What grade gas do you use in you ranger?

[jeffro184]

You need premium with 9.5:1 compression? You must be running cast iron heads. I was able to use mid-grade with 9.7:1 cr with the GT-40 iron heads. The new motor uses 10.2:1 cr with performer rpm heads (aluminum) and I have no issues with 91-93 octane fuel. Quite amazing how much heat an aluminum head can dissipate compared to cast.


As for the premium fuel running cleaner... a bottle of injecter cleaner through the gas tank every 3,000 miles will do a better job hands down (while saving money).

yeah, i have gt40p heads. but i am running 17 degrees base timing truck runs better. i could back timing off and run midgrade, but at 17 degrees seems to run smoother, idle better ect. i am running efi

 

[daniel3507]

Actually at LEAST 80% gas here, and at MOST 10% power robbing ethanol!

Here there is still one place that sells 100% gas. im just lucky enough to have it be around my house. all other places are 10% ethanol

 

[fastpakr]

I started using premium in my old jetta when gas went from about $1.40/L($5/gallon) down to about 65 cents in less than a months time last summershok It makes a lot of difference in old cars, low or high compression because it just combusts easy. I was getting around a lot quicker with higher octane in the jetta, I could hardly get it moving at a traffic lights with 87. Definatly worth the coin if the price isn't bad.

It categorically DOES NOT combust easier. The octane rating effectively indicates how resistant it is to combustion, meaning that higher octane fuel is actually slightly harder to light. The only reason you might need premium in a vehicle is if it was either designed for it or something is causing it to run lean (vacuum leak, etc) or something else is reducing octane equivalent (oil consumption, etc).

 

[GMWIGGS]

Using premium fuel instead of 87 oct in vehicles tuned to run 87 will build up carbon in the engine quicker over the long term. My '96 had shit tons of carbon in it and I run it on premium since brand new! I really don't think there is an advantage to running premium fuel. I've done a lot of research on this subject, and the general concensus is there is no advantage to using premium fuel over 87 oct in vehicles made and tuned to use 87 fuel. I had my truck flash tuned for torqe using premium fuel. Changed the shift points and ect. Probably a stupid move on my part as its .20 more per gallon.

Anyways................ my opinion YMMV!

 

[alaskan155]

85 octane here excepty the bike run 87 octane(mid grade)

btw im at 6008 feet elevation

 

[LearjetMinako]

You should run with what the model calls for. Just look at the instrument cluster. It should say "regular unleaded", or just "unleaded fuel only". Some cars have it labeled to say "Premium Unleaded". So a min of 87 octane is what you should run. Now if you are in higher altutides where a 85 or less octane is sold, then go up to mantain the min 87.

As for that new Shell nitrogen enriched fuel. Has anybody tried it yet? I've ran Shell before when traveling, but most of the time I fill-up at AAFES gas station which is Citgo fuel. And is 100% unleaded, not the ethonal blend. I've been thinking about it and might try it out on the KLX before the Ranger to see if improves engine performance.

 

[rboyer]

I prefer to run junkyard gas!

 

[flyingbrick]

Really? I could swear I get atleast 30% for efficiency and performace when I use it. It seems to burn up a lot quicker, though. Also depends on what gas stations you use. Some garbagy gasolines(Canadian) like Esso, Pioneer, ultramar have other combustable alternatives that are generally bad for the motor. I always use petro Canada.

Petro-can is some of the worst fuel you can buy, IMO I'd not even run it in my beater Mazda, it's Shell all the way.

 

[JohnnyO]

87. When I had my '99 3.0 Ranger however, it pinged like crazy on the summer blend of 87 we get here so I'd use 89 or 91. The 4.0 SOHC's I've had don't seem to care.

My dad used to have a BMW that called for premium. When gas got expensive he tried 87 but that hurt the mpg enough that it was actually cheaper to run 91.

 

[redsoxguy1918]

they built these engines to run as cheaply as possible (smaller trucks=more economical=cheaper) which means they were built to run off of lower octane fuel=cheaper which is why ford recomends it

i have a friend who used to work at a ford dealership and he told me to keep my truck running as smooth as possible, just add some fuel injection cleaner to the gas tank every oil change, and i would be fine, don't waste your money on the higher octane.

 

[triumphrider-1]

As for that new Shell nitrogen enriched fuel. Has anybody tried it yet? I've ran Shell before when traveling, but most of the time I fill-up at AAFES gas station which is Citgo fuel. And is 100% unleaded, not the ethonal blend. I've been thinking about it and might try it out on the KLX before the Ranger to see if improves engine performance.

I run Shell just about every tank, and have not noticed any difference (assuming it exists in all grade levels). I don't think it is supposed to though. Adding more N (or N2 depending on their chemical chains) is most likely to reduce the NOx emissions produced from incomplete burn (atleast thats what I'm thinking).

 

[Hahnsb2]

Only thing of mine that gets premium is my motorcycle, and even then I still have to mix in half race gas.

 

[dogboy]

As others have said, it is 87 most all of the time.
The only time I don't run 87 is when I take I-90 over the Cascades, because then I usually have a small load whether it be a quad, or snowmobile, or gokart, load of wood or what ever, in the bed. It tends tends to slightly "ping" if I use 87 in those cases, and 89 runs just fine.

But our bikes and snowmobiles all get 89 all the time, and sometimes 91.

 

[84projectFORD]

i run 110 unleaded. Now the truck is also a full race truck. the 4.0 is stock but it will help aid in keeping cooler temps and allow for a bit more timing in there when im out runnin in the 110 degree + in the desert .

 

[97ranger4x4]

I run 87, Every few months I throw in a tank of 91 and will drive it pretty aggressive for a tank to burn off any deposits.