Is Mixing Two Types of Fuel Safe? Here are the Risks You Need to Know

Illustration (Magnefic/@senivpetro)

YOGAKARTA - The recent increase in the price of non-subsidized fuel has made many drivers start looking for ways to save on expenses. One of them is by replacing or even mixing two types of fuel. The question is, is this way safe for your vehicle?

Is Mixing Two Types of Fuel Safe?

Quoted from Antara, automotive expert from Bandung Institute of Technology, Yannes Martinus Pasaribu, explained that the practice of replacing or mixing gasoline with different octane could have a negative impact on vehicles.

Yannes said switching to a lower octane fuel could affect engine performance.

"The main risk of replacing a lower octane fuel type in a vehicle is that the engine becomes too hot, the power drops drastically, and fuel consumption actually increases," said Yannes.

Yannes explained that at a mileage of 10,000-20,000 km, the combustion chamber and injectors are at risk of carbon buildup. As a result, the engine becomes unstable, acceleration is sluggish, and exhaust emissions worsen.

This risk is greater in vehicles with high specifications such as sports vehicles with turbo or high compression ratios. Internal engine components such as piston rings can wear out faster.

In addition to changing the type of fuel, mixing fuel is also not recommended. Yannes said each type of fuel has different additive compositions and combustion characteristics.

"It is not recommended to mix Pertamax Turbo with regular Pertamax, because these two types of fuels have different additive compositions, densities, and combustion characteristics," he said.

Therefore, a mixture of two types of fuel can produce unstable octane numbers. This condition, said Yannes, has the potential to trigger performance degradation, uneven combustion to knocking or knocking sounds on the engine that occur irregularly.

Another problem that can also occur is the formation of deposits in the fuel system. These deposits can clog the filter and interfere with the injection system, especially in high-pressure injection systems such as Common Rail or Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI). If left alone, the damage can become more serious and expensive.

"Damage to these components in the long run will make us have to spend repair costs of up to tens of millions of rupiah," said Yannes.

The cost is certainly much greater than the savings expected from mixing fuel. Here it can be seen that this cost-saving step can actually backfire for vehicle owners.

So, saving by replacing or mixing fuel is not a wise move. "It's smarter to choose one type according to the specifications specified by the manufacturer," said Yannes. That way, you not only maintain vehicle performance, but also avoid unnecessary repair costs.

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