detonation don't waste your money.
I used to work at Chevron in the Bay Area and was very surprised to discover that with few exceptions, all oil companies shared the same refineries - which means all the gas made was essentially the same before being doctored with a few additives like detergents and dyes. From oil company to oil company there’s nothing different about their gas except the marketing.
I knew this and have it told it before and that the reason prices vary so much from station to station is based on two factors which are location of station relative to high traffic areas and major arteries and fuel taxes for the city, county, state. For instance gas at a station near me at the freeway exit is always 50-80 cents higher than the station that just a mile down the road from the freeway.
@@raven4k998 No, that is not what they are saying. The more expensive fuel is absolutely different based on octane ratings, which essentially measures fuel stability as Scotty explained. @UtahDelaCruz is saying that the fuel, before additives are mixed in, is the same fuel generally speaking. But the octane ratings still make a difference.
I always thought using premium in a non performance car was pointless. This video is just more proof. I had a 2001 pathfinder and premium was recommended but not needed according to the manual I never put anything but regular gas in it and it ran fine when I gave it away with over 300,000 miles on iy
My 2011 Lexus RX350 says premium gas only on the gas flap. The owners manual says "Premium unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 91 (Research Octane Number 96) or higher required for optimum engine performance. If 91 octane cannot be obtained, you may use unleaded gasoline with an octane rating as low as 87 (Research Octane Number 91). Use of unleaded gasoline with an octane rating lower than 91 may result in engine knocking. Persistent knocking can lead to engine damage and should be corrected by refueling with higher octane unleaded gasoline.". With that wording I would be afraid to use anything other than premium. I have been using premium since I bought it in 2012.
Reminds me of my ex. She was somewhere where all the pump nozzles were green. She was driving a Ford 7.3 diesel. Well, I guess she couldn’t READ the 87 above the nozzle. Yep. Filled one of the tanks with gasoline. For some reason, the engine just quit without blowing up. The rest of the story is boring but we got it fixed.
My old Civics idle smoother, run stronger (less down shifting), and keep the oil cleaner with premium. I know it isn't supposed to work that way but it does. One is automatic d16y7, one is manual d16y8 (SOHC VTEC)
It could be a few things, if the timing is off on your car more octane could be helping. It could also be that the 87 at your station is stored in a bad tank at the gas station, something could be leaking into it.
My tacomas manual says put in premium. I didnt believe it made a difference. but i got better mileage enough to pay the difference between premium and regular (before the current inflation)
I have been using 93 octane in my 2006 slk350 for almost 13 years, and I put in 8 oz of Seafoam every 3-4 months. My car still runs as good as the day I bought it in 2009. Whenever I try to run regular gas, it does not run worth a crap. So it is PREMIUM for me. This car is awesome so she deserves the best. Not changing. It is way cheaper than paying a mechanic for a tune up every year. That said, I use regular in my 2007 Honda VFR800 motorcycle, and it runs the same as with premium. Still runs great after all these years.
I've got a 96 Honda VFR750. Most of its life I've used 87oct and haven't had any problems despite the manual stating to use premium. I haven't had an issues. I wonder if its because your bike is FI.
Same. My car's tuned to *93 Octane, and cringe when I need. Ah wait, the video just listed the exceptions. Hes right tho, most cars don't need it. I may sub I also use seafoam every few months in the gas tank. Never been brave enough to use it in the engine
Different fuels have pluses and minuses in operating cost and engine life. I was an engine builder, so I factor engine life over most things. Premium fuel has higher detonation resistance. Any detonation, even light pinging, shows up inside; it erodes the edge of the piston top near the exhaust valves. The edge of the head gasket is affected too. Premium fuel is more than just octane numbers; it has detergent additives providing noticeably cleaner fuel and induction systems. The fuel flow, injector flow rate balance, and spray pattern of fuel injectors are critical for performance, so the quality of the detergent package should not be short-changed by buying cheap gas. The performance of the motor, is also affected by poor fuel; it's ability to provide smooth power, and the amount of torque it can produce, is reduced. It's efficiency is decreased as combustion is uneven, with the progression of combustion not matching the crank position needed for power transfer. I guess some people take better care of their machines than others. Do you keep your cars for a long time?
Well said. I even use premium in my lawn mower and leaf blower. Both cars call for premium. Just figure I'd get more life out of the smaller engines and I'm only buying a few gallons a year so why not?
I used premium in my first car, an 86 Mazda 626 and the transmission would hesitate then jump. Someone told me it was bad for my engine so I switched to a lower octane and the problem went away.
Great video. I especially like how comprehensive your discussion was about additives. I appreciate that you fully covered the MTBE debacle. So you made a great case for not buying premium fuel. What about the difference between the top tier and other brands?
Most people fail to realize almost all different gas stations despite the brand run the same fuel from the same local refinery as all gasoline is required to be standardized by federal law.
@@RollingRigTraction the base fuel for the all the gas stations are the same for each octane. The additive packages are different. And are added with the ethanol while loading the truck
The "mid grade" gas is only there as an advertisement trick. I forget the name but it's basically there to trick customers into buying the more expensive one. It's why they sell small/medium/large cups and 99% of customers buy the small or large.
You're so right about ONE refinery feeding everyone. I don't even believe most of the time anything extra makes it into the premium brands. (And I used to be a Refining Stock Analyst in 2000`s.) Keep up the good and enjoyable work Scotty!
Love you Scotty but YES, but my car only runs good on PREMIUM (Toyota 1995 SE with 330K). Tried it a couple of times- sluggish, slight knocking, idling messed up too.
Subaru recommends minimum 93 octane in their turbos. Ours runs on 94 octane!! No issues other than the $$$ but we knew that going in. It results better mileage and response.
My car accelerates a lot better when I put 93 octane gas in my tank. Plus, I don't get that 'knocking' engine noise like I used to get when I filled my tank with the 87 octane gas. You pay extra for the premium gas, but I think that it's worth it.
I completely agree I had the same problem with my Toyota yaris ping off the line and felt like it had no power. I got 94 ethanol free for the price of regular 87 and made a world of difference no more ping better performing much better mpg so I just stuck with it
I will say that you need to use what your car is tuned to run well on. It's not so much about the "cleaners" it's about detonation resistance. Higher octane doesn't knock as easy.
I've only used BP 93 in my '18 VW Passat 2.0t and it works. That gas used to give me 40-100 more per tank (depending on its use) giving me 430-480 mileage. Soon as I would use 89 or 87, those figures would fall drastically.
I agree with you completely. And it's not Placebo it's fact. I was a courier as well as a mechanic for 40 years. It completely depends on the type of engine you have. Not all engines have the same effect. Both my Honda Civic and my Ford Escort got more highway mileage with 93 octane. I got better mileage with 89 octane . And I got less mileage with 87 octane . At least three more miles to the gallon with 89 octane and 5 miles to the gallon with 93 octane. I did the test at least a hundred times so I know it's not a placebo.
Scotty, I think generally you are correct as you are 99 percent of the time. My 4 cylinder 2016 Tacoma is geared for 75 mph at just under 2000 RPM. Going up a moderate hill on the highway it just makes it over. With premium i don’t have to give it as much pedal. So I feel a big difference with premium.
