At first, it seems like the owner of a Dodge Hellcat featured in a recent TikTok clip may have gotten away with his scheme to lower his fuel costs. The car starts after a fill-up of lower-than-advised octane fuel, but the engine sounds that start shortly after are cause for concern.
The clip from Atoyye Automotive (@srtatoyye) starts with the owner of the Hellcat visiting a Shell station, remarking about the high cost of fuel and how he's planning to use 87 octane as a way to save a little money at the pump.
“I feel like I'm putting gas in this thing every single day, bro,” the owner said in the clip that's been viewed more than 63,000 times, as we see the pump approaching $40 worth of fuel.
Filling Up On Lower Octane Gas: What’s The Worst That Could Happen?
It’s clear from the start that we’re not seeing a mishap caused by not understanding the fuel mixes advised by the automaker. The real-time fuel experiment is a test to see if 87 is an acceptable octane that the driver could put into regular use.
“I’m finna see if it actually does something to my car or mess it up,” he says, letting the pump run as the total climbs. With the tank no longer on empty, he climbs back into the driver’s seat and pauses for a beat before turning the key.
“Moment of truth, bro,” he says.
The engine fires up with no apparent issue. No warning lights or immediate drama. For a second, it sounds like the gambit paid off.
“I don’t hear nothing in the engine or nothing,” he says.
That confidence doesn’t last long, as moments later the tone shifts. With the hood open, there’s a knock or sputtering that suggests the fuel is a bad fit.
That brief progression from curiosity to confidence followed by doubt is where the video leaves off, but it’s also where the debate takes off in the comments section.
Some viewers dismissed the concern entirely, arguing that a single tank of lower-grade fuel isn’t likely to cause any immediate issues. Others pointed to their own experiences, saying cars often leave dealerships with regular gas in the tank and run just fine.
A few suggested simple fixes, like adding an octane booster to offset the difference, but not everyone was convinced it was harmless. “Actually 87 won’t hurt it evidently people in comments don’t know much about cars,” one viewer wrote.
Another said there are effective safeguards in place: “All cars have knock sensors putting 87 once wont destroy the car it will still start have worse performance worse gas over time it will start to destroy parts.”
Other commenters warned that while the car might run normally at first, the real effects wouldn’t show up right away. They pointed to reduced performance and the possibility of engine knock under harder driving conditions, especially in a high-output engine designed with tighter tolerances.
In that view, the issue is what happens when the car is pushed at higher speeds.
There was plenty of confusion mixed in as well. Some commenters insisted the engine wouldn’t even turn over on 87, while others speculated that any initial smoothness could be explained by leftover higher-octane fuel still circulating through the system.
What the clip shows is actually simpler than most of the theories. The car runs and doesn’t immediately protest, but that doesn’t settle much beyond the first few minutes of operation.
A partial fill-up of lower-octane fuel pumped into a near-empty tank isn’t the same as running it consistently, which is the best way to see the effects, good or bad.
The more meaningful question of whether anything actually changes beyond that first drive doesn’t get answered in the minute-long clip. The video ends much like it began, with uncertainty and questions, just of a very different kind. We’ve got a running engine that might be throwing a tantrum and a driver trying to decide whether what he’s hearing is real or just something he didn’t notice before.
Don’t Penny Pinch At The Pump
For drivers tempted to try the same shortcut, the general guidance from automakers is fairly straightforward. High-performance engines like the supercharged V-8 in a Dodge Hellcat are designed to run on premium fuel, typically 91 octane or higher, because of how they manage compression, timing, and heat under load.
Using a lower grade like 87 once in a while isn’t likely to cause immediate or catastrophic damage, especially in modern vehicles equipped with sensors that can adjust ignition timing to prevent severe knocking. In practice, that means the engine will compensate to keep running smoothly.
But those small savings can come with big costs down the road since lower-octane fuel can reduce power output, throttle response, and overall efficiency. Repeated use can increase the likelihood of engine knock during hard acceleration or sustained high speeds.
Since that’s exactly the kind of driving a Hellcat is built for, the long-term risk of excessive wear makes it easy to advise against the savings hack if performance is a high priority.
If premium fuel isn’t available, most manufacturers advise driving conservatively until the correct grade can be used again. For owners looking to save money, the more reliable route is adjusting driving habits rather than fuel quality.
Motor1 reached out to the creator via direct message and by commenting on the clip. We’ll update this if they respond.
@srtatoyye Putting 87 in my hellcat gone wrong😳💔 #srt #atoyye #hellcat #hemi #mopar ♬ Last Breath in Forest - Izmi Maruf
