Is it possible to mix gasoline. What happens if you accidentally mix gasoline and diesel fuel Is it possible to fill in different gasoline

Is it possible to mix gasoline of different grades with each other? Russian motorists do not stop asking themselves such a question. In Europe, such a question cannot even enter the sickest head. The negative answer suggests itself.

If you consider this problem from all sides and dig deeper, you can find interesting facts and patterns.

All motorists know that at Russian gas stations, the quality of gasoline does not meet international standards, and this is putting it mildly.

Gasoline during its processing at the plant has an octane number of only 42 - 58. It is not worth talking about its quality. Can I immediately overtake gasoline with an octane rating of 92? It is possible, but then the cost of a liter of gasoline will increase many times over. This process is called catalytic reforming. Only 40 - 50% of the total mass of all produced gasoline is produced in this way, and mainly abroad.

Hydrocracked gasoline is cheaper, but less refined. Its octane rating is 82-85. Further, with the help of additives, the desired octane number is achieved.

Gasoline at the gas station

Gasoline at Russian gas stations is often not of the quality that is declared. It can only be tested in the laboratory. At large gas stations, well-established companies somehow monitor the quality of gasoline. Little unknown gas stations can use various additives to raise the octane number, the quality and expiration date of which no one has checked. Try to avoid such gas stations. Checks show that sometimes declared AI-92 gasoline actually has an octane rating of 76.

Risks when blending gasoline

Is it possible to mix different grades of gasoline? Officially, no one answers this question.

The ignition of modern cars is tuned to a specific type of fuel. Following from this, mixing gasoline leads to a change in its octane number, and this should negatively affect the operation of the car unit.

Refueling at a gas station, you cannot be guaranteed that your gas tank contains AI-98 fuel, and not AI-95 or some mix made from these varieties.

Mixing different brands of AI-80 and AI-95 gasoline, you think that AI-92 will magically appear in the gas tank. This is not entirely true. Many experts say that at our gas stations, gasoline of the same brand can be very different. Refuel at approved gas stations.

The opinions of many motorists on the issue of whether gasoline can be mixed or not are divided. Some interfere and say that the car tolerates this mixture perfectly.

Others argue that the days of saving money by blending gasoline are over. Now manufacturers add a huge amount of substances to the composition of gasoline, which is unknown how this mixture will behave in the car unit.

It is very common to see fuel splitting in the gas tank. You mixed AI-80 and AI-95, but for some reason it didn't mix. After driving on the AI-95, then your engine starts to work on the AI-80. And here the engine of your car is waiting for a big nuisance.

Modern cars are equipped with an automatic knock sensor, its task is to adjust the unit to the poured gasoline in the tank. If your car is equipped with such a sensor that adjusts all elements of the engine for poured gasoline, you can mix different brands of fuel.

Mixing gasoline is not quite the right thing to do, but lovers of such a cocktail claim that they have been doing this for many years, and this does not affect the engine in any way.

To mix gasoline or not, the owner of the car decides. This issue must be considered on a case-by-case basis. Much depends on the car and the individual gasoline.

If you've been dealing with fuel long enough, you've come across this situation at least once. Mixing gasoline and diesel fuel is impractical, but this is not a disaster. The question is how much and what did you accidentally fill in. The following is a discussion of what can happen in such a situation.

Differences between gasoline and diesel fuel

The differences between the two fuels must be taken into account. Diesel fuel is heavier than gasoline because it is made up of large molecules. The temperature of ignition and self-ignition is much higher. With this in mind, the opposite can also apply: gasoline flares more easily at a lower temperature than diesel fuel.

The ingress of gasoline into diesel fuel

Let's say you accidentally poured a small amount of gasoline into a diesel tank. First, the ignition temperature of the diesel will decrease, which is dangerous, since spaces with an increased concentration of gasoline can form in the tank. The ignition temperature will not be constant throughout the tank.

Given the large difference in ignition temperature between gasoline and diesel fuel, it does not take much gasoline to lower the ignition temperature. Clogging with gasoline by 1% reduces the ignition temperature of a diesel engine by 18 degrees. This means that the diesel fuel will ignite prematurely in the diesel engine, which can lead to engine damage.

Gasoline contamination can damage the fuel pump and ruin diesel injectors. This is due to the lubrication being washed off. Simply put, gasoline is a solvent and diesel fuel is an oil. Diesel has sufficient lubricity to lubricate fuel pumps and injectors. Gasoline contamination will wash away this lubricant, resulting in damage.

You will also get incomplete combustion, initially characterized by a lot of black smoke. Aside from the aesthetic issue, the car's computer will try to compensate for the lack of combustion by adjusting the air/fuel mixture. This will significantly reduce the power and performance of the car. If you continue to use such a mixture, you can damage the car's computer sensors, overheating and coating with soot, as a result of which they will not be able to detect anything.

The ingress of diesel fuel into gasoline

Consider the reverse situation - you mix a more flammable, heavier fuel with gasoline, which is lighter, more volatile, and burns at a lower temperature. Despite these differences, the ingress of diesel fuel into gasoline will not cause as many problems as the reverse situation.

