Outlandish Octane Rating

Pitter

Pitter
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2020 CX-5 Signature Azul Metalico
There is a gas station in Cali, Colombia I frequent that has a big banner between pump islands touting "Extra" 98 octano or 98 octane. There are laws against false advertising here but I don't know how strictly they are enforced. Possibly there is some subtle wording in their advertising that excuses the wild exaggeration from government scrutiny. I think the standard octane rating for Extra here is 92.
 
There is a gas station in Cali, Colombia I frequent that has a big banner between pump islands touting "Extra" 98 octano or 98 octane. There are laws against false advertising here but I don't know how strictly they are enforced. Possibly there is some subtle wording in their advertising that excuses the wild exaggeration from government scrutiny. I think the standard octane rating for Extra here is 92.
The banner of “Extra 98 octano” at your gas station in Cali, Colombia is correct. You’ll see the same octane numbers worldwide for fuel octane ratings other than the US and Canada because they use Research Octane Number (RON) but US and Canada use Anti-Knock Index (AKI) showing the octane numbers on the fuel pump. AKI = (R+M)/2 where R is RON and M is Motor Octane Number (MON) which is another type of octane rating. AKI used in the US and Canada is 4 to 6 octane numbers lower than elsewhere in the world for the same fuel. RON 98 octane fuel in Colombia is roughly equivalent to AKI 93 octane fuel in the US.

You’d usually see (RON) octane 92 / 95 / 98 as the regular / mid-grade / premium gasoline displayed on the fuel pump in Europe、Asia and everywhere in the world other than the US and Canada.
 
I stand corrected and great information. So I'm getting equivalent US 93 octane at that station?
 
I stand corrected and great information. So I'm getting equivalent US 93 octane at that station?
I'm seeing 93.5 in a conversion chart, but yes. (R+M/2) appears on every modern pump in the US, in small print on the selection button right above the octane number. You should see what's printed on your local pumps. RON? Nothing?

By the way, if you've been using 91 RON thinking you were getting premium that's actually 87 octane by US standards, so you wouldn't want to go below that 91.

 
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I stand corrected and great information. So I'm getting equivalent US 93 octane at that station?
Yes. And 23 more hp’s if you rev your 2.5T engine over 4,000 rpm ⋯
 
Probably a dumb question but here I have a choice of 91 octane (multiple brands) or Chevron 94. Any added hp benefit of 94 over 93?
 
Probably a dumb question but here I have a choice of 91 octane (multiple brands) or Chevron 94. Any added hp benefit of 94 over 93?
Not sure. Imagine if the engine is made for 87 or 93 it will best perform with either of those. Not sure if anything above 93 nets you anything besides more money spent.

Where I live is a higher altitude so we have 85, 87, 91. I was in Salt Lake City last week and thought it was kinda weird, they had 85, 88, 91.
 
Well I've come across an article in a Colombia automotive magazine stating that the Terpal stations began offering their "GT98" gasoline in Medellin in May and now offer it it most large cities including Cali where I buy gas. And indeed it is the real deal. The University of Technology of Pereira carried out tests on several vehicles including a turbocharged BMW 420i (maybe not sold in US). The BMW was reprogramed to use the map used in European vehicles. It's power went from 113.8 hp (presumably using the normally available "extra") to 121.4 using GT98. This last has me curious. Would the turbo CX-5 benefit from reprograming if using that gasoline? Anyway glad it's here and I will use it always if I can. One last thing.The article notes that the benefit is realized best at lower levels. Cali though located in a hot dry valley is still at almost 3,300 feet above sea level. I wonder at what altitude the benifit drops off.
 
@ HardrRghtEge I haven't checked the information on the pump you describe. I don't think it's shown on ours for one thing and for another there are no "self serve" stations in Colombia, always attendants who pump the gas. Ha ha and another thing you northeners might not be used to: they always ask if you need oil and water checked and wash your windshield washed (though it's nice to give a little tip for the latter. I'm one of the generous ones and give them a thousand peso coin. That's about thirty cents US.).
 
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