'Recommended' Premium Fuel May Not Be Worth The Money

[willizm]

The escalade "recommends" premium or flex fuel. I primarily use flex fuel but have ran 87 octane while logging the truck and saw no KR anywhere. I prefer flex fuel though since it's pretty cheap and superior to premium at half the cost albeit 50% more fuel required for stoich

 

[Thirdgen89GTA]

I had a friend with a zx10r he modded the shit out of. He made more hp on the dyno using mid grade than on premium. His tuner suggested it because it’s generally lacking the fuel additives and marketing crap.



I use the shit out of the 85 octane swill here.

Mid grade fuel is nothing more than a blend of 87 and premium. Stations don’t have one tank for each grade of gas. They blend the low and premium grades together to make mid grade.

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

Mid grade fuel is nothing more than a blend of 87 and premium. Stations don’t have one tank for each grade of gas. They blend the low and premium grades together to make mid grade.

He had dyno results

 

[Sprayin]

All this talk of 93 and I'm just over here with 91

 

[Blood on Blood]

I have had a 2011 Mustang GT, 2013 F150 5.0 and now a 2017 Mustang GT

All three have run 87 octane (Shell, Amoco and Mobile) without issue.

I did a test this past summer in the 2017 GT running all three grades (Shell). Each for approx 2000 miles driven. My car is primarily used for 135 miles per day commute (approx 4.5 hrs per day) and light weekend duty.

I got 2 mpgs better using low octane as compared to premium. Not to mention the cost savings per gallon.

I visit the pump Sundays, Tuesday’s and Thursday’s so the savings add up

 

[Bru]

I don’t think there’s a cold air intake that would increase 7% power. That’s pretty good for simply switching octane.

 

[blakbearddelite]

I don’t think there’s a cold air intake that would increase 7% power. That’s pretty good for simply switching octane.

I'd have to find my thread on the G8 when I had Brandon tune it. We did three separate pulls... stock, CAI, and then CAI with a tune. That VCM CAI alone netted 20whp. It shocked the shit out of all of us.

 

[Blood on Blood]

I have had a 2011 Mustang GT, 2013 F150 5.0 and now a 2017 Mustang GT

All three have run 87 octane (Shell, Amoco and Mobile) without issue.

I did a test this past summer in the 2017 GT running all three grades (Shell). Each for approx 2000 miles driven. My car is primarily used for 135 miles per day commute (approx 4.5 hrs per day) and light weekend duty.

I got 2 mpgs better using low octane as compared to premium. Not to mention the cost savings per gallon.

I visit the pump Sundays, Tuesday’s and Thursday’s so the savings add up

For the 2017 Mustang GT:

AAA results was a 2.3% mpg increase using premium fuel but I didn’t see how many miles they tested.

I disagree based on my results above (2k miles per octane tested).

Further, AAA expressed 18 mpg (low oct) and 18.4 mpg (high oct) combined city/hwy.

My results 24.1 mpg (low oct) and 22 mpg (high oct). Granted I drive 30% city and 70% hwy (primarily stop n go traffic).

 

[SMKE EM]

Goto mexico sometime iirc their octane ratings were in the 60s-70s lolol

 

[SMKE EM]

i run reg. in wifes tbss. that truck gives no fucks about it.

but spinoff.... what happened to the $0.10 swing between grades? now its like $0.50 between them. used to be the difference of $2 more for a tank of premium, now its $10

Damn really? I wish I could back this up with some datalogging on mine. But fuck it, Im selling it anyway

Just surprised with such a high CR there's no knocking

 

[torquelover]

I still am baffled by how many people don't understand octane ratings in their fuel.

People should always run the lowest octane fuel that their car can effectively utilize. Most people that understanding tuning will add more and more timing to a vehicle until it starts to knock on the fuel they want to run and then back it off from there.

The misconceptions I see the most.

93 is better quality than 89,87 etc. - WRONG!
My car runs better on higher octane's, they drive a minivan...
higher octane means better emissions (usually stated it's better for the enviroment) - WRONG!
My engine has lasted 150k+ miles because I use the higher octane fuel - WRONG

Depends on your location. Around me premium is the only way to get non-ethanol gas. Last 4 cars I've had run better on non-ethanol gas. Less hesitation, less more throttle response, better MPGs.

 

[Flyn]

$.50 difference between premium and regular in Florida. Lots of extra profit built in as a "nice car tax".

I could use a car that runs on water. Where'd that idea come from?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIqKS6YQYtQ

 

[Stink Star]

I try and get that Wisconsin 0% ethanol premium whenever I’m up there. That gets way better mileage than our 10% crap

 

[Outlaw]

ive noticed most small engines run the best on the highest octane fuel you can get. which i dont really understand due to most having super low compression ratio

fact: my dad runs aviation fuel strictly in most of his garden tractors and rarely has to clean a carburetor.
[MENTION=1983]Outlaw[/MENTION] likes this

It's not really the "octane" rating, it's lack of ethanol. I run non-ethanol 93 in my power equipment/atv's and never have issues. There's a station about 10 minutes from me that has ethanol free premium

 

[BeerOrGasoline]

#PureGasLoversClub here too

F da corn additive

 

[RICH17]

My personal experience between the two is that premium feels stronger, runs smoother, and seems to be better but gives zero mileage increase. That was me running it for a year and then switching it 87. I want to switch back to premium and will see if my mileage improves with my new commute

 

[PANDA]

It's not really the "octane" rating, it's lack of ethanol. I run non-ethanol 93 in my power equipment/atv's and never have issues. There's a station about 10 minutes from me that has ethanol free premium

I know that new station in Richmond or maybe Genoa City on 12 right on the line has ethanol free 91.

Haven't seen no ethanol 93 anywhere in IL or WI. (except diversey harbor) but no idea if its just a old label or what.

 

[Yaj Yak]

sentry in walworth wisco has no ethanol 93 if i remember right.

 

[Yaj Yak]

Wisconsin Ethanol Free Gas Stations

neat

 

[Outlaw]

I know that new station in Richmond or maybe Genoa City on 12 right on the line has ethanol free 91.

Haven't seen no ethanol 93 anywhere in IL or WI. (except diversey harbor) but no idea if its just a old label or what.

Yeah that's about 10 minutes from my house.

 

[LikeABauce302]

I alternate between 89 and 93 in my Ecoboost Escape. I usually refill at half tank. I'm sure it would be fine on 87 in the winter months where IATs are lower.

 

[Chester Copperpot]

Wisconsin Ethanol Free Gas Stations

neat

https://www.pure-gas.org/extensions/map.html

 

[Mr_Roboto]

Filled the Volvo on 89. Will see it does not seem pissed at me. Was pissed on 87.

 

[Kensington]

Fill the EcoJunk with 93. Experimented with 87 for awhile, noticed a difference in power and economy, but haven't bothered to do a cost/benefit.

I fill up at Costco, which generally sees lower prices. But they only have 87 and 93, and ALL the detergents.