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The octane number for premium varies by state. In CA, it's 91. Other parts of the country, it's 92 an maybe even 93.
 
to msu79gt82

Nice to see a fellow Yellow Jacket on this board! How bout that big win over Duke this weekend!!!


Is the "MSU" for Michigan State?
 
Re: to msu79gt82

screbr said:
Nice to see a fellow Yellow Jacket on this board! How bout that big win over Duke this weekend!!!


Is the "MSU" for Michigan State?
Go Jackets :cool: :1:

Nope - Memphis Tigers.
 
wilkie1683 said:
thank you ... I live in LA .. maybe I should put the 97 gas in for the first 6 month just so that I FEEL better ... and down grade later...
Wow -- that's almost aviation gas territory (100 octane). You do not need that much octane. You're just throwing money away. Use what the manual tells you. I've owned many cars in my life and have been very careful to follow what the manual says. The guys (and gals) who build these things know what they're doing. Why should I second-guess them?
 
I'm still fickle about the octane to use....

I've ruled out the 87, since I can make my MDX ping slightly when under heavy load (most probably couldn't hear this, but my ears are super sensitive to this kind of thing). I can also detect a MPG difference between 87 and anything 90 and above (honest - I've set up DOE's with managed variables, and I get statistically significant lower MPG with the 87 (via paried-t analysis)).

So my quandary is between 90 and 92. I can't really notice much difference between the two, so I was planning an staying with the 90. But then a coworker told me to stay away from the mid-grades, since people don't use it as much, so the quality (i.e. freshness) is worse. So I wonder, is this pure bunk, or does anybody else recommend staying away from the mid grade.

I get my gas at Holiday (the blue planet stuff) since the hybrid drivers around here swear by it for it's 'greenness'. Possibly also bunk, but those stations are my closest and cheapest too. They are priced currently as follows:
 

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carguy1234 said:
I'm still fickle about the octane to use....

I've ruled out the 87, since I can make my MDX ping slightly when under heavy load (most probably couldn't hear this, but my ears are super sensitive to this kind of thing). I can also detect a MPG difference between 87 and anything 90 and above (honest - I've set up DOE's with managed variables, and I get statistically significant lower MPG with the 87 (via paried-t analysis)).

So my quandary is between 90 and 92. I can't really notice much difference between the two, so I was planning an staying with the 90. But then a coworker told me to stay away from the mid-grades, since people don't use it as much, so the quality (i.e. freshness) is worse. So I wonder, is this pure bunk, or does anybody else recommend staying away from the mid grade.

I get my gas at Holiday (the blue planet stuff) since the hybrid drivers around here swear by it for it's 'greenness'. Possibly also bunk, but those stations are my closest and cheapest too. They are priced currently as follows:
I recently read in the auto section of the paper, one of the 'car guys' (not ClickNClack) said it's best to burn the fuel recommended by the manufacturer.
That while the computer will allow adjustment to lower octane fuels, they burn cooler (as in less efficient) and there is greater opportunity for carbon build-up over time. He said the recommendation is primarily based on compression ratio.
Of course, this does not completely explain the recommendation of Regular for the Honda Pilot.
 
I went to a new owner’s origination at the dealership where I purchased my MDX from and they said “to only uses premium in our MDX or we may have extra carbon build up”. The only car that the service manager said should use regular is the RSX. However, while having a conversation with a co-worker about the type of gas my cars could take. He corrected me about me believe on my car’s ECU automatically detecting what type of gas it was using. He said he used to have a job reprogramming ECUs and there is no ECU out there that will automatically detect the type of gas it is using, all it has is a knock sensor. So if you car is design to run on premium use it.
 
Edw5 said:
He said he used to have a job reprogramming ECUs and there is no ECU out there that will automatically detect the type of gas it is using, all it has is a knock sensor. So if you car is design to run on premium use it.
It's all the same. The knock sensor detects spark knock, and the ECU retards the spark when it is detected.
What's the sense in having it detected if nothing happens? Ask him that!

As far as regular running 'too cool' and forming more carbon, that is another theory. How much more carbon is actually formed probably depends on more than one factor.
 
These views and advice about using premium gas for our MDX are from the ACURA service manager and a purely independent and trusting source of my. Yes, the knock sensor will automatically get the ECU to retard the timing, but as for me I just would rather pay the extra 20 cents per gallon and not worry able the knocking damaging our car that we paid a lot of money for.

I am not say you or anyone else should not use regular gas, but it is just my view that maybe it is better to use premium gas for out MDX.
 
Edw5 said:


I am not say you or anyone else should not use regular gas, but it is just my view that maybe it is better to use premium gas for out MDX.
I understand that. This subject has been beaten to death. The most popular opinion says no real damage should be realized running regular. Personally, I would not run regular when towing, or otherwise subjecting the vehicle to something beyond normal everyday driving conditions.

But then we always get back to the comparison with the Honda Pilot, where engine differences are negligible and Honda recommends running regular.
I believe the Saturn Vue V6 also has a regualr recommendation (with the same engine).
 
So I'm driving my mom's 2009 ACURA MDX and I've been thinking about not using preminum anymore,, can't really afford. I live in TN, so it gets warm here but not so bad. The car is my daily driver.. Mostly drive to work everyday. There are no hills where I live.. Would it be save to use a lower grade? The car has about 85k.
 
At the end of the day, its your car and your decision. There are very few cars today that will seize with lower grade fuel or start knocking. When it detects a lower grade, the ECU retards the ignition to match the grade. You do lose power and mileage. Its hard to put a precise number on the effect but let's look at the simple math of using lower grade. I'm using Memphis, TN fuel costs. Assuming you are pumping 15 gallons on every trip to the pump, you will be paying $30.75 for regular vs $32.85 for premium. A whopping savings of $2.10 per trip. I think that's about the price of a medium coffee at Dunkin Donuts.

I should not presume your financial constraints but considering mileage hits, is it really saving you a bundle? Completely unto you :)
 
There is a HUGE difference between using Premium and Regular the MDX is no different to my other Acuras that demanded Premium.
Sure you can use Regular but the Timing Pull the ECU will do will make your MPGs plummet and I mean badly, Also the 02 Sensors will get damaged more quickly and in the worse case scenario de Cat will get damaged too. In my TL-S one time in México the service clerks wrongly filled her up to 1/2 with Regular.. I am not kidding you it felt like I lost 2 cylinders, the usual over takes in the highway were a no go because 4th gear (Which is already low ratio) didn't pull what-so-ever I had to even kick down to 3rd to do what I always did on 4th.. When I filled her up with Premium it was like driving a completely different car.

The MDX with its ridiculous Drivetrain loss might feel even WORSE! On a daily basis it doesn't really strikes you as a peppy CUV let alone using Regular on it.

Rule of thumb:
If the Gas Cap says "PREMIUM ONLY" use PREMIUM ONLY.. If the Gas Cap does not specify use Regular.
1st and 2G MDX uses PREMIUM ONLY.. Case closed.

The new 3rd Gen MDX seems to be tuned to use either Regular or Premium giving you a small edge on Premium that might not be worth the extra $$..
But 2nd Gen and 1st Gen? Don't even think about it.. They use PREMIUM ONLY.
 
Sign up Shell Fuel Rewards (free), 3-cents off any grade. More discounts if you link your reward card or sign up for their MasterCard. Where I live, a grocery chain has reward points to use at Shell stations. You get one point for every dollar spent, 100-points = 10C off per gallon.
 
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