Is mid-octane even worth it?

What grade fuel do you buy?


  • Total voters
    50

Gruber

Senior Member
First Name
Mark
Joined
Jan 27, 2018
Threads
2
Messages
2,309
Reaction score
1,521
Location
TN
Vehicle(s)
2018 Honda Civic Sport Touring; 2009 Honda CR-V EX-L
Country flag
On the other hand, my mower shop reccomends mid-grade in my Honda lawnmower.
That's interesting. I have a Honda tiller/cultivator and a Honda mower, and they both are specified to run on unleaded octane 86 or higher. The tiller is older and the manual doesn't even mention ethanol. I think I do them both a better favor by feeding them 87 octane ethanol-free gas, rather than E10 at a higher octane. (of course it's the opposite with the civic)

What's also interesting, the tiller manual says if you hear some knocking/pinging at high load, don't worry about it. But if you hear persistent knocking at low speed, use a different fuel. If you keep using it with persistent pinging it will not be covered by warranty.
That's sort of similar to what Honda says about the civics Sport. If you use 87 and hear an occasional knock, it's fine.
Well, that may be true, but I prefer to never hear any knocks and then be afraid when trying to push it a bit.
Sponsored

 

remc86007

Senior Member
First Name
Ryan
Joined
Mar 18, 2018
Threads
2
Messages
550
Reaction score
409
Location
Jacksonville, FL
Vehicle(s)
2018 Civic Type R
Country flag
If I had a regular civic, I would put 87 in it. I think the only cars it makes sense to put midgrade in is old cars that for whatever reason have knock or pinging on 87, but aren't specifically tuned for higher octane. In that case, 89 might be just enough to eliminate the knock.
 

REBELXSi

Señor Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2018
Threads
44
Messages
2,443
Reaction score
2,377
Location
215
Vehicle(s)
'18 Si coupe RIP, '20 CRV EX-L Hybrid
Country flag
Use what the manual says unless tuned. This thread won't bring any new information that hasn't been discussed ad nauseum in the plethora of gas/oil threads on here.
 

2020k20c2sport

N/A_AllDay2.0
First Name
Austin
Joined
Apr 2, 2020
Threads
1
Messages
57
Reaction score
24
Location
Colorado
Vehicle(s)
2020 Civic Sedan Sport
Country flag
I use midhrade but that is because my car recommends 87 octane and in colorado regular is 85 mid is 88 and premo is like 93 or something. So I use mid. Sue me lol
 


PhilF

Senior Member
First Name
Phil
Joined
Nov 27, 2018
Threads
17
Messages
499
Reaction score
436
Location
South Central Pennsylvania
Vehicle(s)
2020 CRV EX-L Platinum White Pearl/Ivory, 2020 CRV EX-L Crystal Black Pearl/Grey
Country flag
That's interesting. I have a Honda tiller/cultivator and a Honda mower, and they both are specified to run on unleaded octane 86 or higher. The tiller is older and the manual doesn't even mention ethanol. I think I do them both a better favor by feeding them 87 octane ethanol-free gas, rather than E10 at a higher octane. (of course it's the opposite with the civic)

What's also interesting, the tiller manual says if you hear some knocking/pinging at high load, don't worry about it. But if you hear persistent knocking at low speed, use a different fuel. If you keep using it with persistent pinging it will not be covered by warranty.
That's sort of similar to what Honda says about the civics Sport. If you use 87 and hear an occasional knock, it's fine.
Well, that may be true, but I prefer to never hear any knocks and then be afraid when trying to push it a bit.
I agree, my power equipment dealer reccomends the mid-grade with one of the enzyme additives to help neutralize some of the ethanol, I use the blue marine-grade Stabil additive. I also use a 2 gallon (small) can so I have to purchase more often to avoid stale fuel. I'd prefer to use the ethanol free gas, but, the nearest dealer that carrys that is a 30+ mile round trip so I'll stick with the Stabil, I run all the fuel out after each season and haven't had any fuel-related issues.
 

charleswrivers

Senior Member
First Name
Charles
Joined
Nov 3, 2017
Threads
43
Messages
3,736
Reaction score
4,468
Location
Kingsland, GA
Vehicle(s)
'14 Odyssey, '94 300zx, 2001 F-150
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
My GY6 buggy does call for mid grade in its manual. Given it’s been rejetted from a 114 main to a 130 main along with some other stuff, it doesn’t matter such. With the 114 when you read the plug, it ran *lean*. It took a few up-jets to get the plug not looking like white burning death. I had to go a step further when I messed with the intake/exhaust. I think the 89 on some smaller engines has a lot to do with minimal jetting. They’re jetted to sip gas... not always run optimally. What little bit more fuel it burns is inconsequential to me as I feed it all the cheap 87 E-10 it takes during this time of the year when it’s being run a lot and put the end-of-hurricane m-season marine+stabil if it’s being used sparingly in the winter. With as little distance as it’s being driven, I get many weeks to a couple months out of its 2.5 gal tank.
 

SouthSierraDude

New Member
First Name
Jeremy
Joined
May 13, 2020
Threads
0
Messages
2
Reaction score
1
Location
Laguna Beach
Vehicle(s)
2017 Civic LX
Country flag
American gas stations only sell two types of gas; mid-grade fuel is spooled from both tanks
 

jred721

Senior Member
First Name
James
Joined
Mar 20, 2018
Threads
36
Messages
1,491
Reaction score
1,137
Location
Northern Virginia
Vehicle(s)
'20 Accord Sport
Country flag
I stand corrected. Forgot that the 1.5L isn’t on every model.
Yup. But actually the hatch only comes with the 1.5 turbo engine, but only the hatch sport and sport touring require premium. The rest of the hatch models with 1.5 turbo require regular. Just because the sport models have a slightly more aggressive tune that requires higher octane.
 

Crakzor

Senior Member
First Name
Mathanael
Joined
Dec 13, 2019
Threads
34
Messages
338
Reaction score
499
Location
DFW
Vehicle(s)
2014 Chevy Cruze, 2020 Civic Si
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
93 exxon/shell always for me
 

Gruber

Senior Member
First Name
Mark
Joined
Jan 27, 2018
Threads
2
Messages
2,309
Reaction score
1,521
Location
TN
Vehicle(s)
2018 Honda Civic Sport Touring; 2009 Honda CR-V EX-L
Country flag
My GY6 buggy does call for mid grade in its manual. Given it’s been rejetted from a 114 main to a 130 main along with some other stuff, it doesn’t matter such. With the 114 when you read the plug, it ran *lean*. It took a few up-jets to get the plug not looking like white burning death. I had to go a step further when I messed with the intake/exhaust. I think the 89 on some smaller engines has a lot to do with minimal jetting. They’re jetted to sip gas... not always run optimally. What little bit more fuel it burns is inconsequential to me as I feed it all the cheap 87 E-10 it takes during this time of the year when it’s being run a lot and put the end-of-hurricane m-season marine+stabil if it’s being used sparingly in the winter. With as little distance as it’s being driven, I get many weeks to a couple months out of its 2.5 gal tank.
I usually keep some "engineered" fuel de luxe you can buy in cans at Home Depot and such places. It's a 92 octane ethanol-free with 2 years shelf life and it costs a bit over $20 per gallon. Almost affordable enough to run a mower on it... :cool: In any case it's great to start and end a season or to clean an engine periodically. It runs somewhat initially reluctant little motors very nicely.
Sponsored

 


 


Top