Car enthusiasts worry about their car’s performance. For this, they try different tactics they think will work to improve it. Sometimes, those efforts work, and sometimes they don’t. There is a type of confusion found among them about which type of fuel to use. We are going to explore features and reasons to use hi-octane fuel vs super petrol in this blog. We are also going to discuss the purpose of each type of fuel and which type of it is the most suitable for your car.
What Is Hi-Octane Fuel?
Octane is the measure of a fuel’s ability to take the compression in an engine without causing knocking. A higher octane number means greater ability.
You must’ve heard that higher octane fuel gives better engine performance, but that’s a myth. If you use hi-octane fuel in an engine that does well on a lower octane fuel, then it’s a total waste of your money and time. There are special engines where this fuel works at the peak of its performance. They are specially designed for high-performance fuels. Fuel with higher octane numbers than normal is the best petrol for turbo engine cars or supercharged engines, which are resistant to knocking and premature combustion.
In Pakistan, Hi-octane fuel is between 97 RON to 99 RON.
Benefits Of Hi-Octane Petrol For Car Engine
There are engines developed that require hi-octane fuel. Let’s take a look at the benefits it has to offer.
1. High Performance For High Compression Engines
Increases engine performance and power in engines with high compression. Vehicles such as motorsports or heavy machinery require hi-octane fuel. Vehicle manufacturers design cars that have an engine that performs better than their previous vehicles or models of them.
2. Lowers Engine Knocking And Premature Combustion
Hi-octane petrol is made for high-performance engines. It reduces knocking in them. But if you use low-octane fuel for a high-performance car, it would cause knocking. So when buying a car, ask for the manufacturer’s requirement for fueling. If you continue using low-octane fuel in high-performance vehicles, it will damage the engine, which can cost you thousands of rupees, and the engine’s power output and performance will be lower.
Hi-octane provides a car knocking issue solution. When you shift to high-octane fuel, the engine will change the compression and the timing of ignition gradually.
3. Reduces Carbon Buildup
High-octane petrol is also beneficial for car fuel injectors because it prevents pre-mature ignition, and it burns completely inside the combustion chamber. This burning reduces the formation of carbon deposits on the fuel injectors.
4. Reduces Greenhouse Gas
Hi-octane petrol emits less amount of greenhouse gases as compared to low-octane petrol, sounds opposite? Yes, that’s how it works. The vehicle manufacturers have to pay lower taxes for lower greenhouse gas emissions, and higher taxes for higher emissions.
Disadvantages Of Hi-Octane
With the fun it is to drive a high-performance car on hi-octane petrol, this fuel can also be a little bit of a burden on car enthusiasts. Read on to find out why.
1. High Cost
It is more expensive than standard fuel. It falls heavily on the driver over time.
2. Unavailability
Its availability is not as much as standard fuel. This is bad news for some who drive their high-performance engines on high-octane.
Does Hi-Octane Fuel Improve Performance?
Hi-octane petrol only improves the performance of the engines that are designed for it. These engines include turbocharged and high-compression engines. Using it on engines that do not need it is a waste of money.
What is Super Petrol?
Super petrol is high-octane unleaded fuel which is used in usual engines. It is usually 92 RON. Here, RON stands for Research Octane Number, which is a measure of a fuel’s ability to resist knocking. It is used for high-performance engines like turbocharged and supercharged engines, which are present in sports, luxury, and high-end cars.
Benefits of Super Petrol
Super petrol is used in engines that have higher compression ratios. Here we are going to look at the benefits of 92 RON petrol.
But let us first see what these types of hi-octane fuels are called.
- 89 RON is regular petrol
- 92 RON is super petrol
- 97 RON to 99 RON is hi-octane petrol
Read on to find out the benefits it offers:
1. Engine Performance
Super petrol is ideal for high-performance engines, such as those found in sports or luxury cars. These cars run smoothly with high compression and higher resistance to knocking, and also improved acceleration.
2. Reduces Carbon Buildup
Improves engine maintenance with reduced carbon buildup in the engine. To accomplish this, additives are added to the fuel to keep the engine clean.
3. Fuel Efficiency
High-octane fuel can operate efficiently because of reduced risk of knocking. This improves fuel efficiency. It is good economically.
