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MPG Fun Facts for My PB (Disclaimer: No Science, Just Anecdotal Observations :))

hardhaus

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Background: Car is a fully loaded Lariat PB with furling Tonneau, leveled on AT 34s. I live and drive at altitude in Colorado, ~75% front range, ~25% in the mountains. Also drive with a bike rack with at least one bike on half the time. In CO the pumps typically offer three grades, Regular 85, Midgrade 87, and Premium 91.

After ~2000 miles and 4 tanks of gas here's my observations.

Tank 1: From dealer so assuming Regular, and yielded ~490 miles
Tank 2: Also Regular yielded ~490 miles
Tank 3: Midgrade yielded ~520 miles
Tank 4: Premium yielded ~560 miles

With the price difference being about ~40 cents between Regular and Midgrade, and ~30 cents between Midgrade and Premium it seems that Midgrade is the obvious loser here. The difference in distance vs cost seems to be a wash between Regular and Premium.

One caveat though is that with the Premium in it I did haul a bed full of loaded Yeti coolers (mostly beer so pretty heavy) and a cab full of dudes up and down to the mountain with ~40 miles on gravel, and total travel around ~260 miles. Which makes me err on the side of Premium would have yielded even more miles if driven without a heave payload for almost half the tank.

Main takeaway for me is that filling Premium seems to be a no brainer, despite dealer laughing when asked at delivery about fuel grades and saying that I should use Regular as Premium is a waste of money.

Am I missing something or have people here found the same?

At the end of the day, if it's a wash between grades, then I'd always pick Premium because that allows me at least 7-8 additional daycare pickups/dropoffs before having to refuel.
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Snakebitten

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You can get as scientific as you want to. :)

Monitor PIDs related to various octanes and ethanol content. Things like KR (knock sensor driven), OAR (Octane Adjust tables related to timing), Spark Adv (timing before top dead center), Lambda (Air/fuel ratio).... etc

What you will discover is this isn't your analog normally Aspirated pcm engine management system.
Ford is now in the 3rd generation of 3.5 Ecoboost engine management and its fascinatingly complex and granular regarding meeting your torque request by leveraging everything they can out of a drop of whatever you poured into that fuel tank.

I know it's a controversial subject for many, but that Ecoboost absolutely is capable of getting you farther down the road on a more knock resistant fuel, all other things being equal. However, that does not mean the co$t between fuel products are necessarily in the consumers favor.
 

jofo

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I’m in the premium fuel camp. I get mine at Costco (which also happens to be Top Tier rated). My rule of thumb is if the cost is around 10% higher, then she gets to drink the good stuff.
 

NotMyName

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You can get as scientific as you want to. :)

Monitor PIDs related to various octanes and ethanol content. Things like KR (knock sensor driven), OAR (Octane Adjust tables related to timing), Spark Adv (timing before top dead center), Lambda (Air/fuel ratio).... etc

What you will discover is this isn't your analog normally Aspirated pcm engine management system.
Ford is now in the 3rd generation of 3.5 Ecoboost engine management and its fascinatingly complex and granular regarding meeting your torque request by leveraging everything they can out of a drop of whatever you poured into that fuel tank.

I know it's a controversial subject for many, but that Ecoboost absolutely is capable of getting you farther down the road on a more knock resistant fuel, all other things being equal. However, that does not mean the co$t between fuel products are necessarily in the consumers favor.
hmmmm, so how do you explain the check engine light coming on 2.7 EB when 85 octane was used. I'm with the OP and have over 100k miles on a 3.5 EB hand calculated. on average, a 1.27 mpg gain was achieved using premium fuel.
 

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NotMyName

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FYI

1660246288826.png


You live in high altitude, so I'm definitely sea-splaining here, but I was told modern cars should not use 85 at all.
yup, 85 caused the check engine light to shine bright on a 2.7 EB 6th gen Bronco
 

TJE

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FYI

1660246288826.png


You live in high altitude, so I'm definitely sea-splaining here, but I was told modern cars should not use 85 at all.
Octane rating where I live is the same (85, 87, 91) and I believe it has to do with altitude. I'm in Wyoming, altitude in town is about 6,000 feet.
 

Bullitt4859

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I have been using 87 exclusively but now that gas prices are starting to come down I might do my own experiment with 93. ( in Houston at sea level)
 

Snakebitten

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hmmmm, so how do you explain the check engine light coming on 2.7 EB when 85 octane was used. I'm with the OP and have over 100k miles on a 3.5 EB hand calculated. on average, a 1.27 mpg gain was achieved using premium fuel.
I don't understand why you asked me?

I didn't think my post was related to using 85 octane fuel in any way.
I'm a diehard 93 guy myself.
 

NotMyName

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I don't understand why you asked me?

I didn't think my post was related to using 85 octane fuel in any way.
I'm a diehard 93 guy myself.
sorry...i misread your post. i thought you were saying the new gen engine can handle any octane
 

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Snakebitten

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No worries!
 

Snakebitten

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I've enjoyed multiple videos of his.
He's so smart though that he's caused brain-siez a couple of times.
 

TJE

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It does. Worth the watch.
Reinforces what I've always been told, high altitude gas at high altitude is fine. With my Tremor I've been running whatever premium is (91 or 93 depending on location). Figured after dropping 70k on a new truck, buying cheap gas was a little silly.
 
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DT444T

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Reinforces what I've always been told, high altitude gas at high altitude is fine. With my Tremor I've been running whatever premium is (91 or 93 depending on location). Figured after dropping 70k on a new truck, buying cheap gas was a little silly.
This video expressly says NOT to put it in a modern turbo, direct injection motor. And Ford says so, too.

I've driven through the mountains many times in an EcoBoost and I HATE buying "midgrade" 87. With the Powerboost I make sure to fill up in Nebraska and then get as far as possible before buying cheaper gas on the West side of the Rockies.
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