Yeah Ford likes to save a buck or 2 wherever they can. They did away with wear indicators or squealer on brake pads to save 2 cents per pad. GM and Toyota were using 2 on each pad at that same time a few years back.
How much premium gas affect performance ?
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I recently gave up running premium in my car and I may have to go back soon to see what it is like.
Originally Posted by Trav
It depends on the compression ratio and how the engine/ECM are tuned. The difference may be very significant or none at all. If the owners manual spec's premium using lower octane fuel will probably result in lower performance.
If regular is spec'd it will run okay on it but its possible the ECM will allow increased settings and may provide additional performance. The best thing is to try it and decide.
This. Knock sensors are a normal part of the engine control feedback loop, not an emergency engine-saving device like they were in the 1980s.
The question may be are whatever gains you see worth the price increase?
You may also benefit from slightly better efficiency under cruise even if WOT performance doesn't change, for example. You wouldn't notice that except for getting better MPG.
My saturn s-series "remembered" knock events at a particular load AND rpm. Felt like a flat spot. Was caused by burning oil. Fixing that improved performance.
It depends on the compression ratio and how the engine/ECM are tuned. The difference may be very significant or none at all. If the owners manual spec's premium using lower octane fuel will probably result in lower performance.
If regular is spec'd it will run okay on it but its possible the ECM will allow increased settings and may provide additional performance. The best thing is to try it and decide.
This. Knock sensors are a normal part of the engine control feedback loop, not an emergency engine-saving device like they were in the 1980s.
The question may be are whatever gains you see worth the price increase?
You may also benefit from slightly better efficiency under cruise even if WOT performance doesn't change, for example. You wouldn't notice that except for getting better MPG.
My saturn s-series "remembered" knock events at a particular load AND rpm. Felt like a flat spot. Was caused by burning oil. Fixing that improved performance.
ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2026
So the OBD II without knock sensors is set up to run on the lowest octane you can most likely get. Seems odd there is no way to adjust for gas that is not all that great.
Kestas
Staff member
Not necessarily. They can also be set up to operate on the fine edge. My 2001 Sable would ping on regular gas. It was a known problem with that model. I had to get the computer reflashed under warranty.
With our 2.3 EcoBoost Explorer, which REQUIRES 87 octane minimum but for the most power, especially in hot temps and heavy loads Ford RECOMMENDS 91 octane. For daily driving 87 octane is just fine. Even driving to Key West FL from NJ in June using regular was ok. Though when you needed that extra passing power premium helped, you could feel the difference from using premium the year before on the same trip. As far a mpg improvements premium may give up to 9% with highway driving but cost 22++% more. For local driving premium doesn't seem to significantly improve the mpg but still costs you 22++% more. We always use top tier fuel and all we can get is E-10.
Whimsey
Whimsey
My 2000 Outback got better than a 10% increase in MPG going from regular to premium. I don't think the regular had ethanol in it, back then. I've also run it in a 2012 Impreza, which showed no increase in MPG or noticeable power.
I run non-ethanol Premium in everything, now, due to extended times between refills. I also run a dash of Stabil Marine and Techron in all of it. Last spring, I rebuilt a 30-year-old 2-stroke boat carb that had been sitting idle, in the back yard, for a decade. It was seriously as clean as new inside.
I run non-ethanol Premium in everything, now, due to extended times between refills. I also run a dash of Stabil Marine and Techron in all of it. Last spring, I rebuilt a 30-year-old 2-stroke boat carb that had been sitting idle, in the back yard, for a decade. It was seriously as clean as new inside.
Originally Posted by bobdoo
My 2000 Outback got better than a 10% increase in MPG going from regular to premium. I don't think the regular had ethanol in it, back then. I've also run it in a 2012 Impreza, which showed no increase in MPG or noticeable power.
I run non-ethanol Premium in everything, now, due to extended times between refills. I also run a dash of Stabil Marine and Techron in all of it. Last spring, I rebuilt a 30-year-old 2-stroke boat carb that had been sitting idle, in the back yard, for a decade. It was seriously as clean as new inside.
That's amazing.
My 2000 Outback got better than a 10% increase in MPG going from regular to premium. I don't think the regular had ethanol in it, back then. I've also run it in a 2012 Impreza, which showed no increase in MPG or noticeable power.
I run non-ethanol Premium in everything, now, due to extended times between refills. I also run a dash of Stabil Marine and Techron in all of it. Last spring, I rebuilt a 30-year-old 2-stroke boat carb that had been sitting idle, in the back yard, for a decade. It was seriously as clean as new inside.
That's amazing.
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