Octane boosters

[DT400]

With fuel getting as expensive as it is has anyone ever tried using an octane booster to increase the level of a lower grade fuel for use in the 3.5?
Seems if it wouldn't harm the engine or emissions it might be cheaper to use than paying an extra $.40 to $.80 per Gal. depending on which grade you start with.

Darrell

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[rado]

With fuel getting as expensive as it is has anyone ever tried using an octane booster to increase the level of a lower grade fuel for use in the 3.5?
Seems if it wouldn't harm the engine or emissions it might be cheaper to use than paying an extra $.40 to $.80 per Gal. depending on which grade you start with.

Darrell

I wouldn't use octane boosters. Most don't work, and the ones that do are waaaay more expensive than just buying premium. Also, you don't need to use premium with the EcoBoost. While higher octane will surely bring out the true power of the motor, using regular grade octane will do no harm to the motor. The motor will re-tune itself to prevent detonation (which will ultimately lower your power output). If you don't need the power, just use regular octane (Top Tier if possible).

 

[Trukbed]

Hi Darrel, I agree with @rado. I just did a little article on this, here's a link that goes straight to a summary of car and drivers 4 car test about differences in fuel.

https://trukbed.com/what-is-e85-gas.../#h-the-car-and-driver-4-vehicle-test-of-2019

The link goes straight to the section I am referring to.

Basically, premium does little to nothing better in Most cars and is a waste. In the F150 3.5 though, the engine's design supports giving more octane, meaning you will actually see gains in acceleration, and overall HP (360 on 87, to 380hp on 93). Both the 0 to 60 and 1/4 mile sprints got better in time by at least .5 seconds.

Unless you're trying to race someone, or going to actually be hauling or towing a really heavy load where you require 380hp over 360hp, you're best bet would likely to be to maintain saving money with 87 octane.

Tier 1, like @rado said. The top brands 87 octane can keep your engine clean just as easily.

Remember too, it's not a bad idea to mix top tier brands every now and again to get different detergents and additives that each brand provides. Gives your engine an overall clean, versus using the same gas station day in and day out.

Just MHO.

 

[konoplya]

Which is the octane booster on the market that actually works? The difference here between 87 and 91 is 50 cents at Costco, other gas stations its about 70-80 cents. A 36 gallon tank can add up.

 

[mrtull]

Tier 1, like @rado said. The top brands 87 octane can keep your engine clean just as easily.

Where i live in New Meixco, regular is 86 and mid-grade is 88. I've been using mid because the Ford manual says to use 87.... how much does that matter? In nearby Colorado, regular sometimes drops as low as 85.

 

[Jeff1024]

Which is the octane booster on the market that actually works? The difference here between 87 and 91 is 50 cents at Costco, other gas stations its about 70-80 cents. A 36 gallon tank can add up.

So admittedly I am basing this on a very half hearted amazon search, but I have to believe its pretty representative. A 16oz Bottle of octane booster that may or may not actually work is around $10.

The 50 Cent difference assuming your take was 100% empty would be $18.

Just buy the 93 octane gas, know the true octane of what fuel you are running, and be done w/ it? Seems like a lot of hassle to mess /w octane boosters for a pretty unknown outcome.

 

[Eskram]

Which is the octane booster on the market that actually works? The difference here between 87 and 91 is 50 cents at Costco, other gas stations its about 70-80 cents. A 36 gallon tank can add up.

Torco Unleaded Accelerator is one of the few legit ones that actually raises by full octane points; many of the off the shelf brands may add a few tenths of a point. I used to buy it by the case for my built Subaru and never had issues. They claim it's O2 and catalytic convertor safe, but I can't attest to that, as I was catless.

https://torcousa.com/products/accelerator

Buying 91+ octane is probably cheaper in the long run, but I was tuned to the point where I needed something in the 98+ octane range - it was cheaper than mixing race gas and easier than adding gallons of toluene.

Keeping a can on hand might work in a pinch if you can only find 87 though and just want to get to 91+.

 

[staying_tuned]

Torco Unleaded Accelerator is one of the few legit ones that actually raises by full octane points; many of the off the shelf brands may add a few tenths of a point. I used to buy it by the case for my built Subaru and never had issues. They claim it's O2 and catalytic convertor safe, but I can't attest to that, as I was catless.

https://torcousa.com/products/accelerator

Buying 91+ octane is probably cheaper in the long run, but I was tuned to the point where I needed something in the 98+ octane range - it was cheaper than mixing race gas and easier than adding gallons of toluene.

