Upgrading gas for the winter

[Lefty]

Some time ago someone else started a thread about upgrading gas for a 2003 3.0 liter Ranger, switching from 87 to 89 octane or higher. I tried 89 and was pleased. It cost more but I did so anyway. Now I wonder if maybe the motor would run even better on the highest octane, especially in winter. Anyone ever try? What do you think?

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

The motor will run better if its built for it. If not its a waste of money.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Sometimes 89 will work a little better than 87, sometimes not. Most vehicles come built to run 87. I suspect that the difference is perhaps sometimes the higher grades have less ethanol but that’s really just a WAG. I know years ago we experimented a little. Some of our trucks did better, some not so much. Dad’s 89 F-350 with a 460 was the most notable. It ran the same 87, 89, 93, but 89 and 93 gave a slight bump in fuel economy. When we sat down and ran the numbers though, anything more than about a 15 cent/gallon difference between 87 and 89/93 price ate up the fuel economy difference. So if you could fill with 89 for $0.10/gal more than 87, it was a deal, but that was it.

 

[Blmpkn]

Running higher than necessary octane is actually bad for a multitude of reasons. Upfront cost being one.. and then there's the matter of an incomplete burn.. which will lead to carbon buildup and less power..

 

[19Walt93]

Higher octane gas burns at a lower temperature to prevent spark knock in higher compression engines. Burning higher octane fuel than the engine needs is likely to increase carbon build up like Blmpkn said. Winter blend gas is more volitile than summer blend to aid cold starting. In a carbureted vehicle our alcohol polluted gas will make starting about impossible in sub zero weather.

 

[2011Supercab]

So if you could fill with 89 for $0.10/gal more than 87, it was a deal, but that was it.

Around here it's $0.30 gallon
87 = $3.99
89 = $4.29
91 = $4.59

 

[Lefty]

Around here it's $0.30 gallon
87 = $3.99
89 = $4.29
91 = $4.59

Oh wow! Here in Minnesota, Gas prices start at $2,69/2.79. Right now $2.99, making higher grades worth the price.

I do know that octanes are engine specific. Recommended octanes vary. I found that the 3.0 liter runs better on 89, but i am still not sure about 91.

 

[pjtoledo]

in my area each bump in octane is $ 0.50

 

[Lefty]

in my area each bump in octane is $ 0.50

Crazy. Those poor Ferrari owners must really be hurting

 

[Blmpkn]

Oh wow! Here in Minnesota, Gas prices start at $2,69/2.79. Right now $2.99, making higher grades worth the price.

I do know that octanes are engine specific. Recommended octanes vary. I found that the 3.0 liter runs better on 89, but i am still not sure about 91.

Are you SURE that it runs better on 89? If you have a scanner that can read live data.. an easy way to find out would probably be by checking total spark advance figures. If it'll advance itself further with the jungle juice in it compared to 87.. than the answer would definitely be yes I'd say.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Around here it's $0.30 gallon
87 = $3.99
89 = $4.29
91 = $4.59

Around here, it varies. Sometimes 89 is $0.05-0.10/gal different but most of the time anymore it $0.25-0.50/gal more than 87. I don’t pay attention to 91/93 octane stuff, it’s usually a dollar or more a gallon than 87. Non-ethanol is usually the same price as 91/93. I pretty much only use that in the fall for my lawn tractor and I try to run it as much as possible in my farm tractor.

 

[Blmpkn]

Gas really sucks up this way. 93 is a solid dollar more than 87 and mid grade is usually .50 more than 87.

Back before DI.. if you wanted to own a turbo car you'd need to stomach the extra cost of 93. Those days were TRASH as a teenager with a hopped up Subaru and very little money for fuel lol.. DI is AMAZING.

 

[Lefty]

Are you SURE that it runs better on 89? If you have a scanner that can read live data.. an easy way to find out would probably be by checking total spark advance figures. If it'll advance itself further with the jungle juice in it compared to 87.. than the answer would definitely be yes I'd say.

I don't have a scanner, but I did notice some difference in acceleration. Once I purhased 87 only to find my engine balk and chug around 50mph.

 

[pjtoledo]

Crazy. Those poor Ferrari owners must really be hurting

I'm within 10 miles of THE Jeep factory and a major GM plant.
Rams and Silverados see to it that our streets are not fouled with Ferraris

 

[Lefty]

Gas really sucks up this way. 93 is a solid dollar more than 87 and mid grade is usually .50 more than 87.

Back before DI.. if you wanted to own a turbo car you'd need to stomach the extra cost of 93. Those days were TRASH as a teenager with a hopped up Subaru and very little money for fuel lol.. DI is AMAZING.

I'm beginning to find that out. I didn't know that gas prices were that high elsewhere. Maybe it's because Minnesota is not far from the North Dakota oil fields. Trains pull long lines of tanker cars through the twin cities railroad yards and there is a major refinery nearby. Or maybe we are just lucky.