Lower Octane Fuel

[RedRider]

The thing is, with modern ECUs, you CAN run lower octane depending on your owners manual. I bet even you EB (Turbo Boosted engines) can run 87 octane. I agree, you will loose performance, but you will not damage your engine.

What does your Owner’s Manual say about this? What does it say is the minimum octane level?

I’ve had sports/race cars that required 92+ octane, but they were running 11 to 15 pounds of compression at the heads. I doubt that your EB has that high of compression (but I don’t know. let me know!)

The 2.0 engine was modified in 2017 to raise the compression from 9.3 to 10:1 with pretty aggressive backoff to allow you to run 86 octane fuel. Boost pressure is anywhere from 16 to 20psi depending upon the altitude, inlet temp and a couple of other factors. I suspect that your sports/race cars do not have knock sensors and do not back off at all, requiring fuels that will destroy a cat converter and cost 20 times as much as street gas while emitting huge amounts of lead and aldehyde poison.

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[boxster03]

I use AvGas 105 octane for $20 a gallon - bet it runs better than yours - LOL

Oil and Gas threads - SOS

 

[LADemien]

I now have a little over 2100 miles on my Maverick. Up till now I have only used premium fuel. I drive conservatively, can I safely use a lower grade fuel. 2.0 Turbo

My Maverick with 2.0 was delivered August 2022, and I have never used anything but the 87-octane fuel. No issues whatsoever.

 

[NJBob]

Technically, the higher the octane, the lower the detonation temperature. High Octane retards explosion of fuel so that fuel can further compress. Without that high octane retardation, fuel would explode before the cylinder reached optimum position (NOT TDC).

Vehicle manufacturers program computers to deal with a lower octane, and it makes the ignition happen later than if it was running on 94, or 104 octane. The computer learns when ignition occurs.

There is NO LAW that says every vehicle has to burn 86 Octane, and you are free to use what you like to pay for. With a EB, I would be tempted to see what 92 or higher octane would do, but until you build a truck with options that REQUIRE “premium”, I don’t think it is worth 10 - 20 cents more per gallon.

Here in NJ it's more like 60 cents a gallon more.

 

[MaverRick]

My Maverick with 2.0 was delivered August 2022, and I have never used anything but the 87-octane fuel. No issues whatsoever.

Same here, currently at 9300 miles and fueled up this morning with 87 octane for $3.50 per gallon.

 

[GPSMan]

Same here, currently at 9300 miles and fueled up this morning with 87 octane for $3.50 per gallon.

Like MANY well-educated people have said:

ANY modern electronically controlled vehicle CAN run and run SAFELY on any fuel.

The higher octane CAN be helpful in a minority of conditions. But for the MAJORITY of conditions for the MAJORITY of drivers during the MAJORITY (like 99.9%) of miles you will get no added benefit from the higher octane fuel.

Gear-heads on these forums like the "theoretical" benefits of the higher octane.

The average user enjoys the significant savings at the pump from buying lower octane.

BTW I used to work in a refinery 2005 to 2012.

Premium does not cost more because it is "better".

Regular costs less because it's the main product. Economy of scale. And the station owners buy 9x as much regular as premium so they get a lower price on it.

Ethanol is cheap octane booster. Like under $2 a gallon. You are not paying more for premium because it's "better".
You pay more for premium because it is a specialty. A more customized product. A product that is more of a PITA for refiners, transporters, and resellers.

The word itself "premium" is a self imposed marketing tool. Just like "King of Beers".

 

[GPSMan]

BTW...

If you believe "freshness" of gasoline matters, of course REGULAR will be the freshest gasoline.

Unless you are at a busy intersection in a big city (where all gas is probably only a few days old due to rapid turn over) the "Premium" gas will be more stale because it's not sold as often.

Out in rural areas, the premium could have sat underground for months. People don't often think of this.

 

[todd92]

Actually, octane has a market value and high octane gasoline blending components trade at a premium. As for ethanol being cheap octane, it's in both 87 and 93 at 10%, so it has no effect on 93 cost. 93 trades at a premium to 87 in the spot market, but typical only 10 cpg. The rest is added markup.

 

[Mervin the Maverick]

Many vehicles (engines) today can run on regular even though their advertised horsepower is based on higher octane fuel. Higher octane retards ignition, so the ECU tells the engine to advance the timing, so increasing compression, thereby increasing horsepower. When you use “regular”, the ECU tells the engine to retard timing the timing, thereby decreasing the compression, and lowering the actual horsepower.

 

[jcast0311]

I now have a little over 2100 miles on my Maverick. Up till now I have only used premium fuel. I drive conservatively, can I safely use a lower grade fuel. 2.0 Turbo

I ran 83 since my purchase. I did a test and I got 2 weeks on 83 fuel. I then ran 91 fuel and I did notice the response was quicker and tanks lasted 3 weeks. This “test” was done with same work distance and with no weekend driving. It safe to say, you can switch back and forth. Owners manual says you can use 83 but recommends 91

 

[40caliber]

5$ for 87. California

 

[Dslaughterbeck]

With 93 your getting 252hp with 87 your getting 241hp also with direct injection it's safer to use higher octane for less carbon buildup or so I have read

 

[todd92]

With 93 your getting 252hp with 87 your getting 241hp also with direct injection it's safer to use higher octane for less carbon buildup or so I have read

Carbon buildup has nothing to do with octane.

 

[Chicolini]

I can easily feel the difference between regular and premium when driving my EcoBoost, and my Coyote Mustang. On regular, it feels like the engine has a frog in her throat. Slow throttle response and sluggish performance. Using premium, baby breaths deep and crisp, like a filly out on fresh spring pasture, kicking up her heels and flaring her nostrils. A joyful feeling.

The price difference per gallon here is between $.50 and $.70 so there is an additional price to be paid at the pump, about $8. I may very well be wasting my money, but it is mine to waste, and I have any number of things that waste far more money than that!!

I agree that I don't have to use premium, but that's what I want to do for these two vehicles since they really respond to it. At least in my mind!

 

[GPSMan]

Many vehicles (engines) today can run on regular even though their advertised horsepower is based on higher octane fuel. Higher octane retards ignition, so the ECU tells the engine to advance the timing, so increasing compression, thereby increasing horsepower. When you use “regular”, the ECU tells the engine to retard timing the timing, thereby decreasing the compression, and lowering the actual horsepower.

True.

But when you need 30 horsepower to cruise on the highway, 60 horsepower to accelerate up the on-ramp, 100 horsepower to pass while going uphill, and 140 horsepower to tow uphill....

And your EB truck makes 240 horsepower wide open on regular and 250 horsepower wide open on premium, you are wasting money unless you are only doing it to beat best time on the track.

All above well documented.

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