Does it affect the performance or lessen repairs.

 

>Does it affect the proformance or lessen repairs.


I think the difference between 89 to 94 octane effects performance.
With the chip I got a slight ping, when I was finisihng off my tank of 89, went to 92 and sometimes 94 with no ping at all. So based on that yes.

As far as repairs, we all no where pinging gets us, and with a cheap grade of fuel, I think it's very possible to have your cat start getting restricted.

I beleive most stock motors are produced to run on crap gas now a days, but once you start bolting modifications on, thats when I start to pay attention to the octane.

I'm just glad here in NY we don't run that disstilled corn water gas.

 

>>Does it affect the proformance or lessen repairs.
>
>
>I think the difference between 89 to 94 octane effects
>performance.
>With the chip I got a slight ping, when I was finisihng off
>my tank of 89, went to 92 and sometimes 94 with no ping at
>all. So based on that yes.
>
>As far as repairs, we all no where pinging gets us, and with
>a cheap grade of fuel, I think it's very possible to have
>your cat start getting restricted.
>
>I beleive most stock motors are produced to run on crap gas
>now a days, but once you start bolting modifications on,
>thats when I start to pay attention to the octane.
>
>I'm just glad here in NY we don't run that disstilled corn
>water gas.

Alchol is for drinking

High octane is for 'chiped' or otherwise modified/high performance motors.

The real measure of gasoline quality is the aditive package, cheap gas equals cheap to no aditive package and will get you on your way to clogged injectors just that much sooner.

Petrol

 

"Cheap gas" is usually the name brand stuff sold as bulk. The challenge with it is that it is usually a mixture of various "formulas". Fuel differs only in it's additive package.Say, Mobil has more of product "X" in it than the Shell stuff.

Well, these dicount gas stores will buy whatever is leftover from either source and sell it for lower profit margins.

I buy the lowest cost fuel that I can find. BUT I only buy it from the lowest priced, HIGHEST TURN-OVER gas dealer around. I fear stale or improperly stored gas worse than the lowest price gas.

Example. There are two gas places sorta right next to each other. There is the "gas price war" going on between them. The guy I go to always wins because 1. The gas truck is at his place every day. 2. His station is newer and the pumps and storage systems are more up to date.

You run a risk of getting bad gas no matter where you get it but since I am a recovering dieselholic I subscribe to getting the freshest fuel possible and that is usually at the discount place down the road.

Then again, from a name brand store you also get the advantage of a more consistent fuel from fill up to fill up.

 

Yeah it does matter...from a DIFFERENT angle.

I looked in my files for an email I rec'd several weeks ago but couldn't find it. But the gist of the article was that we need to buy ONLY from the refiners that DO NOT IMPORT SAUDI ARABIAN crude! As the article noted, why should we put $$$ in the pockets of a country where the general sentiment is to hate (and kill) the Americans?!! Well I happen to feel the same way.

The article gave a list of refiners who do and do not import from the Saudis and I wish I could remember all of them but I can't. However I do remember 2 that DO NOT and they have been getting MY fuel $$$$. They are BP and Citgo. If I ever run across the article I'll be sure to post it. Sorry for the interuption to an otherwise good topic.


DaleL

'02 F250XL 4x4 5.4L Auto 4:10 Reg cab LB WORK TRUCK!

 

I've found that different companies have vast dissimilarities (is that even a word?) and I have varied results using the different gasses. Here's the run down on local western WA gas stations with my lightly modified '89 F-250 4x4 w/ 460, C6, and 4.10:1 gears:

Arco: Average power, 7-8mpg, knocks w/87, fine w/ 89, 92.
Citgo: Low power, 8ish mpg, knocks w/87, fine w/ 89, 92.
Shell Oil: Good power, 9-11 mpg, occasionally knocks w/ 87, always great w/ 89, 92.
Texaco: Good power, 8-10 mpg, knocks with 87 and 89, fine with 92.
Safeway: Average power, 7-8 mpg, knocks w/ 87, fine w/ 89, 92.
Costco: Good power, 8-9 mpg, occasionally knocks w/ 87, always great w/ 89, 92.
Chevron: Low to average power, 6-7 mpg, knocks w/ 87 and 89, fine w/ 92.
Union 76: Low to average power, 6-7 mpg, knocks w/ 87 and 89, fine w/ 92.

Shell would be the obvious place to go, but the closest one is 11 miles from my house and so I have to go with Texaco 92 Octane. Sure it's expensive, but it's cheaper to by the Texaco 1.5 miles from home than the Shell or Costco that is so far away.
An added reason to buy there is the night guy at the Texaco looks like Jerry Garcia and is such a cool guy it's almost rediculous. You ask him about any subject, and he can speak authoritatively on it. It makes me wonder why such an intelligent guy works the graveyard shift at a gas station, but I'm not into prying into other people's personal lives.

The Law

 

Th advice I remember is to buy from a national brand at a busy station. Busy means fresh. As I understand it the no-mane "mom and pop" gas and coffee stops get the bottom of the barrel gas. Here in Mass I belive the law states that a name brand gas station, i.e. Shell, must use that companie's product. There was a movement from station owner's lobby to allow them to buy gas from any supplier cheaper for them). It was defeated.

 

I'm almost ready to buy my first tank of gas. (I've had the truck almost a month, but before you all think I'm getting great gas milage I've only got 400 miles on it.) I'm going to try the 87 octane because my F150 ran great on it with the 4.6. The 87 is 1.37 where I live. Is anyone having good luck with 87 in their 5.4?

 

>I'm almost ready to buy my first tank of gas. (I've had the
>truck almost a month, but before you all think I'm getting
>great gas milage I've only got 400 miles on it.) I'm going
>to try the 87 octane because my F150 ran great on it with
>the 4.6. The 87 is 1.37 where I live. Is anyone having good
>luck with 87 in their 5.4?


:-X23 wow only 400 miles a month, eh, drop me a line when your lease runs out. . .

 

>:-X23 wow only 400 miles a month, eh, drop me a line when
>your lease runs out. . .

I would but it's not a lease. I'm hoping to drive it for 10 years or so. It will likely have about 75-80,000 miles in 10 years and I will give you one hell of a deal on it.

 

>
>>:-X23 wow only 400 miles a month, eh, drop me a line when
>>your lease runs out. . .
>
>I would but it's not a lease. I'm hoping to drive it for 10
>years or so. It will likely have about 75-80,000 miles in 10
>years and I will give you one hell of a deal on it.

I kidd you only in jest. While I easily log more then 400 miles in less then three days in my 'company car' F150 my father-in-law has a 150 Lariat S'crew that he bought new in late 2000. He has just pasted the big 3,000 mile mark! I bet he will have that truck till the day the big man takes HIM away from IT.

 

There is a big difference in Gas companies. Some fuels have a low energy content and that is why you have lower power and less mileage with them. I don't have my list handy, but I know that BP, Exxon and "discount" warehouse gas (such as Sams or grocery store gas) are generally lowest in quality and energy. Conoco in some areas is Gas-ahol which has an extremely low energy content. The best rated fuel is generally Shell and Texaco. This varies on region due to clean air standards and such. I have found that when I go with the bargain stuff, anything I save in the purchase is lost in the MPG and noticeable in the power.

TXTrailerdaddy

 

I would like to thank everyone for your imput.

 

Hey Guys,
Just ran across this and thought I would put in my .02. I had a 200 F150 for two years. If I filled up at RaceTrac, a high volume gas place in Houston, I would always get 1-2 MPG better than anywhere else. Had a 94 F150 same thing. I just got a 94 F250 460. I have only bought one tank so we will see.