Why Is 88 Octane Cheaper Than 87? And Is 88 Better for Your Car?

You might have heard octane 88, octane 87, or e15 terms being thrown around in some forum, and you were lost for words. Well, after reading this article, you shouldn't be lost whenever a discussion about gas rating comes up. You will have so e points or advice to throw in for good measure.

Today, we will explore the differences between octane 88 and octane 87. We also answer whether octane 88 is any better than octane 87. To understand the difference between these two fuel products, we will journey through the octane rating field, where we will appreciate what Octane is and its role in fuel.

What is Octane and its role in gas rating

As a driver, you must have heard of terms such as unleaded petrol, super petrol, regular petrol, or midgrade gas. These are terms used by different gas companies to differentiate the various classes of gas. This classification refers to the octane concentration in the given category of gas.

Octane is a hydrocarbon alkaline and is a component in pump gasoline. It is highly volatile and flammable. In the gasoline world, the word octane is colloquially used to refer to the octane rating. Octane rating is an index of gasoline's ability to resist and prevent an engine from knocking. A higher octane rating in gasoline means the gas will have more compression capabilities, and it is better at withstanding detonation in the chamber. It is common to find octane 88 going for lesser than octane 87.

Octane rating applies to gasoline and cetane rating to diesel engines. It is worth noting that a higher octane rating does not imply that the engine output or energy will increase. It simply serves as an indicator of gasoline's capability against compression. Gasoline with higher compression resistance is deemed better because it waits until the last minute when the spark plug sends the ignition signal in the chamber.

Vehicle engines are designed differently and can be designed to use a lower or a higher octane rating gas. The engine's performance will depend on the correct application of gas. If the gas with the wrong rating is put in the fuel tank, the vehicle's performance will be affected, and in certain instances, this could lead to an engine knock.

The combustion process in the chamber is controlled and takes a very particular process. If the gas used doesn't have the correct octane rating, then spontaneous combustion or engine knock will happen. This is caused by rising pressure and temperature from the initial combustion, causing the unburned gas to ignite. These secondary combustions cause uncontrolled extra pressure inside the cylinders, which then causes an engine knock.

Facts about octane 88

Octane 88 is commonly referred to as unleaded gas. It is also referred to as unleaded 88, a blend of 15% octane and 85% gasoline. UNL88 0r octane 88 is the popular type of gas in the US and many parts of the world. The federal government even developed a regulation requiring car makers to equip vehicle engines with parts that can automatically adapt to octane 88 without the driver's intervention.

In earlier years, more than 90% of all vehicles in the USA used e10 gasoline. The e10 gasoline is another term for octane 87. While the 87 gasoline is blended with 10% octane, e15 has 5% more. In 2009, the ethanol industry sent a petition to EPA to allow gasoline to be blended with up to 15% ethanol. This move, the ethanol industry argued, would help improve the environment by displacing conventional gasoline with low-carbon ethanol. The other highlighted benefits included reduced transportation costs, increased energy security, and the creation of jobs.

The adoption of octane 88 usage has been fast, and this has been embraced by industry stakeholders. They encourage the use of renewable fuel and an increase in fuel security not only in the USA but worldwide. By 2019, 93% of all vehicles made for the US market had been explicitly approved to use unleaded 88.

Facts about octane 87

Octane 87, commonly known as regular gasoline or e10, is a popular variety of gasoline that has been on the market for many years. The gasoline contains 10% of ethanol. This then means that the compression capability of this gas is lower. This gasoline contains the lowest concentration of Octane below mid-grade gas, whose rating is anything between 89 and 90.

The amount of ethanol in the gas is important to know for the driver. It is, for this reason, car manufacturers usually put a label on the gas cap. The e10 should contain no more than 10% of Octane. In older engines specifically designed to use only octane 87, gasoline with more than 10% octane was seen to cause corrosion on engine parts. More recent vehicles designed to use octane 87 are equipped with special engine parts that won't corrode even when more than 10% octane-rich gas is used.

Why is Octane 88 cheaper than octane 87?

As stated above, the gasoline we use in our vehicles is a mixture of gasoline and octane-rich ethanol. Of course, you will find gasoline companies putting additives to gasoline, but the main concentration is ethanol and gasoline. In our case of octane 88 versus octane 87, octane 88 has more ethanol (15%) than 87 (10%).

Ethanol price around the world is low (around $2.8 per gallon in the US). The pump price of gasoline is $3.8 in the US, and it's on a downtrend in 2023 since December 2022, when it was $5. It follows that the more octane-rich ethanol added to the gasoline, the lower the final price will be. The ethanol added in e15 is substantially more than that added into e10. It, therefore, means the price of octane 88 should be reasonably lower than that of octane 87 or any other gasoline with a lower concentration of Octane.

What are the other differences between octane 88 over 87?

• Octane 88 is better for the environment

The composition of octane 88 is 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline. This means the combustion gases from such gas are lower compared to 87. The more gasoline burnt in car engines, the more carbon emissions are released to the environment. The emissions are less harmful and lower when lower gasoline-concentrated Octane 88 is used. Moreover, ethanol released into the environment is known to reduce greenhouse gases.

• It burns cooler

When the engine is equipped with the latest technology, the octane 88 gasoline will burn cooler, and the likelihood of the engine overheating is lower.

• Octane 88 is embraced by all

This might not seem like much, but as a car owner, you need car parts that are compatible with your car. Because most engines are being tuned or made to be compatible with the octane 88 gas, finding a replacement engine part for your vehicle will be easy.

• More power to the engine

When more Octane is found in gasoline, higher compression will be required in the cylinder before the spark plug can send in its flame. As highlighted earlier, octane 87 requires lesser pressure inside the cylinder than 88. Higher pressure means the power generated from combustion is higher. This translates to more horsepower for the engine. However, the engine has to be equipped with the right technology and parts to make it compatible with the UNLD88.

Points to note about octane 88

• Lower mileage - When octane 88 is tested under laboratory conditions, when all conditions are held constant, this gas gives lesser power. Compared to gasoline with less ethanol, octane 88 gives 2% less mileage per mile. In the real world, the lower mileage per gallon difference is negligible.
• Risky using it if the vehicle engine is not designed to use it - If your car engine is designed to use octane 87, but you go ahead and use octane 88 for an extended period, you run the risk of damaging the engine. Some of the damage witnessed include leakages. There is also the risk of engine overheating.
• Not ideal to keep your gas tank full for extended periods - Octane 88 is not recommended to stay sitting in a gas tank for a long time. If you are thinking of fueling your car and keeping it for months parked, then octane 88 is not the fuel to go for. This point applies to engines that use octane 87 but are equipped to handle octane 88.
• Octane 88 is not recommended for non-automotive machinery and older vehicles (older than 2000). EPA recommends that non-automotive machinery not equipped with complex computer controls that enable them to adjust fuel variations. For vehicles older than 2000, the engines are not stable enough to have been subjected to the tests.

Conclusion

Octane 88 is the most popular gasoline for vehicles and machines today. It is cheaper and environmentally friendly. In the long run, you save money and your vehicle using the Octane 88. It is advisable to check on the gas cap and the user manual on which type of gasoline your vehicle engine uses and whether you can make any changes.