Premium??

[fivespeed3.0]

I have a 2000 Ranger with a 3.0L Flex Fuel. I recently decided to try running premium fuel in it, and a few miles after filling up with premium for the first time, I get a CEL (P0420, Manifold catalyst efficiency low bank1). Coincidence, right? The next tankful is regular unleaded. A few miles later, the CEL turns off. The next tankful, I try premium again, and guess what, the CEL comes on again, and goes off again with the next tankful of regular unleaded. Both the regular and premium fuels come from the same BP. Has anyone experienced this?

 

[exbass94]

Well there's absolutely no advantage to using premium in your truck anyway, so just stick with regular and you won't have any problems.

 

[pcollins]

^^Ditto.

 

[fivespeed3.0]

Actually being a flex fuel (slightly higher compression), I experience some pinging using regular gas on warmer days on acceleration which goes away if I switch to E85. I wanted to see if Premium would also get rid of the pinging, while maintaining some gas mileage, which I lose going to E-85 (but the truck runs great on it). The pinging goes away with premium, but I get a CEL. Not worth it.

 

[locovaca]

Obvious questions are "How many miles on your truck" and "when did you last change your O2 sensors?" They don't last forever and yours may be on their way out.

 

[fordmanms]

I have a 99 Ranger 3.0 Flex fuel. I ran unleaded (15% Ethanol) until I switched to E85. That was a mistake. I lost 3 injectors because of the change. I lost fuel mileage too. I changed back to the 10 or 15% ethanol and have not had an issue since. In the last 3 years, I changed to non-ethanol unleaded (89 Octane compared to 87 rating for ethanol) and have significantly more power and better mileage. I am getting between 30 adn 50 more mile between tank fills. Plus it has detergents that help clean the fuel system that ethanol blended fuels can't have. Now, I know all states don't have non-ethanol blend fuel, but if you do, i would recommend it.

Getting back to your issue, it does sound like an O2 sensor issue. I would recommend replacing all 3 at the same time. I know some vehicles have 4. Mine only has 3, one on each downpipe and one at the catalytic converter.

 

[06RangerXLT]

in the winter i only run premium. no ethanol, (better mpg) and no winter additives (better MPG)

so the is a advantage, but no performance advantage.

Tank of premium usually costs $6 more, but i usually get about 50-75kms per tank better on premium. so in the end, its worth it.

 

[pcollins]

Its impossible to find gas without ethanol around here. Literally. Impossible.

 

[James86]

I had the opposite problem.... my truck HATED the non oxygenated gas at Shell and I got terrible mileage for gas, and my CEL came on with gas, not E85. I also have a 1999 3.0 FFV, and it runs best on either E85 or mid grade (89 octane). I only lost one injector, and that was about 3 years ago. As far as detergents, injector cleaner is alcohol, and so is ethanol, so I don't see much point. I've stuck with the ethanol most of the time I have owned the truck (since August 2007). Minnesota has over 300 stations, and I have 3 just in my town, so I'm good. Winter doesn't seem to affect how it runs other than it doesn't average quite as high a mileage, but thats any fuel, any vehicle in winter.

 

[Colton Smith]

I dont have a flex fuel ranger but I noticed using 91 octane rather than 87 fuel gave me an average of about 40 more miles per tank for about $4-6 extra depending on where I buy gas. With 87 ide get 289 miles and 91 I get about 325 miles. Ide say it is worth the $4-6 bucks. Doing the math I get about 2mpg more from 91 octane. Sorry youre havin troubles with higher octane fuel man.