[LmGarcia]

Hello, I’m collecting my M2, next week and where I live there is only E5 fuel (95) is it a problem for the car?
This is my first BMW and I’m looking forward to getting it!

[M2siast]

Congrats on the new car, of course the fuel is fine. Enjoy the carro

[RockCrusher]

Here's what my 2023 M2 owners manual has to say about gasoline....

Gasoline

General information

For the best fuel efficiency, the gasoline should be sulfur-free or very low in sulfur content.

Fuels that are marked on the gas pump as containing metal must not be used.

Fill up using fuel with a maximum ethanol content of 10 %, e.g., E10.

The power and consumption specifications refer to operating with RON 98 E10 fuel.

When using minimum quality AKI 87 fuel, there may be knocking noises as well as driving and acoustic abnormalities. These have no effect on the engine service life.

AKI (anti knock index) 87 is equivalent to 91 RON.

Rough AKI to RON Conversion Guide:

87 AKI = 91 RON.
91 AKI = 93 RON.
93 AKI = 98 RON.
100 AKI = 104 RON.
104 AKI = 108 RON.

So 95 RON is about 92 AKI. I don't see you having any problem.

Just buy from a busy station to ensure you fill up with the freshest gasoline.

[M2Sky]

I only have access to E10 and E20 used both no issues. Get less mileage on E20 that’s about it.

[Kevin_The_Clean1]

Originally Posted by RockCrusher

AKI (anti knock index) 87 is equivalent to 91 RON.

Rough AKI to RON Conversion Guide:

87 AKI = 91 RON.
91 AKI = 93 RON.
93 AKI = 98 RON.
100 AKI = 104 RON.
104 AKI = 108 RON.

So 95 RON is about 92 AKI. I don't see you having any problem.

Just buy from a busy station to ensure you fill up with the freshest gasoline.

RockCrusher Thank you for posting this valuable info. I'll have to see what the crappy 91 octane here in Northern California is equivalent to.

[Shadak]

I have read some local tests on E5 and E10. E5 is of course not a problem, its actually better in general, the tank cap on mine says max E10 I think. E10 might be a problem in old cars and devices and when you leave the gas im the tank for a loong time. in these engines and 95 RON I would add some additive like millers oil maybe.

[RockCrusher]

Originally Posted by Kevin_The_Clean1

RockCrusher Thank you for posting this valuable info. I'll have to see what the crappy 91 octane here in Northern California is equivalent to.

Crappy 91 octane in Northern CA?

Well that was not my experience.

Lived in northern CA (south SF bay area, Livermore) for decades and ran 91 in all my cars including a Z28 Camaro (28K miles), Boxster (317K miles), Cayman S (2K miles), 996 Turbo (150K miles), 2006 GTO (50K miles), MINI JCW (25K miles), Scat Pack (2K miles) and Hellcat (27.5K miles). Engines were fine. Fuel systems were fine.

(Oh I owned cars before the Camaro but the factory didn't call for 91. For instance with my '96 Mustang GT 87 was fine. Engine rattled a bit on take off (manual) but I tried 91 and it didn't help.)

Then in July 2020 left CA.

So far in Benton County AR while I haven't put as many miles on the vehicles here the 2020 M-B van (20K miles), the 2020 Scat Pack (8K miles), 2022 230i (8K miles), MINI S (7K miles), MINI JCW (7K miles, M2 (over 6K miles), and 2024 230i xDrive (over 2500 miles) all have been just fine on 91 E10 and ethanol free.

Here I have had easy access to 91 ethanol free. None of the engines manifested any differences that I could detect running 91 ethanol free or 91 E10.

All you need do in CA is what I did. Buy from a busy station. And once in a while fill up with Chevron Supreme (91 with Techron).

(Techron is the only fuel additive I'd use. Found a YT video of a fuel additive test using a number of identical new Honda stationary engines with pull starters. All fueled with 87E10. But one had no additive. All the rest had an off the shelf fuel additive added as per directions. After a long time (6 months or a year I can't recall now) the engine fueled with just virgin 87E10 started the quickest and ran the best. All the other engines required more starter pulls and even after starting a couple required fiddling to keep running.)

Will mention I had my 2024 230i xDrive in for an early oil/filter service (at 1800 miles). Looking over the invoice I noticed a fuel additive was listed. I had not asked for any additive. Asked SA and was told it was a bottle with a BMW label which the tech added to the fuel tank. Was told it was recommended by BMW. Wasn't something the dealer did on its own.

