It's bizarre how you guys only get 92 octane fuel at your stations! by looking over the forums, I assume most run 92 octane is what I mean! Is there some reason why your fuel is at this rating? Hotter weather!!!
We now have 102 octane for sale at our stations, that's obviously 10 octane + surely that's a huge improvement in performance plus with our colder (scottish) air

I know to compensate for this, the timing is retarded (for lower octane) but this does effect smooth running/performance etc, etc.

Cut to the chase! just want to know why 92 octane is a big seller!

 

Stated octane can vary dramatically. The system used to classify the octane is very important to know. Research octane is easily tweeked.

In the United States the octane is a combination of motor octane plus research octane divided by two. How is the octane determined in Scotland?

 

Haven't a bloody clue Sideways! I'm just really curious to why such a large difference! Does any of you guys run higher octane/race fuel/booster?

 

There really isn't much of a difference. What you're seeing is the difference in the way octane number is calculated in the US versus the UK. In the US, it's the average of two values (Research Octane Number and Motor Octane Number). In the UK, it's just the RON.

For example, BP Ultimate 102 has a RON of 102, and a MON of 90, so it's equivalent to 96 Octane in the US, which is a little higher than the 93 Octane we can get in the midwest. Although, the poor bastards in California top out at 91 Octane, unless they get race gas...

 

We have a VP Fuels dealer nearby; I run unleaded 103:

http://www.vpracingfuels.com/vp_01_fuels.html#unleaded

 

European octane labels at the pump indicate Reasearch Octane Number (RON). Octane's quoted in the US and Canada (possibly other places) are the average of RON and Motor Octane number (MON) of the fuel. MON ratings are typically 8-10 points lower then the RON rating. So your RON of 102 is most likely has a 92 ( RON+MON / 2). So much for gross differences in fuel.

 

Just looked at the VP Fuel site (as per prubin post) found 1 of the fuel types


VP-110
Not your "standard" 110! Highest rated MON of any 110 fuel on the market. Formulated for use in naturally aspirated engines with CRs up to 14:1. Works well in 2-strokes. Good lower cost alternative. • Color: Purple
• MON: 107, RON 113, R+M/2 = 110
• Specific Gravity: .720-.735 @ 60° F

 

The ratings are different and this will confuse the masses and does on a normal basis. I have had customers think their 100 octane RON was like our 100 octane and the car would shut down because the race program require their equivalent of 109 RON.