It depends on what your car is tuned for. If your car is tuned for premium, it wont run well on the cheap stuff. If its tuned for cheap stuff as most cars are, they wont like the premium.
Good info in this video and he did clear up octane rating vs additives. I had to mute the whiny voice and used CC and then suddenly it got worse with all the excessive hand flailing. But, the guy does know his stuff and that is what matters. I don't always agree on brands with him, but over all he has a solid basis for most things.
Honestly, there is a noticeable difference in engine performance. My 2011 Benz coupe ran a lot smoother and feels more energetic on the move after a couple of tanks. I was sceptical initially but am now convinced. Been alternating between BP premium fuel and Shell V-Power ever since.
Check the octane requirements in the owners manual. My '06 Impala SS owners manual said 93 octane was recommended. And it certainly made a difference in the drivers seat. It was a 10.5:1 ratio engine without direct injection, it would stumble and miss without the high octane gas.
I have been around cars, auto repairs and life in general for many years. Scotty Kilmer is an Incredible Automotive Mechanic. This man is always right about everything he says. I trust him 100 percent!!! Please listen to him, he can surely help you!.
Used to be able to get premium gas without ethanol in canada. All the premium gas was without. Couple months ago I found station putting stickers on top of old sticker saying even premium gas has ethanol now. Which is a pain since the most reliable cars are from an era without ethanol and they will wear out faster now.
Hi Scotty! Thank you for this interesting and informative information. I never understood why the Gasoline companies advertised as the auto manufacturers all tell us exactly what gasoline and oil we need in our vehicles. The information is in the Owners' manuals and on the vehicles as well. We have E20 (called "e, esip") here in Thailand and my Mazda 2 runs great and we get decent gas mileage. The car was made here in Thailand too!! Warm regards again. (Rob Allen in Thailand) 😊😊😊😎👍👍👍
I have a 2019 civic si and I use premium! I once used regular and the turbo did not kick in like when I put the premium! Scotty is right with the regular cars ! But for performance sport cars the premium is where it is ! I bought my car to have fun not to lose hp 🤣🤣
@@ywe3 The different numbers in octane come from a different system of measurement. Europe uses RON to indicate the octane, this isn't the case in the U.S. 97 RON is roughly equal to 91 MON in the U.S, for example.
My brother put a couple of tanks EA85 in his Escalade that he tows his boat with the car says flexfuel. It caused him a nightmare of problems and had much less power. Do not USE even if your car says you can!
I had a 2004 Subaru WRX that was bought used and allegedly pampered and always fueled with 93 octane gas by the person I bought it from. He was the original owner. One time in the middle of nowhere the only gas that was available was 83. I used it and drove home with no issues. I figured it was cheaper to use minimum octane so I began using it. About a week after I had returned home from nowhere I noticed the car was having trouble starting, stuttering and surging. I went back to using 93 octane and the problems cleared up almost immediately. But hey, that's my experience, but I think there is a reason to sometimes use a high octane gas. BTW, the car always ran flawlessly and was a great car so it wasn't an issue with the car. I wish I never sold it.
I was an Air Force Fuels Specialist. Save your money and buy the lower octane fuel if your car will run it. As far as additives (detergents) most gas brands have several times the minimum limit required.
@@raven4k998 I’m assuming your referring to 89 octane. It’s just the middle amount of added octane. There is no difference quality wise between the grades though.
@@raven4k998Gas stations only have two gasoline tanks. One for the lower octane and one for the highest octane. When you select the mid grades, 89 or 91, if the top octane is 93 or 94, there's a thing in the gas stand called a blender pump that mixes the two fuels together to dispense the middle grades of fuel. Inevitably, there will be some ethanol in the mid grade and from what I have read, even in the top octane fuels now .
I had a Pontiac Bonneville GXP with a Cadillac Northstar motor .My friend convinced me to try a couple tanks of She'll or Chevron gas, ran much better! Only used good gas since, octane doesn't matter as much, as the good gas...
Anecdotal experience i know, but ive had 3 friends who complained their cars were running rough and not starting easily. They always used the cheapest fuel. I tested the batteries and were fine. I told them run a couple of tanks of BP ultimate through and they all reported the problems went away, so perhaps the advertised cleaning power is useful every few tanks.
Yeah, different octane levels create different combustion levels that certain engines may work better than other engines. Turbos usually require a higher octane gas due to tighter tolerances. Lower octane levels in a turbo could potentially cause more wear versus using a higher octane gas for the same engine.
Scotty you are piece of work buddy. Absolutely love what you do by educating us out here who have the capability of self repairing and maintaining our vehicles but lack the knowledge and tips (tricks of the trade) you provide in your videos which are funny , entertaining, and informative. Your arm movements while talking crack me the hell up omg. Anyway man I have an 03 Pontiac Vibe GT which you know is a Toyota Matrix XRS. It calls for premium fuel only as printed on the inside of the fuel door. I can really notice the difference between reg unleaded and premium. The regular causes a rough idle and gas mileage is considerably lower so buying the cheaper gas doesn't save me any money and my car's performance is compromised. So if anyone has the TOYOTA 2ZZ / VVTL-i and use regular unleaded , stop . Use premium and you will notice the difference. Keep em coming Scotty!!
I remember the pumps with a rotary mixing valve. Create your OWN octane level and price. My dad taught me if it doesn't ping on uphills, just use regular. I know that is from the carburetor days but still applies.
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Hey Scotty .. Should I buy a
2005 Ford F350 Powerstroke 6.0 Lariat with 213k miles for $14k with new stuff done and new Transmission ?
Like other products, the required product safety data sheet must be onsite. freely available, and list all ingredients.
@@Hanmablood Scotty says to take it to a good, trusted mechanic like he is. Get it checked out. 😄
I remember a video from yourself claiming the benefits of Shell VPower. What has changed?
I reckon that the additives in modern high octane fuels are way more harmful than tetraethyl lead.
Scotty was the first mechanic on earth. Dinosaurs refused his advice and we know what happened to them.
lmao so true
Dinosaurs must have bought Chryslers
Scotty- Is your dinosaur not running, get rid of the it 😂
Yea, he turned them into 87 octane gasoline.
😭😭😭
God forbid Scotty ever losing the use of his arms, he wouldn’t be able to talk! ((=
Love this guy! Always informative!
He should insure them.
Lmao
You know a good mechanic when you see Octopus arms flailing.
Lol
His arms are lethal weapons utilized for hypnosis....
I'm in the middle of a particularly rough day. Took a break and saw a new Scotty video just came online... Gotta love this man's attitude! Sure made me feel better!
Agreed you dont even have to have a car to enjoy his videos
Hang in there, brother. I wish you well.
He definitely helps on some rough days bud. Takes my mind off stuff and learn a lot of useful information along the way.
it is going to get better.
LGBT Nitro +
Marketing 101.
Always have a Good, Better, Best option for the classes to identify themselves with.
Some cars, like two of mine, absolutely require higher octane fuel. The pricing is a scam, the octane rating is not.