Keeping a can on hand might work in a pinch if you can only find 87 though and just want to get to 91+.

Yep, this and VP Octanium are the only two that Terry over @beefcake say can be counted on. I can vouch for Octanium, we needed to troubleshoot potential fuel quality issues and after adding Octanium we saw timing added (vs. pulled as was the case before) during WOT runs.

 

[beefcake]

Yep, this and VP Octanium are the only two that Terry over @beefcake say can be counted on. I can vouch for Octanium, we needed to troubleshoot potential fuel quality issues and after adding Octanium we saw timing added (vs. pulled as was the case before) during WOT runs.

Were finding out that Boostane is very good as well, and raises by more than any of the other brands.

We just started offering this recently. Our 2024 mustang with factory whipple tune and 1 pulley down on boostane is making 830 wheel!

 

[konoplya]

Torco Unleaded Accelerator is one of the few legit ones that actually raises by full octane points; many of the off the shelf brands may add a few tenths of a point. I used to buy it by the case for my built Subaru and never had issues. They claim it's O2 and catalytic convertor safe, but I can't attest to that, as I was catless.

https://torcousa.com/products/accelerator

Buying 91+ octane is probably cheaper in the long run, but I was tuned to the point where I needed something in the 98+ octane range - it was cheaper than mixing race gas and easier than adding gallons of toluene.

Keeping a can on hand might work in a pinch if you can only find 87 though and just want to get to 91+.

oh, so with this, i don't have to dump a whole can into the tank? i can make my own ratio of how much octane i want raised? that's pretty good and one bottle can be used a few times.

 

[amschind]

I regularly cross the divide between 86 and 87 regular, which splits Texas in half. I HATE paying mid grade price for 88 octane, and would happily add a booster to 86 if I knew that it wouldn't detonate.

 

[Calson]

Octane is nothing more than a measure of resistance to pre-ignition that can result in engine knock. For 50 years tetraethyllead was the additive used to do the same. Unfortunately while highly profitable for General Motors it caused brain damage in children exposed to auto exhaust.

Modern engines have a computer that can sense pre-ignition and retard the spark to protect the engine. Using a lower than recommended octane gas is only going to result in the spark retarded and a reduction in mpg.

When I had a coupe that was engineered for 93 octane gas and put a lower octane gas in the tank the end result was fewer mpg and so my cost per mile driven with the "cheaper" gas was not changed.

Octane is not a linear relationship and putting half a tank of 87 octane and half a tank of 93 octane gas is not going to result in 90 octane fuel but more likely about 91-92 octane. Alternate octane rated fuel in your truck and check the real mpg that results.

 

[amschind]

Octane is nothing more than a measure of resistance to pre-ignition that can result in engine knock. For 50 years tetraethyllead was the additive used to do the same. Unfortunately while highly profitable for General Motors it caused brain damage in children exposed to auto exhaust.

Modern engines have a computer that can sense pre-ignition and retard the spark to protect the engine. Using a lower than recommended octane gas is only going to result in the spark retarded and a reduction in mpg.

When I had a coupe that was engineered for 93 octane gas and put a lower octane gas in the tank the end result was fewer mpg and so my cost per mile driven with the "cheaper" gas was not changed.

Octane is not a linear relationship and putting half a tank of 87 octane and half a tank of 93 octane gas is not going to result in 90 octane fuel but more likely about 91-92 octane. Alternate octane rated fuel in your truck and check the real mpg that results.

93 gets me about 1.5 MPG over 87. That's a 7.5% increase in mileage for a 20% increase in cost. I am suspicious that you're correct that the Ecoboost could accommodate 86, but I'm not sufficiently brave to test it.

 

[Calson]

I never mentioned 86 octane gas. Ford recommends 87 octane unless towing a heavy trailer in which case it recommends 93 octane. MPG is not going to be better using 93 octane for normal driving with this engine that was designed for 87 octane gas.

Higher compression ratio engines have more horsepower but also a greater tendency to have pre-ignition and so a higher octane fuel is advised. Not really rocket science and these concepts go back nearly 100 years but still seem to confuse people.

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