Where can I get higher than 91 Octane in Orange County? I have went to a number of gas stations looking. Anyone know?

 

You want >91 for your Cooper? Why?

 

No really reason. Higher Octane=Better performance.

 

I don't know of a place in the area that sells 93. There's a place in San Diego that sells it, but that's a bit of a drive.

I woudn't bother with it though. You aren't going to notice a difference.

 

76 gas station/Car wash at the corner of La Paz and Cabot, by the 5 freeway.
Race gas 100 octane at the pump, $8.00 a gallon.

Now do you really want higher octane gas at that price ???????

Bill

 

I don't remember the last time I saw 91. Every station here sells 87-89-93 only. Sunoco has 100 for $6.00 a gallon

 

I do not know your car exactly, so I can't say for sure where your car stands...but be careful, higher octane does not always = better performance.....higher octane than what is needed can reduce power. If your ECU isn't sensing knock and retarding timing with 91 octane, going to 100 octane is just money down the drain.


Jason

 

California emission mandates are such that we cannot get 93 here. 91 is the highest that is legally sold in CA other than race gas. And I'll bet that the 100 octane gas in OC is sold with a disclaimer that it is for "off-road" use only (read race dedicated).

 

Yea most station if not all sell 91 out here

Because thats what the owners manuel saids to run in it. Maybe you should read it sometime lots of good info in there.

 

Show me where in the MC manual that it says that you need higher than 91. I've read it cover-to-cover. Maybe you should too, I hear that there is some great info in there.

 

This guy speaks the truth. Race gas is good if you can advance your timing to take advantage of it properties. So unless you are experiencing what Jason posted above, save your money, and even with that, a race gas is a band aid.

 

I agree with jasonsmf.

The octane rating on gas is measure of its compressibility. Once your octane is high enough to prevent pinging, you really don't need to go any higher. You won't see any gains but you will pay considerably more. And since many of the 100+ octane fuels get their compressibility through oxygenated hydrocarbons like methanol and ethanol, you actually end up with fewer BTU's from burning the gas and therefore fewer mpg and less power. Unless, of course, you modify the engine to run more boost and/or a higher compression. (and why anyone would build the engine of a street car beyond the ability to operate on pump gas is beyond me)

 

Well said.

 

i just added toluene to my 91 octane and i felt a differences and the pinging has stopped it was only $12 for a gallon of 114 octane at sherwin-williams paint store

 

114 octane!!! wow haha

 

when i go on longer trips i through 1/2 gal of toluene in the tank. i agree i feel a bit of difference, but the buttdyno can never be trusted. i just tend to get some better mileage with it, so it's a habit....might just be in my head though.

there's 2 stations on Beach Blvd that have the 100octane as well, one in HB and the other one is just past Whittier i think.

 

adding half a gallon of toluene will, at best, only boost the overall rating of a tank of 91 octane to about 91.6. It will also be about 3/4 of a percent more dense than unmodified gasoline, so theortically should produce that much more force when detonated. I think it's more than likely a placebo effect, though, from knowing you've added stuff. Even if the computer advances the timing more than it would for a straight 91 fuel, you probably wouldn't find a second whole pony out of the ordeal. It really makes me wonder if a dyno would even see a difference.

 

Back when Unocal still owned 76, their Premium gas was 92 Octane in CA with no MTBE... then California based Unocal sold out to Conoco in the mid-late '90s and now they have the same crappy gas as every other station in CA - 91 Octane. For awhile in Northern CA, Chevron was selling their gas with no oxginates (alcohol or MTBE and that gas out performed the UnoCal even though it was 91 Octane vs Unocals 92). I occassionally see gas at mom & pop stations that buy their gas from smaller independant refineries that claim their premium octane is 92, but I doubt it. Here it is very difficult to find the 100 octane racing gas but I am sure you can get it at Sears Point (Infineon) Raceway.

Octane boosters may or may not work, but I am guilty of using them on about every other tank of gas. When I had the heads ported on my MINI, the mechanic could tell I used Octane boosters (I don't no whether that was good or bad).

My manual says to use 92 octane Premium gas... but I have an early 2003.

 

I thought they sold 93 octane in CA, guess not.