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View Full Version : What if we DON'T use premium gas in '06 X5?



2biguns
04-14-2006, 02:34 PM
We are leasing an '06 BMW X5 w/ 3.0 engine and it calls for premium gasoline. With gas prices like they are, I was wondering what would happen if we burned regular??????????

Forrest
04-14-2006, 04:14 PM
Probably the ECU will sense engine knock and retard the timing and richen the mixture a little, reducing performance and maybe reducing fuel mileage as well. Hell, try it and see!

MOP
04-14-2006, 04:25 PM
Not a real good comparison but I have a 1.8T audi, it calls for HT. I asked one of the Audi tech's he said ot would run fine that the gas in Europe was poor compared to ours, so far no change in mileage and it seems to have -0- ill effects. Have been running it since last summer when gas hit $3.

Phil

gold-n-rod
04-14-2006, 04:37 PM
I have a 1.8T audi, it calls for HT

Jebus Phil, are you ever old. I haven't heard of premium referred to as high test (HT) since WWII ended.

Are you still grinding your valves every 6000 miles, too?????

:cistineb:

Just funnin' wit' ya!

Dr. Dan
04-14-2006, 06:00 PM
:spongebob Lizard has a G-35 Infiniti...when prices go North...she runs 89 with no issues whatsoever. Just as an FYI!

Trust Me the Car is a Rocket........I would buy another in a heartbeat.

I run 87 in my HP500 in the 22 Classic...that's one of the Super Cool benefits of the new engine technologies.

Doc of Octane & Conspicuous Odors :spongebob

mrfixxall
04-15-2006, 02:15 PM
We are leasing an '06 BMW X5 w/ 3.0 engine and it calls for premium gasoline. With gas prices like they are, I was wondering what would happen if we burned regular??????????You will probably lose 2-3 mpg and it will be slugish...If you develop a internal problem with the engine bmw will have all fluids including fuel tested and if they find your using 87 octain they will void your warr...I would stick with permimum for the extra 8 bucks or so per tank....

BUIZILLA
04-15-2006, 02:19 PM
fixxall is correct, we had to run premium in our X5 for the same reasons he stated.

Barry Eller
04-15-2006, 07:51 PM
As I understand octane, the higher the octane research number, the cooler the cylinder head temperature. If the engine has a "knock" sensor to retard the timing, detonation that can cause valve and piston damage, lower octane numbers can be run, but current ECM's won't allow as much timing advance, which will cause less power.

In my boat with a 502 carb engine, I'm running 93 octane, my "crate" motor is a GM Gen VI. I understand these engines will have valve seat problems if detonation occurs. Usually 93 octane fuel is about .10 cents a gallon higher than 89 octane. 50 gallons 93 octane costs $5.00 more than 89 octane. Cheap price for Insurance against engine damage.

15 gallons to fill your car, $1.50 more to give your baby the "Goodstuff". $50K for a car and you worry about $1.50?

LKSD
04-16-2006, 10:15 AM
We prefer to use the high octane. We tried the lesser grades a time or 2 before.. IT SUX. The engine in the miata would ping & it was not as peppy due to the ecu retarding the timing to try to prevent detonation. It really was noticable after doing engine mods.. I ended up running octane booster in it until I could refill the tank with the right stuff. Even if you were to use the cheap stuff & add octane booster it frrequently will cost as much or more than the premium fuel anyway..

For the most part you sometimes may not feel or notice the ill effects of running lower octane fuel in a vehicle that requires it. Im not saying it will definitley hut it but it is a possibility.

Dan would be correct about some of the new engine's.. Some of them even my new 496 MagHO can use 87 octane according to manufacturers specs and run fine. The nice thing about those engines is if you run better fuel you wont hurt it. You may even get a very small performance & economy gain.. Of course I am not suggesting to go to the other extreme & run av gas.. But if you ran 89 or 92 in an engine that only required 87 you would be fine. It just doesn't always work the opposite way. :) :) :) Jamie

2biguns
04-16-2006, 11:16 AM
As I understand octane, the higher the octane research number, the cooler the cylinder head temperature. If the engine has a "knock" sensor to retard the timing, detonation that can cause valve and piston damage, lower octane numbers can be run, but current ECM's won't allow as much timing advance, which will cause less power.
In my boat with a 502 carb engine, I'm running 93 octane, my "crate" motor is a GM Gen VI. I understand these engines will have valve seat problems if detonation occurs. Usually 93 octane fuel is about .10 cents a gallon higher than 89 octane. 50 gallons 93 octane costs $5.00 more than 89 octane. Cheap price for Insurance against engine damage.
15 gallons to fill your car, $1.50 more to give your baby the "Goodstuff". $50K for a car and you worry about $1.50?

You are absolutely correct. I just have emotional trauma associated with paying $3.05/gallon for gasoline and then remember that during quite a bit of last summer we were paying $2.99 for lake gas and buying 120 gallons at a time. Big picture focus just must not be my forte these days.

Thanks for everyone's responses. Now, if I can just figure out how to make the Formula engines run on french fry grease........

Barry Eller
04-16-2006, 01:03 PM
I think we all are disgruntled by the price of gasoline. Not to be political, but I think I'm giong to get a bumper sticker that says,"Don't re-elect anyone"!