Good octane or any pure fuel is very important for a bike engine. Pure fuel makes the engine perform longer and also plays an important role in getting more mileage. But many of us do not know which type of fuel is good for motorcycle engines.
Almost all bikes in our country use octane as fuel. And many of us don’t know how pure the octane we use as fuel is. Many unscrupulous traders sell adulterated octane. This blog has discussed in detail how to identify octane and why octane is useful as a bike fuel.
What is octane?
Many of us think that octane and petrol are two different types of fuel. This is a misconception. Both of these are the same type of fuel and have the same chemical composition (C8H18).
Globally, these two fuels are known as gasoline. Internationally, these fuels are expressed with different quality numbers. Their quality is measured by the Research Octane Number, or Ron (RON). For example, RON 91 for octane and RON 87 for petrol.
A research octane number higher than 86 is considered suitable as engine fuel. The research octane number is determined by considering several factors of the engine.
The basic issues are engine controllability, boosting capacity, etc. The pumps of developed countries do not mention petrol or octane; a research octane number or RON number is mentioned.
Users can use the RON number according to the engine capacity of their bike. As our country’s pumps do not have this system, we cannot separate these gasoline fuels and know them as petrol and octane.
That is why we cannot catch adulterated octane. In our country, the research number of gasoline, or octane, is 86, they are known as petrol.
Why is octane useful as bike fuel?
Generally, petrol is used in motorcycles with engine power less than 110 cc. But since the engines of 125 cc or 150-cc bikes are powerful, the use of octane is encouraged on these bikes.
Haier CC bikes have good-quality, powerful 4-stroke engines, and these engines have a high compression ratio. So the bike engine needs octane to run smoothly. Good octane increases the combustion capacity of the fuel.
How to recognize good octane
According to international standards, good-quality gasoline standards start with octane number 86 (Ron 86), this standard can be up to 100. Here, the octane number may be different, but chemically, it is the same substance: gasoline.
How does this octane number increase or decrease, and with this increase – decrease, how is the standard determined? And how does it benefit or harm the engine?
There are ways to identify good octane; there are certain characteristics and qualities that tell a lot about the octane standard.
(1) Verify color or colors:
Good octane can be recognized by its color. Standard-quality octane is slightly pink in color. Petrol is orange in color. Many unscrupulous dealers mix kerosene with octane; the color is almost the same, so you can’t tell unless you look closely.
(2) Check the smell:
Standard octane has a mildly rancid odor, much like that of sprit. But if it feels strongly scratchy, you will understand that something has been mixed in it.
3) Good-quality octane flies in the air.
If it is standard-quality octane, then, if left open, it will mix into the air after some time. To test, rub a few ml of octane on your hand. After a while, you will see that the place where you applied octane to your hand is dry. And if the octane is adulterated, the hand will be oily.
You can do this test in one more way. Pour a few drops of octane over the top. Good-quality octane will mix with the air before hitting the ground. Octane mixed with adulterated kerosene will leach into the soil.
Research octane number vs octane rating:
The research octane number (RON) and octane rating are key parameters used to measure the performance of motor fuels, particularly gasoline, in internal combustion engines.
These ratings are crucial for determining the anti-knock properties of a fuel, meaning its resistance to uncontrolled combustion or knocking in an engine.
Research Octane Number (RON):
Definition: RON is a laboratory test that evaluates the fuel’s performance under mild operating conditions. It simulates the engine’s behavior at low to moderate speeds and low to medium loads.
Test Conditions: The RON test is conducted at relatively low temperatures and lower engine speeds. This allows for the detection of fuels that may cause knocking under less severe conditions.
Scale: The RON scale typically ranges from 0 to 100, with higher numbers indicating better anti-knock properties. For example, a fuel with RON 95 is considered to have better resistance to knocking than a fuel with RON 90.
Octane Rating:
Definition: The octane rating is a combination of two values: RON and Motor Octane Number (MON). The octane rating commonly displayed at gas stations is the average of these two values and is known as the Anti-Knock Index (AKI) or Pump Octane Number (PON).
Calculation: AKI = (RON + MON) / 2
Octane number of diesel
The octane number is a measure of a fuel’s resistance to knocking in internal combustion engines. However, it’s important to note that octane numbers are typically associated with gasoline, not diesel fuel.
Diesel fuel is a different type of fuel commonly used in diesel engines, which operate on a different combustion principle compared to gasoline engines.
The equivalent parameter for diesel fuel is the Cetane Number, which measures the ignition quality of diesel fuel. Here are key points about the Cetane Number.
Can i use 85 octane instead of 87
Higher octane ratings are generally recommended for engines with higher compression ratios or advanced ignition systems to prevent knocking. Using a lower-octane fuel than recommended for your engine may lead to knocking, reduced performance, and potential long-term damage.
If your vehicle’s manufacturer recommends 87-octane fuel, it’s advisable to use that grade. Using 85 octane fuel instead of the recommended 87 octane could lead to knocking, particularly in engines designed for higher octane fuel.
Modern engines are often equipped with sensors and systems to adjust to different fuel qualities, but it’s still best to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for optimal performance and efficiency.
If, for some reason, you are considering using a lower-octane fuel, it’s recommended to check your vehicle’s owner’s manual or consult with the manufacturer to understand the permissible range of octane ratings for your specific engine.
Using a higher-octane fuel than recommended typically does not provide any additional benefits and may result in unnecessary expenses, but using a lower-octane fuel can potentially harm your engine.
