TheaterFire

OK - what is the difference between E85, UNL88 and Regular? I just wanna fill up my Honda.

Posted by SirJasper6969@reddit | Autos | View on Reddit | 244 comments

OK - what is the difference between E85, UNL88 and Regular? I just wanna fill up my Honda.

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244 Comments

jtbis@reddit

When in doubt, regular. If it’s 2001 or newer, you can use UNL88. If it says anything about “Premium” or “91 octane” on the fuel cap or door, pay up for 93. I don’t think any Honda engines in the US can run E85.
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deleted_by_reddit@reddit

[removed]
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174wrestler@reddit

The EPA says E15/UNL88 is acceptable for 2001+. [Honda says](https://d35t1syewk4d42.cloudfront.net/file/2648/MY2024%20E15%20Chart_RFA%20vEngines.pdf) it's only approved for some 2014s and all 2015+.
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Hunter_E@reddit

Well unl88 is 88 octane. So if you put 87 in your car it’s reasonable that unl88 would be fine too. I used to run unl88 in my 98 Jeep Grand Cherokee and it actually ran better than when I would use 87
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LimeDry7124@reddit

Is the EPA going to fix your non- flex fuel vehicle, when it breaks down and gets diagnosed by the tech as "wrong gas used"?
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LimeDry7124@reddit

UL88 is for flex fuel vehicles only. Your gas cap will be yellow and your auto might have stickers on the feul filler door. Your auto will definitely have stickers under the hood saying if it's flexible fuel. Or take your VIN from the windshield to the original manufacturer's dealer, go to Parts Department and ask for a completed breakdown of your autos options and build.
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phantasmagorical-23@reddit

I just went in there, and Hector is gonna be running… 3 Honda Civics with spoon engines. And on top of that, he just came into Harry’s… and he ordered three T66 turbos with NOS…
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Copper-Alchemist@reddit

YOU'RE a cop! YOU ARE THE COPS! I know, slightly out of context but I love that line.
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Bork_King@reddit

All I’m saying is if you put e85 in my ride, you’re getting the ejecto seat.
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FabulousStrike1113@reddit

Danger to manifold!
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Meta_P@reddit

Eject-o seat-o, cuz!
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pro-window@reddit

And a Motec exhaust system!
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Relative-Ingenuity14@reddit

I live my life a quarter mile at a time, so I would get overnight parts from Japan if I have to.
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OUEngineer17@reddit

Well you're definitely going to need the E85 for that setup then.
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saladmunch2@reddit

Damn it! There goes race wars again!
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South_Bit1764@reddit

The 88 octane stuff is E15.
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Rlchv70@reddit

Don't use the UNL88. It just gets you worse fuel economy.
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20PoundHammer@reddit

not any worse than e85, but yeah - worse than reg.
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mattb2014@reddit

Only 2% worse. So if it's more than 2% cheaper then you come out ahead.
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Gatesy840@reddit

Don't need to advertise if ethanol is added in the states?
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ImReallyFuckingHigh@reddit

In my area 87 is generally up to 10% ethanol, and 88 is generally up to 15% ethanol. I’ve also seen 88 be called E15 (for 15% ethanol. E85 is 85% ethanol, not sure what octane it really is).
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transcendanttermite@reddit

Around here at least (in my part of WI), E85 is anywhere from 100 to 114 octane depending on the mix. Average is about 104, though.
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According-Dog-7288@reddit

Kwick trip lol its 49- 18% gasoline I never tested it but can tell via range it definitely changes
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phate_exe@reddit

>E85 is 85% ethanol, not sure what octane it really is) 100-105ish. E85 is great as cheap race gas, but you'll get crappy mileage compared to E15 or less.
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Beard_Hero@reddit

I don’t remember the numbers exactly, but there’s some difference between the actual octane and the effective octane. Picked the numbers from the air so don’t quote me on them , something like actual octane is 101, but effectively it’s 112 when you compare how much timing / boost / compression can be put to it.
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DGwizkid@reddit

In my state the marking is usually located elsewhere. It depends on the gas station and if they have 1 nozzle per fuel type or a shared nozzle for gasoline.
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smthngeneric@reddit

Up to 10% ethanol is acceptable nationwide. Ethanol free or anything more than 10% has to be advertised as such.
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McFancyPantsuguu@reddit

But even then, I've yet to visit a station that didn't have E10 labeled on the pump and nozzle for the basic 95 RON fuel, and E5 for the better stuff or 98-100 RON.
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MSchulte@reddit

98% of gasoline sold in America has some ethanol blended in meaning you’re better off looking for gas stations that explicitly state “No Ethanol” if you’re driving something older. UNL88 is also known as E15 in some markets so it’s just sort of assumed most people looking at it know what it is.
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According-Dog-7288@reddit

> can't math but is 5% more ethanol, that is 30% less engery then gas and its usually 3 to 9 cents cheaper per gallon . I've been doing half 85 half 87 last week and it gets less range but I'm saving very little cash I believe
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AddictedToOxygen@reddit

Why 93 over 91? My car says 91 minimum and I tend to get that over 93 when available. Seems like I get better MPG with it vs 93 too.
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NekulturneHovado@reddit

I'm sure NONE regular car uses E85, unless it's a hypercar or heavily modified.
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JustinLN198l@reddit

My 2011 Ford Fusion can run E85.
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jtbis@reddit

That’s completely false. E85 capability was fairly popular in American cars from the 2000s-2010s.
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Mpls1984@reddit

Using 88 in some cars voids warranty regardless of year - my Mitsubishi Outlander specifically says not to use it in the manual.
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localboozbag@reddit

Been putting e85 in a 2016 pilot for 10 years now. Never had an issue.
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the_lamou@reddit

