87 Octane Anyone ??
05-01-2018, 02:02 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
87 Octane Anyone ??
Ok who here uses 87 Octane on these R350's ? ...and please nooo smart ass3z ..just admiting and if any success...personally ive had the car 2 weeks and it seems to ride better on Shell Brand 87 Octane than Premium...who else is out here ??
05-02-2018, 07:02 PM
#2
Super Member
What do you mean by "ride" better? Smoother over the bumps? 
Lower octane would cause detonation under heavy load such as acceleration, or going up hill. I presume the engine has detonation detection and will retard the ignition and or reduce throttle.
So you may not feel much difference other than a reduction in peak power.
But I hear you.. with the price of gas, it is tempting to use lower cost lower octane. I will try a tank full and see..
Lower octane would cause detonation under heavy load such as acceleration, or going up hill. I presume the engine has detonation detection and will retard the ignition and or reduce throttle.
So you may not feel much difference other than a reduction in peak power.
But I hear you.. with the price of gas, it is tempting to use lower cost lower octane. I will try a tank full and see..
05-02-2018, 09:49 PM
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Like the first week i got it...i added 93 octane and got crappy mpg and rode kind of rough...so i noticed the shop that sold me the car had put 87 which pissed me off by theway cuz on my past E320 i would only use Mobil 1 93 octane....so when i saw that.. i refueld on 87 and found it smoother and more mpg..but i dont think ima stick with it for too long well see..
05-03-2018, 08:20 AM
#4
Super Member
There may be more going on here. All cars, including our Benzes have some sort of engine management learning cycle. There is a base programming, but as you drive, the system learns not only your diving habits but also combustion parameters. The car may have learned how to drive on 87 octane, so when you put 93 in, it did not know what to do.
Try driving it longer so it relearns? Do you know how long it was running on 87? just one tank because the used care dealer was too cheap to put 91 in?
Try driving it longer so it relearns? Do you know how long it was running on 87? just one tank because the used care dealer was too cheap to put 91 in?
05-03-2018, 09:27 AM
#5
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Yea somethin like that...i also too thought that...maybe if i go ahead and re add premium it would re-learn...but now that im already here...has anyone driven here on 87 for longer time without any issues ?? Ive heard people on other threads say yea on a couple of Mb and Bmw but need confirmations....
There may be more going on here. All cars, including our Benzes have some sort of engine management learning cycle. There is a base programming, but as you drive, the system learns not only your diving habits but also combustion parameters. The car may have learned how to drive on 87 octane, so when you put 93 in, it did not know what to do.
Try driving it longer so it relearns? Do you know how long it was running on 87? just one tank because the used care dealer was too cheap to put 91 in?
Try driving it longer so it relearns? Do you know how long it was running on 87? just one tank because the used care dealer was too cheap to put 91 in?
05-04-2018, 01:34 PM
#6
Member
Since I'm near a Costco, I've been using their 93 octane. Anyone know the compression ratio on the pre-facelift V6 Benzballin has? That would be a good reference for what you could get away with.
Consumer Reports did this little piece about using regular gas in cars that the manufacture states "premium gas recommended." Merc's manuals for both the pre and post facelift seem to make it pretty that premium is "required."
To ensure the longevity and full performance of the engine, only premium grade unleaded gasoline must be used. If no premium-grade unleaded gasoline is available and regular unleaded gasoline must be used, observe the following precautions: Only fill the fuel tank to half full with regular unleaded gasoline and fill the rest with premium-grade unleaded gasoline as soon as possible. Do not drive at the maximum speed. Avoid sudden acceleration. When the vehicle is carrying a light load, e.g. two passengers without luggage, do not allow the engine to rev above 3000 rpm. When the vehicle is fully loaded or in mountainous terrain, do not depress the accelerator pedal further than 2/3 of the pedal travel.
Bottom line? During the first tank or so on regular, I'd run with the windows down from time to time, do some hard accelerating from a stop, and listen for any obvious deto. If you don't hear any, that doesn't necessarily mean there isn't any, but you have a better chance of being OK. Clearly, you'd want to avoid consistently putting heavy loads on the motor (hard acceleration, full load of passengers, towing, etc.). Motors are also a bit more sensitive to deto in hot weather as well.
Consumer Reports did this little piece about using regular gas in cars that the manufacture states "premium gas recommended." Merc's manuals for both the pre and post facelift seem to make it pretty that premium is "required."