Of greatest concern is the decline in octane, which is a measure of the ability of gasoline to catch fire at the right time. Lower octane gasoline ignites too quickly after it enters the tank. It ignites and explodes, but the piston is still on its way up. The impact and pressure results in a knocking sound (at best) or damage to the piston.

Gasoline must have an octane rating of 87-95 to match modern engines. Diesel fuel has an octane rating of 25-40. Mixing 2% diesel and gasoline will result in a 1 point reduction in total octane. 10% diesel pollution reduces octane by 5 points, which is enough to cause problems in most engines. Octane deficiency increases linearly with an increase in the percentage of diesel fuel in gasoline.

Thus, a high level of diesel contamination will damage the engine. Moderate fouling will give a messy burn and can damage the engine if not done right.

Probably everyone at least once refueled first with 92 gasoline, and then 95 or 98. And then he rode and suffered - but what will really happen? After all, there are a lot of tales and myths on the Internet that the engine will almost immediately shut down. That the difference is global and this cannot be done! But really, let's think about whether it is really possible to mix, say, 92 and 95 or 95 and 98? What will be the consequences, what will happen in the end and how the car will react to this. I will try to tell on my fingers, as usual there will be a video version. What we read and watch...

Friends, I have already written many times about fuel and in particular about. But there was no question of mixing. YES, and often drivers try not to make body fat in their tank, it’s just not why.

At the very beginning, I want to say - what type is your car designed for, this is what you need to pour ! Do not shrink and fill in the "smaller unit". Usually the manufacturer indicates on the tank, in the instructions, or even on the instrument panel. Sometimes there are frames, for example from "91 to 98". BUT often not less than 92. Here, for convenience, the article will take into account exactly it.

Extraction from oil

We all know that gasoline is made from oil, as we say - diesel and kerosene. BUT not everyone knows what octane number is obtained by distillation. Do you think that immediately what you need? NO, IT IS NOT!

Now there are only a few methods (in order not to get into the wilds), let's call them conditionally old and new:

• old method - based on the direct distillation of oil. If you want it, how to drive "moonshine" at home. Light fractions evaporate and then condense. So the octane number that was obtained with this method is only 50 - 60 units, everything else had to be caught up with additives. In fairness, it should be noted that now the direct distillation method is practically not used, this is an outdated technology that cannot produce EURO5 fuel.
• New method – based on various types of cracking (the most common are catalytic or thermal cracking). Here, under pressure (or other formulas), oil is decomposed into the desired groups of hydrocarbons. This is a complex modern technology, but the quality and volume of the resulting fuel is much higher. The octane number is about 70 - 80 units, much less additives are needed.

As you can see, the number 92 does not appear in any of the cases, and even more so 95 or 98

Modern additives

We all remember AI93, which was very harmful, because additives based on tetraethyl lead were added to it (they are very effective compared to modern additives) - this is the so-called leaded gasoline. Banned for over 20 years.

Now there are mainly unleaded compounds, which include 92, 95, and 98. Here, after all, 70-80 units need to be brought up to a certain standard. BUT they are completely different. If you do not climb into the wilds, then they are based on ALCOHOL and ETHER.

The formula is very simple, for example, a base (obtained by cracking) is taken, let's say 80 units, then alcohol (or ether of 118 - 120 units) is added in the required proportion, as a result, the desired number is 92-98.

What I want to say with this is that gasoline is now produced almost the same way, the difference is the amount of additives which differs in percentage, therefore the price per liter does not differ so much.

So is it possible to mix or not?

YES, YOU CERTAINLY MAY , nothing bad will happen. To put it bluntly, it's like mixing "vodka" at 38 and 40 degrees. YOU WILL GET SOMETHING AVERAGE.

So in modern gasoline, the base is the same, the additives are the same, the difference is only in the amount of additives. That is, if you mix 92 and 95, roughly speaking, you get 93.5. The same picture with 95 and 98

Those who write that 92 will be at the bottom, but 95 will be at the top, simply did not study the compositions of modern gasolines and how they are prepared, there will be one composition, there will be no layers!

And modern motors will adapt to any type that you fill in, because now there are a lot of sensors (for example, detonation), phase shifters and other devices.

Various gas stations and manufacturers

I won't write now that all major brands buy fuel from several refineries , yet this is not entirely true.

The most important thing to understand is that all gasoline is now standardized - not only according to GOST, but also according to the characteristics and standards of EURO (EURO5 is now used in Russia).

I admit that different manufacturers may slightly change the formula, but the overall composition should be within certain limits. It's like milk in stores with 2.5% fat content, there are a lot of manufacturers, but the final composition is the same.

THEREFORE, if you refuel at different gas stations with one type of fuel, or at one 92, and at another 95 gasoline. Nothing bad will happen.