4. Environmentally Friendly
Fuels with higher octane numbers contribute to reduced carbon emissions. This is because of increased fuel efficiency, which results in reduced carbon emissions.
What Is 95 RON Hi-Octane?
It is a type of fuel that has higher resistance to knocking than regular fuels. RON in this term stands for Research Octane Number, which is a measure of the ability of fuel to resist knocking or premature ignition. The higher the RON, the better the performance of the fuel. Supercharged and turbocharged engines run on 95 RON fuel.
Hi-Octane vs Super Petrol
Hi-octane and super petrol are both names of high-octane fuels. Specifically, hi-octane refers to a fuel’s octane rating, such as 97 RON or 99 RON. It indicates the count of octane in any type of fuel. It is used in high-performance engines that have high resistance to knocking.
Super petrol is a name for fuels that are lower than RON 97, nearly 92 RON. It is considered regular fuel, which is for engines that operate on normal compression.
RON 92 vs RON 95 Petrol
Both are high-grade fuels. Let’s explore the difference between the two.
1. RON 92
RON 92 has comparatively lower octane content and resistance to knocking. It is used in engines with a lower compression ratio.
2. RON 95
As the name suggests, it has a higher octane number. It means that its resistance to knocking is higher. It is designed for engines with high compression and for high-performance.
Bad Petrol Symptoms in Car
Like many problems in a car, the fuel system also faces problems that require attention on priority, because that’s where the car starts running.
Read further to find what problems arise in the fuel system and what you can do about them.
1. Difficulty In Starting Your Car
If starting your car seems difficult or it does not start at all, it is a sign that your car has issues in the fuel system. Often, it happens due to contaminants that are in the fuel traveling to the engine.
When you experience this, take your car to a mechanic and have it checked.
2. Sputtering
The engine runs roughly. It jerks and shakes either when the car is moving or idling.
3. Engine Stalling
The engine stalls while in motion or stationary. It is dangerous to drive a car that keeps stalling. Therefore, you need to get it checked as a priority.
4. Rough Idling
The car engine runs roughly, jerks, or shakes when idling.
5. Problems In Accelerating
Acceleration seems delayed when you press the accelerator. This shouldn’t be so. What’s normal is that the car should speed up immediately when you press the pedal. Get it fixed immediately because it can become a major problem when you are driving in heavy traffic.
6. “Check Engine” Light Turns On
When the Check Engine light turns on, it means there is a fault in the engine. You need to take your car to a mechanic.
7. Reduced Power
If you observe reduced or loss of power of the engine when you accelerate or you face stalling, it is one of the signs of fuel system failure.
Must Read: Current Petroleum Prices in Pakistan
How To Avoid Fuel System Problems
Take the following steps to keep your car’s performance from decreasing.
- Don’t keep the fuel tank filled at all times when you are not going to use it.
- Only buy fuel from trusted fuel stations.
- When you buy a car, know which grade of fuel suits the engine and only use that, and no other.
- Keep the gas cap tightly closed and keep a check on it regularly to make sure that it is working properly.
What Petrol Should I Use For My Car?
Which fuel to use depends on your engine, really. Hi-octane is for high-performance and high-compression engines. Using them on standard engines is a waste of money since an engine that can run really well on standard fuel will only waste away high-performance fuel. But which one really is for standard engines, you might be wondering. It is super petrol. You can run your standard engine on it worry-free, whether you are getting the maximum output from the engine, yes, you are. In fact, your engine is better on super petrol.
FAQs
Q1: What is hi-octane petrol?
A: It is a type of fuel with higher resistance to knocking than normal petrol. It is specifically made for high-performance and high-compression engines.
Q2: What is super petrol?
A: Super petrol is a type of fuel that has a higher octane number. This fuel is for modern standard engines as well as for high-performance engines.
Q3: What is 95 RON fuel?
A: It is fuel with a higher Research Octane Number (RON), which is a measure of the resistance to knocking in car engines. 95 RON is categorized as super petrol, but it is only suitable for turbocharged or supercharged engines.
Q4: Is high-octane fuel good for normal engines?
A: No, using hi-octane petrol for engines that can run well on lower octane fuel is a waste of money since the engine does not require a high-performing fuel to run on.
Q5: Which super petrol is best in Pakistan?
A: The best high-octane fuels in Pakistan are PSO Octane+ Euro 5 and Shell V-Power.