What the tech added: Part #: 83-19-5-A07-750 Twin Power Turbo Additive ($15).

I won't let CA 91 E10 get off unscathed though...

In my 996 Turbo on a road trip which happened to have me in Wyoming. Found a station with 93 octane premium (don't recall if it was E10 or ethanol free). Filled up the tank. With 93 in the fuel tank the engine perked up. Quite a bit. 'course, Porsche had designed/built the engine to run best on 93/94 (AKI which in Europe works out 98/99 RON. But it allowed for the use of 91.

I have not found any place selling octane higher than 91 here. But one of these days I'll find a station and see how my M2 reacts.

[M_Power Rob]

Originally Posted by RockCrusher

Crappy 91 octane in Northern CA?

Well that was not my experience.

Lived in northern CA (south SF bay area, Livermore) for decades and ran 91 in all my cars including a Z28 Camaro (28K miles), Boxster (317K miles), Cayman S (2K miles), 996 Turbo (150K miles), 2006 GTO (50K miles), MINI JCW (25K miles), Scat Pack (2K miles) and Hellcat (27.5K miles). Engines were fine. Fuel systems were fine.

(Oh I owned cars before the Camaro but the factory didn't call for 91. For instance with my '96 Mustang GT 87 was fine. Engine rattled a bit on take off (manual) but I tried 91 and it didn't help.)

Then in July 2020 left CA.

So far in Benton County AR while I haven't put as many miles on the vehicles here the 2020 M-B van (20K miles), the 2020 Scat Pack (8K miles), 2022 230i (8K miles), MINI S (7K miles), MINI JCW (7K miles, M2 (over 6K miles), and 2024 230i xDrive (over 2500 miles) all have been just fine on 91 E10 and ethanol free.

Here I have had easy access to 91 ethanol free. None of the engines manifested any differences that I could detect running 91 ethanol free or 91 E10.

All you need do in CA is what I did. Buy from a busy station. And once in a while fill up with Chevron Supreme (91 with Techron).

(Techron is the only fuel additive I'd use. Found a YT video of a fuel additive test using a number of identical new Honda stationary engines with pull starters. All fueled with 87E10. But one had no additive. All the rest had an off the shelf fuel additive added as per directions. After a long time (6 months or a year I can't recall now) the engine fueled with just virgin 87E10 started the quickest and ran the best. All the other engines required more starter pulls and even after starting a couple required fiddling to keep running.)

Will mention I had my 2024 230i xDrive in for an early oil/filter service (at 1800 miles). Looking over the invoice I noticed a fuel additive was listed. I had not asked for any additive. Asked SA and was told it was a bottle with a BMW label which the tech added to the fuel tank. Was told it was recommended by BMW. Wasn't something the dealer did on its own.

What the tech added: Part #: 83-19-5-A07-750 Twin Power Turbo Additive ($15).

I won't let CA 91 E10 get off unscathed though...

In my 996 Turbo on a road trip which happened to have me in Wyoming. Found a station with 93 octane premium (don't recall if it was E10 or ethanol free). Filled up the tank. With 93 in the fuel tank the engine perked up. Quite a bit. 'course, Porsche had designed/built the engine to run best on 93/94 (AKI which in Europe works out 98/99 RON. But it allowed for the use of 91.

I have not found any place selling octane higher than 91 here. But one of these days I'll find a station and see how my M2 reacts.

Very few stations sell ethanol free (WaWa does in Florida) but its 89 octane, I believe. If you can easily get 91+ octane ethanol free (in an area without 93 octane) and you started using, continue to use it religiously. Otherwise, I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to mix it.

I am sure every State, even California, sells higher octane than 91 in the form of race gas (usually 100 octane and higher), you will just have to do dome homework to find it.

I am using Sonoco's 260GT, which is a 100 octane race gas (there is one sration that gas it at a pump).

[Carefree]

Originally Posted by M_Power Rob

Very few stations sell ethanol free (WaWa does in Florida) but its 89 octane, I believe. If you can easily get 91+ octane ethanol free (in an area without 93 octane) and you started using, continue to use it religiously. Otherwise, I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to mix it.

I am sure every State, even California, sells higher octane than 91 in the form of race gas (usually 100 octane and higher), you will just have to do dome homework to find it.

I am using Sonoco's 260GT, which is a 100 octane race gas (there is one sration that gas it at a pump).

There are a number of stations here in the Scottsdale/Phoenix selling various grades of racing gasoline. At any time you’ll see the high energy McLarens, Porsches, etc. loading up.

