Assume that you own a Ferrari 458 Italia. This car\'s engine has a 12.5:1 compre

Question

Assume that you own a Ferrari 458 Italia. This car's engine has a 12.5:1 compression ratio (very high compression ratio for a gasoline engine). On your drive to campus for Thermo class, you stop at a gas station to fill up the tank. You accidentally fill your tank with 87 octane gasoline. Upon realizing your mistake, you check your owner's manual, which specifies that the fuel should have a minimum octane rating of 91. What may happen inside your engine as a result of using the lower octane fuel? Why?

Explanation / Answer

This can cause early or uneven ignition of the air/fuel mixture in the cylinder, causing a distinct pinging or knocking sound. The sound comes from the uneven combustion front because lower octane fuels are less stable, and are too easily ignited at conditions present in high compression (or high boost) engines.

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