Is Premium Gas Really Necessary?

Mshugna, I suspect you’re right. But I also have to comment that while the original post was answered repeatedly, the OP’s follow up question of what the mechnical reasoning is has yet to be fully answered. So I’ll try.

As matter is compressed it generates heat. That includes the fuel mix that goes into the cylinders. Higher performance engines use higher compression in the cylinders (either via higher mechanical ratios or additional boost, such as a turbocharger) to attain more power. The heat from the added compression when added to the residual heat in the cylinder from the prior combustion can create a condition wherein either the fuel self-ignites (knocking) or a second ignition point happens by itself when the initial combustion process begins creating a second wavefront that hits the sparkplug-induced wavefront causing that pinging sound. Both are forms of heat-induced preignition and both can destroy an engine.

Higher octane fuels are resistant to this unintentional detonation. They detonate less readily.

Economy cars don’t generally suffer from this because they don’t use high compression ratios or boost pressures.

Not really, they may not have been able to recognize greatness.

Your modern engine with no turbocharger should not need premium to keep from self-destructing but fuel mileage and maximum power may be compromised. Power may not be a problem but you might want to compare your fuel mileage with each. If your ears are ok and you don’t have audible detonation then you don’t have detonation. There is no silent, insidious detonation. Temporary detonation as in about a 1/2 second, is not a problem.

Google these for more on engine damage or not:

Wayne Baldwin Volvo Edmunds
Gottfried Schiller Car and Driver
Lewis Gibbs Porsche
Loren Beard detonation sensor

I don’t know why them car engineers don’t recommend using kerosene in them engines. Shoot, kerosene don’t ping none!