so i got a 2001 nissan maxima se automatic if i use reg gas mostly but wanted to switch which is better and how do i make the transition??

 

if you know what reg gas is you should know what is better, and the best rule of thumb is to fill up w full tanks, so when ur on E with the existing reg gas in your tank that is an ideal time to switch to a different one.

 

ok will do thanks pro

 

Drive ur car to empty and fill with shell 93 (: thats what i use atleast, Mobil and others work as well but use 93 dont bother with 89... As it is the least used gas so it sits in the stations tanks longer and gets ****ty

 

You'll have to purchase a new car before you switch gas. True story...

 

This thread is a little ridiculous, I've let it ride. But, really, it doesn't matter, the octane argument has gone on forever. I use premium on both my cars. Always have always will, not sure what the huge deal is. Use what you want, the car will not blow up and die, especially a DEK with lower octane fuel.

If you were asking about motor oil dino and syn in the same pan, then I'd be more concerned.

 

I hope you are using higher octane rating gas on your car, if you're not using at least 90 or higher, you'll gonna have some pinging issue on the long run, when the knock sensor gonna keep trying to compensate for the lower octane rating. As I remember in my owner manual says Premium Fuel is used.

 

You may not have noticed, but it also says on the inside of the gas cap.

Premium fuel is recommended for maximum performance or something along those lines.

 

Use 91 or higher on these Maximas. It os well documented that regular gas in the long run causes issues.

My 2001 maxima I used 89 for several months. Only bc that was when Katrina hit and gas prices were never ever the same. Long story short, it ran like crap.

My 2003 maxima I used nothing but 91 or higher. Took it from 30k to 125k miles without a single ping.

Yes there will always be a debate... but generally, a 6cyl car requires a higher octane to run as effectively as possible.

And that comment about 89 being the least used octane at a gas station... I guarantee that it is the most frequent gasoline octane used on planet earth.

Just my $.02

 

Keep in mind, that's why I keep using the term Premium, because in some local towns, 90 is premium. (7500' elev).

And it's not about cylinders, it's about compression ratio.

 

On the Octane issue, I have used both and it generally depends. Gas with a lot of additives seems to not do as well as your basic off brand. On the other hand the butt dyno says go premium. I have spoke with owners of gas stations before about gas that has ethanol and that which doesn't. ethanol free costs significantly more now because it is not subsidized the way ethanol is. I have noted that ethanol does not effect performance.


Oh and the 89 octane being bad because it sits there not used? that is totally wrong. why? because gas stations only have 2 types of gas. 2 tanks. 2 types of delivery. Premium and regular. The midgrade is a drawn from both tanks. Have you ever seen a station run out of just midgrade?

 

Nowadays, most brands have standardized the lingo:

87 = regular
89 = plus
91 = premium
93 = super/ultra

Yes you def. correct, compression ratios are what its about. I was generalizing the idea that the more cylinders a car has the higher the performance. Say a 4cyl altima vs. a 8cyl clk500.

There are several exceptions of course.

 

Oops, my bad. Now I understand what they meant... midgrade not regular.

 

Some people don't have any business operating a vehicle....

 

keep it filled with premium(it's usually 92 or 93 here in MO) and I like to add seafoam to a tank every 4-6 months

 

wow ok great feedback i didnt expect so much on the topic but im glad i brung it up thanks to everyone here for the info

 

Don't listen to these guys.

Switching octane at any point is fine, just don't mix brands of gas. Once you start with say Mobil gas, you have to stay with that brand of gas for the rest of the car's life. Or, if you want to switch, you have to get every last drop out of the gas tank, then fill up the tank with vinegar and water (perfect 50/50 is best), then run the car for 15 minutes. This is like cleaning your coffee machine at home. Then, siphon out the water and vinegar and your gas tank will be cleansed and ready for a different brand of gas.

 

Interesting

 

^ sage advice

 

That's the stupidest thing I've ever read.

Don't know if I should post this question here or start a new thread so sorry if it's
off topic but can I fill up my tires at different gas station or do I have to use the same air machine?
Will they get damaged if I switch?

 

If you just have air in your tires then any place is fine. If you have nitrogen then you should put nitrogen in the tires.

