# Can I use regular gas in ATV when it says not to?



## JohnnyB60 (Feb 9, 2013)

I bought my grandson an ATV a year ago and then Covid hit so it’s been stored. The manual says to only use high octane fuel ≥90 and I can’t remember which gas can has it.
I’m thinking about just mixing all the gas and dumping it into my truck so I can start over with ≥90 octane fuel. My question is will mixing regular gas just temporally until I can get into town to buy some cause any harm? There is about a ¼ tank of ≥90 left in the tank now.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

It should be ok for short term use.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Carburetor?

If so...I would get some ethanol free fuel if it is going to be stored for long periods of time.


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

If your truck normally uses regular fuel, using high octane will do no harm. Using regular fuel in a vehicle set up for high octane can cause pre-ignition (pinging) and for long term use that can be a problem.

Bud


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

From your post, I can't tell if you are talking about putting low octane in your truck, or your ATV.
Your truck likely would have knock sensors to adjust timing if the fuel is too low in octane.
An ATV, however, I doubt it. Some risk. How much, I don't know.


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## JohnnyB60 (Feb 9, 2013)

SPS-1 said:


> From your post, I can't tell if you are talking about putting low octane in your truck, or your ATV.
> Your truck likely would have knock sensors to adjust timing if the fuel is too low in octane.
> An ATV, however, I doubt it. Some risk. How much, I don't know.


Truck has nothing to do with anything except to dispose of all the fuel I currently have in cans so I can start fresh and this time I will label it. 
Yet again I have give too much info confusing the actual question. Sorry about that.


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## JohnnyB60 (Feb 9, 2013)

Oh boy did I screw up, I didn't think this through. I bought a new 1 gal gas can to start new with high Octane, but I did not account for the regular gas already in the hose and filled the can with regular. Now the next person will get my high priced gas while I have the last customers lower price gas. If I ever do this again, I'll have to take in 2 cans. 1 to drain the hose in and the second for the good stuff.


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

You are over thinking the importance of exact octane rating. Never see a difference, IMO.

Bud


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## JohnnyB60 (Feb 9, 2013)

Bud9051 said:


> You are over thinking the importance of exact octane rating. Never see a difference, IMO.
> 
> Bud


I hope not. The ATV specifies 91 Octane and I have a gas power washer that says not to use anything except low octane. So I don't know. The outside ambient temps are already over the specified running temp limit so I'm just trying to prevent any damage.


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## papereater (Sep 16, 2016)

As suggested above from other members, high octane can not hurt any engine. But lower octane in an engine requiring high octane, trouble. Not sure technically if it is preignition, or detonation. Either way, bad for engine. But high octane in a lower octane car is just wasting $$$.


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## daveb1 (Jan 15, 2010)

JohnnyB60 said:


> Oh boy did I screw up, I didn't think this through. I bought a new 1 gal gas can to start new with high Octane, but I did not account for the regular gas already in the hose and filled the can with regular. Now the next person will get my high priced gas while I have the last customers lower price gas. If I ever do this again, I'll have to take in 2 cans. 1 to drain the hose in and the second for the good stuff.



To help with your overthinking try this. After selecting premium fuel, put a couple of dollars of fuel in your vehicle before filling the can. After completing the premium transaction, select regular and put fuel in your vehicle. Now all the premium you paid for is yours. I assume a second can of home made mid-grade was going in your vehicle anyway.


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## Octane (Feb 13, 2021)

I had a kawasaki motorcycle once that if you put anything but premium fuel that it would start skipping and bog down.It was a 2 cycle engine tho.


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## JohnnyB60 (Feb 9, 2013)

daveb1 said:


> To help with your overthinking try this. After selecting premium fuel, put a couple of dollars of fuel in your vehicle before filling the can. After completing the premium transaction, select regular and put fuel in your vehicle. Now all the premium you paid for is yours. I assume a second can of home made mid-grade was going in your vehicle anyway.


That would have been the solution if I had my truck in the correct direction. I already had a full tank and the station was packed so I took the 1st place which was on the wrong side of the truck and I didn't want to piss anybody off by trying to turn around.


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## JohnnyB60 (Feb 9, 2013)

Octane said:


> I had a kawasaki motorcycle once that if you put anything but premium fuel that it would start skipping and bog down.It was a 2 cycle engine tho.


That was exactly what happened when I used the regular gas just to get it going.


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