E90Post
 


TNT Racewerks
 
BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Technical Forums > All-Wheel-Drive (Xi / xDrive) Talk > Any real difference in 91 and 93 octane ?



Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      08-16-2008, 10:04 PM   #1
Kodak
The Law
Kodak's Avatar
United_States
63
Rep
391
Posts

Drives: 06 325xi, 4dr, Alpine
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bronx, NYC

iTrader: (0)

Any real difference in 91 and 93 octane ?

Can you really feel any difference in power between a 91 octane or 93 octane ?
__________________
2006 Alpine ,325xi sedan,Terra, steptronic,Xenon,heated seats,Premium package
Appreciate 0
      08-16-2008, 10:12 PM   #2
ik999
Lieutenant
ik999's Avatar
Canada
25
Rep
497
Posts

Drives: e90 335i f32 435xi
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: gta

iTrader: (0)

I can't feel any difference in power between shell91 and sunoco94

but shell91 somehow runs smoother?

I don't know
Appreciate 0
      08-17-2008, 07:51 AM   #3
Ph0zenstone
Major General
Ph0zenstone's Avatar
322
Rep
5,370
Posts

Drives: 2018 530e X-Drive
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: NY

iTrader: (74)

i can't feel any difference, i don't even look to see what octane it is anymore, i just pick whatevers most expensive. Some gas stations have 91 as "supreme" while others have 93
Appreciate 0
      08-17-2008, 12:30 PM   #4
Kodak
The Law
Kodak's Avatar
United_States
63
Rep
391
Posts

Drives: 06 325xi, 4dr, Alpine
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bronx, NYC

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by phozenstone View Post
i can't feel any difference, i don't even look to see what octane it is anymore, i just pick whatevers most expensive. Some gas stations have 91 as "supreme" while others have 93
I used to just use the 93 octane until i read in the manual that for a 2006 325xi that the recommended octane is 91 octane, so I've been using Sunoco 91 octane ever since, especially since the 'gas crisis' .
__________________
2006 Alpine ,325xi sedan,Terra, steptronic,Xenon,heated seats,Premium package
Appreciate 0
      08-17-2008, 12:36 PM   #5
purplewidow
Lieutenant Colonel
purplewidow's Avatar
United_States
51
Rep
1,928
Posts

Drives: e92 335
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Chicago

iTrader: (2)

93 is better 91 is just the minimum. you will get more power out of these cars with higher octane maybe not a 1980's station wagon but a modern bmw for sure.. more octane means more power and cleaner burning. 110oct has to be kept in a static free drum it is so flammable..if you leave the top off it will evaporate super fast.
Appreciate 0
      08-17-2008, 03:56 PM   #6
rob2010
New Member
0
Rep
16
Posts

Drives: 06 325xi
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Calgary

iTrader: (0)

u prob wont feel much of a difference in terms of power but you should be able to get more millage per tank.
Appreciate 0
      08-17-2008, 06:05 PM   #7
camaross305
camaross305's Avatar
135
Rep
1,825
Posts

Drives: 2008 M3
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: gainesville fl

iTrader: (20)

you wont feel much more power maybe 3-4hp (which you wont feel) from 91 to 93. Now once you turn up the boost with a tuner thats when 93 yields more power
Appreciate 0
      08-19-2008, 09:36 PM   #8
ska///235i
***** noob
ska///235i's Avatar
United_States
1355
Rep
10,479
Posts

Drives: 325xi>M235i>428GCx Mspor
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Boston

iTrader: (34)

Garage List
2006 325xi  [0.00]
the difference I can feel is the $0.30 I save every gallon
__________________
2006 325xi (Sold)
2014 M235I (Current)
2015 428xi Gran Coupe (STB)
Appreciate 0
      08-19-2008, 11:07 PM   #9
BavarianBullet
Lieutenant
BavarianBullet's Avatar
United_States
18
Rep
429
Posts

Drives: 2014 Audi S5
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Connecticut

iTrader: (1)

IMO you probably won't feel any seat of the pants difference and even a dyno would barely show a power difference between 91 and 93 octane.

What I can tell you from racing a lot on pump gas years ago (with 5.0 mustangs) was that there are differences between various fuels at the same octane rating.

