87 octane fuel in the Z

jmtt90 · 11-30-2009, 09:58 PM

I went to go get some gas at a full service gas station that i have been going to for years. The owner comes to fill me up like every other time, i pop my hood to check my oil myself. He ends up accidentily putting 14 gallons of 87 octane fuel into my z. After the car is filled up we both notice what has happened. I still had about 5 gallons of 93 in the z. I immediately head to the nearest auto store and buy some octane booster for the car, should i be ok?

frost · 11-30-2009, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmtt90

should i be ok?

In short, yeah. You may experience some mild performance deficiencies until you work out the 87, but no permanent issues.

370Zsteve · 11-30-2009, 10:00 PM

91 Octane is the minimum, so 5 gals of 93 helps...

Why not get a 5-gal gas can and siphon out some fuel from the tank, then throw in some more 93?

AK370Z · 11-30-2009, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmtt90

I went to go get some gas at a full service gas station that i have been going to for years. The owner comes to fill me up like every other time, i pop my hood to check my oil myself. He ends up accidentily putting 14 gallons of 87 octane fuel into my z. After the car is filled up we both notice what has happened. I still had about 5 gallons of 93 in the z. I immediately head to the nearest auto store and buy some octane booster for the car, should i be ok?

As frost said, you should be okay. Just drive the Z. It says in the manual if you drive to an area where the highest grade is 87, you can fill the tank with it temporarily. Just try to put 93 when the tank is 1/2-1/4 full.

kenchan · 11-30-2009, 10:15 PM

those octane boosters do almost nothing. you *might* get like 0.5 octane up at best.

you're better off just using it up (dont drive high rpm or push the car) or pour some toulene.

frost · 11-30-2009, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenchan

those octane boosters do almost nothing. you *might* get like 0.5 octane up at best.

you're better off just using it up (dont drive high rpm or push the car) or pour some toulene.

Agree on the booster, that stuff is junk. Most people misunderstand the "rating" on the front of the bottle - including me the first time I bought it.

nogoodname · 11-30-2009, 10:19 PM

One time fill up on 87 isn't bad. It's only bad if used for a long period of time. Just drive it out and don't worry about it.

370Zsteve · 11-30-2009, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AK370Z

As frost said, you should be okay. Just drive the Z. It says in the manual if you drive to an area where the highest grade is 87, you can fill the tank with it temporarily. Just try to put 93 when the tank is 1/2-1/4 full.

What the manual says:

Use unleaded premium gasoline with an octane
rating of at least 91 AKI (Anti-Knock Index)
number (Research octane number 96).

If premium gasoline is not available, unleaded
regular gasoline with an octane rating of 87 AKI
number (Research octane number 91) may be
temporarily used, but only under the following
precautions:

. Have the fuel tank filled only partially with
unleaded regular gasoline, and fill up with
unleaded premium gasoline as soon as
possible.

. Avoid full throttle driving and abrupt acceleration.

Trips · 12-01-2009, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nogoodname

One time fill up on 87 isn't bad. It's only bad if used for a long period of time. Just drive it out and don't worry about it.

Cjanik · 12-01-2009, 12:19 AM

people freak out too much on this matter.

you are fine. you can drive around on 87 octane all day all night every month and be fine. the difference is your timing with change and you wont get the power the car could produce. while knocking/pinging is possible, its not too likely with today's technology.

on top of that, the biggest and hardest obstacle IMO, when you put 87 in, is to remember not to floor the motor. high compression is what is bad for the motor w/ low octane, especially going 5krpms and up. lower engine speeds wont show much, if any, of a difference.

NeedforZ · 12-01-2009, 12:50 AM

As long as you're not driving it hard enough to cause detonation then you're not harming the engine. I've never heard it in the VQ37 but in other engines it sounded like marbles bouncing around inside the cylinders when you floor it. If you hear the engine making these sounds then back off. Drive it easy for a few days then fill up with premium.

ianthegreat · 12-01-2009, 09:39 AM

Won't hurt. The only thing that changes is timing and your ECU will adapt. You may feel performance degradation if you romp it, but like others have mentioned. Drive a little, then top off with 93, drive some more, top off with 93 - this will blend it well.

