98 gasoline is the best that can be put in the car, but it is also the most expensive. Worth? Next, we tell you three advantages and a problem of using 98 gasoline.
There are many myths about 98 gasoline. There are those who claim that their car runs much better when it uses this fuel, but what is the truth in this? Here we give you three advantages of gasoline 98 and a problem.
From the outset, it must be said that 98 or E10 gasoline is the best that can be put in the car, but it is also the most expensive. The 98 octane liter usually costs around 15% more than 95 unleaded gasoline and this is precisely one of the five differences between 95 and 98 gasoline.
Is it worth refueling with 98 octane gasoline compared to 95? Well, like many other things, it depends. It depends on the type of car. Let’s take a closer look at it.
Three advantages of 98 gasoline: higher octane number
The main advantage of 98 gasoline is that it has a higher octane number. The octane number is the resistance of gasoline to self-detonation, to self-ignition. 98 gasoline has more resistance to self-ignition than 95.
For the combustion process to take place inside the cylinder, the explosion of the gasoline-air mixture must allow the push on the piston, but this push must be smooth and continuous, otherwise it would damage the mechanics.
Therefore, the higher the octane number, the greater the gasoline’s anti-knock capacity and better engine performance.
lower consumption
Consumption is slightly lower in a car that uses 98 gasoline, compared to other types of fuel. It is estimated that the performance and consumption of an engine improve around 3% using this type of fuel.
But this will depend on the type of vehicle: naturally aspirated and high-performance engines have a higher compression ratio and are the ones that really take advantage of 98 octane gasoline.
Most of the current cars use 95 gasoline and there is no difference in terms of performance and consumption.
less sulfur
Another advantage of 98 gasoline is that it has less sulfur than 95 unleaded gasoline. This means that it is a slightly cleaner fuel and burns slightly more efficiently.
But, in this case, we also have to say that it will only be noticeable in engines prepared to use this fuel, which leads us to talk about the problem of 98 gasoline in the next point.
A problem with 98 gasoline: only in high-performance engines
As you may be thinking, the main problem with 98 gasoline is its price, as we have outlined before. Normally, there is usually a difference of about 15 cents between 95 and 98 gasoline, which means that filling an average tank with 98 gasoline can be between eight and ten euros more expensive.
But that the price of 98 gasoline is higher is something that everyone knows. Following the logic of the advantages that this gasoline has, we should all always refuel with a higher octane fuel.
And this is where the problem that we want to highlight comes in: this type of gasoline is more suitable for larger displacement engines, specifically, when the engine has a compression ratio greater than 10.5:1.
That said, you can use both types of gasoline, but, in a car that runs on 95 gasoline, putting the 98 octane will not bring any benefit to the engine. On the other hand, using 95 in a 98 engine will reduce engine performance and increase both fuel consumption and emissions.