The per gallon prices, incidentally, are not posted anywhere on site. They are seen at each pump. A few weeks ago, I spoke with a McLaren owner filling up and he said the price was $7.59/G. Not sure of the octane rating, I just moved our car to the low budget 91 pump.

[M_Power Rob]

Originally Posted by Carefree

There are a number of stations here in the Scottsdale/Phoenix selling various grades of racing gasoline. At any time you’ll see the high energy McLarens, Porsches, etc. loading up.

The per gallon prices, incidentally, are not posted anywhere on site. They are seen at each pump. A few weeks ago, I spoke with a McLaren owner filling up and he said the price was $7.59/G. Not sure of the octane rating, I just moved our car to the low budget 91 pump.

Thats a good price, assuming its at least 100 octane. I am paying $8.99/gal but gas prices in general are on the higher side in this area.

[M2siast]

Originally Posted by Carefree

There are a number of stations here in the Scottsdale/Phoenix selling various grades of racing gasoline. At any time you’ll see the high energy McLarens, Porsches, etc. loading up.

The per gallon prices, incidentally, are not posted anywhere on site. They are seen at each pump. A few weeks ago, I spoke with a McLaren owner filling up and he said the price was $7.59/G. Not sure of the octane rating, I just moved our car to the low budget 91 pump.

That’s smart. It’s a waste of money to run anything over 93 octane. No power gain, way higher price, and a risk of using leaded fuel (many race gas formulations include lead), which destroy your cats. Stick with 93 unless you have a tune.

[Carefree]

Originally Posted by M2siast

That’s smart. It’s a waste of money to run anything over 93 octane. No power gain, way higher price, and a risk of using leaded fuel (many race gas formulations include lead), which destroy your cats. Stick with 93 unless you have a tune.

I don’t believe there is 93 in this area. Most of our regular gasoline (87-89-91) is trucked in from California where if I’m not mistaken 93 is unavailable.

[M_Power Rob]

Originally Posted by M2siast

That’s smart. It’s a waste of money to run anything over 93 octane. No power gain, way higher price, and a risk of using leaded fuel (many race gas formulations include lead), which destroy your cats. Stick with 93 unless you have a tune.

I am tuned so thats why I am running it. Old school cars and gas was keaded but many race cars and airplanes use unkeaded.

Here is what I am using (its unleaded and cleaner than everyday 91/93 pump gas).

https://www.sunocoracefuels.com/fuels/fuel/260-gt

[Carefree]

Originally Posted by M_Power Rob

I am tuned so thats why I am running it. Old school cars and gas was keaded but many race cars and airplanes use unkeaded.

Here is what I am using (its unleaded and cleaner than everyday 91/93 pump gas).

https://www.sunocoracefuels.com/fuels/fuel/260-gt

I remember buying Sunoco 260 at the pump for my 1969 Plymouth. I believe at that time it was 104 octane.

[M_Power Rob]

Originally Posted by Carefree

I remember buying Sunoco 260 at the pump for my 1969 Plymouth. I believe at that time it was 104 octane.

Their 260 GT Plus is 104 unleaded.

[Carefree]

Originally Posted by M_Power Rob

Their 260 GT Plus is 104 unleaded.

Well, there you go.
Everything old is new again.

I have an old Sunoco poster intended for service stations buried somewhere in the basement of our summer residence. I believe it references 260 and 104.

I’ll look for it when I get home. It’s yours if you want it.

[M2siast]

Originally Posted by Carefree

Well, there you go.
Everything old is new again.

I have an old Sunoco poster intended for service stations buried somewhere in the basement of our summer residence. I believe it references 260 and 104.

I’ll look for it when I get home. It’s yours if you want it.

Whatever you find, don’t use this “plus” as it’ll plug your cats. It’s for off-road cars (tuned and catless).

[Kevin_The_Clean1]

RockCrusher I hear you. But this stuff will knock Chevron out of the water (cough cough - or out of the gas tank I should say). That Chevron additive is great & you've mentioned it a few times before. But, this stuff is in a much different league & one a different level in terms of worthwhile effectiveness. This is now my 4th S-58 powered BMW & this is the ONLY product that has the proven ingredients to properly attack the deposits in a high HP DI motor...




https://www.liqui-moly.com/en/us/dij...031.html#22076

[dagoban]

Now I don't remember the gasoline that was sold in Portugal (I was working there 15 years ago), but if it is like in Spain where we have 95 and 98 octane gasoline (E5 95 and E10 98), you should know that you cannot put 95 gasoline in the M2 as it produces engine failure due to self-detonation. The M2 runs exclusively on gasoline with 98 octane or higher. If you do not have gas stations with 98 octane gasoline, you will have to resort to octane-increasing additives.

