CincyFlyer
Veteran Member
Octane is the measure of ignition delay. The higher the octane, the more the fuel can be compressed before it ignites. For best performance and reliability, you should use the octane that the engine is designed for. Using too low and you will get pre-ignition (knock), using too high and you will have lost power (higher octane fuel actually has less energy in it). Contrary to what some believe, higher octane is not synonymous with better fuel.
Ethanol blended fuel can damage seals and gaskets on older equipment, and is generally less stable, but is not poorer quality or cheaper fuel. Ethanol also has lower energy content than petroleum-based gas: about 10% less. At 10% blend, there is about 1% less energy overall - hardly noticeable.
Actually, octane numbers indicate resistance to detonation, AKA "knock", which occurs after the ignition event. Deflagration is the normal state of affairs in the combustion chamber. Pre-ignition is an ignition event that was unplanned, usually caused by a "hot spot" in the combustion chamber, such as carbon, or a too-hot spark plug.