Many of our automotive customers believe that using premium gasoline will mean a longer-lasting engine, and they share the incorrect ideas with other drivers about premium gasoline having better detergents than regular gasoline. It’s mostly just a marketing ploy. If you’re unsure about what to use to fuel your engine, first check the owner’s manual. If premium is ever required, it will tell you. Don’t give the oil corporations more profit!

When auto engines aren’t created for premium gasoline, it means they never have a use for the higher-octane fuel. It has to do with engine combustion. Premium fuel ignites at a higher temperature, so it can deal with high levels of compression without reigniting. It also has less heptanes, which also prevents reignition. Even the government regulators agree – there’s no benefit for it in the average tank.

If your owner’s manual does ask for premium fuel, chances are you don’t always have to use it. If your car isn’t more than 10 years old, that’s particularly true because your plugs and injectors will make up the difference. With higher-performance engines that are designed for premium fuel, the low-temperature can mean better performance. The premium gas also prevents pinging or knocking noises. However, unless you’re pushing your engine to the max, the difference in power is minor but the difference in cost is stark. The only exception is for automobiles that have knocking noises when regular fuel is being used, even under everyday driving conditions. For these vehicles, use your best judgment or ask our ACE-certified auto experts about using the right fuel.

Is There a Diesel vs. Gasoline Difference?

Gasoline and diesel don’t play nicely together. If you drive a diesel engine, filling the tank with gasoline will cause it to stop working entirely. You’ll need a complete flush. Diesel is thicker and oilier than gasoline, and the engines are different in a few ways. First, diesel engines don’t have spark plugs. Instead, the fuel is ignited by the heat of compressed air, which is compressed before the fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber. With gasoline, air and fuel are combined first and then the spark plugs do their work.

Contact Christian Brothers Today

If you have questions about how to fuel your engine or if you’re having any trouble with your fuel system, give our trusted team in Brentwood, TN a ring. We do maintenance, pre-pruchase checks and repairs.