@@OldManShoutsAtCloudsmy Supra straight up doesn’t run right when it’s not 93 or higher.
@alexc9434 yeah don't run lower than 93 on forced induction cars.
reply No. 101.
Its called Market Skimming.
Those that 'identify' as deserving the BEST will be willing to PAY MORE.
@@OldManShoutsAtCloudsit’s really about pre detonation though. That’s what the knock sensor is for. Would just flood with fuel to stop pre detonation. That being said I always put premium in my 350z. But my Wife does it in her Rav and it annoys me.
I love that Scotty is so true to himself he has left that garage a mess for years LOL. Thanks for the content as ever Scotty!
His backgrounds use a lot of green screen for clarification and/or humor. 🥰
@@cocoweepahI love it, I know he has a nice setup and all but staying to his roots is one of the things we all enjoy about Scotty :)
But he knows exactly where to find that brake shim and lubricant that came with the pads he changed on a vehicle 20yrs ago. Could take hima minute to get to it,but its there in a jam.😂
looks like green screen
You young people watching this guy don't know how lucky you are. I've been a backyard mechanic for almost 70 years and learned more from him than I did from my feeble attempt at repair, Like auto manuals, bad advice, folk lore, creative thinking, destructive thinking. etc.
Isn’t the internet WONDERFUL …. Now if only there’s a way to unglue the kids from it so they can learn how to survive like we did… in the back yard taking things apart and building things with their hands 👍🏼
Scotty is the real Mcoy "TOPGUN" of auto mechanics and he's NOT full of crap either, the best honest advice anywhere and that's NO BULL! THANK YOU SCOTTY!
Most "young people" are spoiled. My first cars needed a lot of work, and I didn't get to drive it unless I spent hours fixing it. Carb rebuilds, shocks and struts, points / rotors / dist caps, wires, starters, batteries, heating coils, leaky radiators and sometimes top-end engine rebuilds. Necessity is the mother of invention, and being able to go see your girlfriend who doesn't live within walking distance lol.
Lol locksmith here. I'm not that old but juuuuust old enough to remember trying to learn lockpicking in the pre youtube days from a book lol
Kids have more access to more tech skill building info than ever before and even at 38 years old I'm the YOUNGEST locksmith I know.
You youngins need to get to it. Contrary to what they tell you at school, college isn't for everyone and you CAN make good money without it if you're willing to work hard and learn a trade
"destructive thinking" 😅
When Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, he had 2 missed calls from Scotty
😂😂😂😂💯
old timey phones didn't have "call history" you dummy
@@salazam hater 😑
@@salazamit’s a JOKE!!! 😂😂😂 holy crap!!!
I will say my Honda prelude absolutely hates 87 grade fuel. It will begin knocking after a full tank of it. If I bump up the grade to 91, it will run smooth again and no knocking.
Advance the timing a degree or two.
@fckytbAdsredi ulous they get away with that
Don't they have a mid-grade (89) octane in your area ? That's what
I run in my '05 Trailblazer, and have had no problems with knock, ping, or hard starts, and that is our lowest grade available here (Az.) !
Plenty of sports cars only take 91 the reason it “hates 89” is because you’re never supposed to use 89 it was not designed for 89 it says so on the gas cap
They play it both ways....
To many miles between oil changing intervals to make it appear cheaper to maintain.....
I used to work in a Shell refinery lab. We did regular tests on the different grades of gasoline one of which is the residue remaining after combustion. Regular gas left a lot more residue after combustion than the higher grades did.
I used to work for a company called island pump & tank. We would use nippers and cut holes in underground storage tanks. Go inside with supplied air. And scoop up the sludge and put it in a 55 gallon drum. 87 octane was always the worst one for sludge. ✌️
Both with same amount of Ethanol or not?? Ethanol produces less pollution.
Can second this information 87 always had the highest gums. If someone wants to go above and beyond the manual just go one step up to mid grade save the few cents, mid grade and premium were pretty much the same for quality.
@@outwiththem no ethanol in shell fuels.
So for my 08 civic hybrid I should use 89 octane? I've only used 87.
"Ever Since I was a young mechanic when Dinosaurs ruled the earth"...gotta love Scotty!!!
Oil is really from all the oil Scotty spilled doing oil changes back then!
Fossil fuel theory
Abiotic Oil Theory
I did construction work several years ago on a building where they packaged motor oil. they made several different brands of oil, and it all came out of the same huge black railroad tanker,, Only difference was the additive package that was added during the filling process,, :-)
That makes sense. Its kind of like how you can use flower to make cake or a muffin.
You tellin me Royal Purple oil is actually good 🥴
@@pleasedontwatchthese9593 awesome analogy
@@pleasedontwatchthese9593 That is also why all of the motor oil containers are the same shape and size,, They have to go through the same machine to get filled and capped,, Is a really impressive looking machine,, :-)
@@pleasedontwatchthese9593 didn't know that but good to know lol thank you
I worked for a company researching gasoline direct injection in the early 2000s. Yes, engines are mapped for specific fuels and it is justly a waste of money the use higher octane fuels if your engine isn’t designed for it. However, we did do about 2 yrs of carbon deposit testing and we did extensive testing on Chevron’s Techron additives. Yes they do reduce carbon deposits.
I was a service writer for Saturn the engines with carving up and they pulling Techron the intake and it would clean it right out and then they would run great
You would never want to get into a slapping match with this Expert!!!
Love All You Do Scotty
Rumour has it Scotty slapped Steven Segal around his back yard for revving his Scooter too loudly
@davey504 might have something to say.. or play.. about that statement.
Scotty would've sent Will Smith head first off the stage.
Nostalgic houston videos. Good afternoon scotty!
Afternoon!
@@scottykilmer i just get regular, not need to spend extra
@@dannyzamudio1252 yes you need to if the car requieres it
@@noventay4 like u said IF the car requires it which most cars run good on regular gas.
@@dannyzamudio1252 yeah if you ride a Sentra or a Corolla regular gas is fine, if you drive a charger, challenger WRX, old muscle cars then no.
as a automotive machinist that builds all sorts of engines and we specialize in racing engines, all this advice and knowledge is dead on correct. I have lots of knowledge from inside the industry and can confirm Scotty knows what hes talking about.
So I just got my first car (2010 honda civic ex) and have been putting the cheap stuff in. Should I switch to the premium or use regular? Is there anything I have to do prior to the switch?
@@fadedchicken check your owner's manual first make sure you're putting the grade of gasoline in the car was designed to run on. If it was designed to run on regular unleaded then it's safe to put regular unleaded in it. Some manufacturers use octane ratings to specify fuel if that's the case match the octane rating to your manufacturer's recommendations. There is nothing else you need to do. Was a mechanic for over 40 years, don't waste your money paying for premium fuel if the manufacturer doesn't recommend it.
@@fadedchicken Brooo you have a Civic. Nothing special about those engines (besides them running forever), BUT yeah regular 87 fuel works just fine. Your vehicle does not have a performance engine
@@montejones5788 does that SHEETZ 88 gas that’s 15% ethanol hurt cars? I have a 2006 Pontiac and asked GM. They said it wouldn’t hurt so I tried it a couple of times but worried it messed up stuff.