You almost certainly do not need to ever pay for 91 or 93 in a car modern enough to have a real ECU and air/fuel control. The old thinking was that unless you were doing something serious like going to the track or doing heavy towing or lived in a very cold/hot/high-altitude region, you didn't need the extra octane and the ECU would compensate. Then a bunch of people did some testing and realized that even then, using a lower octane resulted in no measurable difference: 0-60 times started the same, lap times stayed the same, towing ability wasn't affected, and taking apart the engines afterwards showed no signs of damage. If you're paranoid, go ahead and get it. But know that if you don't, you're not going to break anything, so feel free to fill up on regular.
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Mallthus2@reddit

This isn’t entirely accurate, but the gist is correct. In a modern engine, you won’t do any *harm* by not running high octane fuel, but you will potentially see power and/or economy losses because the same systems that protect these engines from damage due to predetonation can also deliver higher performance with higher octane fuel. This is especially true with turbocharged engines.
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the_lamou@reddit

No, it's entirely accurate, and a growing body of controlled testing is showing no change in fuel economy or power when not using premium gas. That was the whole point of the second half of my comment. And it holds regardless of the presence or nature of forced induction used.
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Mallthus2@reddit

Cite this testing then, because it’s at odds with documented dyno testing.
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the_lamou@reddit

Oh, do they not have Google where you are?
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Mallthus2@reddit

You made the assertion. The obligation to cite is on you.
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the_lamou@reddit

This isn't *Nature* or your 10th grade report on the history of hot dogs. There is no "obligation to cite" in a casual conversation about a thoroughly unimportant topic between strangers on an internet forum. If you were remotely curious and open to having your mind changed, you would have already looked it up.
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VentsiBeast@reddit

I've seen multiple tests online, albeit with European cars in Europe, and putting 98 does result in a few extra hp compared to 95.
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Wide-Inflation-9720@reddit

Correct, there is only an obligation if you want to make a convincing argument. If you’re not interested in that, than “trust me bro” does great. 👍
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Imperial_Orange@reddit

This isn't entirely accurate either. You absolutely can do damage by running lower octane than a car requires in the manual. Pre-ignition can damage both rods and pistons. Modern ecu's are much better at adjusting via retarding timing but at that point mpg and overall performance will drop. You can run the same 0-60 times with 87 in a 93 rated car... until you can't because the engine knock sensors detune the engine OR you punch a rod through the block or burn up your pistons. The common fallacy is that higher octane alone makes more power. Higher octane only allows higher powered engines to run as designed. 93 in an 87 is a waste but 87 in a 93 absolutely isn't. You pay 2 grand more a year at the pump to not eventually spend 5x that getting the engine replaced. If the OEM could make an engine run on 87 they would to not potentially lose sales. GM 6.4, Stellantis 6.4, and fair amount of direct injection 2.Os don't take kindly to 87
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topcat5@reddit

Classic opinion given as fact and hugely wrong.
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the_lamou@reddit

A classic opinion with a growing body of evidence point to it being a fact. But believe whatever you want.
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Speedy_SpeedBoi@reddit

Yup good info. To my knowledge the only Hondas running E85 have specific upgrades and were tuned to run it for more power. I think you just need to upgrade the fuel pump and injectors, but don't quote me. It is a popular mod the in the older SI community cus its cheaper/easier than a turbo. Either way, you would absolutely know if your Honda could run E85 cus you paid a lot to be able to do it and would have a tuner module like a Hondata/Cobb/etc.
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TheBeestWithEase@reddit

To run E85, you need to replace pretty much the whole fuel system. The pump & injectors need to be upgraded to be able to support a higher volume, and stock lines typically aren’t compatible with wet ethanol fuel.
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Eastern_Diamond3009@reddit

Any engine can run e85 you have to make sure your fuel lines can because they will destroy your fuel lines. I got a Subaru sti and I can convert it to e85 but I’m sadly in Canada we don’t the heavenly corn fuel.
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small_pint_of_lazy@reddit

I don't know how usual it is (or if you already knew it), but a lot of Hondas have been converted to use E85 in Europe so there's a possibility of that there too. Not all of them have the yellow cap either, some even have a switch to tell the car what fuel you're using currently (not sure which though, mine was a Ford)
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Italiandogs@reddit

Fun fact about the (10th gen at least) Honda Civic. The car was sold enmasse in Brazil. The fuel parts are e85 rated, however, in USA they are missing a component to measure octane level and therefore making it not compatible by default. If you order said component, you can install it yourself and flash the ECU to make it e85 compatible.
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bigt8111@reddit

93 has ethanol 91 doesn’t
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SirJasper6969@reddit (OP)

Awesome - exactly what I needed to know!!
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bobbygamerdckhd@reddit

One other thing is ethanol is less efficient then gasoline so it may be cheaper but you will get worse mileage. I have a flex fuel so I have used e85 and I probably get 11-13mpg 88 is a bit better but 87 I probably get 17-18
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kinkycarbon@reddit

Depending on the Honda engine. Specifically only for the 10th- gen civic because I have one. The L15B7/L15BA can take E35 with a custom mix, tuning, and a flex fuel kit. Everyone else would have to add 1 to 1.5 gallons of E85 to the tank to get somewhere around E15 without a tune. Honda did make their L15B7 engine with E15 per the manufacturer’s manual.
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dark_knight097@reddit

They can be made to run e85 with a flexfuel kit and tune. But really no point unless you're tuning the engine to make power. 
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Drzhivago138@reddit

Anecdotally, we had a '98 Ford pickup that was not flex fuel, but the local station had blender pumps to allow for a 50/50 mix of unleaded and E85 and it ran with no mechanical issues. It got garbage fuel economy when you did that, but it was a '90s truck; they never got good fuel economy to begin with. And E85 was about $1.50/gal even in the late 2000s because there was an ethanol plant not far away.
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khamrabaevite@reddit

Not all post 2001 cars recommend using E15. My 2016 Forester specifically says to not use it
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_-ShouldBeWorking-_@reddit

