Selecting the Right Octane Fuel for vehicles

[Master Blaster]

You forgot to mention the part that high octane users don't want to hear - in general, vehicles requiring high octane fuel have substandard knock detection and handling, which is then brilliantly marketed as a high-performance optimization. The reality is that your engine requiring high octane is still using a 1970-design cam management and ignition management curve. You need high octane when your engine cannot retard the ignition or intake valve enough to stop the excess chamber pressures from causing pre-ignition issues.

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[Tom 71 Maverick 24]

87 octane is recommended and is adequate for almost all situations. Yes, you'll get a slight bump in performance and mileage with 91 or 93 octane, but at a cost that more than defeats the slight increase in mileage.

As Ford recommends, if you're towing or other heavy duty use, higher octane can give you a little boost in performance because the engine's control systems will adjust fuel mixture, boost, and ignition timing to take advantage of that fuel. But it's not necessary, and may or may not be worth the extra money depending on your desires.

The exception - if you've programmed in a performance tune - if it's a tune for, say, 91 octane, then you'd best use 91 or higher octane to prevent knock. I had a 93 octane performance tune on my F-150 which I removed after gas prices took off. It was a substantial increase in power and drivability, but required 93 octane. I was willing to pay the price in 2019, 2020, but when the price shot up, I knew it was time to switch back to 87.

 

[Crash11]

This is bass ackwards.
I don't know how else to say it without getting banned. Please do not do this.

Hybrids are least suitable. Have the least need for higher octane due to the Atkinson cycle engine, and the fact the engine is never at high load.

Ran 85 octane in mine in Denver, for 14 years and 236,000 miles in my hybrid Escape. Even towed 3400 lbs with the hybrid Escape while using 85 octane. Never a dime of trouble.

I think it is impossible for hybrids to knock & ping (unless you get one with bad programming from the factory )

As an octane BOOSTER some markets have MORE ethanol in the premium than the regular gas.

If premium is 20 or 30 cents more, they are boosting with ethanol. If premium is 60, 80, or even 90 cents more, they are not boosting with ethanol so you're gonna pay out the ass for getting more gas.

This.

The extra ethanol is actually WORSE for your vehicle if it's sitting for long periods of time.

And on top of all of that.....I have my own personal experience that contradicts the original post about putting in premium because it's stable for longer. My motocross bike needs 93 octane. I let it sit for 2 years without putting new fuel in it recently. After putting a trickle-charger on the battery for a few hours, it fired right up on that old gas, which probably had ethanol in it. This is on a dirt bike with no evap protections in place to filter the air moving in and out of the tank. So please stop stressing about the fuel you are using in your vehicle and just run what the manufacturer recommends.

 

[Exranger]

Boy, not many opinions on this octane thing!

 

[Master Blaster]

Boy, not many opinions on this octane thing!

Yeah, this must be at a track somewhere. Are any of these fuel grades top-tier certified, as required by the Maverick engine to prevent carbon buildup? Since they are all much higher octane than what is actually required by the engine, what's the point? These octane ratings are for 70's race-only engines with no knock detection or cam management systems.

 

[Exranger]

Yeah, this must be at a track somewhere. Are any of these fuel grades top-tier certified, as required by the Maverick engine to prevent carbon buildup? Since they are all much higher octane than what is actually required by the engine, what's the point? These octane ratings are for 70's race-only engines with no knock detection or cam management systems.

Yes and it was kinda JK

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