@@mem1701movies unless they've changed things recently it's not supposed to be over 10% ethanol your car is new enough it should already have ethanol resistant hoses and lines in the fuel system so you should be okay but if they're advertising 15% that's approaching the point where it might negatively affect your fuel mileage so you might run a tank of the 15% and a tank of the 10 and check to see if the fuel mileage is better with the 10
I live in California where gas is super expensive. Years ago we had a gas price hike across the nation. I drive a Toyota Tacoma v6 (5VZ-FE) I did an experiment, I filled my truck 4 times with regular gas. Then when I would fuel up again I would calculate my miles per gallon and I was getting right about 15 miles per gallon, regular gas was $4. per gallon. 400 pennies divided by 15 miles equals 26.66 cents per mile, Then I fueled up 4 separate times with super at $4.20 per gallon and I averaged right around 16 miles per gallon. 420 pennies divided by 16 miles equals 26.25 cents per mile. My truck ran better, it never pinged while driving up long steep grades. I can only assume that the super was better for my engine and while the cost per mile is small it is a better deal. If your car gets only a slight increase in miles per tank while using super then you are not wasting money. This dead horse has been kicked around for decades now. Do the test yourself.
Scotty, your videos are not only informative, but also funny as hell. You are definitely part of a group that makes UA-cam useful and entertaining.
Lol
Well,.. hell isn’t funny but scotty is.
@@retroblue4748 Okay Dad. XO
maybe if you're 5 years old
This guy deserves a PHD in auto mechanics.
He studied all the history, he understands the science at a PHD level. He should write a dissertation and apply for a PHD and be the first PHD mechanic.
Interesting history but he's completely wrong about performance
If you have a turbo, supercharger, or any high performance engine you're going to spend more money repairing things than it costs to use higher octane
Maybe Idaho st they have a Dr researching bigfoot
He deserves a PHD for that video editing.. so many cuts between each thing he says
Suburu engines must use premium fuel or else they'll give problems
@@vesuviusenigma7739 Been putting 91 in my stock impreza since I got it, maybe not needed, but I'm sure it's helping to keep it alive at 215k lol terrible oil leak though thing smokes from the hood like a damn chimney.
very simple, use the fuel that the manufacturer recommends for that model.
I go to Sam's Club ⛽ wait 20-30min in 90 degree heat ☀️.
I agree, but I just cracked open the owners manual on a ram 1500 and Dodge recommends 89 octane (midgrade)or higher for their 5.7 liter motors.
@@even7steven My friend owns a GMC V8 pick up with a 5.6L or 5.3. He only uses ⛽ high end, premium grade.
@@DavidLLambertmobile I don't know a single hemi owner that uses anything less than high-tess. It's like Scotty says, who uses mid grade?
Unfortunately premium only
After fixing my brother’s car I usually put a full tank of highest octane fuel. One day he told me that how come the car accelerated fast after you fixed it and after one week the car not accelerated fast any more. I ask him What kind of fuel you put in the car ? and he said regular unleaded. And I said that is why.
"Colon blow" my favorite cereal!!
Great stuff. Keeps you regular.
a "blast" from the past
Super Colon Blow is better
Eat with your favorite laxative for maximum effect
no. From behind!
Seems like Scotty can dig up the rarest things. I went up and down the grocery store cereal aisle 5 times. I’ll be damned if I could find a box of Colon Blow.
Colon Blow cereal is a classic, lol.
They only sell it at Scotty’s old folks home now 😂😂
An SNL classic skit.
My dad had a 63 Ford Galaxy with a stock 427 cobra motor. When I was young he would go to the small airport in our town to fill up. After the fuel became unleaded and he couldn't get it from the airport he had to use 92 and octane boost or it would knock hard.
As someone who has calculated the mpg of every tank of gas I’ve ever bought, with a calculator not the on board systems. I can say it depends on the car whether or not premium is worth it. I had a 1994 Honda civic that got 36 mpg on premium and 30 on regular. The price of gas when I owned the car was around 2 dollars with around a 15 cent difference in the 2. So the difference that car got in mpg more than paid up for the increased cost of premium. But I’ve owned cars that weren’t as efficient on premium so they just got regular. Just have to test each car.
road testing is completely inaccurate, even over time. since the "testing" of each tank of fuel was not in controlled conditions, it's completely invalid. You don't drive with the exact same load, throttle, temperature, air density every test cycle- utterly useless and anecdotal data. Plus, manufacturer testing that is done properly disagrees with anecdotes like this.
@@GenXPertChannel as someone who put 200,000 miles on that civic. Over 14 years I assure you I drove in the exact same situations multiple times. But I agree it’s anecdotal in the sense you don’t believe it because it’s my use case. But in reality my use case is all I cared about. That is why I test each car I get. With different fuels. And more over I do test on the same roads. I have put 500 miles of country driving on a car over 2 days just to test mpg. But not everyone is obsessed with mpg like me. So most people wouldn’t have real world data that is as consistent as mine. Even if mine wasn’t done in a lab. 🤷♂️ which is why I said just test your cars. Just different for everyone.
I watched one video of yours pertaining to a topic I was curious about. I've since gone down a huge rabbit hole of auto knowledge and history. Great channel!
Love the fact that you used "COLON BLOW" cereal, i love that SNL skit!
If your car calls for 91+ octane, it's not a scam it's your engines specifications. Respect your user manual.
Depends on if the manual says recommended or required.
It's called a knock sensor
@@jtunedproductions4818 I don't want mine knocking in the first place. If you knew what is happening during knock neither would you.
Nope, like Ive said. Have a 02 Maxima VQ35de, and 03 Atlima vq35de Maxima says Regular and Altima say Premium 🤔 Buts its the same engine same technology everything is interchangeable so why is it okay to run 87 and get optimum performance in on VQ35de then why on earth would I need 93 to get opt performance on the Identically exact same engine. Its a marketing trick the 350z and G35 do the same thing the G35 is suppose the be the luxury top end platform and the Z dont
@@brianripple6798 if your engine is TUNED for premium it will have detonation on 87. These are just facts. You can tune any engine in the world that runs on 87 but then need 91 or 93 if that's what the different tune calls for. I'm sure that's exactly what Nissan did with those engines. That's precisely why there is a 10 horsepower difference between them. If you tuned the Altima for 93 octane it would make at least 10 horsepower more and run more efficiently.
In 1998 I bought a 1989 corvette. First car I ever owned that recommended "premium fuel" so I bought only the 92 octane at first, but after a while I was curious what would happen if I used 87 instead. The car actually ran better and got 2mpg better mileage on 87 octane than on 92. I verified this over several tanks of gasoline. I stopped buying premium and never will again.
I used to work for SUNOCO on their tanker ships. We would load various grades of gasoline. IF it was going to ZZ GAS STATIONS we would throw in a certain color dye, if another a different color dye
SCOTTY is right, gas from ONE refinery goes to ALL brands of gas stations, it's NOT SPECIFICALLY SHELL, BP, MURPHY, CHEVRON, CITGO etc.
