Why is there no premium gas in California?
 

Seems like most/all gas stations around here only go up to 91 octane...wtf?

I decided this trip to bring a different car, I felt like I was killing my truck every time I got gas out here last time..

91 is usually the highest in canada..

Its CA. law and the gas in California is different then anywhere else as well they add some extra stuff to it.

Makes me think twice before ever buying a vehicle that takes premium gas from California. Even my bike is premium gas only. Is the extra stuff added for smog control, or does it make up for the lack in octane? I know last time I was here my truck lost some of the rumble in the exhaust.

Next time youre there, leave about 15 gals in the tank and stop off a home depot. Get yourself 5 gallons of xylene...that'll add a few points to the octane :)

Most likely because its being bought from Mexico and that's as far as Pemex refines it.

Don't believe the hype.

SInce your vehicle is NOT pinging/knocking, your engine doesn't need 93 octane, simple as that. exhaust rumble, etc, none of that matters. engine ping. Your motorcycle engine included, regardless of whatever sticker is on the tank. no ping = you're fine with <91 octane.

This is exactly why modern vehicles have knock sensors for the engines.

There is a very good article on gas, the differences between premium and regular, and what additives are included and what they do on this website : http://www.businessinsider.com/what-...ium-gas-2012-9

Here is no real "Premium" or high octane number gas in Nor Cal...

I think this is due to regulations from State

Years ago we been able to buy "Sunoco" high octane gasoline from those "indy" gas stations, but no more.

I tried many stations with "Premium Gas" in CA (North Cal and SoCal) - never able to find anything even remotely close to gasoline you are getting in other states (NV/TX for example) - it's just not giving a "kick" to your engine like it's happens in other states...

premium gas is a scam

http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/episod...3/pump-fiction

Thanks for the read. But maybe I liked it as it confirmed what I already thought. hahaha

Heat + high compression motor = ping...all of my infiniti's have pinged with anything less than 91 in them. Once the ECU realizes this it pulls the timing reducing or eliminating ping. Youre basically losing performance without knowing it...cars are smart these days. Hell even my 97' maxima had a knock sensor back in the day.

The reason why there's no 93 octane gas at CA pumps is that there are too many luxury cars in CA that require premium gas. Gasoline is blended into different grades and usually sold at 87, 89 and 91 octane in CA. There simply isn't enough supply of the high octane gas to produce enough 93 octane gas in CA. That's why you can get 93 octane gas in the Midwest, where there's fewer luxury cars and less demand, but not in places like CA.

If it's that important to you to have high octane gas, you can add a couple of gallons of 100+ octane racing fuel to your tank to bring the octane of your premium gas up to 93. I've seen it sold at 76. Note that adding too much racing fuel to a normal car can damage it.

Depends on where you are I think. I see lots of 93 pumps in Ontario around the London area. I have a camaro that has had the computer modified to run a hotter tune so I have to buy 91. (Which is why I hardly drive it.) Unfortunately my alternative is a jeep that gets 15 mpg.

gas with any ethanol in it is not premium and never will be

touche, also appears certain gas stations do it.. petro-can is saying 94, but i have never been

I would bet there are only a handful of production vehicles with =>12.5:1 compression(high compression). that's ~where 93 octane starts to make sense.

I think there is a reasonably big market for handheld tuners as well. Most offer a regular tune as well as a 91 or 93 tune. Kind of a waste for what amounts to probably less than 30 hp gains in best case scenarios. Some of them cant even squeeze out an additional 10 hp.

Ive got a compression ratio of 11:1. As I said anything below 91 will result in pinging during high temp days/beating on the car. Heat + high compression = pre-ignition. Been there, done that, experienced it for myself. Typically pre-ignition will start in the higher RPM ranges (when beating on it) because this is where the car makes the most power. Im not talking about put-putting around town im talking about balls out beating the crap out of the car in the heat.

King's Union 76 in Redwood City still has Sunoco 100 octane at the pump.

I'm running a 454 chevy in a vehicle and have been looking into a tuner, the banks IQ system is the one I'm liking.

Looking into these for this vehicle, I've also run across advice stating don't run high octane in this motor.
Dang, how hot does it get there? You are right, it does boil down to heat, i was running a v-twin harley, 12:1 in Arizona in 114 degrees when it started pinging. And yup a trip the gas station that sells racing fuel, super high octane, dealt with it. And a fan on the motor for those crazy hot days.


But these are extremes, IMO, there's very little need from most any street motor to run >91 octane. besides, who wants to pay for 93+ octane? ouch!

My Harley runs just fine on 91 octane

But a near by Chevron sells race fuel if you are interested, right on Sherman Way and Havenhurst

I can say this, While I was here last time I could notice a small difference in power and the sound of the exhaust in my 2011 Escalade ext.

I also have a Tuner car, 96 Eclipse gst. It has been built to the point where I will no longer drive it and it pretty much just sits, I made the mistake of putting WAY 2 much POWER in a car that is not designed to handle it... It's to dangerous to drive... anyway, years ago, before changing the stock internals, I once used 89 octane in it, figured it was only the highway so no big deal. actually the car barely ran and until I added octane booster to it. After that experience, I'm picky with my gasoline.