Long story short, with my mind on something else I grabbed the wrong pump, and filled the tank with 87... Fortunately realized what had happened before I left the gas station, and put in a bottle of Outlaw octane boost from Pennzoil (yikes!), since it was the only brand they had that wasn't made by Rice-Boy, Supa-screamer, or YouWantSome? refining... So I guess my questions are:

Anyone know how nasty "Outlaw" is (smelled like pure alcohol...)?

Any long-term damage from either the regular gas, or the octane boost? (I've seen all of the previous posts about perf boost from regular, but am asking specifically about damage - 'cuz this time it's MY CAR )

Better to drive the tank empty and then refill with premium, or start topping off with premium immediately?

Lay off the throttle for a while until this empties out?

And finally, the dealer advanced the timing in my car. I'm assuming that if the ECM senses detonation and retards the timing, this won't permanently bring it back to 15 degrees?

Thanks!!!

 

How did this happen? Where you drunk or just out of it at the time? LOL

I'd try to top it off with premium whenever your tank isn't full, I guess.

 

You caused more damage to your engine using octane boost than you did with the 87. Drive it to empty and refil at that point and you will be fine.

 

How come?

 

Just drive it like a grandma and fill it up with premium as you use gas. The octane booster won't hurt anything at all. Most people don't realize that the store bought "fuel injector cleaner" is just octane booster. As long as you don't go flooring it all over the place and putting it under serious load it will be fine. Worst case you still have knock sensors that will pull timing. I think even if that happened it would go back to the advanced setting once you ran it for awhile with premium. They do an actual reflash of the ecu right? Not just a piggyback.

 

you can run 87 in your car...i have one and do it periodicly...and my boss has an 02 6spd and it has never seen anything but 87 in a year and a half.....i sell nissans and customers come in all the time and tell me the same thing...they have never put in premium gas.....dont worry youll be fine buddy.....

 

because nissan says you can use 87 but also says NOT to use fuel additives...I know octane isn't exactly an additive, but ... I think his point was 87 will NOT damage your engine.

 

Octane booster= brown spark plugs= bad.

 

I ran octane booster in my 91 Bonneville for awhile due to some spark knock, and the plugs looked absolutely fine. Where are you getting this information?

 

My parents use 87 octane in the 2K2 auto sadly. It runs fine you shouldn't have a problem.

 

Here's a couple......
http://minimopar.net/perf/readingplugs.html
http://www.flyinmiata.com/techline/o...ives.asp#Today's

 

Thanks for the links. How'd you get to "brown spark plugs = bad"? They don't say it's a problem, and can't say I care what the insulators look like...?

Thanks for the info everyone, I ran around last night and didn't have any problems at any throttle level, so guess it'll live.

 

No where does it say to use premium gas with a max. Ive used 93 92 89 87 and noticed no differences.

 

it just wont take off as well. knock sensors will let prevent damage to your engine. no big deal. just dont do it again! haha

 

Look in the owner's manual. You will probably have pinging before you hit 100K if you keep it up with the 87.

From Flyin Miata.....
Quite a few people have reported plug fouling problems when using various octane boosters, sounds like it's just not worth the aggravation. If you have been using octane booster and notice misfiring, go straight to the spark plugs, you will probably find some nasty deposits on them, from the octane booster.

 

Uh, dude check the fuel filler door.
It says: "Premium fuel is recommended for MAXimum performance"

 

Yeah I now that but it doesnt say you HAVE to use premium. "For improved vehicle performance NISSAN recommends at least 91 AKI"

Im just saying its not gonna kill the engine. And on my car I will be WELL below 100k before my lease is up..

 

Oh, ok you should have said you were leasing. In that case, I would use 87.

 

on the inside of the gas door,also the owners manual says you can use 87 but performance will be reduced slightly.Book reccomends premium..KEY WORD RECOMEND

 

on 02 and 03 says only use premium.....im telling you it doesnt matter what you use...my boss bought his in oct of 01 and it hasent seen a drop of premium....and i do it periodicly if im somewhere that has premium for more than 1.60 a gallon.....

you arent going to hurt your engine using 87,,,,,i would be more worried about the octane boost than the kind of gas you put in there...just like asu stated......

 

this is from the '02 book... interpret it as you wish but I only use 89 in my car.

 

i highly doubt that you pulled that off the gas door....on the gas door is says only premium......and as for what you did post only goes to strengthen what i said....YOU CAN USE ANY GAS!....just like my last 3 posts say........

 

from the '02 book

 

ok and is says exactly what i stated....use any gas....it isnt gonna hurt anything....on the gas door it says only premium.....i was just assuring the fella he doesnt have to worry about the gas........why the arguement w me?

 

I wasn't arguing with you I was posting exactly what it says... and this is exactly what the door says.

I just get tired of people saying stuff like "I think..." and "My friend read somewhere..." and "My dog's groomer's boyfriend's dad had a friend who read an article about..."

 

ok well i just walked out and looked at mine and it states exactly what i said....PREMIUM GASOLINE ONLY.......maybe its been changed from what 02 stats....so what ......your argueing with someone that says the same thing you did....cheap gas is ok.....wtf?

 

I'M NOT ARGUING WITH YOU!

I get tired of people guessing what the manual says and I had a copy on my laptop so there it is. Easier to post and end the discussion. Then the door sticker thing... easier to post than guess...

Where is the argument?

 

since you posted the reply to my post it seemed to me you were trying to correct me about what i said....
sorry....
anyhow we were both telling the guy tthe same thing..
ok for cheap gas

i apologize....looked like you were trying to correct something i stated.....
its all good
driving from nh to the md bbq?

 

Nah, but thanks. That's like a 7 hour hike one way. There was just a meet in NH this weekend but I had family up so couldn't make it.

 

i dunno bout you guys but when i put 87 in mine it seems to burn a lot faster than the 91... i noticed my range has gone down...

like the cost is cheaper for 87 but at the speed it burns... i might as well get 91... but whatever... ur car 87, 89, 91, top fuel... whatever floats your boat...

BTW i have a 2000