You're talking about upstream companies and downstream companies.
You did the additives on the ship? Or was additive/dye injection ashore at terminal?
@@dorothywiggins1371 At the terminal. NEVER heard of refined gas transported by ship. Only unrefined oil..
@@TheFishdoctor1952 i was talking about additives
@@dorothywiggins1371 No ship hauls gasoline, just unrefined crude oil. If additives were added in a ship, the additives would be processed out in the cracking process.
Very informative video. Here in Antigo Wi., we have two gas stations that have 87 octane gas with or without ethanol, the gas without ethanol is a little higher in price, I believe $3.37 a gallon. And speaking of price, I remember up until about the mid to late 2000s gas prices being in 10 cent increments, so say Regular is $3.17 a gallon, Mid Grade would've been $3.27 and Premium $3.37. Gas in town these days is $3.17 for Regular, $3.57 Mid Grade and $3.97 for Premium and also $3.57 for Diesel which was at one time a little cheaper then Regular gas. Why did the oil companies stop selling the 3 grades in 10 cent increments? They need to bring that way of pricing back.
because of GREED
…TRUTH!!…but also because of this evidently new phenomena economists have come with called “inflation”….
LET’S GO BRANDON!!
The reason for the price difference nowadays is pretty simple imho. It's basically GREED !
@@bleedinblue5675 ģ
I so remember the 10 cent more rule, thought I was experiencing mandella
For the most part I agree with Scotty, but I've found with my 2013 Lexus ES350 I gain about 5 miles per gal on the highway. I drove from NY to Naples Fl on regular gas and then came back the same route using Premium 93. Result was Premium was 25% more expensive and the mileage was 20% better; however , the engine was more responsive and quieter. So unless I making a major trip, which is about 5 times a year, I use regular.
Elevation changes from north to south and south to north. You will get different mpg. I get better mpg driving down 75 south and driving up 75 north
I have a GS430 2001 I’m going to take your advice and start using regular and less I’m doing a long trip
Ever heard of wind? 🤡
It's all in your head. You may have seen a change, but not because you used different fuel. And you are still down 5% out of your pocket.
Next time try Premium when you go South and then regular when going North. Also weather and traffic conditions.
Im out of breath and i aint talkin. I love your energy you put into your videos
I wish scotty was my mechanic, this dude is a LEGEND
I have a 1994 Toyota Celica GT, the exact same model that you have Scotty. It's been my daily driver for over 8 years and has over 200K miles on it. I've always put Supreme Gas in it. There have been about a dozen times where I've had to put regular gas in it because of regular shortages and every single time I have notices a decrease in performance and intermittent hesitation. As soon as I would fill up again with Premium, it would go back to normal.
Ive got a 2013 Mazda 3. Im not mechanic. It does seem that the car runs smoother on higher octane then regular gas. Could be the station too right...the quality of their gas? Hard to know.
buildup of h2o in the fuel tank. the higher-octane fuels and better-quality fuels do a better job of drying out the fuel in your tank. these fuels don't cost that much more.....
Same for my 2Mercedes diesel/petrol. I stick to my V-power thing 🙌
It's addicted now.
Scotty always on time with the quick inside jokes flashing on the screen🤣 Should have been a stand up comic or even have a late night tv gig! Keep up the Lord’s work Scotty!
Colon Blow. LOL
He would be better than anyone on NBC Fox or CBS
I especially crack up with the smiling donkey😂😂😂
@@williamvincent6060 … lol…. So you tried it too?? Used to be my go to when I needed a flush😂😂😂😂
I'm sure it's just his editor that puts those in but they are still gold!
Scotty, when was the last time you saw the back wall of your garage ? ? ? HAAA ! ! I'm a big fan of your page brother. I had to ask after seeing what's sitting behind you in your garage.
I have so much respect for dudes like this. Keep telling it like it is Scotty
I was a small engine mechanic for years. Ethanol in the fuel caused 80% of the work we seen. Even 10% ethanol can destroy the fuel systems in your small engines given a very little amount of time.
I believe you - I avoid ethanol-added gas whenever possible in both small engines and automobile engines. It's only hyped because it's supposedly environmental, and I have questions about how environmental it really is when we dedicate so much acreage to growing corn (with all the pesticides, etc. that go with growing corn).
I do not have any problems with my small engines since I switched to ethanol free gasoline!
Ethanol Burns hotter and puts deposits in your motor and 10- 15 percent less gas milage
I use avgas from a local small airport. The fuel doesn’t go bad like it used to.
100% correct only use premium in small engines, boats, atvs and snowmobiles you will never regret it
My car requires premium but can also run on regular. With regular the power drop is definitely noticeable, and I have to push down on the gas more to get the same acceleration as when I had premium, amounting to less fuel mileage so I had to fill up more often which kills the savings. It's always better to use premium for cars that require it.
I used both and I don't see the difference and I have a 2.5 turbo boxer.
@@TheSakuragihanimichi I drive a MK5 Supra and an Infiniti Q50 Red Sport but both cars really drop in power when fed regular, so performance engine are definitely better off with premium.
Yeah this is where I am. I have an Acura tsx which is tuned to run on premium. But in any other car no I would not bother.
I agree. I have a is350 and the difference is noticeable. When I get it aligned I’ll do a fuel mileage test with both and see if that check out too
Joe Pesci’s best role to date.😂
I once read a report from the Kansas City Star that it cost nothing extra for a refinery to make premium over regular fuel.
No ofc it doesnt, but manufactering and offering a “better” fuel wont be offered for the same price on the market..… Look ive harvested two potatoes, one classic one, and one I can sell for a premium price, you think I will sell the premium one for normal price even if I did not gave it any special treatment? Think twice about how markets workz
I live only a few miles from one of those gas farms. I can attest that all day and all night. Tankers from every brand of gas station are in and out of that facility. Particularly in the morning, there will be a line of trucks a mile or two long. Waiting to be filled.
I am retired from owning a liquid lawn spraying business. Tankers with with gasoline company logos often delivered my liquid lawn fertilizer. The driver said they were washed out before refilled with gasoline, hmmm.
Small engines such as chainsaws, mowers, etc. perform noticeably better on premium fuel, especially the non-ethanol stuff. Anyone will immediately notice the difference if they typically use premium and then for some reason end up with a tank of regular mix.
I agree as well as turbo charged vehicles
@@EviLLivEClan , if the car requires 93...then Scotty says to use 93...are you lost? He always says to use the gas that is required by the manufacturer. This video is about cars that say to use the lowest brand...no reason to put premium in those ones.
Same for my Honda rebel 250
Oh wait... I'm not an American, but the low end gas we use is 95, the premium is 97. Can't even find 93 anymore.
95 cost ~50 US cents per litre, 97 cost ~1-2 US cents.
Is the US still using 89?
@@moochoopr9551 they are not measuring octane levels the same in Europe as they do in the usa You’ll have to read some literature to understand the difference but our 93 is just the same basically as your 97
I would be very interested to see that test kit used on gas from all of your local gas stations. Just to see how contaminated/diluted any of their gas is, compared to the pumps claims.
