Modern turbocharged engines are very sensitive to fuel quality. This is especially true for Chinese cars and their domestically localized counterparts, which are becoming more common on Russian roads.
Many of their engines are designed for gasoline with a minimal amount of sulfur and stable characteristics. But what happens if you use fuel of a lower environmental class? Let's look at the consequences.
The main danger is not the octane number
According to engine repair specialists, the main problem is not the AI-95 number, but the composition of the gasoline itself.
If the fuel has a higher sulfur content and more impurities, the injectors get dirty faster, carbon deposits appear on the intake valves and pistons, and the oil starts to age faster. A turbocharged engine tolerates this worse than an atmospheric one.
Due to high temperature and pressure, a turbo engine is much more sensitive to fuel quality, he reminded.
Why the turbine is most at risk
The turbocharger operates at temperatures of hundreds of degrees. Any deposits in the combustion chamber increase the thermal load, and combustion products quickly contaminate the oil, which simultaneously lubricates and cools the turbine bearings.
Many drivers have switched to using fuel additives, but this is only a half-measure, Igor explained.
Additives will protect the fuel system and reduce carbon formation, but they are physically unable to neutralize sulfur, which has become the main threat to Chinese turbo engines when using Euro-3 fuel.
If oil change intervals are not shortened, the wear of the turbocharger and cylinder-piston group parts accelerates, the mechanic warned.
Should owners of new cars be afraid?
A single refueling will not lead to engine failure. Modern electronic control systems are able to adapt the engine's operation to fuel quality.
However, with constant operation on gasoline with a higher sulfur content and impurities, the consequences can accumulate gradually, the specialist noted.
Then the amount of carbon deposits will increase, the spark plug life will decrease, the injectors will get dirty faster, and the load on the turbine will increase.
That is why owners of modern turbo engines should not save on fuel, change oil more often, and carefully monitor the engine's condition. If the quality of gasoline is questionable, the traction has disappeared, or an atypical color exhaust has appeared, then it is probably better not to use the car yet, but to take it to a service.
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