Gasoline Octane Rating

PaulS · 04-28-2005, 12:21 PM

I've had my Prius for about 3 weeks and am approaching my first fill-up. In Denver, we have 3 octane choices of gasoline. Regular is 85 and mid-grade is 87. Toyota, like other makers recommend 87 octane. In other cars that I've owned, I still use the 85 and I understand that this is actually the same as using 87 at sea level. With the Prius engine being small, I wonder if this is still ok. People at my dealership seem to disagree (I haven't been able to talk to the Prius Mechanic.) Does anyone have any experience with this?

jeromep · 04-28-2005, 03:39 PM

Denver isn't the Mile-high city for nothing. Because of the altitude, and drivers should find this to be the case in other high altitude cities, octanes are adjusted for driving in higher altitudes. I am certain that 85 octane in your area is appropriate for the Prius because at sea level, or rather a lower altitude than what Denver is at 87 becomes the standard regular grade of fuel. I know where I live that 85 octane is not available here and would catch many folks off guard if a station did carry it.

So, in short, fuel up with 85, as it is your locations equivalent to other places 87.

Prolene · 04-28-2005, 08:14 PM

I hope the price is less for the lower octane at Mile High!

PaulS · 04-28-2005, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Prolene
I hope the price is less for the lower octane at Mile High!

Actually, our price for "Regular" which is 85 octane compares to "Regular" - 87 octane in the rest of the country. Our mid-Grade (87) is priced between Regular and Premium.

DawnMarie · 04-28-2005, 11:10 PM

I am of the school "more expensive is better" So in this case I should not be putting the higher grade in? Will I goof something up or is it just unnecessary? I love my ten day old car (black, pckg #6) so much I just wanted to give it "gormet". Has anyone heard of the third garage "homelink" button lighting up but not working? My other left two work fine. Thanks!

Kyle Pehrson · 04-29-2005, 12:24 AM

I'm in S.L.C.We have 85 octane but I use 87 octane. First I would compare your gas milage with 85 & 87. I live at 3500 ft not as high as denver. Second if you hear pinging than you need to go up to 87 octane. Pinging means that the gas is igniting to soon & that is very bad for the engine.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DawnMarie\";p=\"85463)</div>

Quote:

I am of the school \"more expensive is better\" So in this case I should not be putting the higher grade in? Thanks!
[/b]

I think more expensive is better get your gas from Chevron it has techron in it and you won't have to pay to have the injectors cleaned latter.

coloradospringsprius · 04-29-2005, 01:24 AM

PriusOnline recently had a thread on just this topic:

http://www.priusonline.com/viewtopic.php?t=4339

It seems 85 octane is fine in Colorado, and I've used both 85 and 87 octane without noticing a difference. Unfortunately, I'm a lousy subject, since I have no "average" drive to compare accurately. All I can say is the car feels the same, and there hasn't been any knocking.

As for using higher than 87 octane - yes, it's unnecessary.

DanMan32 · 04-29-2005, 08:55 AM

As for your homelink, if you programmed a rolling code remote into slot 3, then the device it is to operate has to be trained to accept the homelink's sequence.

Otherwise, you may need to clear the entire homelink and reprogram all the buttons again, and then the devices the buttons are supposed to control if rolling code.

PaulS · 04-29-2005, 11:37 AM

Thanks for the input. This just confirms what I thought and had experienced with other cars. Mark, thanks for the link.

04-28-2005, 12:21 PM	#1
PaulS Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Thornton, CO Posts: 12 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Gasoline Octane Rating I've had my Prius for about 3 weeks and am approaching my first fill-up. In Denver, we have 3 octane choices of gasoline. Regular is 85 and mid-grade is 87. Toyota, like other makers recommend 87 octane. In other cars that I've owned, I still use the 85 and I understand that this is actually the same as using 87 at sea level. With the Prius engine being small, I wonder if this is still ok. People at my dealership seem to disagree (I haven't been able to talk to the Prius Mechanic.) Does anyone have any experience with this?

04-28-2005, 03:39 PM	#2
jeromep Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Eastern Washington State Posts: 821 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Re: Gasoline Octane Rating Denver isn't the Mile-high city for nothing. Because of the altitude, and drivers should find this to be the case in other high altitude cities, octanes are adjusted for driving in higher altitudes. I am certain that 85 octane in your area is appropriate for the Prius because at sea level, or rather a lower altitude than what Denver is at 87 becomes the standard regular grade of fuel. I know where I live that 85 octane is not available here and would catch many folks off guard if a station did carry it. So, in short, fuel up with 85, as it is your locations equivalent to other places 87. __________________ It has been said: Hybrid drivers come in 3 flavors, greenie, techie and cheapie. Pick any 2. 2005 Prius, Millenium Silver over gray, package 5 (AI)

04-28-2005, 11:10 PM	#5
DawnMarie Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Naperville Illinois Posts: 20 My Car: 2007 Prius Model: Package: #5 Touring Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Re: Gasoline Octane Rating I am of the school "more expensive is better" So in this case I should not be putting the higher grade in? Will I goof something up or is it just unnecessary? I love my ten day old car (black, pckg #6) so much I just wanted to give it "gormet". Has anyone heard of the third garage "homelink" button lighting up but not working? My other left two work fine. Thanks!

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04-28-2005, 08:14 PM	#3
Prolene Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: SoCal Posts: 84 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	I hope the price is less for the lower octane at Mile High!

04-29-2005, 01:24 AM	#7
coloradospringsprius Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 171 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	PriusOnline recently had a thread on just this topic: http://www.priusonline.com/viewtopic.php?t=4339 It seems 85 octane is fine in Colorado, and I've used both 85 and 87 octane without noticing a difference. Unfortunately, I'm a lousy subject, since I have no "average" drive to compare accurately. All I can say is the car feels the same, and there hasn't been any knocking. As for using higher than 87 octane - yes, it's unnecessary.

04-29-2005, 08:55 AM	#8
DanMan32 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Tampa Bay, FL Posts: 3,775 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	As for your homelink, if you programmed a rolling code remote into slot 3, then the device it is to operate has to be trained to accept the homelink's sequence. Otherwise, you may need to clear the entire homelink and reprogram all the buttons again, and then the devices the buttons are supposed to control if rolling code.

04-29-2005, 11:37 AM	#9
PaulS Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Thornton, CO Posts: 12 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Thanks for the input. This just confirms what I thought and had experienced with other cars. Mark, thanks for the link.