👍🏾💯
Need to take straight from the pump, not the car's gas tank.
do it
@@Sacrilege83 do-able right at the pump nozzle. Now to get a hold of one of them "test tubes..."
@@Sacrilege83 by pumping 1 gallon into a red container , then testing…👍🏼
Thank you Scotty for this video. Pumping gas out of newer cars is not that easy. You will need other more complex hoses
I did the gas challenge in the 90s. Premium vs regular. For my 89 Chevy Beretta GT, 2.8 engine, the premium would get better mileage which would be compensated for the cost differential. With regular, I would get 28 mpg, and with premium I would get 32 mpg. So I would have more range with the premium. The cost per mile was the same. That effect did not happen with the 2001 Grand am GT.
That Chevy Beretta GT was fast for that time. Never owned one but certainly had rode in one when I was a kid.
Gas pumps only have high and low octane coming into the pump, there is a valve that blends the two when u choose the mid grade.
My Acura RDX switches ignition timing depending on what octane. On 93 there is more power in acceleration. If I want more leisurely driving then it's 91. For 87 octane, the car is radically g in limp mode
Most modern cars are that way now. They have knock sensors which adjust timing accordingly.
Yep that's what it's supposed to do
3.0 caddy gets better mpg and feels better on 87 in my case.
The RDX has to use 91 octane or higher to run like its meant to.I dont know what year your SUV is but it should say the minimum octane in the owners manual.
@@LA_Commander except you don't want knock in the first place which can damage the engine.
Some premium fuels do give you more miles (tested myself in diesel regular car, turbo, and 2.5 l BMW), but where you notice the diference in perfomance is on supercars.
So you are right, for regular use of cars 👍👍👍
Sometimes I wonder if Scotty's ethanol levels are a little too high! 🤣
Maybe, Maybe Not, but his THC levels are off the charts.
Scotty does not use hightest.
He can run on E-85 proof.
Hahahaha
yeah he's running about 17% per serving
As an auto parts Specialist Scotty has taught me more than I could possibly pick up anywhere else.
so buy the cheap gas cause it's the same as more expensive gasoline
Are you being sarcastic or are you serious?
So kenneth2662 learned a lot from Scotty. Kenneth is the same guy that asks if your truck is 4wd when you want to buy wiper blades.
@@hadtocheathimtobeathim6549or if it has A/C when you want an evaporator.
Put it back down.
Scotty, I too knew an auto engineer who told me when I was 18 yrs old he could not justify the more expensive fuel in his car when I asked. Point taken. That was over 50 years ago. I suspect I have save bundles of money during the 2.5 Million miles I've driven since then, not to mention the $$$ saved by kicking the smoking habit 25 yrs ago. Keep up the good work, Scotty.
If your owners manual says premium., Use it. Even Scotty has said it. And my wife's 09 5 spd fit does get better milage with shell vpower
Scotty, if you ever read my comment, Thank You! You saved me thousands of dollars with your tip videos and recommendations.
I've been running 87 octane since day one in a 2012 Acadia. No issues and at 90k miles now.
My 84 Bronco on the other hand... rebuilt 351w motor with gm distributor, and eldebrock headers and 600 4 barrel carb.
That fuc*er runs like I poisoned it if I run anything other than 92.
😆
All this may as well be true but, I know when I use Premium Super Unleaded in my old ‘97 4Runner it sure runs better and I get more MPG, better performance and no spark knocking. I can’t stand hearing a vehicle spark knock!
👍🏼
You're so right and if you put regular or super in a Subaru WRX or STI it'll cause major engine problems, Scotty's wrong this time; also you have to use only premium in rotary vehicles
@@vesuviusenigma7739
Glad you told me that
@@abelincoln95
You’ve got that right buddy.., not counting how much better it runs!
You can't get better performance and more mpg. You either get the power or the efficiency, not both!
@@RC51Legend
Well hell, as long as it makes me feel that way I’ll take it.
My engine pings on low octane fuel, no problem at all with higher octane
What engine and car...might be carbon buildup..
@@MrBubbahunt9 Aussie Ford Falcon, 4 litre straight 6
We're u running high octane for a while before trying regular? Sometimes cars adjust to the tyoe of gas after long use when u switch it runs diff.. had same issue with my old car , but a friend who had same car always used regular from get go and never had the issue I did when I tried regular after using 93 for a few years
@@australiantruckspotting8883 sweet, a barra...turbo model?
@@gballs007 I was actually, and it didn’t ping before that, I might have to give lower octane another try as gas prices are going through the roof
Most modern cars I've driven will take up to E15 which is sold at some of our local pumps. Our Sienna specifically says on the gas cap it only takes up to E10 and not to use E15.
I have a mini. I put mid grade in it and the engine light came on. I took it back to the dealer. They said only use premium. I haven't had any problems since.
Been saying the same thing for years. Finally someone says the truth. Octane doesn't build horsepower all it does is prevent detonation. If no detonation don't waste your money.
@@andybales7318 I ran my 1987 Ranger on premium and it died at 347,000 Mi two of the injectors were failing but I drove it for 19 years
I used to work at Chevron in the Bay Area and was very surprised to discover that with few exceptions, all oil companies shared the same refineries - which means all the gas made was essentially the same before being doctored with a few additives like detergents and dyes. From oil company to oil company there’s nothing different about their gas except the marketing.
so the cheapest gas is the same as more expensive gas damn🤣
I knew this and have it told it before and that the reason prices vary so much from station to station is based on two factors which are location of station relative to high traffic areas and major arteries and fuel taxes for the city, county, state. For instance gas at a station near me at the freeway exit is always 50-80 cents higher than the station that just a mile down the road from the freeway.
@@raven4k998 No, that is not what they are saying. The more expensive fuel is absolutely different based on octane ratings, which essentially measures fuel stability as Scotty explained.
@UtahDelaCruz is saying that the fuel, before additives are mixed in, is the same fuel generally speaking. But the octane ratings still make a difference.
My father was a detective, and he learned that from a NJ State Police class.
Plus, he and his whole family worked in the Bayonne Tidewater refineries.
The detergents aren't insignificant. You are better off buying top tier
Lol... I didn't know that the civic si (2006-2011) was an exotic vehicle... which only runs on 91 or above octane!
Thanks Scotty!
I always thought using premium in a non performance car was pointless. This video is just more proof. I had a 2001 pathfinder and premium was recommended but not needed according to the manual I never put anything but regular gas in it and it ran fine when I gave it away with over 300,000 miles on iy
The manual for my 2017 STI says I need to use premium. So I use premium. Good video Scotty, as always.
Heck yeah you should get that checked out
He states that turbo cars are the exception
My 2011 Lexus RX350 says premium gas only on the gas flap. The owners manual says "Premium unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 91 (Research Octane Number 96) or higher required for optimum engine performance. If 91 octane cannot be obtained, you may use unleaded gasoline with an octane rating as low as 87 (Research Octane Number 91). Use of unleaded gasoline with an octane rating lower than 91 may result in engine knocking. Persistent knocking can lead to engine damage and should be corrected by refueling with higher octane unleaded gasoline.". With that wording I would be afraid to use anything other than premium. I have been using premium since I bought it in 2012.
