Ecoboost loses 13% power on 87 octane [Updated with Ford training materials]

[69mach1-395]

Honestly, I've not filled with anything less than 91... YET. I'm going to use mine as a vacation car if everything will fit. 87 may be the only options traveling through some of the desert western states.

Around here, 90 and 91 are readily available I think due to the altitude of 5k ft. That's what I use in my 69 with 10.6:1 CR, which has no knock sensors or computer.

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[Papaya]

However, here's really what my downloaded manual says;

2.3L EcoBoost and 5.0L V8 Engines

We recommend regular unleaded gasoline
with a pump (R+M)/2 octane rating of 87.
Some stations offer fuels posted as regular
with an octane rating below 87, particularly
in high altitude areas. We do not
recommend fuels with an octane rating
below 87.

To provide improved performance, we
recommend premium fuel for severe duty
usage, such as trailer tow.

You see, that's what I don't understand from Ford. In the manual it says what you are posting. On the website if you look, it shows "Premium fuel". The Ford "in house" training guide says "premium fuel and full synthetic oil should be used" / regular can be used. It also says that a service should be done every 10,000 miles/16,000km or 12 month by normal use.

Ask your dealer and he will say 87 is more than fine, service every 5,000 miles/ 8,000 km or 6 month with mineral oil would be more than fine. (money maker)
We could post and post about this. In Germany they say "Premium fuel only" but if there is no premium available you can use regular if you run out of gas.
IMO this should be written in the manual. I'm looking only at the F150 EcoBoost engine problems and I know that "low" quality fuel won't get in my tank. I can get 91 octane for only 9 cents more than 87 octane. I'm not starting to fight over $4 per tank. 93 octane (without Ethanol) is a different story at my place. :gossip:

 

[danzo]

for those who can't get 93 octane fuel

Here in Topeka, Kansas I too cannot get 93 octane fuel for my ecoboost from any pump within 60 miles. But, where I live there are a couple of stations that sell race fuel. I did the math and figured that if I put 2.1 gallons of 104 octane race fuel and 13 gallons of 91 in my tank, I should have about 93 octane for the tank. If you have access to race fuel, perhaps this will help you get the 93 octane your looking for. The problem is that race fuel here was $7.49 a gallon on a day when 87 octane was $2.29 a gallon. Putting those two gallons of 104 octane into my tank raised the total cost of the tank about $ 9.94 above what a tank full of 91 octane fuel would have cost. That adds up over time to get that last 12 hp out of the stock motor. It might make more sense over the long run to simply get a bolt on that adds about that much power, a CAI for example, and let the part help pay for itself over time vs running 91 and race fuel and keeping the engine stock.

 

[69mach1-395]

Would octane boost additive be more cost effective?

 

[dsmisfits]

Would octane boost additive be more cost effective?

Check this video out.

[ame]

 

[Tamadrummer88]

Check this video out.

Very interesting. Better off just going with the highest grade you can find at the pump.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[danzo]

I've read up on octane boosters and have not liked what I've read. According to the consumer product review sites I got on months ago, most are pretty worthless and a few can actually be harmful, although most of those considered harmful have been reportedly taken off the American market. If I recall right, the only one out there that was actually seen as worth a damn was Royal Purple and it's expensive. I'd suggest that you read some of the on-line reviews of octane boosters by petroleum industry review sources and decide for yourself whether you want to put that stuff down your engine.

 

[obk787]

As far as i know octane boosters are nothing but way to squeeze money out of people with zero car knowledge. Also as far as I know all fuel additives are a no no for direct injected engines. If you really want to notice difference in acceleration just add a gallon of race fuel for less than $10 and you will notice a lighter gas pedal

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