To ensure the longevity and full performance of the engine, only premium grade unleaded gasoline must be used. If no premium-grade unleaded gasoline is available and regular unleaded gasoline must be used, observe the following precautions: Only fill the fuel tank to half full with regular unleaded gasoline and fill the rest with premium-grade unleaded gasoline as soon as possible. Do not drive at the maximum speed. Avoid sudden acceleration. When the vehicle is carrying a light load, e.g. two passengers without luggage, do not allow the engine to rev above 3000 rpm. When the vehicle is fully loaded or in mountainous terrain, do not depress the accelerator pedal further than 2/3 of the pedal travel.
Bottom line? During the first tank or so on regular, I'd run with the windows down from time to time, do some hard accelerating from a stop, and listen for any obvious deto. If you don't hear any, that doesn't necessarily mean there isn't any, but you have a better chance of being OK. Clearly, you'd want to avoid consistently putting heavy loads on the motor (hard acceleration, full load of passengers, towing, etc.). Motors are also a bit more sensitive to deto in hot weather as well.
05-04-2018, 04:48 PM
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Man....im not gone lie to you guys...im getting some pretty decent MPG almost similar to my Honda Civic.......guys i dunno...i guess ill be your guinney pig then.....unless somone want to join..loli put $32 dollars at shell yesterday and i hit in between the middle space after the Half mark tank...and $ 2.58 a Gal
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05-04-2018, 04:58 PM
#8
Member
Since I'm near a Costco, I've been using their 93 octane. Anyone know the compression ratio on the pre-facelift V6 Benzballin has? That would be a good reference for what you could get away with.
Consumer Reports did this little piece about using regular gas in cars that the manufacture states "premium gas recommended." Merc's manuals for both the pre and post facelift seem to make it pretty that premium is "required."
To ensure the longevity and full performance of the engine, only premium grade unleaded gasoline must be used. If no premium-grade unleaded gasoline is available and regular unleaded gasoline must be used, observe the following precautions: Only fill the fuel tank to half full with regular unleaded gasoline and fill the rest with premium-grade unleaded gasoline as soon as possible. Do not drive at the maximum speed. Avoid sudden acceleration. When the vehicle is carrying a light load, e.g. two passengers without luggage, do not allow the engine to rev above 3000 rpm. When the vehicle is fully loaded or in mountainous terrain, do not depress the accelerator pedal further than 2/3 of the pedal travel.
Bottom line? During the first tank or so on regular, I'd run with the windows down from time to time, do some hard accelerating from a stop, and listen for any obvious deto. If you don't hear any, that doesn't necessarily mean there isn't any, but you have a better chance of being OK. Clearly, you'd want to avoid consistently putting heavy loads on the motor (hard acceleration, full load of passengers, towing, etc.). Motors are also a bit more sensitive to deto in hot weather as well.
Consumer Reports did this little piece about using regular gas in cars that the manufacture states "premium gas recommended." Merc's manuals for both the pre and post facelift seem to make it pretty that premium is "required."
To ensure the longevity and full performance of the engine, only premium grade unleaded gasoline must be used. If no premium-grade unleaded gasoline is available and regular unleaded gasoline must be used, observe the following precautions: Only fill the fuel tank to half full with regular unleaded gasoline and fill the rest with premium-grade unleaded gasoline as soon as possible. Do not drive at the maximum speed. Avoid sudden acceleration. When the vehicle is carrying a light load, e.g. two passengers without luggage, do not allow the engine to rev above 3000 rpm. When the vehicle is fully loaded or in mountainous terrain, do not depress the accelerator pedal further than 2/3 of the pedal travel.
Bottom line? During the first tank or so on regular, I'd run with the windows down from time to time, do some hard accelerating from a stop, and listen for any obvious deto. If you don't hear any, that doesn't necessarily mean there isn't any, but you have a better chance of being OK. Clearly, you'd want to avoid consistently putting heavy loads on the motor (hard acceleration, full load of passengers, towing, etc.). Motors are also a bit more sensitive to deto in hot weather as well.
I use regular all the time UNLESS I AM TOWING or doing VERY spirited driving. Then I do want all of the octane available so the computer does not dial back the timing.
If you can HEAR audible detonation, the knock sensors are not working correctly. Detonation the knock sensors detect is not audible to the human ear and certainly inaudible to someone behind the steering wheel.