My Q50S says the same thing.
Reminds me of my ex. She was somewhere where all the pump nozzles were green. She was driving a Ford 7.3 diesel.
Well, I guess she couldn’t READ the 87 above the nozzle. Yep. Filled one of the tanks with gasoline.
For some reason, the engine just quit without blowing up. The rest of the story is boring but we got it fixed.
My old Civics idle smoother, run stronger (less down shifting), and keep the oil cleaner with premium. I know it isn't supposed to work that way but it does. One is automatic d16y7, one is manual d16y8 (SOHC VTEC)
Ok Had Allen
It could be a few things, if the timing is off on your car more octane could be helping. It could also be that the 87 at your station is stored in a bad tank at the gas station, something could be leaking into it.
Same with my Nissan, and I get almost 65 miles per tank more mileage.
Placebo effect
My tacomas manual says put in premium. I didnt believe it made a difference. but i got better mileage enough to pay the difference between premium and regular (before the current inflation)
I have been using 93 octane in my 2006 slk350 for almost 13 years, and I put in 8 oz of Seafoam every 3-4 months. My car still runs as good as the day I bought it in 2009. Whenever I try to run regular gas, it does not run worth a crap. So it is PREMIUM for me. This car is awesome so she deserves the best. Not changing. It is way cheaper than paying a mechanic for a tune up every year.
That said, I use regular in my 2007 Honda VFR800 motorcycle, and it runs the same as with premium. Still runs great after all these years.
I've got a 96 Honda VFR750. Most of its life I've used 87oct and haven't had any problems despite the manual stating to use premium. I haven't had an issues. I wonder if its because your bike is FI.
@@1SmokingLizard yes. Forced induction runs much cleaner/powerful the higher the octane
yes 93 is definitely worth it
@@Ws6Ms Not for a 87 car...
Same. My car's tuned to *93 Octane, and cringe when I need. Ah wait, the video just listed the exceptions. Hes right tho, most cars don't need it. I may sub
I also use seafoam every few months in the gas tank. Never been brave enough to use it in the engine
Different fuels have pluses and minuses in operating cost and engine life. I was an engine builder, so I factor engine life over most things. Premium fuel has higher detonation resistance. Any detonation, even light pinging, shows up inside; it erodes the edge of the piston top near the exhaust valves. The edge of the head gasket is affected too.
Premium fuel is more than just octane numbers; it has detergent additives providing noticeably cleaner fuel and induction systems. The fuel flow, injector flow rate balance, and spray pattern of fuel injectors are critical for performance, so the quality of the detergent package should not be short-changed by buying cheap gas.
The performance of the motor, is also affected by poor fuel; it's ability to provide smooth power, and the amount of torque it can produce, is reduced. It's efficiency is decreased as combustion is uneven, with the progression of combustion not matching the crank position needed for power transfer.
I guess some people take better care of their machines than others. Do you keep your cars for a long time?
Well said. I even use premium in my lawn mower and leaf blower. Both cars call for premium. Just figure I'd get more life out of the smaller engines and I'm only buying a few gallons a year so why not?
My mechanic can tell when i cheat and put low grade in the tank.
Looking to buy a good 5.7L Hemi do you know of a good engine shop?
I used premium in my first car, an 86 Mazda 626 and the transmission would hesitate then jump. Someone told me it was bad for my engine so I switched to a lower octane and the problem went away.
With my older cars, 99 quest, 05 kia, 01 crv. They tend to run better on tier 3 well known brands. No mom and pops. Grocery store stuff.
Thank you Scotty for saying 2 stroke and 4 stroke and not cycle
Great video. I especially like how comprehensive your discussion was about additives. I appreciate that you fully covered the MTBE debacle.
So you made a great case for not buying premium fuel. What about the difference between the top tier and other brands?
Most people fail to realize almost all different gas stations despite the brand run the same fuel from the same local refinery as all gasoline is required to be standardized by federal law.
@@RollingRigTraction the base fuel for the all the gas stations are the same for each octane. The additive packages are different. And are added with the ethanol while loading the truck
The "mid grade" gas is only there as an advertisement trick. I forget the name but it's basically there to trick customers into buying the more expensive one. It's why they sell small/medium/large cups and 99% of customers buy the small or large.
This guy is awesome, very knowledgeable and honest. I wish there were more mechanics like this one
He's genius.
@@frutbum if he is so smart why didn't he know the difference between a brushed and a brushless drill? Anyone can seem to start with enough editing.
@@canadiantoque229 Can you explain the mode of action against pear Psylla with phenoxycarb?
@@frutbum I’ll ask my dad when he gets home from work.
You're so right about ONE refinery feeding everyone. I don't even believe most of the time anything extra makes it into the premium brands. (And I used to be a Refining Stock Analyst in 2000`s.)
Keep up the good and enjoyable work Scotty!
Love you Scotty but YES, but my car only runs good on PREMIUM (Toyota 1995 SE with 330K). Tried it a couple of times- sluggish, slight knocking, idling messed up too.
Subaru recommends minimum 93 octane in their turbos. Ours runs on 94 octane!! No issues other than the $$$ but we knew that going in. It results better mileage and response.
My car accelerates a lot better when I put 93 octane gas in my tank. Plus, I don't get that 'knocking' engine noise like I used to get when I filled my tank with the 87 octane gas. You pay extra for the premium gas, but I think that it's worth it.
I completely agree I had the same problem with my Toyota yaris ping off the line and felt like it had no power. I got 94 ethanol free for the price of regular 87 and made a world of difference no more ping better performing much better mpg so I just stuck with it
I will say that you need to use what your car is tuned to run well on. It's not so much about the "cleaners" it's about detonation resistance. Higher octane doesn't knock as easy.
I've only used BP 93 in my '18 VW Passat 2.0t and it works. That gas used to give me 40-100 more per tank (depending on its use) giving me 430-480 mileage. Soon as I would use 89 or 87, those figures would fall drastically.
Placebo
I agree with you completely. And it's not Placebo it's fact. I was a courier as well as a mechanic for 40 years. It completely depends on the type of engine you have. Not all engines have the same effect. Both my Honda Civic and my Ford Escort got more highway mileage with 93 octane. I got better mileage with 89 octane . And I got less mileage with 87 octane . At least three more miles to the gallon with 89 octane and 5 miles to the gallon with 93 octane. I did the test at least a hundred times so I know it's not a placebo.
well your answer is in your sentence passat 2.0t its a turbo.
@@u-know-this there are a lot of smooth brained people watching Scotty 😂🤣😂🤣.
@@jamesrobert7778 4:20 he literally says that SMH
Scotty, I think generally you are correct as you are 99 percent of the time. My 4 cylinder 2016 Tacoma is geared for 75 mph at just under 2000 RPM. Going up a moderate hill on the highway it just makes it over. With premium i don’t have to give it as much pedal. So I feel a big difference with premium.
It depends on what your car is tuned for. If your car is tuned for premium, it wont run well on the cheap stuff. If its tuned for cheap stuff as most cars are, they wont like the premium.