Now we are watching a short and useful video

Many motorists often ask the question, what will happen if you fill the tank with gasoline of different quality? In European countries, such an idea does not occur to anyone at all. But for our compatriots, this is very important, since fuel prices are constantly rising and therefore, we have to look for different ways to somehow save money.

If you delve deeper into this issue and read the information on the site http://automv.ru/mozhno-li-smeshivat-92-95-benzin.html, an interesting pattern emerges.

Gasoline production

After processing at the plant, gasoline with an octane rating of 42-58 is obtained. You shouldn't even think about how high quality this product is. To improve the fuel, you need to carry out the process of catalytic reforming. But this is a rather expensive processing method, after which the price of gasoline increases significantly. Such fuel is produced most often abroad, and its market share is only 40-50%.

Cheaper and lower quality gasoline is obtained by hydrocracking. Such a product reaches an indicator of 82-84. Using special additives, manufacturers achieve the desired quality.

Petrol at gas stations

At domestic gas stations they sell fuel, the quality of which does not always correspond to the declared parameters. This problem can be identified only after laboratory tests. Large firms with an impeccable reputation strictly control the quality of the product. What happens at little-known gas stations is unknown, so it is better to bypass them. There are cases when the brand AI-92, after laboratory analysis, shows that it is AI-76 gasoline.

Mixing

Now it's time to talk about what happens if you mix cheap and expensive gasoline. Theoretically, you can save money on this, but will this approach harm the power plant of your vehicle?

Each brand of gasoline has a certain density. After mixing, the laws of physics come into play, and gasoline with a lower octane number ends up at the bottom of the tank, and with a higher one rises to the top. Accordingly, first the fuel pump will take low-quality gasoline, and then the rest. This can negatively affect power and fuel consumption. But there are exceptions, since the engines of some cars can run on any brand of gasoline, regardless of their quality. In this case, you can safely mix any brands that the manufacturer recommends for refueling.

The appearance on the market of many types of fuel is caused by the tightening of environmental legislation. In the second half of the 2000s, Euro-4 and Euro-5 standards were introduced, which forced manufacturers to increase the efficiency of motors. The exhaust becomes cleaner and fuel consumption drops. Since 2010, Russia has switched to Euro-4, and since 2014 - to a more advanced Euro-5. Five classes of fuel have been introduced, with the first two already banned. As a result, refineries had to hastily update production and re-equip production lines. Fuel additives and other fashionable chemistry have spread.

Downgrading is better

Meanwhile, the car park in Russia has a colossal variety. Domestic cars of classic designs represent the majority of the mass fleet and require old grades of fuel. Therefore, AI-92 for carburetor cars from the nineties, when they did not hear about any Euro standards, will not disappear at gas stations for a long time. But what if modern 95th gasoline gets into the old "penny", and the ancient 92nd into the new "Solaris"?

“Until recently, the production of AI-92 and AI-95 was similar to each other,” says the automotive expert Igor Morzharetto.- A common base was produced, and grades with different octane numbers were obtained from it with the help of chemical additives. Such gasoline mixed easily. But after the renewal of oil refineries, there were serious changes in technological processes.” Gasoline has become a more complex product.

There is usually a recommended fuel label on the gas tank cap. As a rule, cars with naturally aspirated engines can consume 92, and more modern turbocharged units ask for a minimum of 95, and some - 98. And if the manufacturer recommended filling in one of them, then it is better to obey his advice. If there is a shortage at the gas station, and there is no necessary fuel, then it is better to resort to simple rules.

But when you fill an old car with more energy-intensive fuel (AI-95 or AI-98), then there is a risk of harm, especially with active driving. The motor, of course, will come to life, and the old car will remember its youth. However, the load on the valves will increase. The combustion chamber, the shape of the pistons, the steel of the valves withstand certain conditions. A more powerful fuel will lead to a violation of baric and thermal processes, which will affect the incorrect fuel burnout. But it is still difficult to “kill” a very old engine with high-quality 95th gasoline.

Classiness matters the most

Before refueling, it is better to look at the class of fuel. It is indicated on certificates that are posted on bulletin boards at gas stations. If the class is below the fourth, then you should think about it before mixing it with modern grades of class 5. The fact is that K5 gasolines contain detergent additives and other components that are neutralized when mixed with old K4 and K3. Their enemy is N-methylaniline, which distorts the properties of more expensive fuel, including those with the same octane number, which is found in old varieties. In general, K5 gasolines do not tolerate archaism and require a respectful attitude from the driver. In other words, if you pour the old AI-95 into the new one, then the remnants of the new one will lose some of their magical washing qualities. Although things still won’t come to deposits and burns if the car was assembled not so long ago.

But low-quality fuel poured into an old engine can easily damage it. Incorrect temperature conditions lead to the formation of soot and deposits on the valves and in the combustion chambers. In addition, valve metal sometimes does not withstand "left" additives and begins to slowly break down. In this regard, the most common 92nd is more reliable, since it is less faked. There is even a popular belief that candles turn red from the 95th gasoline. This coating is due to outdated additives and has nothing to do with the type of fuel.