2021 Lexus IS 350 F Sport AWD.
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osmiumblue66@reddit

Excellent rundown here. Nice work!
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SuitableFault692@reddit

eu sunt in cautare de detaileri pentru masinile mele de munca si din ce am investigat pana acum , GLASS TUNING Brasov ar fi locu 1. Inca imi fac temele despre ei,dar ma iau dupa recenzii ca au vreo 900 si sunt de 20 d eani pe piata din ce imi zice termene. Am comparat preturile si cu altii si par top. Acu inca cercetez si caut o parere despre Glass tuning ,daca cineva si-a dus masina la ei si au fost multumit sa imi zica si mie. Vreau detailing, polish, si folii de protectie solara.
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Lexy001100@reddit

when in doubt... go Diesel
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Unkn0vv17@reddit

Damn look at those gas prices. I wouldn’t mind paying those again. 😢
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Routine_Silver@reddit

If the car is 2002 or newer UNL88 if you calculate (Regular 87 price x .95 and that is higher than UNL88). At this pump Regular87 = 3.199 and UNL88 = 2.899. You’ll get 3-5% less MPG w/ UNL88. $3.199x.95=$3.04 (.95 since you get 5% less MPG). $2.899 beats $3.04.
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Renegade-Pervert@reddit

Just use regular. E85 is 85% ethanol made for flex fuel vehicles. The 88 has 15% ethanol. I can only guess, but 87 and 89 probably have 10%, and 93 0% based on gas stations I've seen.
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Im_100percent_human@reddit

Around here, 87, 89, and 93 all have 10% ethanol.
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6158675309@reddit

Great answer. One more thing to add. Ethanol has less energy than gasoline so you'll get a bit worse gas mileage, the 15% ethanol (UNL88 here), about 5% worse gas mileage than non ethanol gasoline. You will save a bit of money using the UNL88 since it is about 10% less. Personally, I'd go for the straight gasoline. Modern cars have no issues with 15% ethanol. Small engines like lawn mowers, snow blowers dont hate ethanol, they run fine. But, if they sit around the ethanol absorbs moisture, wreaks havoc with rubber bits. I use full gasoline in those, or the highest octane you can get since it will have less ethanol
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TheWarehamster@reddit

E85 is weird. If you account for you you can make more power with it, but regardless the mpg is far worse. And cost wise it's not worth it over regular.
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mrnoodley@reddit

E85 is definitely not for fuel efficiency, as stated it’s less energy dense. It’s great as cheap race fuel though. It’s also renewable and more emissions friendly (only 15% hydrocarbon based). I’ve never heard anything official but I strongly suspect the only reason we standardized on E85 rather than E100 is to keep idiots from drinking it as cheap moonshine.
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MomsSpagetee@reddit

Renewable but requires diesel and fertilizer/pesticides to grow and transport.
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mrnoodley@reddit

It’s far from perfect by any metric, but it’s undoubtedly a more eco-friendly fuel than gasoline.
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ryrobs10@reddit

That is debatable. It is best case about carbon neutral. They continue to sell everyone on it because the industry gets kickbacks and a bunch of federal dollars. Those kickbacks and federal dollars then get passed to farmers. It wouldn’t even make sense to do if not for the subsidies.
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MomsSpagetee@reddit

I’d rather we didn’t use all the farmland for corn though and push toward electric cars. We could use the fields for solar and come out way ahead: https://youtu.be/Zgxb8I1nk2I
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mrnoodley@reddit

That’s a different argument.. EV vs ICE is certainly a discussion to be had but that’s an entire paradigm shift. In the discussion of “what’s the best choice at the promo when fueling my combustion powered car?”, I’d say ethanol’s by far the better option if your vehicle’s compatible and you have local supply. Sacrificing ~10% fuel efficiency to run a cheaper cleaner burning fuel that’s 85% renewable (that happens to be 100+ octane for us hotrodders) seems like an obvious win/win.
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V4refugee@reddit

Ethanol is basically solar power. Plants turn sunshine into energy.
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MomsSpagetee@reddit

That’s a stretch. Corn needs water and fertilizer and harvesting and transportation. Electricity from solar skips all that.
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Lumanus@reddit

The water doesn’t get lost though, gets released right back into nature.
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AAA515@reddit

Ethanol stores easier tho. But I did hear recently about how you use the electricity to pump water up into a reservoir then let it flow back down to use it, that was neat
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mrnoodley@reddit

Cool. Do it I don’t have that choice at the pump
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superluke@reddit

Hydrocarbon is the wrong term since ethanol is a hydrocarbon.
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mrnoodley@reddit

Sorry, have to put on my chemE hat for a second Ethanol isn’t a hydrocarbon. Hydrocarbons contain only carbon & hydrogen.. Ethanol has an oxygen atom in its hydroxyl group. It’s an alcohol, not a hydrocarbon.
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superluke@reddit

Oh cool! Didn't know the oxygen excluded it.
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6158675309@reddit

Yeah, it can be a bit confusing. Ethanol is less energy dense but has a higher octane rating and as important to producing power, runs much cooler. Octane is related to detenation, the explosion inside the cylinder vs energy density or how much energy ethanol has vs gasoline. The reason you see a lot of tuners, etc. chasing power with e85 is you can throw more of it at the problem and not have to worry about heat soak. That is dramatically oversimplified but that is the gist of it. It is especially popular with forced induction, turbos (mostly) since it is so good at heat management vs gasoline. It's a whole thing though, you need more fuel with ethanol so bigger fuel injectors, etc, etc. etc.
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BlazinZAA@reddit

Isnt also that ethanol contained an oxygen component
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RacerFreddy@reddit