How I know this is from experience is this: Back in the 90s mustangs were the first model of sports car to go fast in large numbers and they had no timing retard knock sensors. One of the key tricks to make them faster near stock was to swing the timing (by moving the distributor a few degrees) from 10 degrees to about 14-18' before TDC.

This invariably lead to audible detonation as people would try to make their cars as fast as possible for less $.

One things we learned pretty quickly was that certain fuels behaved better and had much less audible pinging or knocking than others. Shell was complete crap and pinged horribly whereas mobil and amoco tended the opposite and were favored.

It's been 10-15 years since those days and things may have changed but it's a fact that the R/M2 method to derive a published octane number is just an average. It's an average of a fuel's research and motor octane values / 2 and some engines seem to like more of one vs another.

You'll never know what the breakdown is unless you get tech specs of the fuel (from the internet, not likely from the gas station) and test and see which one your engine likes more.

my 2c.
__________________
2014 Audi S5 DSG
2011 335xi Sedan (retired)
2008 335xi Sedan (retired)
Appreciate 0
      08-20-2008, 02:33 AM   #10
camaross305
camaross305's Avatar
135
Rep
1,825
Posts

Drives: 2008 M3
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: gainesville fl

iTrader: (20)

Im not sure about 15 years ago but now shell actually has really good gas. Ive seen analysis tests showing that chevron and shell on avergae are some of the cleanest fuels.
Appreciate 0
      08-20-2008, 08:44 AM   #11
Lassaxi
Major
Lassaxi's Avatar
United_States
10
Rep
1,035
Posts

Drives: April ED - E90 328xi
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Boston

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by ska View Post
the difference I can feel is the $0.30 I save every gallon
+1
__________________
May 3, '07European Delivery, Redelivered on 6/11/07 - Monaco Blue/Beige, Steptronic, ZPP, ZCW, PDC, iDrive/Navi with RTTI, Logic 7, Xenons, HD Radio
Appreciate 0
      08-20-2008, 09:22 PM   #12
Kodak
The Law
Kodak's Avatar
United_States
63
Rep
391
Posts

Drives: 06 325xi, 4dr, Alpine
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bronx, NYC

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lassaxi View Post
+1
You are so right
__________________
2006 Alpine ,325xi sedan,Terra, steptronic,Xenon,heated seats,Premium package
Appreciate 0
      08-21-2008, 10:46 AM   #13
jpsimon
Team Zissou
jpsimon's Avatar
United_States
3058
Rep
10,197
Posts

Drives: 2022 AWD M3 Comp - SMB
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: CT

iTrader: (7)

on the dyno you will see pretty decent differences when you're looking at a modded car with 91 vs 93. I'll post up a thread that some of you might not have seen... of the comparison of my car with 93 vs 100 octane.... i think you'll like the results
Appreciate 0
      08-23-2008, 03:37 AM   #14
AllydNYC
Loading...
AllydNYC's Avatar
No_Country
339
Rep
2,187
Posts

Drives: 91' E30 318is
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Location

iTrader: (15)

Garage List
1991 BMW 318is  [0.00]
I put 93 in because it's only like 4 cents more then 91 where I am.
Appreciate 0
      08-23-2008, 05:59 AM   #15
sapperelite
Second Lieutenant
United_States
7
Rep
219
Posts

Drives: 07 335XI, 03 Wrangler Sport
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Springfield, VA

iTrader: (0)

I agree with what was said about better mileage from experience. I was driving the car in Spain and went from Madrid down to Cadiz. I filled up with Premuim before I left Madrid and got great mileage down to Cadiz. I filled up in Cadiz with the lower octane premium, don't know what octane because they use a different rating system in Europe, and got horrible mileage. If I remember correctly, I got about 40 miles more off the premium that the lower grade. I also get the highest octane possible in the US because I can hear an audible difference in the engine sound with good vs premium.
Appreciate 0
      08-27-2008, 12:08 PM   #16
smartys
Lieutenant
46
Rep
591
Posts

Drives: 07 e93 335i
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: toronto, on

iTrader: (1)

