What happens if you put 93 instead of 87?
Daniel Moore
Published Jan 25, 2026
What Happens If You Put 93 Gas In A 87 Car? You do not have to worry about accidentally adding more octane (say 91, 92, or 93) to your fuel tank if you usually fill your tank with 87-octane gasoline. The gasoline you fill your vehicle with is a different blend, meaning its engine fuel will burn differently.
Can I put 93 in my 87 car?
Can You Mix 87 And 93 Together? In addition to 95 octane fuel running through the 87 or 89 octane engines, you have absolutely no harm to your engine. The 93 octane fuel will not need to be run in any circumstances.
What happens when you put 93 gas instead of 87?
If you usually fill your tank up with 87-octane gasoline and you accidentally put in a higher octane blend (say, 91, 92, or 93), don't worry. You're actually filling your car or truck with a different blend of gas, which means it will burn differently in your engine.
What happens if you mix 93 octane with 87?
Mixing regular or mid-grade gasoline (87 – 89 octane) with premium gasoline (91 – 93 octane) won't be harmful to cars designed to run on regular gasoline. However, mixing these gasoline types in cars designed for premium gasoline may result in engine knocking and damage to the fuel system depending on the car.
Is there really a difference between 87 and 93?
Regular gas is rated at 87 octane in most states, while premium gas is often rated higher at 91 or 93. Fuel with a higher octane rating can stand up to higher compression before it detonates. Essentially, the higher the octane rating, the lower the likelihood that detonation happens at the wrong time.
26 related questions foundWhat happens if I use 93 gas?
If you burn 93 octane fuel, your engine will function without any harm. The 93 octane fuel simply cannot be run at this time. Your car won't run better when you use it.
What happens if I put higher octane fuel in my car?
As premium gas is higher in octane, it is more resistant to early fuel ignition, which can result in potential damage, including engine knocking and pinging. Fuels that are compressed more without pre-ignition result in more power when they are used in the right engine because they are more efficient.
What happens if you accidentally put regular gas instead of premium?
“If you mistakenly fill up with regular fuel, your car's ECU will adjust engine timing and performance to work with the lower-octane fuel,” The Drive said. “In most cases, this is OK for the times when there are no premium pumps around, but it's not ideal to run the cheapest fuel possible for extended periods of time.”
Is it OK to mix 89 and 93 gas?
you'll be alright. That's a lot of trouble to go through to save a couple of dollars per fill up only to end up with 90 octane gas. But yes, as was mentioned they do mix and "split the difference" to make 90 octane if you mix them in equal parts.
What happens if you accidentally put unleaded in a premium car?
Premium gas has a higher-octane level than regular gas; or, in other words, a higher resistance to detonation. As various pressures rise inside of the cylinder of the engine, this will also result in a temperature rise, and the gasoline will sometimes detonate, or, “explode” in the cylinder.
Will 93 gas hurt my car?
Most cars on the road recommend a standard grade 87 or 89. Premium gas 90-93 is completely okay to put in a standard vehicle. Car experts say there is no risk of damage to a standard car using premium fuel.
Will 93 octane clean my engine?
Higher Octane Doesn't Mean Better Performance
Using a higher octane gasoline will not help clean your engine. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires all commercially sold gasoline to contain engine cleaning detergent additives that can help extend the life of your vehicle.
Can I put 93 in my 91 car?
Yes, drivers can mix the two types of fuel. The combined gas types will result in an octane level somewhere in the middle — something the vehicle “will survive,” according to The Drive.
Does 93 octane add horsepower?
Premium, also known as 93 octane gasoline, is the most expensive gasoline at the pump. Premium gasoline does and does not give more horsepower, depending on the type of automotive engine it is used in.
Does 93 octane burn slower?
Lower octane gas burns quicker than higher octane, and so require less energy to ignite.
Can I put 93 gas in my BMW?
BMW recommends that their drivers only use high-octane fuel, such as 91+ octane. This will help ensure you BMW performs at its best, though, as with any fuel option, there are some pros and cons to 91+ octane fuel.
Will premium gas clean my engine?
Nope. Regular, plus, and premium gas all come with detergents to mitigate against carbon deposits in your engine. Plus and premium don't come with special powers for cleaning out the engine. If you're interested in cleaning out your engine, you're better off taking it in for service.
What happens if you put 87 in a BMW?
The short answer is - nothing. Most BMWs can run on regular gas so you aren't at any risk of causing damage to your brother's car. When you put regular gas in a BMW as opposed to premium, the car will recognize this and may run with a little less power and less timing but all components will work properly.
Is it okay to put 87 in a 91?
“Use premium unleaded gasoline with a posted octane rating of 91 or higher. If the octane rating is less than 91, you could damage the engine and may void your vehicle warranty. If heavy knocking is heard when using gasoline rated at 91 octane or higher, the engine needs service.”
Can I damage my engine with higher octane?
The higher octane gives premium gas greater resistance to early fuel ignition, which can result in potential damage, sometimes accompanied by audible engine knocking or pinging.
Is 93 a premium gas?
Gas stations in the United States generally offer three octane grades: regular (usually 87 octane), mid-grade (usually 89 octane), and premium (usually 91 or 93 gas).
Does premium gas prevent carbon build up?
Premium gas ran in a premium engine
This will enable it to work within its full parameters and prevent carbon deposits from appearing, eliminate current deposits and also keep the engine clean in the long run.
What happens if I accidentally put regular gas in my Mercedes?
Don't worry! While it may affect performance, accidentally putting regular gas in your Mercedes-Benz won't damage your car. While Mercedes-Benz cars run on premium fuel, your car will adjust if you accidentally put in 87 octane. You may notice lower performance and a drop in fuel economy.
Can I use 93 octane instead of 91 BMW?
93 is better 91 is just the minimum. you will get more power out of these cars with higher octane maybe not a 1980's station wagon but a modern bmw for sure.. more octane means more power and cleaner burning.
Is 93 and 91 the same?
Fuel may not exceed 15% ethanol (E15).” The Availability: Those in the western half of the country usually only have access to 91-octane fuel, while 93 octane is fairly common in the eastern half. All things being equal, an engine can be tuned to make more power on 93-octane fuel than 91.