87 Octane

[glenng6]

After my first tank of 87 I decided at half a tank to fill with 93. And every time I got to half a tank I would fill it again, with 93. That way I was never paying to fill the entire tank. My wife thought the total was great for high test and I didn't get yelled at. After a couple of months I decided I'm not driving it that much, so I just do 93 all the time. In six months I've got just over 900 miles. Glenn

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[highvoltage]

Here in Colorado the Highest Octane is 91 because of the Altitude.
I only use 91 Octane.
If I could get 94 Octane I would be very lucky .
The 2024 GT Premium could probably run on Panther Pi??
Regardless of what anyone says you can very easily know the difference between 87 & 91.
Your Gt or Ecoboost will run sluggish compared to the higher Octane!

I’ve run 91 since I had and recently started using 87 a few times on long trips and that would have plenty of city mileage. You can’t feel it at all. I get the same mileage hwy and I’ve done this route probably 25 times in the Mustang and over 50 in other vehicles. Again your butt dyno ain’t feeling 5-10 hp and Tq.

 

[glenng6]

I’ve run 91 since I had and recently started using 87 a few times on long trips and that would have plenty of city mileage. You can’t feel it at all. I get the same mileage hwy and I’ve done this route probably 25 times in the Mustang and over 50 in other vehicles. Again your butt dyno ain’t feeling 5-10 hp and Tq.

high voltage,
I couldn't agree more. I don't think the average butt dyno will notice. If they did, there would be many posts on here and other forums stating that.

 

[RaceRedder]

We did a 9000 mile roadtrip where we were ripping the Mustangs. Zero difference felt with 93 compared to 87. Only sometimes some placebo effect.

 

[89Trooper]

We did a 9000 mile roadtrip where we were ripping the Mustangs. Zero difference felt with 93 compared to 87. Only sometimes some placebo effect.

It’s only been a few drives since I started my test (click here). Not a bit of difference. I'll do the month, though, and I'm hoping to see something positive to report on, but my bet is that I'm just throwing money away.

 

[Q6543]

We need some datalogs to visualize the difference in knock activity… that might help some people understand better…

If you KNEW that 87 was causing your engine to detonate and 93 alleviated most or all of the knock.

 

[89Trooper]

We need some datalogs to visualize the difference in knock activity… that might help some people understand better…

If you KNEW that 87 was causing your engine to detonate and 93 alleviated most or all of the knock.

Why would Ford design (and tune) an engine that would knock using the octane recommended in the manual?

 

[robvas]

Why would Ford design (and tune) an engine that would knock using the octane recommended in the manual?

so that it can increase timing when you add higher octane gas

 

[glenng6]

I would venture to say so they can get cars out the door. Some people might believe the cost of high-octane gas will prevent them from being able to afford the car.
In my limited use of 87 in my Stang, I did not notice any knocking, but it is in the back of my head. As I said in another post, I am not driving my Stang very much, so I don't care about the cost of 93. It also alleviates my anxiety over what 87 "might" do to my engine. Glenn

 

[highvoltage]

We need some datalogs to visualize the difference in knock activity… that might help some people understand better…

If you KNEW that 87 was causing your engine to detonate and 93 alleviated most or all of the knock.

if you had that much knock and detonation on 87 you would hear it/feel it and they wouldn’t say you could run it.

 

[Farmer Fran]

The thing that scares me the most about 87 in this vehicle...

The RAM Hemi can run on 87 just fine, zero issues, unless you drive it under load. If you do the motor pays the price and you do not know it until it is too late. Is recommended to run 89, especially if you are running it under load.

The new 5.0 is rated at 87 but designed for 91 (93 is what I was told by an engine engineer). So the octane disparity is higher on this engine than the HEMI and I am 100% certain the HEMI pays the price if you load it up on the 87.

Ok, all that said, no one is towing with their 5.0 (at least I hope not) but how often do you hammer on it, even if it seems minor. And if you are pushing the car how does that play into the motor wear.

So for me, I ran 89 in the RAM and I will run 93 in the 5.0 for minor insurance, cannot argue that. Just me, you all do you.

 

[highvoltage]

The thing that scares me the most about 87 in this vehicle...

The RAM Hemi can run on 87 just fine, zero issues, unless you drive it under load. If you do the motor pays the price and you do not know it until it is too late. Is recommended to run 89, especially if you are running it under load.

The new 5.0 is rated at 87 but designed for 91 (93 is what I was told by an engine engineer). So the octane disparity is higher on this engine than the HEMI and I am 100% certain the HEMI pays the price if you load it up on the 87.

Ok, all that said, no one is towing with their 5.0 (at least I hope not) but how often do you hammer on it, even if it seems minor. And if you are pushing the car how does that play into the motor wear.

So for me, I ran 89 in the RAM and I will run 93 in the 5.0 for minor insurance, cannot argue that. Just me, you all do you.

How is it designed for 91? Who said this?

 

[Farmer Fran]

How is it designed for 91? Who said this?

Simple engineering will tell you, make it work for max. You do not design for minimum then make it work max. You make it work at max then dumb it down.

 

[robvas]

Simple engineering will tell you, make it work for max. You do not design for minimum then make it work max. You make it work at max then dumb it down.

The Mustang advertised HP ratings even say 'with 93 octane'

I'm sure the Hemi has different knock sensors and programming to back off/add timing. I know it's not the same engine but I'm sure the majority of F150 5.0 owners run 87

I wonder how the 5.0 octane/knock setup works compared to say the 3.5 and 2.7 EcoBoost, I'm guessing most of those guys run 87 as well.

Are the Hemi guys complaining about detonation damaging their engines?

 

[highvoltage]

Simple engineering will tell you, make it work for max. You do not design for minimum then make it work max. You make it work at max then dumb it down.

Well you said it was like you have insider knowledge. It could be designed for E85

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