Octane rating in USA

alecrain · 10-02-2009, 11:09 AM

Hi all,
I just came back form a trip to US where I noticed that the fuel has different octane ratings there.
The standard ULP is 87 then 89 and premium is 91 octane.
Why?

qwiksix · 10-02-2009, 11:27 AM

They measure them differently, so even though they may be the same, US will show lower. Check out wikipedia.

qs

Rodp · 10-02-2009, 11:48 AM

Same with gallons and they love measuring 1.6km's instead of 1. :P

GlenW · 10-02-2009, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodp

Same with gallons and they love measuring 1.6km's instead of 1. :P

Like when I went to wash my car with Mothers car wash I looked on the back for how much to put in the bucket and it said 1oz per gallon - who outside of the us knows what the hell that is? (30ml per 3.8L apparently) damn yanks.

chevypower · 10-02-2009, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlenW

Like when I went to wash my car with Mothers car wash I looked on the back for how much to put in the bucket and it said 1oz per gallon - who outside of the us knows what the hell that is? (30ml per 3.8L apparently) damn yanks.

come on, it's easy! LOL
8 ounces is 1 cup
16 ounces is 2 cups which is 1 pint
32 ounces is 4 cups which is 2 pints which is 1 quart
128 ounces is 16 cups which is 8 pints which is 4 quarts which is 1 gallon
Well I am an Aussie that lives in the US, and it was hard to get used to at first, but I find if you stop trying to convert, and just adapt to either system wherever you live, it's not really that hard.

Getting back on topic, I use 85 octane (I think), it's cheap, and it runs just fine in a V8, and that's all that matters :-) $35 to fill up a pick up truck! woohoooo - though I don't think these prices are going to hold for much longer!

**Charliewool** · 10-02-2009, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chevypower

come on, it's easy! LOL
8 ounces is 1 cup
16 ounces is 2 cups which is 1 pint
32 ounces is 4 cups which is 2 pints which is 1 quart
128 ounces is 16 cups which is 8 pints which is 4 quarts which is 1 gallon
Well I am an Aussie that lives in the US, and it was hard to get used to at first, but I find if you stop trying to convert, and just adapt to either system wherever you live, it's not really that hard.

Getting back on topic, I use 85 octane (I think), it's cheap, and it runs just fine in a V8, and that's all that matters :-) $35 to fill up a pick up truck! woohoooo - though I don't think these prices are going to hold for much longer!

: Where I went to school there was 20 fluid ounces to a pint.
Same as there are 20 ounces in a pint of beer, and 10 ounces in a pot or middy. 2 pots/middys to a pint!

Wally · 10-02-2009, 04:07 PM

Bucket envy .... our gallons are bigger than there's.

chevypower · 11-02-2009, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charliewool

: Where I went to school there was 20 fluid ounces to a pint.
Same as there are 20 ounces in a pint of beer, and 10 ounces in a pot or middy. 2 pots/middys to a pint!

Had to look this stuff up LOL.
1 UK pint has 20 UK ounces.
1 UK pint = 1.20 US pints
1 US pint = 0.833 UK pints
1 UK fluid ounces = 0.961 US fluid ounces
1 US fluid ounce = 1.041 UK fluid ounces

Simple really, isn't it?

:

Ohio XB · 11-02-2009, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chevypower

come on, it's easy! LOL
8 ounces is 1 cup
16 ounces is 2 cups which is 1 pint
32 ounces is 4 cups which is 2 pints which is 1 quart
128 ounces is 16 cups which is 8 pints which is 4 quarts which is 1 gallon
Well I am an Aussie that lives in the US, and it was hard to get used to at first, but I find if you stop trying to convert, and just adapt to either system wherever you live, it's not really that hard.

Getting back on topic, I use 85 octane (I think), it's cheap, and it runs just fine in a V8, and that's all that matters :-) $35 to fill up a pick up truck! woohoooo - though I don't think these prices are going to hold for much longer!

Good job explaining!! See?? It's that simple. What's not to love???

I work with the metric system all day long at Ford, sometimes I have to convert though if I don't have the needed instrument to measure in millimeters. I do a lot of math with 25.4 . I thought metrics was supposed to be all 10's? :evil3:

Regular unleaded is 87 here, 89 a little better, premium starts at 91. You can also get 93 at some stations and at Sunoco you can get 94. A couple stations have 100 unleaded octane too, for the real serious street cars, or bigger egos for those that think their car will benefit from it.

Steve

Ohio XB · 12-02-2009, 02:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlenW

Like when I went to wash my car with Mothers car wash I looked on the back for how much to put in the bucket and it said 1oz per gallon - who outside of the us knows what the hell that is? (30ml per 3.8L apparently) damn yanks.

Yeah, I laughed my *** off when I read this.

Fluid ounces is by volume as opposed to regular ounces which goes by weight.

Hey, how much is a metric ton? (Or is it tonne where you are?) Our ton is 2,000 pounds, the 16 ounce kind.

:

Steve

GXL Guy · 12-02-2009, 08:05 AM

.

Hey, how much is a metric ton? (Or is it tonne where you are?) Our ton is 2,000 pounds, the 16 ounce kind.

:

A Metric Tonne is 1000kg which works out to about 2200 lb.