Locally, there is about a $.50 "tax" on the premium, so if your average fillup is weekly and you put in 15 gallons, annual cost is about $400. More or less depending on how many miles you drive.
If you have very high compression (say 11:1), I would probably opt for premium.
Regards,
Jerry
05-04-2018, 05:09 PM
#9
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Thanx for your Honesty and review...Anyone else ??
I don't have an R class (yet), but I have put over 100k miles on my W163 ML500. Current odo is 191k.
I use regular all the time UNLESS I AM TOWING or doing VERY spirited driving. Then I do want all of the octane available so the computer does not dial back the timing.
If you can HEAR audible detonation, the knock sensors are not working correctly. Detonation the knock sensors detect is not audible to the human ear and certainly inaudible to someone behind the steering wheel.
Locally, there is about a $.50 "tax" on the premium, so if your average fillup is weekly and you put in 15 gallons, annual cost is about $400. More or less depending on how many miles you drive.
If you have very high compression (say 11:1), I would probably opt for premium.
Regards,
Jerry
I use regular all the time UNLESS I AM TOWING or doing VERY spirited driving. Then I do want all of the octane available so the computer does not dial back the timing.
If you can HEAR audible detonation, the knock sensors are not working correctly. Detonation the knock sensors detect is not audible to the human ear and certainly inaudible to someone behind the steering wheel.
Locally, there is about a $.50 "tax" on the premium, so if your average fillup is weekly and you put in 15 gallons, annual cost is about $400. More or less depending on how many miles you drive.
If you have very high compression (say 11:1), I would probably opt for premium.
Regards,
Jerry
05-07-2018, 04:04 PM
#10
Member
The wife had a 2001 Audi A4 turbo that we selectively used lower octane on. Turbos are more sensitive to temperature so we used 89 octane when the temperature was going to be under 70 degree and high test in warm weather. It seemed to work fine that way and went 200k miles with no ill effects. I have stuck with only high test on the Mercedes but could be talked into trying the above method if price were that important. I think going down to 87 octane is just foolish. Even if there were no damage to the engine, I would not want to take the certain hit to performance. I would definitely not try it in hot weather.
05-19-2018, 07:42 PM
#12
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Hey @Lioninstreet so i filled it up with 30 buckz at 2.74 a Gal. With the tank on "E" ..and the needle went half over the middle or half tank...with gas prices creeping up again..i might just keep it this way...its been running pretty ok man'...for now knock on wood" ..its decent....man compared to the "Premium" this is night and day diffrence" ..
05-20-2018, 08:03 PM
#13
Member
05-20-2018, 09:34 PM
#14
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Price diffrence my friend... anyone should at least try it for 2-3 cycles to see if it works for them...just so you can have an idea...its running right now almost as efficient as my 2010 Civic on 87 octane' ..
05-20-2018, 10:01 PM
#15
Member
Yea I'm sure it's easier on the wallet, but how bout throttle responsiveness and acceleration? I'm asking because, I have an old '96 2.4 I4 supercharged Toyota Previa with like 200k on it that I pretty much use to van stuff around when I need to. Unlike the R class, the manual says premium is recommended, not required.
Not sure if it's a valid comparison, but when I do run regular thru it, there is a enough of a performance hit for it to be noticeable. It's just not as responsive accelerating onto the interstate, etc. I run premium in it when I know I'm gonna be loading it, but other than that, only regular.
Not sure if it's a valid comparison, but when I do run regular thru it, there is a enough of a performance hit for it to be noticeable. It's just not as responsive accelerating onto the interstate, etc. I run premium in it when I know I'm gonna be loading it, but other than that, only regular.
05-21-2018, 07:06 AM
#16
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Yea i see what you mean....from where i read about other MB users using any lower octane was when they werent towing or etc.. .i can tell you myself i havnt towed but i have driven it much like i would any modern car that i drive which is abit aggressive ,..and on highway i would easy cruise control to at least 75mph+ and it responds well.....so for responsiveness im getting what i feel is decent for a car its size in weight...and ive been able to pass cars well enough too' ..the way i drive i make the transmissions in any car adapt or Learn to my foot and always keep the transmissions tight that way....
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Lioninstreet (05-21-2018)
05-21-2018, 10:29 AM
#17
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Also i forgot to add...very important The Brand of the Gas...Shell or equivalent should be the only anything that should go on it...not that knock off gas like Walmart or Valero