I remember that gasoline in America was different.

[RockCrusher]

Originally Posted by M_Power Rob

Very few stations sell ethanol free (WaWa does in Florida) but its 89 octane, I believe. If you can easily get 91+ octane ethanol free (in an area without 93 octane) and you started using, continue to use it religiously. Otherwise, I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to mix it.

I am sure every State, even California, sells higher octane than 91 in the form of race gas (usually 100 octane and higher), you will just have to do dome homework to find it.

I am using Sonoco's 260GT, which is a 100 octane race gas (there is one station that gas it at a pump).

Encountering 91 ethanol free here in Benton County was a bit of a surprise. In all my driving and fueling I have not found 91 ethanol free. Sure my fuel stops are mostly confined to stations very close to the freeways I travel. I never bothered to search for stations offering ethanol free before hand. My focus was making good time on my nearly 2K mile drive across the west.

As for 91 ethanol free since moving to NW Arkansas I have used tank after tank in all the vehicles I have owned here and I have -- not often but once in a while -- mixed it with 91 E10.

Not mixed it with any purpose. Just mixed it because I decided to fill up and there was no 91 ethanol free offered at the station.

No engine ever manifested any sign it was unhappy switching from ethanol free to some hybrid 91 blend of ethanol free and 10% ethanol.

The only place I found "race" gasoline available was at a VP station in Tracy CA. (At least one station in Redwood City was reported to carry race gasoline but I checked out stations in the area the station was reported to be and never found any station offering race gasoline.)

At the Tracy VP station I put around 6 or 7 gallons of race fuel (was at least 100 octane and lead free!) in my 2002 Boxster. That produced roughly 95/96 octane gasoline. No drag strip runs but I did drive the car in a rather spirited manner once out of Tracy and could not feel any difference from the engine.

One problem -- so to speak -- is the 100 octane gas was priced over double what 91 E10 was selling for. So it likely just didn't fly out of the ground into fuel tanks. IOWs I suspect the fuel was a bit stale.

There are supposed to be stations in Benton/Washington Counties here in NW Arkansas which sell race gasoline but I have looked at the stations reportedly offering race gasoline and there are (were last time I checked) no pumps offering anything above 91 octane.

If the opportunity presents itself I would try *unleaded* race gas in my M2 but it is not something I feel compelled to try.

[RockCrusher]

Originally Posted by dagoban

Now I don't remember the gasoline that was sold in Portugal (I was working there 15 years ago), but if it is like in Spain where we have 95 and 98 octane gasoline (E5 95 and E10 98), you should know that you cannot put 95 gasoline in the M2 as it produces engine failure due to self-detonation. The M2 runs exclusively on gasoline with 98 octane or higher. If you do not have gas stations with 98 octane gasoline, you will have to resort to octane-increasing additives.

I remember that gasoline in America was different.

My 2023 M2 owners manual allows for the use of 87 AKI which is 91 RON. Have to admit while 87 appears to be ok to use I'm not fueling my M2 with 87 E10 or ethanol free.

95 RON is equivalent to 92/93 AKI.

A vast number of M2s in the US appear to do quite well on 91 AKI so I'm surprised that in your area M2 engines suffer from running 95 RON (at least a bit higher in octane than 91 AKI).

But I'm not about to tell you to run 95 RON but rather continue to use 98 RON.

[RockCrusher]

Originally Posted by Kevin_The_Clean1

RockCrusher I hear you. But this stuff will knock Chevron out of the water (cough cough - or out of the gas tank I should say). That Chevron additive is great & you've mentioned it a few times before. But, this stuff is in a much different league & one a different level in terms of worthwhile effectiveness. This is now my 4th S-58 powered BMW & this is the ONLY product that has the proven ingredients to properly attack the deposits in a high HP DI motor...




https://www.liqui-moly.com/en/us/dij...031.html#22076

Best I can tell is that Liqui-Moly fuel additive/fuel system cleaner is based on the same chemical technology as Techron, which is PEA (polyether amine).

It might contain a higher concentration of PEA than Techron (but there are different offerings of Techron with different concentrations of PEA).

If you use Liqui-Moly and it works to keep your car engines free of deposits that's great. I'm not going to try to convince you to use Techron.