Jordo! · 11-18-2010, 06:34 PM

Considering Nissan claims in the owner's manual the car may ping even with 91 AKI under certain situations, I wouldn't make a habit of it.

jayhuffdaddy · 11-18-2010, 06:55 PM

I have been using 89 with no problems.

crash1369 · 11-18-2010, 07:48 PM

You'll be fine if you accidentally put 87 I would just get the 93 back in asap. I'll never understand why people deliberately put the wrong low octane fuel in their high performance cars that specifically call for high octane, listed in several places, including stirring you in the face while you're filling right there on the gas door. Especially with how small out tanks are what is it a maximum of $2 difference between filling with 87 or 93. If your that strapped for cash you can't swing $2 you should probably not be driving at all, and certainly be looking for a different car.
Will it destroy your engine, of course not. But there is most definitely a difference and I just don't see a reason to ignore the manufacturers recommendations over something so trivial. Believe it or not sometime engineers actually know what their doing

11-30-2009, 09:58 PM	#1 (permalink)
jmtt90 Base Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: St.Amant, LA Posts: 32 Drives: MB 370z 6mt t/s Rep Power: 16	87 octane fuel in the Z I went to go get some gas at a full service gas station that i have been going to for years. The owner comes to fill me up like every other time, i pop my hood to check my oil myself. He ends up accidentily putting 14 gallons of 87 octane fuel into my z. After the car is filled up we both notice what has happened. I still had about 5 gallons of 93 in the z. I immediately head to the nearest auto store and buy some octane booster for the car, should i be ok?

11-30-2009, 10:00 PM	#3 (permalink)
370Zsteve A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Gold Coast CT Posts: 10,599 Drives: 2019 Corvette G.S. Rep Power: 43	91 Octane is the minimum, so 5 gals of 93 helps... Why not get a 5-gal gas can and siphon out some fuel from the tank, then throw in some more 93? __________________ SOLD MY Z MARCH 2018 - another Core OG moves on - new ride 2019 Z Corvette Grand Sport - no mods necessary but already have eyes on HFC and intakes LOL IT NEVER ENDS.

12-01-2009, 09:39 AM	#12 (permalink)
ianthegreat Base Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: TEXAS Posts: 171 Drives: 08 335i, 86 Ranger Rep Power: 16	Won't hurt. The only thing that changes is timing and your ECU will adapt. You may feel performance degradation if you romp it, but like others have mentioned. Drive a little, then top off with 93, drive some more, top off with 93 - this will blend it well. __________________ JB4 - Helix FMIC - Forge Diverter Valves - UR CAI - RR Downpipes - Bastuck Exhaust - Devils Own Stage 2 Meth Kit - Fully Catless - 423whp 489wtq

11-18-2010, 07:48 PM	#15 (permalink)
crash1369 Enthusiast Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Tobyharlem Age: 42 Posts: 474 Drives: C300 - 6spd Rep Power: 728	You'll be fine if you accidentally put 87 I would just get the 93 back in asap. I'll never understand why people deliberately put the wrong low octane fuel in their high performance cars that specifically call for high octane, listed in several places, including stirring you in the face while you're filling right there on the gas door. Especially with how small out tanks are what is it a maximum of $2 difference between filling with 87 or 93. If your that strapped for cash you can't swing $2 you should probably not be driving at all, and certainly be looking for a different car. Will it destroy your engine, of course not. But there is most definitely a difference and I just don't see a reason to ignore the manufacturers recommendations over something so trivial. Believe it or not sometime engineers actually know what their doing __________________ "At no point during your rambling, incoherent response did you ever come close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. We are all now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may god have mercy on your soul."

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11-30-2009, 10:15 PM	#5 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141521	those octane boosters do almost nothing. you might get like 0.5 octane up at best. you're better off just using it up (dont drive high rpm or push the car) or pour some toulene.

11-30-2009, 10:19 PM	#7 (permalink)
nogoodname Lifetime Premium Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Montreal Posts: 22,357 Drives: E46 M3 Rep Power: 1764	One time fill up on 87 isn't bad. It's only bad if used for a long period of time. Just drive it out and don't worry about it.

12-01-2009, 12:19 AM	#10 (permalink)
Cjanik Track Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 578 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 17	people freak out too much on this matter. you are fine. you can drive around on 87 octane all day all night every month and be fine. the difference is your timing with change and you wont get the power the car could produce. while knocking/pinging is possible, its not too likely with today's technology. on top of that, the biggest and hardest obstacle IMO, when you put 87 in, is to remember not to floor the motor. high compression is what is bad for the motor w/ low octane, especially going 5krpms and up. lower engine speeds wont show much, if any, of a difference.

12-01-2009, 12:50 AM	#11 (permalink)
NeedforZ Base Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: DFW Texas Posts: 163 Drives: 370z Touring 7AT Rep Power: 16	As long as you're not driving it hard enough to cause detonation then you're not harming the engine. I've never heard it in the VQ37 but in other engines it sounded like marbles bouncing around inside the cylinders when you floor it. If you hear the engine making these sounds then back off. Drive it easy for a few days then fill up with premium.

11-18-2010, 06:55 PM	#14 (permalink)
jayhuffdaddy Base Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Southeast Posts: 200 Drives: P/G 2010 370Z Rep Power: 16	I have been using 89 with no problems.