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The podcast on man things
S1 E3: Manly Bit - What is Unleaded 87?
What does unleaded 87 mean and which one should you use
Catherine: Have you ever wondered what 87, 89, and 93 mean when you pull up to the gas pump to fill up your car? What about unleaded? Are they actually different? Which one should you be using? I have several questions, and today I'm going to find out the answers. I'm Catherine, and this is manly bits. These episodes are a lot shorter than my main ones, but even though they're short, I promise they're just as satisfying. Today's topic. What does unleaded 87 mean? Let's get right to it. Unleaded 87 is abbreviated for the full description. Unleaded fuel with a minimum octane rating of 87. This goes for 89 and 93 and so on. So, in order to get the full scoop on Unleaded 87, we need to break that description down and need to understand three things. Octane, unleaded fuel, and the number 87. Let's start with octane. We hear phrases like high octane, and I've always taken that to mean dream performance that pushes the limits, like a high octane rock show or a high octane race. But the real definition is a bit different. We know that engines need fuel to run. A gas powered car engine is made up, uh, of at least four cylinders. For the most part, these cylinders compress air and fuel and ignite it with a spark plug, creating a combustion that propels the car. This process requires the fuel to have a certain amount of stability to it. If the fuel is not stable, then the compression movement of the engine can cause the fuel to ignite early, before it reaches the spark plug. This premature detonation is called engine knocking. Believe it or not, unexpected ignition of fuel inside your car is not good for your engine. Crazy. So that brings us to octane. Octane is a gasoline additive that makes fuel more stable. It prevents premature ignition and ensures that the engine combustion is happening at the correct time. Everything operating on all cylinders, one could say day octane. So, General Motors engineers were the first to introduce octane to fuel to prevent engine knocking. This was in 1921. And what was that, uh, additive? Are you ready? Are you ready for this? What was the additive that General Motors added to fuel in 1921 to make it more stable? Lead. Tetraethyl lead. To be more specific. It turned out that lead was an inexpensive and effective way to raise the octane levels of gasoline. But it also turned out that this newly stable fuel was a pretty serious health risk. This method of fuel production pumped lead into the environment and caused lead poisoning and death in production plants. Chemists needed to find a way to increase the octane levels of gasoline without adding lead. Fast forward to the 1970s, and they did just this. Unleaded fuel was created and added to the market as an option for motorists. Hey, my engine now fires correctly and no one is getting lead poisoning. Nice job, chemists. Unleaded fuel typically will have one of three main additives, MTBE, BTEx, both additives that are petroleum based and the current most widely preferred mixture, ethanol. Ethanol is a renewable fuel made from plant materials. Ethanol also increases engine optimization and burns more completely than leaded fuel, meaning less carbon monoxide, particulates, and exhaust in the atmosphere. For reference, over 95% of unleaded gasoline sold in the US today contains ethanol. Leaded gasoline was banned from on road vehicles in 1996 in the United States, but leaded gas is still allowed for aircraft, racing cars, farm equipment, and marine engine use. Okay, so we know what octane means, and now we know the difference between leaded and unleaded fuel. Now there's only one piece left, the number 87 when you pull up to the pump and are prevented with
00:05:00
Catherine: 87, 89, and 93. These numbers are referring to the octane rating. The higher the octane number, the less likely you'll experience engine knocking or unplanned ignition of fuel. So the ranges of these octane ratings are regular, the lowest grade, generally 87 mid grade, generally 89 to 90, premium, 91 to 94, and then f 101, which would be 95 to 102. Lower octane fuel like 87, would be able to handle the least amount of compression before igniting. However, most standard cars do not require anything higher than 87. High performance cars that produce more power in their engines will require higher octane fuel. If you have a regular car and you choose to put high grade octane gas into it, you might experience an increase in fuel performance and miles per gallon in the long run, and you'll probably produce less pollution as you drive it. But unless you're spending a lot of time at Le Mans and the nurburgring, you probably don't need it. So there you have it, everyone. That is what unleaded 87 means. Next time you're at the pump, please make sure to explain to everyone that will listen how octane affects your engine combustion, how leaded fuel is banned, and how 87 should be just fine for your daily commute. I'm Catherine, and this was your manly bit. If you like what you are hearing and you want to stay connected, there are a few ways you can do that. We are on Instagram menstuffpodcast. If you'd like to support the show, consider becoming a Patreon on patreon.com menstuffpodcasts and if you have feedback, questions or topic suggestions or you just want to say hi, you can email us@menstuffpodcastmail.com dot of course, the quickest way to stay in touch with us is to subscribe to us on your platform of choice. And of course, I'd love for you to leave a five star review and tell your friends. M despite the name, men's stuff is a podcast designed for everyone. Our choice of title is not meant to exclude or discriminate against any gender or identity. Instead, it's a playful nod to the diversity of topics we explore and the perspectives we invite. The creator of men's stuff, Catherine, is a woman who embraces the irony of leading a podcast with such a title. Her aim is to foster open and inclusive conversations that resonate with everyone, regardless of gender. So whether you identify as male, female, non binary, or anywhere in between, you are welcome and your insight matters. Thanks for listening.
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