Wally · 12-02-2009, 08:59 AM

Our ton was always 2240lbs.

I can just imagine the poor sod in England that received the first shipment of 2000lbs/ton from the US ...."WTF, where's the rest!"

alecrain · 10-02-2009, 12:00 PM

Thanks

**CAT600** · 10-02-2009, 02:26 PM

The US octane rating system is calculated by finding the average of MON and RON (Motor and Research octane numbers)

Our figure is determined by RON only. Considering our 98 has a MON rating of about 87, you can see that our comparible figure is under 93 compared the the equivalent US number.

Daniel

ieatsports_cars · 10-02-2009, 04:36 PM

well you couldnt get any more octane than this

Lightning Strike GT · 10-02-2009, 04:41 PM

A bit OT but I think Aust went under the Brittish (we are all British convicts according to my sisters pommy husband) imperial system which is different from the US

Mr Hardware · 10-02-2009, 06:42 PM

Correct BF XR8. An imperial gallon is different to a US gallon etc
the imperial gallon is close to 5L where as a US gallon is only 3.8 or so

last fairlane · 10-02-2009, 09:08 PM

When I was doing my apprenteship on Volkswagens back in the sixties I had to learn the Metric system from scratch and one of the conversions was 4.5 Litres to an Imperial Gallon also 35 Fluid Ounces equalled 1 Litre and the capacities were Cubic Centimetres IE CCs not Mls as in 3984 CC Ford L 6 IE 4 litre
and I remember Yanky Gallons were a bit smaller than ours which upset the MPG ratings thats my bit for tonight except this
Christopher Columbus had the best fuel economy ever
HE CROSSED THE OCEAN USING ONLY 3 GALLIONS
Thanks John

red_hotxr6 · 11-02-2009, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by last fairlane

When I was doing my apprenteship on Volkswagens back in the sixties I had to learn the Metric system from scratch and one of the conversions was 4.5 Litres to an Imperial Gallon also 35 Fluid Ounces equalled 1 Litre and the capacities were Cubic Centimetres IE CCs not Mls as in 3984 CC Ford L 6 IE 4 litre
and I remember Yanky Gallons were a bit smaller than ours which upset the MPG ratings thats my bit for tonight except this
Christopher Columbus had the best fuel economy ever
HE CROSSED THE OCEAN USING ONLY 3 GALLIONS
Thanks John

Lol, yeah, nina, pinta and the santa maria

**ebxr8240** · 10-02-2009, 10:51 PM

3 gallons of what ?? Port ??

Mr Hardware · 11-02-2009, 09:22 AM

Gallion ebxr8240, gallion.
and for the cultured ones:
Mister Christopher Columbus
Sailed the sea without a compass

Lightning Strike GT · 11-02-2009, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

Gallion ebxr8240, gallion.
and for the cultured ones:
Mister Christopher Columbus
Sailed the sea without a compass

Yeah but back in those days the world was flat and as such you did not need a compas so when you got to the edge you just turned left or right

GlenW · 11-02-2009, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Sailed the sea without a compass

Hardcore :sm_headba

Just in case: Gallion = ship

JerseyVics · 11-02-2009, 07:42 PM

we also have 93 and 95 at Sunoco

MITCHAY · 11-02-2009, 08:00 PM

My Meguairs car wash is measured in fl oz, I just chuck in a cap full of the crap

:

**Bundy** · 12-02-2009, 10:12 PM

ha it goes futher too a Radar mile is different to that of a standard mile, anyone old enough to remember, I do.

superpursuit83 · 12-02-2009, 11:33 PM

Isnt radar mile a Knot? 1.8km as compared to a road mile 1.6km.

We got booked doing 90mph in a little town on the way from Vegas to Sanfrancisco. The copper did not beleive we were stupid enough to mix up the mph kmh thing, but liked Aussies and said we would fly home without paying ticket anyway..lol. So let us go.

chevypower · 13-02-2009, 04:04 AM

technically, by not paying it, they might be able to prevent you from re-entering the US if you didn't pay the fine - but probably not worth the paperwork over a speeding ticket. All they have to do is get your passport and i-94 form details. They could also track you down through the rental car company. As for the kmh/mph thing... I also find it hard to believe (especially if the sign said 75, and you did 75km/h you would be going pretty slow! - not speeding, but it's a good excuse to try :-). I should try doing 110mph in Australia when we come over in May!

Rodp · 13-02-2009, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chevypower

technically, by not paying it, they might be able to prevent you from re-entering the US if you didn't pay the fine - but probably not worth the paperwork over a speeding ticket. All they have to do is get your passport and i-94 form details. They could also track you down through the rental car company. As for the kmh/mph thing... I also find it hard to believe (especially if the sign said 75, and you did 75km/h you would be going pretty slow! - not speeding, but it's a good excuse to try :-). I should try doing 110mph in Australia when we come over in May!

If you do it in Victoria, best wear a bulletproof vest as they'll open fire.

:

last fairlane · 13-02-2009, 08:31 PM

Back in the nineties the Mrs and me went over to the UK and while in Ireland we hired an Opel Corser( Holden Barina) any way shes driving and I said how fast are we going and she replies 90 so I said Miles or Ks and she looks down and says Miles as the speed limit was 60 Mph I told her to slow down a bi t
John