Your not making power with 87 for tuning purposes. Worth noting though, at least in the case of most OTS tunes, even 93 will make far less power while being 20-30 percent more expensive than ethanol. The fuel mileage tradeoff actually gets pretty balanced by the costs at the pump. Just filled this morning for 2.79, not the cheapest its been, while 93 is almost two dollars more per gallon. I'd say there's only a small cost deficit, but for the tuners and race cars out there, its great. The real kicker is finding a station that sells the shit.
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chroniclipsic@reddit

I have tracked my fuel economy by dollars per 100 miles and gallons per 100 miles for years switching between e10(regular gas) and e15(88 gas) Dollars per 100 miles e15 is better. There never been a tank that e10 was better.
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mconrad382@reddit

Just to add to the it sitting around point…some plastics swell when introduced to ethanol as well. My motorcycle has to be drained once a year for a month or so to make sure the tank doesn’t swell and crack in the casing🙄 “ethanol will never stick around” - Ducati engineer’s famous last words lol
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mikeblas@reddit

My manual says no more than 10% ethanol.
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Renegade-Pervert@reddit

100%, great points. Also why I use premium in my small engines!
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NixaB345T@reddit

I just find a gas station that has ethanol free gas, my local Kroger for example. I think it’s 90 octane but priced higher than premium I believe.
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MajorEstateCar@reddit

You can find ethanol free in a lot of places (Wawa is known for this) and that’s great on small engines. I run it in my mowers and lawn equipment because I only use it 4-5 lawns a week
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jcforbes@reddit

You've got that backwards. Higher octanes will have more ethanol. One of the ways they increase the octane is adding more alcohols. Ethanol is 114 octane so blending more of it into lower grade gasoline will boost the octane. It's exceptionally rare to find E0 gasoline that's higher than 89 octane at a pump, normally you have to special order it by the barrel.
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Additional-Gap1287@reddit

Or buy it at the airport. Aviation fuel is great quality for the obvious reasons.
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osmiumblue66@reddit

Several stations near me sell this very thing - e0 93 octane. It ain't cheap but it's plentiful.
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w3stvirginia@reddit

That may be location dependent. Around me, lots of stations have E0 at 90 octane.
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jcforbes@reddit

Sure, and maybe even occasionally 91. 93 E0 is very rare.
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WillJongIll@reddit

Where I live (never seen 88 before) all grades have ethanol. There are some special stations that sell ethanol free though. There’s even an app for finding them (“pure gas” - no affiliation)
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larry522@reddit

90 and 91 is 0% ethanol, can't get 93 without the 10% ethanol in premium.
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rechlin@reddit

> I can only guess, but 87 and 89 probably have 10%, and 93 0% based on gas stations I've seen. 89 is usually a mix of 87 and 93, so if your stations advertise 93 as "ethanol free" and 87 is 10%, then it's probably around 6-7% ethanol.
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originalthoughts@reddit

Wouldn't 89 have lower as it's always a mix of the regular with the premium? You never see a gas station only run out of regular for example, it's always both itself and the mid grade.
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TheZip2000@reddit

This 93 octane contains “up to 10% ethanol” as per the Renewable Fuel Standards in the US (assumed because this is a Spinx branded gas station). If it has more it must be clearly labeled and if it would be labeled and higher price if it didn’t have any ethanol in it.
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Unusual_Piano7118@reddit

Diesel is diesel fuel. E85 is 85% ethanol and 15% normal gas. It equates to around 110 octane. UNL88 is 15% ethanol and 85% normal gas. It equates to 88 octane 87 is 10% ethanol and 90% normal gas. It equates to 87 octane 89 is 10% ethanol and 90% normal gas. It equates to 89 octane 93 is 10% ethanol and 90% normal gas. It equates to 93 octane
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TheRealTwist@reddit

E85 isn't actually always 85% ethanol and the exact mix can vary a lot. People that tune their cars to run on E85 need to test the fuel when they fill up to avoid detonation.
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Unusual_Piano7118@reddit

Or be smart and don’t have an E85 tune and a street tune. Instead they should have a flex tune. I like the fact that I purposely went that route and I can put 93 in my Supra and make 615 wheel horsepower or I could fill it up with E77 which is roughly the highest I can get at my local pump E85 and I will make 862whp. The only way you’ll ever get pure E85 is with like specific ignite E85 fuel.
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OldKinkyDrew@reddit

Great answer. I appreciate that you actually answered the question asked. The majority of people are just telling them what to use without helping to understand the differences.
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TurboCrab0@reddit

Wow, I didn't think American cars could run ethanol like that - up to 85%! It's a very common fuel here in Brazil, up to a point we've had Ethanol as a fuel choice (Ethanol with a bit of water, while gas is Gasoline with up to 30% Ethanol) for quite a while now (I guess about 40 years, give or take).
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Additional-Gap1287@reddit

The e85 vehicle has been pretty popular for about 20 years. I don’t see many fuel stations on the east coast with even that available. 87-89-93 are the standard… sometimes diesel as well. Every once in a while e85 but again that’s rare.
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TurboCrab0@reddit

Maybe it's more of a West Coast thing? I'm aware the weather is a lot warmer in there the closer it gets to the West Coast region (like states from Texas and further West). Maybe that plays a part in fuel availability? Ethanol sucks in the cold even here. Cars chug a bit until reaching optimal operational engine temperature, something that's not an issue at all with gas, even in colder temps.
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10000Didgeridoos@reddit

Not many can. There is a small number of vehicles with the fuel system to switch between it and regular petrol and some people in the car tuner crowd intentionally convert their vehicle to e85 for more horsepower and torque but that's it.
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TurboCrab0@reddit

That's the one thing I like about ethanol. That bit extra HP and torque, but yeah... the worse mileage/fuel consumption sucks.
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Friendly_Escape_1020@reddit

I hate ethanol, it attracts water in the fuel system and doesnt store well.
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174wrestler@reddit

