In India, newbie moto-enthusiasts are fascinated with the term ‘octane’. In their minds, it is a common belief that octane fuel differs from normal fuel; one of the misconceptions. This article is here to clean the air
The automobile of industry of India has evolved over the years and therefore, most people these days hold adequate knowledge about cars, motorcycles, scooters, trucks and other vehicles. However, newbie or rookie moto-enthusiasts lack knowledge and possess several misconceptions related to automobiles. One of them is the term ‘octane’. From definition to its usage, the term is not understood by many.
Do you know what is the octane rating of your vehicle? Are you using octane 87 or octane 93? What are the differences between these ratings? Which is beneficial/harmful for your vehicle? If you cannot answer these questions, this article deserves your attention. After all, you do not want to harm your vehicle and neither you aim to waste money on fuel that is not required by your vehicle.
What is octane and how different is it from regular fuel?
Octane is a rating, and it is not a different fuel. In fact, the regular fuel at a petrol pump is also an octane fuel. However, the rating of the octane fuel varies. A regular fuel carries an octane rating of 87, whereas a premium fuel has a rating of 93 or more. The octane rating is a way of measuring the ability of the fuel to avoid knocks.
A slightly more elaborate definition of octane
Inside an engine, knocks (they are harmful to the engine) take place when the fuel is ignited prematurely. However, it is not felt because, in the fuel, an element is present by the name oxygenate that prevents the knocking. Higher the octane rating, the lesser the knocks. Not to forget, a higher rating also means the fuel can withstand a high compression ratio, which also prevents untimely and frequent knocks inside the engine.
What octane fuel should be used in vehicles?
In the manual book of every vehicle, the manufacturer prescribes the octane rating. Therefore, it is advisable to use the prescribed octane rated fuel. There is no point in filling up a vehicle with expensive fuel because the engine is not designed to use that fuel to its true potential. Therefore, one should stick to the octane rating as mentioned in the vehicle’s manual book.