It's guys like Scotty that make YT worth while.
Exactly 💯 what a treasure
hees knot perfic, kneether am eye.
Totally!
Good info in this video and he did clear up octane rating vs additives. I had to mute the whiny voice and used CC and then suddenly it got worse with all the excessive hand flailing. But, the guy does know his stuff and that is what matters. I don't always agree on brands with him, but over all he has a solid basis for most things.
Scotty, you're the best teacher out there! You teach accurately and with humor, thank you ❤️!
Honestly, there is a noticeable difference in engine performance. My 2011 Benz coupe ran a lot smoother and feels more energetic on the move after a couple of tanks. I was sceptical initially but am now convinced. Been alternating between BP premium fuel and Shell V-Power ever since.
He said average cars. Benz ain’t that.
Check the octane requirements in the owners manual. My '06 Impala SS owners manual said 93 octane was recommended. And it certainly made a difference in the drivers seat. It was a 10.5:1 ratio engine without direct injection, it would stumble and miss without the high octane gas.
Why would you put anything but premium in a Benz? It's designed to use premium unless its a diesel engine witch some Benzes are.
Wouldn't want to put anything cheaper on a Benz, afterall Benz are designed to break
I have been around cars, auto repairs and life in general for many years. Scotty Kilmer is an Incredible Automotive Mechanic. This man is always right about everything he says. I trust him 100 percent!!! Please listen to him, he can surely help you!.
You much watch CNN to
Used to be able to get premium gas without ethanol in canada. All the premium gas was without. Couple months ago I found station putting stickers on top of old sticker saying even premium gas has ethanol now. Which is a pain since the most reliable cars are from an era without ethanol and they will wear out faster now.
That's what the powers above want 😤
Hi Scotty! Thank you for this interesting and informative information. I never understood why the Gasoline companies advertised as the auto manufacturers all tell us exactly what gasoline and oil we need in our vehicles. The information is in the Owners' manuals and on the vehicles as well. We have E20 (called "e, esip") here in Thailand and my Mazda 2 runs great and we get decent gas mileage. The car was made here in Thailand too!! Warm regards again. (Rob Allen in Thailand) 😊😊😊😎👍👍👍
I have a 2019 civic si and I use premium! I once used regular and the turbo did not kick in like when I put the premium! Scotty is right with the regular cars ! But for performance sport cars the premium is where it is ! I bought my car to have fun not to lose hp 🤣🤣
SI is hardly a performance car, lol.
How many miles do you have on the Si now Bro?
I can tell you for a fact that V Power petrol in UK is amazing. It makes my M3 and mini run so much better and faster
Yeah premium fuel is vital for high performance on the octane alone, and techron is solid.
See the difference is yall start at 97 and get as high as 115 in the states we start at 85 and only have 100 as a maximal...
@@ywe3 The different numbers in octane come from a different system of measurement. Europe uses RON to indicate the octane, this isn't the case in the U.S.
97 RON is roughly equal to 91 MON in the U.S, for example.
sure it does.
My brother put a couple of tanks EA85 in his Escalade that he tows his boat with the car says flexfuel. It caused him a nightmare of problems and had much less power. Do not USE even if your car says you can!
I had a 2004 Subaru WRX that was bought used and allegedly pampered and always fueled with 93 octane gas by the person I bought it from. He was the original owner. One time in the middle of nowhere the only gas that was available was 83. I used it and drove home with no issues. I figured it was cheaper to use minimum octane so I began using it. About a week after I had returned home from nowhere I noticed the car was having trouble starting, stuttering and surging. I went back to using 93 octane and the problems cleared up almost immediately. But hey, that's my experience, but I think there is a reason to sometimes use a high octane gas.
BTW, the car always ran flawlessly and was a great car so it wasn't an issue with the car. I wish I never sold it.
Yep. I had a van with a v6 and if I didn't use high test, it would spark knock.
Did it not have a turbo?? The only reason to buy a WRX is for the all wheel drive and turbo...turbo needs high octane fuel.
@@ftniceberg874 It did.
I was an Air Force Fuels Specialist. Save your money and buy the lower octane fuel if your car will run it. As far as additives (detergents) most gas brands have several times the minimum limit required.
what is this plus stuff in the middle?
@@raven4k998 I’m assuming your referring to 89 octane. It’s just the middle amount of added octane. There is no difference quality wise between the grades though.
It's the brands labeled "Top Tier" that have more than the minimum amount of detergents. The other brands I wouldn't touch.
@@raven4k998Gas stations only have two gasoline tanks. One for the lower octane and one for the highest octane. When you select the mid grades, 89 or 91, if the top octane is 93 or 94, there's a thing in the gas stand called a blender pump that mixes the two fuels together to dispense the middle grades of fuel. Inevitably, there will be some ethanol in the mid grade and from what I have read, even in the top octane fuels now .
That is okay advice for jet engines, not ICE vehicles.
I was taught growing up to only use the premium fuel if the owner's manual calls for it. My Cadillac for instance.
I had a Pontiac Bonneville GXP with a Cadillac Northstar motor .My friend convinced me to try a couple tanks of She'll or Chevron gas, ran much better! Only used good gas since, octane doesn't matter as much, as the good gas...
Scotty, will you do a video on why you don't like Seafoam? It's been my go-to fuel system cleaner for nearly a decade.
Gotta love Scotty, always looking out for it’s viewers. Grandpa Scott🙌🏽
Anecdotal experience i know, but ive had 3 friends who complained their cars were running rough and not starting easily. They always used the cheapest fuel. I tested the batteries and were fine. I told them run a couple of tanks of BP ultimate through and they all reported the problems went away, so perhaps the advertised cleaning power is useful every few tanks.
it is.
run one tank of premium every now and then...
and take the vehicle on the highway...
Great Information! History lessons are always appreciated.
Yeah, different octane levels create different combustion levels that certain engines may work better than other engines. Turbos usually require a higher octane gas due to tighter tolerances. Lower octane levels in a turbo could potentially cause more wear versus using a higher octane gas for the same engine.
First time I've seen a plug for Colon Blow in decades. 😁
Scotty, you rule! 👍
SNL aired the skit in 1989.
Scotty you are piece of work buddy. Absolutely love what you do by educating us out here who have the capability of self repairing and maintaining our vehicles but lack the knowledge and tips (tricks of the trade) you provide in your videos which are funny , entertaining, and informative. Your arm movements while talking crack me the hell up omg. Anyway man I have an 03 Pontiac Vibe GT which you know is a Toyota Matrix XRS. It calls for premium fuel only as printed on the inside of the fuel door. I can really notice the difference between reg unleaded and premium. The regular causes a rough idle and gas mileage is considerably lower so buying the cheaper gas doesn't save me any money and my car's performance is compromised. So if anyone has the TOYOTA 2ZZ / VVTL-i and use regular unleaded , stop . Use premium and you will notice the difference. Keep em coming Scotty!!
I remember the pumps with a rotary mixing valve. Create your OWN octane level and price.
My dad taught me if it doesn't ping on uphills, just use regular. I know that is from the carburetor days but still applies.
Sunoco had the rotary handle.