In the late 2000's there was a fuel economy regulation credit for E85/flex fuel vehicles. Many manufacturers added flex fuel capability to larger vehicles. Because E85 wasn't widely available, the credit was removed in 2016 and flex fuel capability disappeared. There were also restrictions on summertime ethanol for areas with air quality problems (e.g. California) because it's lighter and more volatile. Now that most restrictions were removed and E85 is more widely available, there's not that many cars that can use it.
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TurboCrab0@reddit

Interesting! I believe we've had incentives for flex fuel cars here as well, since it strengthens the agricultural sector as well as the fuel industry. Even many luxury models like BMWs come with fully flexible engines, which, to be honest, is kind of a failsafe measure against bad gas (some gas stations illegally add more ethanol to gas, which could cause issues to single fuel gas cars). May I ask how cars handle ethanol in the cold there? Your winters are much harsher, and cold starts with ethanol are a potential pain in the arse with older engines (new ones have little to no issues, but you do good on letting them warm up as one should, given oil needs to spread across the block anyways).
View on Reddit #80647761

174wrestler@reddit

That was the same argument, and the Renewable Fuel Standard requires an increasing amount of bio-fuels. Then a bunch of people complained and showed numbers and cried that ethanol was a subsidy to farmers and made things worse. A lot of politics and manipulated numbers on both sides, just like plastic vs paper bags. E10 has no difference in the cold. Air quality regulations require heavier, less volatile gasoline blends in the summer, and in the winter they can use lighter blends. This takes care of the problem. Very few people in the US aren't driving a full fuel injected car with distributorless ignition and electronic throttle at this point. E85 may back down a little on the ethanol content in winter. Diesel with biodiesel content (typical 5%) is more of an issue in certain parts of the country.
View on Reddit #80648144

ClickKlockTickTock@reddit

Yes!! And its one of the BIGGEST places the U.S. exports corn/ethanol to because of it! I actually wrote my senior essay on your country and its usage of ethanol and why it could do great things here until EVs take over if we just stopped closing down our damn ethanol refiners and started putting money into researching cellulosic ethanol or its sister technologies. I mean, our fuel systems have already been made to be able to handle up to 85% ethanol, so it's not like folks would need entirely new fuel tanks and lines. Usually, new injectors and a tune at minimum, but almost every car that isn't 30 years old could be easily "retrofitted" to run on E85 if anyone in power wanted them to. But, big oil does big oil and pretty much always stabs ethanol in the back here. It sucks! Hopefully we can just quickly transition to EVs instead.
View on Reddit #80641417

TurboCrab0@reddit

Big oil is terrifying, man. Ethanol refineries here are pretty much forced to raise prices whenever gas goes up, just so big oil doesn't lose money. It's ridiculous how a supposedly free market is held hostage like this. If it weren't for that, Ethanol would be significantly cheaper at the pumps, but... yeah, screw us the consumers, as always. On a side note, I'm cautiously optimistic about the trials on methanol that Porsche is conducting. Hopefully, that takes off someday. We need more renewable fuel sources ASAP - I don't think many countries, if any at all, have enough of a power grid to sustain fully electric car fleets (maybe some do, I don't really know these things that deeply).
View on Reddit #80647422

mikeblas@reddit

Not all of them can.
View on Reddit #80623499

Big-Penalty-6897@reddit

87. But, go to a station that sells top tier detergent fuel.
View on Reddit #81079625

nebbill69@reddit

These pumps suck, and you can't tell me they have that many underground tanks so 3 of them probably come from the same tank and you get screwed
View on Reddit #81050857

xqk13@reddit

Just use 87 unless the 88 is significantly cheaper, because more ethanol means less mpg, so you’re not really saving money is the spread is small like shown (assuming your car is newer than 2001)
View on Reddit #80610542

mrhoofy@reddit

It's a bit more complex than that. Some cars (Mazdas for sure) change the timing pretty aggressively in response to the ping detectors. That will sometimes improve gas mileage and power. Some turbos that run fine of 87 will run better on higher octane. The average car will run best on 87 though.
View on Reddit #80978176

D_Robb@reddit

My car is the opposite, I tried 88 octane because it was cheaper and went from 25 mpg to 29 mpg on average.
View on Reddit #80612742

xqk13@reddit

Interesting
View on Reddit #80616641

D_Robb@reddit

I bought it used and found the Skyactiv to be lacking in MPG (high mileage) but it went right back up to EPA tested levels with the Sheetz 88. Granted it likes Sheetz a little better, but only like 26 mpg on 87. It also hates cold weather, even when warmed up, but does pretty well in 90 degree+ stop and go while running AC.
View on Reddit #80620987

xqk13@reddit

Thanks for the info, it’s weird that it does better in warm weather
View on Reddit #80622891

Weary_Information_77@reddit

Warm air intake is better for fuel economy. Because warmer air is less denser than colder air, you need less fuel to reach the desired air fuel ratio. Bad for power though, because exactly for this reason.
View on Reddit #80832818

xqk13@reddit

True, tho they were also running AC which should overweigh any efficiency gained by warm air intake
View on Reddit #80834562

Weary_Information_77@reddit

Compressor also runs when it's cold outside when you run your heater, to dehumidify air inside.
View on Reddit #80836096

xqk13@reddit

Only if you keep it on, many don’t
View on Reddit #80841457

a_berdeen@reddit

Mazdas are really high compression so that touch of ethanol goes a long range for power output and efficiency.
View on Reddit #80614271

Waterlifer@reddit

A fact to ponder is that, in all likelihood, you're looking at a blending dispenser. The UNL88 and the "Plus 89" are probably blends of the contents of two different tanks. E85 can have anywhere between 50% and 85% ethanol in it and usually has closer to 50% for cost reasons. It is inexpensive at the pump because of the quota/subsidy/tax situation compared to other fuel.
View on Reddit #80962559

gmlwrkr001@reddit

Too many options. Good 87 better 89 best 91 and diesel are all that are on most pumps here 🇨🇦. I’ve never seen E here.
View on Reddit #80961115

mdhouse60@reddit

Well...my mom's Cadillac STS would knock and/or diesel when she tried to use mid or regular. She had to keep premium in the tank. I remember my dad had a 1965 Grand Prix that had to have premium for the same reason.
View on Reddit #80959163

PulledOverAgain@reddit

Unleaded 88 has a slightly higher ethanol content and most all cars made in the last 20 years will run it absolutely fine E85 has a bunch more ethanol and the car needs to be flex fuel to run it.
View on Reddit #80948198

rolintos@reddit

Allays use the green one if it fits. If it does not fit then don't use the green one.
View on Reddit #80944191

20PoundHammer@reddit

its e15
View on Reddit #80942437

ampleforth42@reddit

Looks like its a good time to use more Diesel.
View on Reddit #80918448

Best-Relationship792@reddit

Pull out phone, use google? No Pull out phone, ask Reddit but give zero additional information? Yes
View on Reddit #80611685

ThunkerKnivfer@reddit

More fun with discussion.
View on Reddit #80885431

FelixzeBear@reddit

E85 is how you ruin your car if it’s not meant to run it. UNL88 won’t make that much of a difference if it’s over 2001 (year of your car), but running regular is unfortunately the best option.
View on Reddit #80878939

DIYordontDI@reddit

3 right?
View on Reddit #80843728

Relevant-Step6235@reddit

It is Crazy 😈😈
View on Reddit #80840436

ToughSpirit5285@reddit

E85 is ethinol based and made from corn
View on Reddit #80838123

ProbablyNotaCar@reddit

Why do you have so many options per pump, we have at most 3-4
View on Reddit #80833413

BmanUltima@reddit

What fuel grade does the manual say to use?
View on Reddit #80609381

Cranks_No_Start@reddit

\>the manual say to use? LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL. Aint nobody got time for the manual.
View on Reddit #80611910

s-a_n-s_@reddit

Laugh out loud out loud out loud out loud out loud out loud out loud? Fucking cringe this guy.
View on Reddit #80776898

Cranks_No_Start@reddit

So you’re one of those people I see.  
View on Reddit #80778182

s-a_n-s_@reddit

Everyone point and laugh at the boomer
View on Reddit #80778255

Cranks_No_Start@reddit

Sorry my son, not a boomer.  
View on Reddit #80778359

br0ck@reddit

You were a mechanic and don't know the effects of different octane types and fuels?
View on Reddit #80625174

Cranks_No_Start@reddit

I know the effect and I know that the manufacturer recommends certain grades. So what’s your point br0?
View on Reddit #80629874

br0ck@reddit

My point was that mechanics like you must have learned the recommended fuels and grades of fuels from somewhere, so if you know them, you or the person who trained you must've read the manuals?
View on Reddit #80633057

Cranks_No_Start@reddit

Ahh I see it now...I really needed the s/ up there didn't I? Because yes 100% I've read all the manuals, I've been to the training, I was an ASE Master 25 years running with Advanced Engine Performance, Ford Sr Master and a Volvo Expert. 125 people that don't get some sarcasm when they see it.
View on Reddit #80636300

br0ck@reddit

I think of that Vonnegut line often. And now I see you were just laughing that most people don't read manuals. Too true. Man, Reddit can be a harsh place!
View on Reddit #80637055

Cranks_No_Start@reddit

It’s a tough room sometimes. When you make a joke you swing for the fences and it pops up and fouls out. It’s not a big deal though. 
View on Reddit #80678502

Rich_Abbreviations38@reddit

Are you a mechanic?
View on Reddit #80714419

Cranks_No_Start@reddit

I was for 35 years. 
View on Reddit #80715467

kevolad@reddit

Can confirm as another mechanic. I have a 91 Oct Acura and I know of someone who ignored that. Yep, that's a motor
View on Reddit #80615111

Glittering-Turn862@reddit

Yeah I don’t think an Acura’s going to blow because of reduced octane.
View on Reddit #80622669

kevolad@reddit

And what do you base this expert opinion on? You recommend someone using the J32A3 with domed pistons and an 11:1 compression ratio use your advice? You should have stopped at "Yeah I don't think"
View on Reddit #80651133

Glittering-Turn862@reddit

Acuras are like any modern car and they adjust based on octane. Unless your in a NSX you’re fine
View on Reddit #80670405

kevolad@reddit

Again, not true. Believe me, I don't wanna drag you all over the place here but I know what I'm talking about. For reference the C30A and C32B they put in first gen NSXs only ran 10.2:1 compression each so actually far less than a 2004-8 TL for example
View on Reddit #80685455

yech@reddit

As a mechanic you would know that you'd have a reduction in power and economy, but a modern fuel system will handle it without damage.
View on Reddit #80619330

kevolad@reddit

Some do, like the GM 6.2s where they simply retard the timing and some high octane engines simply have a compression ratio too high for 87. It has nothing to do with the fuel system. As a mechanic, I do know this, I can tell you don't.
View on Reddit #80650948

RelativeMotion1@reddit

I’m convinced customers throw them out the window while driving home in their newly-purchased cars. Even putting them online *and in the infotainment system inside the car* has not improved this problem. Imagine buying the second-most expensive thing you’ll ever spend money on, and not reading the book that tells you how it works.
View on Reddit #80614165

kevolad@reddit

Imagine? I see it everyday and it genuinely blows my mind how many engines we've condemned for people not even checking their oil. Best one I heard, a coworker would you believe, said he didn't check his oil because the sticker wasn't due yet. That was also a motor
View on Reddit #80651812

saladmunch2@reddit

"Its just a car what other information could it possibly tell me! Iv been driving for decades i know cars!"
View on Reddit #80641265

Cranks_No_Start@reddit

I’ve found them in customers cars under the spare tire still in the plastic. 
View on Reddit #80614301

