anyone driving with the cheap stuff ?
aside from a lack of power... will it harm the engine besides
running a little warmer ?

 

i got detonation past 6k when i tried it.

 

Lower octane does not equal lower power. That is a common fallacy. In fact it can often make more power. It merely has less resistance to detonation. That is all.


The engine might make less power if it detects detonation and retards the timing, but it is the retarded timing reducing the power, not the gasoline. The RX-8's knock detector is deaf as a post and unlikely to do anything.

I run regular frequently when I'm not at the track and feeling poor. No problems. 40k miles so far, thousands of which are on the track, and good compression. (I have a Twisted Rotors compression tester.) Note that when I'm running regular, I consciously don't stand on the pedal at every green light and on-ramp.

And where in the world did you get the idea that the engine would "run a little warmer"?

 

I actually just switched to 89 octane to do a little testing. So far, haven't experienced any problems Haven't noticed any gains though, either...

 

Why would you buy such an expensive car and put **** gas in it? I'll do 89 once in a while when its really expensive but never the lowest grade.

I purchased and want my baby forever so I take good care of her.

 

[quote=wankelbolt;3785443]Lower octane does not equal lower power. That is a common fallacy. In fact it can often make more power. It merely has less resistance to detonation. That is all.


The engine might make less power if it detects detonation and retards the timing, but it is the retarded timing reducing the power, not the gasoline. The RX-8's knock detector is deaf as a post and unlikely to do anything.
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If the ECM retards the timing due to sensing Knock, because you run lower octane fuel, the root cause is the lower octane. So why does the decal on the gas flap state not to use anything lower than 95.

 

Running lower octane during winter should be safe enough ... especially in those frozen February months in Ontario.

IAT also plays a role in detonation ... give it a try and let us know how it works out for you

 

IAT plays a role in detonation? Care to educate with some details?"

 

perhaps he meant intake air temperature and not the sensor...

 

I know that... I want education on how intake air temperature affects detonation.

 

very cold intake air temperature is akin to very low altutide and is one of the causes of detonation and pre-ignition if your car is tuned under "normal" conditions, in these situations you are better off using a higher level of octane.
ait is more of a factor than I previously thought.
been looking over my logs from home in the summer, fall, fall in high altitude (smokey mountains), and now the colder weather.
it is usually 100% humidity where I live and that probably adds a factor but that would take a whole different approach of data logging.
premixing also affects your octane level.

 

Yup I meant Intake Air Temperature not the sensor ..... sorry for the confusion.

IMO lower air temps reduce the chances of detonation thus allowing you to use a lower octane fuel.

The mass air flow sensor will pick up the increase is flow density and adjust the fuel accordingly ...

 

Sorry Chad I will have to disagree with you on this point especially if you using a MAF based system like we are ....
(I guess technically we are Maf base and Closed loop based)

How very cold are you talk'n anyway .... like 0 Kelvin or something? lol

 

no, the difference between 40C and -40C, your fuel to air mixture is much different.
actually very dense cold air increases detonation.
mostly things I learned with my snowmobile.

 

Lately, it's been cold outside and I've used the 89 octane a few times. I also started premixing the last 500 miles I've driven and kind of experimented. I get 16-17 mpg with 91 octane and more than 17 mpg with 89 octane, both are premixed with Valvoline TC-W3 and driven the car on the same route everyday. The exhaust smells stink though, premixed with Valvoline!

 

Not a great idea, stick to premium.

 

If cold intake temps increase detonation, why use an intercooler on blown engines. Think about it.And where do you get premix lowers octane ?

 

well considering most engines are tuned at an ambient temperature of let's say 70F. When your FI engine is running hot you use an intercooler to lower that temperature to the "tuned" more stable air temperature. I have thought about it much and drove my 1994 TT RX7 in the summer and winter, and you don't even need an intercooler in the winter because the air mass in dense and cold already. Think about it.
Premix doesn't lower the octane much but you are adding a combustible fluid to your gas.
The oil is not 91 octane. Add an ice cube to a drink and it gets a bit watered down, get it?

 

What?! Your gas cap says that? Where the hell can one even purchase 95? Highest we have is 94 but I always run 92.

 

Less then 95 = 94

 

my gas cap says to use premium. The highest we have is 91. Engine still runs great after 30 000Km!! (~60k miles)

 

i use 89 and have no problems with it
cars from the factory were designed to be able to run on 87 octane fuel if needed.....
just dont beat on your car with 87 in it

 

Detenation on a rotary is death to the APEX seals.

 

Europe, we have 95 98 and 100, not sure if its RON or MON

 

So if I drink 5 Bourbon and cokes,I will be less intoxicated than 5 straight Bourbons ?

The 8 is not a snowmobile. Of course an intercooler would not be needed in most cases in winter,unless running high boost, air pressure causes heat.Heat causes detonation.