Does anyone have experience running 90 octane 100% non ethanol gas in their mini? I ran it in my srt4 and improved gas mileage considerably over standard 93 octane pump gas and I had no problems with pinging. But that's a completely different car. I'm only 300ft above sea level so oxygen is pretty thick here. I'd just like to hear people's experiences with other gas choices.

 

2005 JCW. I always try to run 91 without meth if I can find a station that has it. Better mileage than 10% ethanol. car does seem to run better.

 

do a search


topic has been discussed 10 times past death


sorry to be harsh


but few of us who've comment 10 times b4 want to go another round


for the record


when I filled my car with a small station "ethanol free" ... it ran like crap ..... I'm sure he was selling junk low octane . . . and I was looking for high octane for my 79 ... he advertised 92 and I ran like 85

 

Welcome to NAM the helpful fun friendly MINI site.

I think you'd be OK using 90. Try a tank & if your MINI doesn't like it switch to a higher octane. That's all I've got.

BJ captain one reason people don't search here is the search function isn't very good.

 

With gas prices being so low and the tank so small 13.2gal. I fill up with 92 straight gas in wife's 2011 clubman even if prices rise will continue using the good stuff. California has crap gas because CALEPA and all the junk they put in it. When we go to Boise Idaho from Sacramento in our Expedition I start out with 1/2 tank of 87 from COSTCO and fill up with Gas in Nevada, gets better mileage and better power. There is a noticeable difference in non CA gas. Winter gas is better than summer gas, less junk in it. I alway try to run the Expedition close empty so I can fell up on more time before hitting CA on way home.

Tom

 

advanced search works well .. you just have to know how to use it


[I got 10 years of MINI experience on you dude . . . . you gonna need a coupla home runs to displace me]


this site's "engine" is used by a large number of web forum sites and they all work the same ... learn one and learn MANY


AND


learn what OCTANE means .... then the question is trite

 

If it irritates you so much then just don't reply and move on to the next thread. This is the at least the second time today that you have commented in this way.

There rarely is a "never before discussed" thread out there.

 

 

All I'm saying is I had ran it in a previously boosted car and it was great. My curiosity came from seeing people's minis pinging on low 90s octane. So that's why I was asking. As for the search button sorry. I like people answering my question because maybe I have more questions to come after that. But that's the end of that small rant. I just what to know at what point of adding performance parts on the car that the octane on the ethanol free gas isn't enough.

 

+1

 

From a knock stand point it should not make a difference if the gasoline is ethanol free or not.

90 octane is 90 octane is 90 octane. Octane is just a measure of the fuel's propensity to knock.

I believe the car is rated for mid-grade 89, but performance may suffer due to the fact that the knock sensors will retard timing if knock is detected. I run 93 and nothing less but my car is tuned for that requirement.

Ethanol can make a difference in fuel system longevity and mileage.

 

www.toptierfuel.com

 

Thanks for the friendly tips. NAM neighborly of you.

 

+2

 

Yeah I understand you still only have so much octane rating. But as we all know pump gas is so inconsistent and ethanol attracts water so I was wondering how a more consistent fuel performs

 

Water does not effect the octane rating (it's not combustible). If there is too much water it might cause a misfire but it won't cause knock, in fact it helps prevent knock.

For example in a water/methanol injection system many people would run 100% water but the ignition system on the MINI (R56) is generally not strong enough.

If there is some water in the fuel then the car will detect it and adjust fuel trims so it won't run lean.

 

I'm running 93. I plan on keeping the car for the long run (10 yrs ).
Am I wasting the money with a cooper S? Gas quality is a hopeless debate it seems to me. How can one tell??? It's not that they going to tell you and I very much doubt one can be certain any problem is from the gas... I know Ethanol excess % has been a big issue... but it's not that it seems to matter for the car companies or gas stations... honestly when it comes to gas choice all I know to do is get 93 . . .

 

That is simply not true. Gasoline is VERY consistent. I was the manager of a oil terminal facility. The gas that came in be it from a ship, a barge, or a pipeline was tested before unloading, and the tank it was stored in was tested after the unloading. At all times the gas in the tank is ABOVE what the fuel was rated at. Sometimes buy a full 2 or 3 points. (87 was 87.3, 93 was 93.4...) OBTW there is no 89 gas, it's a blend of 87 and 93. (or 91 if that the best you get)


There would be liability lawyers lined up like a pack of lions on a fresh kill, if oil companies, or station owners were deliberately selling below spec fuel... Not to mention the neverending flow of state inspectors and testers, checking it out.


Water in storage tanks is very carefully measured, and accounted for and removed...


While ethanol does have an affinity for water, both the ethanol and the water increase octane. That's not to say that there aren't problems with using ethanol as a fuel. It cost more to make than you can charge, so the taxpayers help out. You are turning food for people and livestock into fuel, making actual food more expensive too... It's bad for motorcycles, off road vehicles, and lawn equipment. (basically it's a dumb idea.. but that's just my opinion...)

 

Ethanol has its place, technically ethanol has a higher octane than gas. and is easily shown when you tune for ethanol. it may has less energy in it. but you can advance the timing so much more.


so yes: if you have no ethanol in your gas, there is more energy in the gas... this equals better fuel efficiency.


BUT using 90 octane gas 0% ethanol will make less power than 91 octane with 10% ethanol. the resistance to knock will allow you to keep your power without retarding the timing.


this is why top tier dragsters use alcohol and not gas. the timing benefits are more beneficial than the specific energy. Mighty car mods made the h6 flex fuel. and make nearly 30% more power on ethanol.