Sunkjones@reddit

The manual or the sticker on the gas filler door.
View on Reddit #80609438

jomyke@reddit

That pump got at least 4 hoses hanging off of it?? 6 would be crazy lol
View on Reddit #80610480

JerseyDevl@reddit

Every pump I've ever seen in the US has a max of 2 - one for diesel, and one for gasoline, regardless of the octane. If E85 is available, it comes out the same nozzle as regular gas
View on Reddit #80611440

TheBeestWithEase@reddit

Sheetz often has 3 nozzles on one pump: one for E10 ‘regular’, one for E15, and one for E85.
View on Reddit #80773952

0992673@reddit

In Europe every grade and type gets its own hose.
View on Reddit #80661295

1he_Chosen_One@reddit

In Ohio I’ve seen up to four on a single pump, e85 and e0 are on their own
View on Reddit #80613660

BoisterousBanquet@reddit

We have dedicated E85 nozzles in my part of the US. They're usually yellow. One nozzle for E85, one for diesel, one for 87/89/93.
View on Reddit #80612592

Dinosaur_Wrangler@reddit

Weird. All the ones I go to have a separate line for E85 and E15. The extra E85 in the line could theoretically be problematic for small engines with carbs, even if it’s unlikely to matter in practice.
View on Reddit #80612467

strangway@reddit

5 of those choices are just unleaded gasoline, 1 is diesel. I’d think they only need 2 hoses.
View on Reddit #80625351

spongebob_sideboob@reddit

Just don't ever use e85
View on Reddit #80772120

Phantom420365@reddit

Are you that dumb ?
View on Reddit #80771694

Marco2025@reddit

87 octane.
View on Reddit #80769741

Huge-Fox2188@reddit

Any car with fuel injection can safely handle upto E30 (upto 30% ethonal blende in). Personally I wouldn't run anything stronger than E15 (up to 15% blended in) to be on the safe side. E85 is an honest waste of money if you aren't trying to push super high hp numbers with a dedicated tune for it; otherwise youll see a noticeable dip in fuel economy and degradation of things in the fuel system (hoses, orings, seals, injectors, etc). Spent a few years at an enthonal plant, honestly its all a waste of time and energy to make (energy negative process) for the very minor amount of emissions cleaning it does. If you dont know what "energy negative" means, it means it take more energy to make one gallon of that fuel than it would produce.
View on Reddit #80767235

dkevox@reddit

E85 is e85, unl88 is unleaded 88, regular is 87 octane. Refer to your owners manual, it will tell you what to fill your car with.
View on Reddit #80763069

captstinkybutt@reddit

Your car gas cap and/or owners manual should tell you the appropriate octane level for your car. 93 isn't "better" than 88, its just higher octane for higher compression engines.
View on Reddit #80746980

Aromatic-Bonus-7306@reddit

Hacia mucho que no veia esas calidades, en Argentina la Nafta normal no se comercializa más, arranca en 95 octanos, que seria la "Super",y la premium de 98.
View on Reddit #80742382

imahumanbeing1@reddit

So jealous of your fuel prices! In the uk right now it’s at least $7 for a us gallon, sometimes more. So 2.5x more expensive than this
View on Reddit #80732803

DistributionLeft5566@reddit

Wow, cheap gas wherever that is
View on Reddit #80728243

psilyvagabond@reddit

About 85%
View on Reddit #80726982

Vokaiso@reddit

There is little cars that can run on E85 from factory E standas for Ethanol its basically almost pure alcohol fuel. Now while most cars can handle E10 and E5 85 usual requires a kit to be installed and here in europe u cannot even get it at fuel stations.
View on Reddit #80724996

Impossible_Win_3059@reddit

87
View on Reddit #80719290

ezj_w@reddit

Just get the cheapest lol
View on Reddit #80715248

BusinessPlot@reddit

Ethanol content
View on Reddit #80708029

dumpin-on-time@reddit

look in your car's manual or Google what octane is optimized for
View on Reddit #80705686

Strange_Bank6779@reddit

Why does America has so low octane compared to Europe? Is it because you don't know any better?
View on Reddit #80703850

NeverGonnaGiveuDowns@reddit

I can see op straight up salivating at that 2.799 tbh I can’t even blame them.
View on Reddit #80701058

Grizzlygrant238@reddit

$5.50 a gallon for 87 in my part of California right now 🥲
View on Reddit #80695919

DSer69420@reddit

Normally blue indicates ethanol free. So e85 is 85% ethanol, 15% gasoline. Use only in engines designed for it. 88 ethanol free. Use in older cars, boats and small tool engines. Everything else run 87 or 93 if it has a turbocharger
View on Reddit #80695056

VoraciousTrees@reddit

Ethanol fuels will probably be cheaper for a little while during this oil shock. The price will probably rise in line with natural gas and fertilizer prices in the future though. 
View on Reddit #80689244

Hot_Restaurant_8886@reddit

Why do Americans make it so complicated
View on Reddit #80688364

koopa-poopa@reddit

Do people just give up on searching for the answer and go straight to Reddit now?
View on Reddit #80672934

TheRealCBONE@reddit

Half of the top Google results anymore point to Reddit anyway. Might as well ask away and get a notification when someone answers your question. You aren't out anything if you keep searching other places for your answer.
View on Reddit #80687048

Doworkson663@reddit

Ask the person working behind the counter
View on Reddit #80670724

kindersaft@reddit

Why are there so many and why is 88 cheaper than 87? In the uk we have diesel, 95 (proper) octane and a premium option of 97, 98 or 99
View on Reddit #80661903