Actually I've been wondering about this issue also. I JUST (finally) stepped into my e93 convertible, which I imported from the USA. when I picked up the car, it was filled with a tank of US premium gas, I presume 93. it was a monster, but smooth and silky. I filled up with Canadian 91, and the next morning I noticed the engine was not as smooth, and I actually feel a little less kick to it....still fast, but it seems like there's something missing.......
Appreciate 0
      08-28-2008, 08:43 AM   #17
exidisjon
PuffPuffPass
exidisjon's Avatar
South Korea
52
Rep
1,096
Posts

Drives: E92 335xi AW/Saddle
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: NJ

iTrader: (8)

Quote:
Originally Posted by AllydNYC View Post
I put 93 in because it's only like 4 cents more then 91 where I am.
Same at sunoco. Its only llike 5~10 cent difference and i heard higher octanes are better for the car??
At least feels a bit better putting in better gas.
__________________

My right foot weighs more than my left for sure.
Appreciate 0
      08-28-2008, 09:39 AM   #18
Mooreski
Lieutenant
Mooreski's Avatar
29
Rep
489
Posts

Drives: LMB '09 E90 M3
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Portland, OR

iTrader: (1)

Quote:
Originally Posted by ska View Post
the difference I can feel is the $0.30 I save every gallon
There's a $0.30 difference between 91 and 93? That's crazy!! What's the diff between 87 and 93?!?!
Appreciate 0
      08-31-2008, 10:37 AM   #19
ShereKhan
Major
ShereKhan's Avatar
United Kingdom
96
Rep
1,134
Posts

Drives: BMW G20 330e M Sport MY20
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Bristol, UK

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
2020 BMW 330e  [0.00]


If there is one thing that made me smile

The fuel maybe cheaper in the US than the UK

But at least we get Ferrai engineered fuel all over the UK

I run mine on Shell V Power 99 Octane and my company pays for it too!

You guys over the pond need to get 99 Octane.....The standard in the UK is 95 Octane minimum
__________________
20 BMW G20 330e M Sport Portimão Blue/Cognac, Driver Pro, Tech,M+ lumbar, storage packs
Long gone -15 Peugeot 308 2.0HDi GT AUTO Magnetic Blue, 10 BMW F10 520D SE Xirallic Imperial blue/Cinnamon Brown, 06 E90 320si - Le Mans Blue - Totally standard specification (Scrapped RIP 12/08/2010), 00 Peugeot 306 2.0 SE Cabriolet, 94 Rover 214 SEi, 91 Fiat Uno 60S Mk2
Appreciate 0
      08-31-2008, 01:05 PM   #20
Lassaxi
Major
Lassaxi's Avatar
United_States
10
Rep
1,035
Posts

Drives: April ED - E90 328xi
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Boston

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by ShereKhan View Post


If there is one thing that made me smile

The fuel maybe cheaper in the US than the UK

But at least we get Ferrai engineered fuel all over the UK

I run mine on Shell V Power 99 Octane and my company pays for it too!

You guys over the pond need to get 99 Octane.....The standard in the UK is 95 Octane minimum
Haven't we beaten this to death yet? I think most everyone here knows that European 95 octane is RON, and US octane ratings are AKI. Your 99 RON octane is equivalent to our U.S. 94 AKI octane.

Even wikipedia knows this:

"Different countries have some variation in what RON (Research Octane Number) is standard for gasoline, or petrol. In the UK, ordinary regular unleaded petrol is 91 RON (not commonly available), premium unleaded petrol is always 95 RON, and super unleaded is usually 97-98 RON. However both Shell and BP produce fuel at 102 RON for cars with hi-performance engines, and the supermarket chain Tesco began in 2006 to sell super unleaded petrol rated at 99 RON. In the US, octane ratings in unleaded fuels can vary between 86-87 AKI (91-92 RON) for regular, through 89-90 AKI (94-95 RON) for mid-grade (European Premium), up to 90-94 AKI (95-99 RON) for premium (European Super)."
__________________
May 3, '07European Delivery, Redelivered on 6/11/07 - Monaco Blue/Beige, Steptronic, ZPP, ZCW, PDC, iDrive/Navi with RTTI, Logic 7, Xenons, HD Radio
Appreciate 0
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:03 AM.




e90post
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST