What grade fuel for PowerBoost?

[jofo]

I get my gas at Costco, so it’a 93 for me. My rule of thumb has been 10%. As long as it is 10% or less difference, then she gets to drink the good stuff. This has been the case for as long as they’ve been selling gas at our local one. Just as important for me is using top tier rated fuel. Costco fits both in one stop, and the added bonus is that they’re also the cheapest.

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[OleCuss]

What I've been reading has me thinking that the Premium gas gives about 5% better fuel mileage. Here in Kalifornia regular is about $6 (or approaching that) and the Premium still seems to be about 20 cents more per gallon.

So paying about 3% more to get premium is giving me 5% better fuel mileage. That means premium is actually saving me money and is keeping my PB ready for towing.

It may be that my numbers are wrong, but that's my logic.

 

[Suns_PSD]

Since my 2013 ecoboost, been using Shell premium. . Same in my 21 Powerboost.

https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a28565486/honda-cr-v-vs-bmw-m5-ford-f-150-dodge-charger/

The mpg increase of only 3.5% doesn't cover the nearly 50% higher cost locally, but the decrease in acceleration times of 10% is pretty phenomenal.

E85 is quite inexpensive and high Octane so it would be fun to crunch some numbers to hit 93 Octane by just adding a bit.

 

[Mosey]

Here in Grand Rapids, MI my local Costco had 87 for 3.14 and 93 for 4.04. 90 cents/gallon is crazy. I absolutely see better gas mileage with 93, but not 90 cents worth per gallon.

 

[Snakebitten]

The mpg increase of only 3.5% doesn't cover the nearly 50% higher cost locally, but the decrease in acceleration times of 10% is pretty phenomenal.

E85 is quite inexpensive and high Octane so it would be fun to crunch some numbers to hit 93 Octane by just adding a bit.

I ran a few different "cocktails" on the Powerboost with the intended criteria to save some $'s at the pump while mixing E85 with 87, 89

It was when fuel prices were at there highest.

I wasn't willing to save money at the expense of performance, so the experiment was to subsidize the low octane of cheaper fuel with a mix of E85. The E85 pump I was using was ~E65

Anyways, to summarize, the Powerboost is a 30 gallon tank and I could get away with 5 gallons of E85 with 25 gallons of E10 and still be within the factory calibrations ability to manage stoic and everything ran nicely.

Mixing with 87 wasn't quite capable of holding OAR at max. So the pcm definitely dropped down to one or two rungs in the timing tables.
With 89, 4-5 gallons of E-65ish maxed out OAR and was just as well performing as 93. But the cost savings combined with ~3-5% less fuel mileage pretty much made it a wash.

Still, it was interesting and I enjoyed the exercise. These are amazing trucks. Ford's Ecoboost engine management is incredibly sophisticated.

 

[Aron]

I ran a few different "cocktails" on the Powerboost with the intended criteria to save some $'s at the pump while mixing E85 with 87, 89

It was when fuel prices were at there highest.

I wasn't willing to save money at the expense of performance, so the experiment was to subsidize the low octane of cheaper fuel with a mix of E85. The E85 pump I was using was ~E65

Anyways, to summarize, the Powerboost is a 30 gallon tank and I could get away with 5 gallons of E85 with 25 gallons of E10 and still be within the factory calibrations ability to manage stoic and everything ran nicely.

Mixing with 87 wasn't quite capable of holding OAR at max. So the pcm definitely dropped down to one or two rungs in the timing tables.
With 89, 4-5 gallons of E-65ish maxed out OAR and was just as well performing as 93. But the cost savings combined with ~3-5% less fuel mileage pretty much made it a wash.

Still, it was interesting and I enjoyed the exercise. These are amazing trucks. Ford's Ecoboost engine management is incredibly sophisticated.

I thought that the manual says not to use E85? I recognize that when you mix it, it’s technically less than that, but it seems risky to me.

The page prior to this talks about a flex fuel vehicle, but I don’t think that my Powerboost has any of the indicators (yellow cap or bezel, etc).

“Do not use:
-Fuel containing more than 15% ethanol or E85.”

 

[TheGoatman]

I think that’s e19. Sounds close enough

http://www.wallaceracing.com/ethanol-mix-calc.php

 

[ekaddo]

The mpg increase of only 3.5% doesn't cover the nearly 50% higher cost locally, but the decrease in acceleration times of 10% is pretty phenomenal.

E85 is quite inexpensive and high Octane so it would be fun to crunch some numbers to hit 93 Octane by just adding a bit.

Exactly, acceleration is king! Just traded up to a ‘22 Lightning… right at 4 seconds to sixty. I love the EcoBoost, Powerboost and Coyote but the launch of this Lightning is awesome.

 

[Snakebitten]

I thought that the manual says not to use E85? I recognize that when you mix it, it’s technically less than that, but it seems risky to me.

The page prior to this talks about a flex fuel vehicle, but I don’t think that my Powerboost has any of the indicators (yellow cap or bezel, etc).

“Do not use:
-Fuel containing more than 15% ethanol or E85.”

It does. But I'm certain they meant by the tank full.

As the fella above pointed out, 5 gallons of the E85 that I pumped, combined with 25 gallons of E10, = ~E19

The tuning gurus that I trust vouched that the factory calibration (tune) is more than capable of accomodating E20.

 

[amschind]

The issue with Ethanol heavy blends is twofold, but there is a LOT to be gained from it.
1) E85 70% the energy density of E15. I emailed Transferflow and asked them to build a big tank for the Powerboost and you should too. A 40-45 gallon tank (i.e. the size for most of their upgrades) eliminates the range delta
2) you really need a tune to take advantage. E85 is gold from the engines perspective, and with the extra set of injectors we have built in capability to pump enough fuel without injector or pump upgrades. I am still not clear how an E85 tune would interact with the very likely circumstance where you can't find a pump and you have to run 93.

I am eventually going to get a tune, probably geared toward E85.

 

[Jimi]

Around the metro Detroit area the difference is $0.66 to $0.70 per gallon up charge for 93 over 87.. Not even close to your $0.20 you say. So $20.00 +/- extra cost per 30 gallon fill up. The little mpg increase won't come close to cover the extra cost.

Good point Jus Crusin

 

[Eskram]

I've used 93 since I used up the 'free' dealer fill up, and have on all my vehicles in the last 15? years. Admitted, all have been tuned/modified and I live in Florida - it feels like a requirement.

I did find a E85 station near me, so may try a Livernois E30 map soon once I figure out the mix.

 

[Gros Ventre]

The core issue with E blends over about E10-E15 is that if the injectors and/or the fuel control system isn't set up for the higher flow required the engine won't work correctly. Ethanol has about half the energy per gallon as gasoline so much higher flows are required.

 

[oneinch]

87 all day every day here. When I'm running the Nürburgring I step up to premium.

 

[Suns_PSD]

Here in Grand Rapids, MI my local Costco had 87 for 3.14 and 93 for 4.04. 90 cents/gallon is crazy. I absolutely see better gas mileage with 93, but not 90 cents worth per gallon.

29% higher fuel cost to get 3.5% better mpg & range + 10% better acceleration isn't a value proposition for me either.

But then I remember how much I've spent to gain power on various engines in the past and it seems like a bargain.

Interestingly enough, as fuel prices increase, the percent extra you pay for Super is reduced making the value better. I mean if gas was, God forbid, $10/ gallon, another .90 cents is only a 9% penalty getting close to a wash on the improved economy.

I had a Naturally Aspirated Corvette converted to Flex fuel. It could run on any blend from E0 - E85. It was only 20hp/ 20 tq, but it was absolutely the largest 20 hp I had ever felt in my life, mainly because it began at nearly idle and the throttle was much sharper. Honestly if you had told me it was 45 hp I would have believed it.

The fuel economy dropped 30%, however the cost of the fuel was also 30% less than Super so it was a fair deal. I'd run the E85 in the TX Summers where the heat soaking at lights definitely reduced power and also road traction was higher. During the winters it was just too much and the car, while tubbed with R888rs, just would not hook up. When I disassembled the engine the heads looked like they had yet to be installed from new, they were so clean.

On a turbocharged engine, the E85 gains can be absolutely huge. E85 is also available at 3 places, nearly within walking distance of my office, so no problem there. The biggest issue is that you are literally looking for fuel really soon as it drops so quickly.

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