RON. This acronym is seen everywhere, from the local service station to newspaper articles and car reviews.
It stands for Octane number study, measure of the octane rating of gasoline. In Australia, the octane rating peaks at 98 for premium unleaded, before dropping to 95 premium unleaded, E10 (94 octane) and standard 91 octane. United Fuel also offers an E85 racing mix rated at 107 RON.
What is octane number? EQUAL discussed earlier, it describes the fuel’s resistance to premature detonation, which causes engine knocking. The term derives from the knock that engines make if their fuel explodes too soon, before the spark plugs ignite to ignite it.
Knock is also related to the compression ratio of the engine. A standard internal combustion engine has many cylinders, each with a piston.
Compression ratio describes the volume of the cylinder when the piston is at the end of its stroke (bottom die center, or BDC) relative to the top of its stroke (top die center, or TDC). If the volume in BDC is 10 times that at TDC, then the compression ratio of the motor will be 10:1.
Engines with higher compression ratios tend to be more thermally efficient, in the simplest terms they produce more power and are better fuel-efficient than engines with low compression ratios. all other engines are the same.
Fuels with a higher RON number will burn at hotter temperatures and under greater pressure. This makes it suitable for these high compression ratio engines because by not igniting before the piston reaches TDC, the risk of detonation is reduced.
In Australia, this is the main reason 98 RON unleaded is considered premium. Not only is it the most expensive gasoline a consumer can buy from a bowser, but it also has the greatest impact resistance.
Lead-free grade 95, E10 and standard 91 lead-free have lower impact resistance. In an engine with a high compression ratio, they can produce less power and reduce fuel economy.
Does my vehicle need a premium, high RON lead-free?
A general rule of thumb is that older cars will happily accept anything from standard 91 unleaded to premium 98 octane gasoline. Newer cars with high compression ratio engines, especially those with turbochargers found on many European brands, enjoy a high-end 95 or 98 octane unleaded.
It’s important to note that cars today have electronic fuel injection (EFI) systems. They contain sensors that can detect if an engine knock is occurring.
If this is the case, the system can adjust the spark ignition timing to prevent it from reoccurring. However, this can come at the expense of energy and fuel economy.
So what does all of this mean? In an emergency when premium unleaded gasoline is not available, in some cases you can fill your car with standard gasoline. The safest way is still to follow the instructions and recommendations of the manufacturer to ensure the longevity of the vehicle and ensure that the vehicle’s performance and fuel economy are maximized.
However, look out for cars in Australia equipped with fuel filter (PPF). These are filters that reduce harmful emissions and air pollution by capturing pollutants such as soot.
Vehicles equipped with PPF can only run on higher octane fuel, which carries the risk of serious damage to the engine and exhaust system.
Do premium fuels clean car engines – and is it necessary?
In short, premium fuel may have the power to clean the engine, but it’s certainly not necessary.
Fuel companies such as Shell, Caltex and others often tout this cleaning ability as a unique advantage of premium lead-free 98, however, today’s vehicles are already equipped with fuel filters. material to remove any impurities that could damage components such as the fuel injection system.
A better idea to make sure the engine stays clean and free of any possible carbon build-up is to follow the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance intervals and take a ride every now and then. longer to ensure the car’s engine reaches its ideal operating temperature for a long time. maintenance period.