Sorry to hijack this thread but I also have a fule question!
Which would you recommend of the following two:

1). Shell 91 octane with no ethanol
2) petro canada 94 octane with up to 10% ethanol

Thanks

 

real gas, F ethanol

 

Wow. This thread is sorta out there.

In many rural areas, the same gasoline truck serves several different brands of gas stations. I have lived in small towns where the same truck served both gas stations, which were different brands. Even in huge metropolitan areas, different brands get gas from the same pipeline and add their own additives. These additives are not harmful, and generally somewhat similar between brands.

I have rotated brands of fuel for over sixty-five years with absolutely never a hint of trouble with the fuel system in any of my many cars. At this time, I alternate between Shell, Chevron and BP in my 7th gen, and have never found any reason to 'run the tank low' before switching.

Those here who do lots of driving far from home understand that 'brand loyalty' is fine, but serves little scientific purpose, and can leave one stranded on a lonely backroad, looking for a particular brand.

I have read automotive mags off and on for almost seventy years, and I have never seen any warning about switching between major brands of gasoline. What I HAVE seen are many articles over the years listing endless automotive urban legends, and some are almost beyond belief.

Anyone who has a Maxima that runs poorly on 89 octane has something wrong with the fuel system in their car. Many folks run regular in their Maxima with no noticable problem. I personally would NEVER run regular in a Maxima. I use premium the first 18 months with each new Maxima (I have owned two 1985 gen 2 Maximas and all gens since), then switch to midgrade from that point on, with no measurable affect in performance or MPG.

And midgrade is not, as someone here suggested, sitting and growing old at the station. All the stations I have checked in my part of the country have only two gasoline tanks - premium and regular. The midgrade pump draws equally from both tanks.

Nissan RECOMMENDS (NOT REQUIRES) 91 octane for maximum performance because, in maximum acceleration (elapsed time runs), a slight edge can sometimes be determined electronically when running 91 octane over lower octanes, but, acording to auto mags I have read over the years, not nearly enough difference over 89 octane to be felt in the seat of the pants in a Maxima, unless something is off with the fuel system of the car. Certainly no difference in everyday driving.

As to the air machines, as long as we add nitrogen to nitrogen-filled tires, and air to air-filled tires, the only thing to be concerned with is measuring the pressure. The key there is to have an accurate guage, then use that guage for every measurement, as those guages at air supply stations vary.

But there are as many opinions here as there are posters, and I will have ruffled enough feathers with this post to keep the server humming for a few weeks.

 

Someone's sarcasm detector is broken

3.5s do not take kindly to 89. Some don't even like 91 and need 93 if it's hot.

 

This thread/subject is as old as time. Will 87 work in a Maxima? - Yes of course it will. Not everyone has owned their Maxima from day one. If I did, then perhaps I'd be able care for it the way it should be from day one.

I think it is fair to say that octane alone will not determine the best driving performance in our cars. So many other factors play into it. I believe the #1 factor in predicting maximum performance is owner knowledge and attention... how well an owner take care of their car.

Sure 91 is absolutely recommended. So is eating healthy, fresh foods. Can we survive on fast food and other crap? Absolutley... we will survive. We probably wont thrive or live very long, but there in lies the answer.

If anyone wants to test it and takes chances on putting regular gas in their Maxima, then fire on. I for one, have experienced enough in my 3 5th Gen Max's to know better. It allows me to narrow down my diagnoses of whether bad fuel is causing me issues. One less thing to worry about.

Think of your car like your body... what you put in, how well you exercise and maintain it will determine what you get out of it and how long it will last... or at least your maximize the lifespan.

 

Well put.


For the first time, I filled my 02 Max with regular fuel last week. We had family on the island and I knew I would be going to through a tank quickly.

Contrary to what the majority of people say around here, it felt light years different. It was much less responsive and sputtered at certain times when I hit the go button.

I have always put premium in all of my vehicles (most of them have required it), but I had to test this theory that it makes no difference in the Maximas. Never again will I put anything but premium in the tank.

 

My vq sounds like a mack truck with regular gas ,but only slight pingin during part throttle when i fill'er up with 93v(q)power from shell ,

 

Wow, then I'm not the only one?! That's the exact reason I put a tank of regular through my car. I always get a slight ping with premium, but with regular I thought I was driving my other Max.