Fuels

Fuels can be ranked on their ability to auto-ignite This is known as the octane rating.

A higher number leads to less knocking in the engine, meaning it is better for the car. Heptane is 0, and 2,2,4 trimethylpentane is 100. This increases efficiency, the life of the car and decreases the cost of maintenance.
Reforming

Cracking Catalytic lower temperatures, but uses zeolite catalysts to reduce carbon chain length. Thermal uses high temperatures and pressure to reduce carbon chain lengths.

Isomerisation

Fuels can be changed to increase their octane rating Fuels with branched, cyclic or short hydrocarbons have lower octane numbers, and therefore the chance of knocking will be decreased.

Reforming involves converting alkanes into arenes (cycloalkanes), by using platinum as a catalyst and temperatures of roughly 500 degrees C. The arenes can be further reformed into aromatic compounds.

Isomerisation adds functional alkyl groups onto a straight-chain hydrocarbon. It involves using zeolite as a molecular sieve to separate the isomers out. Platinum is used as a catalyst.

The Products of Burning Fuels

This is the best case scenario Water and Carbon Dioxide

Also, you may get unburnt hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide (CO is toxic to haemoglobin) when the fuel is burnt in less oxygen

Fuels, when burnt, release numerous chemicals into the atmosphere. Some are polluting, whereas others are relatively harmful.

Oxides of sulfur are formed when fossil fuels containing sulfur are burnt. The sulfur is released and reacts with the oxygen in the air.

Acid Rain
Nitrogen dioxide forms Nitric Acid, and sulfur dioxide forms Sulfuric Acid. These can fall as acid rain (leads to corrosion and killing fish in lakes)

Oxides of nitrogen are formed when nitrogen and oxygen from the air react in the extreme pressures and temperatures of the engine. They may lead to acid rain or the formation of groundlevel ozone (which is toxic)

Photochemical Smog
When Unburnt Hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen escape from the car, they react in sunlight to form ground-level ozone. This is a component of photochemical smog, which irritates eyes and causes breathing problems.