0992673@reddit

Mmm cheap gas.
View on Reddit #80661387

spannermeetworks@reddit

As a European.... wtf?
View on Reddit #80617655

osmiumblue66@reddit

We like choices. Lots of choices. Even if they're confusing.
View on Reddit #80629834

spannermeetworks@reddit

And our lowest octane is 95 here. 98 being our premium
View on Reddit #80645368

BitterLlama@reddit

The methods of measurement are different. European 95 octane is around American 90-91 octane, and 98 is 93-94. But yeah either way, the standards are higher.
View on Reddit #80660638

spannermeetworks@reddit

Oh nice factoid cheers!
View on Reddit #80660712

CdrMadDog@reddit

God I hate you for complaining about your cheap ass gas prices all the time
View on Reddit #80659549

Friendly_Escape_1020@reddit

We only have Diesel, 87, 89, and 91 where I live in CA.
View on Reddit #80653614

GarThor_TMK@reddit

E85 is regular... but with corn No idea about UNL88... The rest is just refined dinosaur juice
View on Reddit #80653202

kinkycarbon@reddit

Unleaded 88 is generic name for E15.
View on Reddit #80651551

PissedOffDog@reddit

wow. cheap gas.
View on Reddit #80649247

avg-at-best@reddit

Go with diesel it goes further
View on Reddit #80622376

SirJasper6969@reddit (OP)

Ok -- but the nozzle is too big. . . should I just use a funnel to get it in??
View on Reddit #80638112

saladmunch2@reddit

Yes
View on Reddit #80647073

AMS2008@reddit

I would kill to have access to 93 octane...91 in Colorado.
View on Reddit #80646278

Worried_Ad_8107@reddit

Green means go
View on Reddit #80644590

DylMcCo@reddit

Don’t Use E85, yes costs less but it won’t get you as far.
View on Reddit #80643539

hobbestigertx@reddit

E85 is 15% gasoline and 85% ethanol. It's cheaper because it's less energy dense than regular gasoline (10% or less ethanol). MPGs will drop by at least 30% running E85. Your car must be rated for E85--not all are. UNL88 is 15% Ethanol and 85% gasoline. Most cars can run it, but again you'll pay a small MPG penalty (5% in real world). 87, 89, 91, 93 are all Unleaded and have up to 10% Ethanol. Most cars run fine on 87, even modern turbo engines. Check your owner's manual or inside the gas door to find the octane rating for your car. If the manufacturer lists the octane and says "recommended", that means your car will run best on that octane, but you can buy fuel with a lower octane the engine will adjust for it and you'll lose a tiny bit of maximum performance. If it says "Required", only use that octane or higher.
View on Reddit #80638235

Particular-Agent4407@reddit

UNL88 is a piss poor name for the product. It is E15. It happens to be 88 octane, but it confuses the issue with E85. The “plus” is almost certainly E10, but it doesn’t say that on the labeling. Hard to say if the “supermax” has any ethanol or not.
View on Reddit #80637808

TEG24601@reddit

E85 is 85% Ethanol. It supposedly burns cleaner, but with less power and fuel economy. UNL 88 is likely an Ethanol Blend (10-15%), which indicates this state doesn't mandate Ethanol be blended with all fuel grades. Technically safe for all vehicles, but in some climates and situations may absorb water or damage rubber components, but usually only those that were already damaged. The others look to be just normal gasoline blends, with no Ethanol. All but Diesel and E85 are safe for most cars. Always get a higher octane than your car recommends. And unless you live in the flat land and don't plan on climbing hills, the winter 85.5 octane is safe for regular fuel, as it ignites easier in the sub-freezing temperatures. But if you plan on leaving the area on that tank, get the next step up.
View on Reddit #80635924

Substantial_Soft_188@reddit

Wha does the price of gas seem to fluctuate so much around the country but diesel is consistent?
View on Reddit #80635375

costafilh0@reddit

It's a Honda, take the cheapest, it will survive. 
View on Reddit #80634690

bluzed1981@reddit

Mix them all like a McDonald’s soda fountain /s
View on Reddit #80611420

osmiumblue66@reddit

Bold thinking
View on Reddit #80629677

SirDigbyChknCaesar@reddit

OK now where's the ice...
View on Reddit #80614450

Delifier@reddit

E85 is 85% ethanol. The others may contain ethanol too, but more like 5-15%. Not all cars like too much alcohol in their fuel.
View on Reddit #80629579

kikiacab@reddit

Just get regular 87
View on Reddit #80615960

Threather19@reddit

E85 is 85% corn, E88 is 15% corn, and regular is the regula Try asking these type of simple questions to a LLM AI of your choice
View on Reddit #80609412

GrandMasterFlex@reddit

How about not asking AI
View on Reddit #80609694

Threather19@reddit

Asking LLM AI is okay for dumb questions that are easily Google-able. Don’t be regarded about using LLM AI effectively.
View on Reddit #80612010

GrandMasterFlex@reddit

“Regarded” time to spend some time off Reddit buddy
View on Reddit #80614092

too_much_covfefe_man@reddit

Lmgtfy then?
View on Reddit #80611175

onwisco@reddit

“E88” isn’t a thing.
View on Reddit #80609810

pcfreak4@reddit

Whatever you do, don’t use diesel or E85. How old is the car? Does the owners manual or gas door tell you it requires anything more than 87 octane? Does either tell you that you can use up to 10% ethanol, or 15% ethanol? 87, 89, and 93 will be up to 10% ethanol. 88 octane is just 87 octane but with another 5% ethanol volume to spike it’s octane rating up to 88, it is 15% ethanol, usually compatible in vehicles 2001 or newer.
View on Reddit #80612909

BigBoyTom420@reddit

Man I wanna live where you live for those fuel prices. $2.80 E85 and $4 93 Octane?
View on Reddit #80611890

electromage@reddit

WTF? Is this a recycled spacecraft control panel?
View on Reddit #80611281

ruthlessrellik@reddit

Just pick the green one. It's good for the environment because it's green. /s
View on Reddit #80611004

mr_lab_rat@reddit

Depends what Honda. What does it say on the inside of your fuel door?
View on Reddit #80610733