For some reasons premium gasoline should be premium because of its high value or in excess of that is normally expected to its effect to the vehicle’s performance. Premium gasoline should really provide better efficiency; otherwise, they should not be called as such. However, the term “premium” used in gasoline refers to the process of refining the gasoline from oil. Likewise, this also refers to the sum over and above a regular price paid chiefly as an inducement or incentive. Actually, the efficiency of the gasoline should lie in the dynamics of the vehicle’s internal combustion engine. But premium gasoline is really better fuel in terms of the power it provides with the right kind of engine. Gasoline is readily available with many hydrocarbon molecules that range from heptanes to decane. The hydrocarbon that is identified on the pump is octane. The number of carbons present in this element does not measure the percentage of octane present in the gas, instead it indicates how the gasoline composition is comparing with a pure mixture of octane and heptane. In some laboratories, chemists fabricate such reference fuels to be used in comparison with refined gasoline following the dictates of standardized measures. In a certain study, it indicates that the higher the numbers of the carbons are, the harder it is to have knocked.
Knock is an explosion that occurs inside the chamber especially in highly regulated combustion. During the four-stroke cycle, the piston drops in the cylinder, and allows it to fill with a mixture of gasoline and air. The piston then will move up again, compressing the fuel mixture. Once it reaches the top, the spark plug will ignite the explosive vapor, and drives the down again. When the piston goes back to the top of the cylinder, it will expel what is remained at spent fuel out through the exhaust valves and the entire process will repeat as a cycle. Often, knocking occurs when the compression of the fuel and air mixture sets off an explosion, which creates a loud noise and vibrations. If you are to take a research, you will learn that the premium gasoline does not knock very much. For this reason, modern cars use certain compression ratio that measures how much room is available to the fuel whenever the piston is at the bottom and at the top of the cylinder. This compression ratio is fixed according to the design of the engine. Indeed, regular fuel will also burn properly, the same with premium fuel. So there is no reason you should pay extra amount of money."
For high performance engines, like those that are used in sports car or racecars, higher compression ratios were used, which requires premium gasoline and may experience knocking even with such kind of fuel. However, the combination of premium gasoline and high compression ratio will surely create a great advantage in terms of vehicle performance. it would also result to an improved fuel efficiency, especially if used in engines of lighter cars. other alternative fuels that you may consider aside from premium gasoline that will provide your vehicle an extreme condition is the ethanol. Ethanol also offers high octane ratings that allow the oil companies to use gasoline that is more volatile on this type of combination. However, if you are driving standard type of vehicles and is used to employing your car’s engine a premium type of gasoline, it simply means that you are eccentric since premium gasoline will not deliver any difference and no added benefits on your car’s performance. So if you think that your car needs such kind of fuel, better think twice.
