octane rating

I have been running regular but just read in my manual that I should be running mid-grade. I haven't noticed any problems, but I'm wondering if the performance will be better on mid-grade?

here in cali the highest ive seen is 91 and thats all ive ran snce day 1. zero problems so far.

nvexpress13 said:

I have been running regular but just read in my manual that I should be running mid-grade. I haven't noticed any problems, but I'm wondering if the performance will be better on mid-grade?

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Yes you should be running 89 octane for best performance and fuel economy. Yes, your truck will run on 87 octane but to keep the engine from pinging, the computer ******* the ignition timing, meaning less power and increased fuel consumption.

The lower the octane, the more power... Unless... You get a ton of KR (knock retard) and then it's the opposite. So running 89 is best. You shouldn't need 91+ unless you're tuned. It's a waste. 91+ doesn't have more detergents in it or anything like that. People have thought for years that "premium" meant it was better fuel. It's NOT!

Stick with a top tier fuel provider like Shell or BP and you'll be good. BP wasn't always on the list. Nice to see them there.

TOP TIER Gasoline Retailers:
USA_____________Canada
76 Stations____Chevron Canada
Aloha Petroleum Esso
BP____________Petro-Canada
Chevron_______Shell Canada
Conoco
CountryMark
Exxon
Hawaii Fueling Network (HFN)
Holiday Stationstores, Inc.
Kwik Trip / Kwik Star
MFA Oil Co.
Mileage Stations
Mobil
Ohana Fuels
Phillips 66
Quik Trip
Road Ranger
Scheirl Oil
Shell
Texaco
Tri-Par Oil Co.
U.S. Oil

What he said is dead on^^^

I originally was using 87 the first couple weeks I had my truck and noticed a lot of pinging and it was getting really annoying. Then I found the part in the manual that you read, and have been using 89 ever since. I only go to Shells. Sunoco if I have too, or Exxon are my backups. You should notice a difference with 89.

87 octane here. I agree 89 would be best. I ran a couple tanks of 89 and noticed no discernible difference in mpg or pinging. So good quality 87 is what it gets.

In my 2011 I tried two tanks of 87, I did notice a slight lack of power and it did get less MPG's so I only run 89 now.

10.5K miles on 87--no pings, plenty of power.

I didn't notice any ping, just a slight loss of power and MPG's, wasn't worth the buck or so savings in gas!

AirborneSilva said:

I didn't notice any ping, just a slight loss of power and MPG's, wasn't worth the buck or so savings in gas!

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Where I live, 89 is 16 cents more a gallon than 87. That's $5 per fill-up with the 32 gallon tank.
So $120 bucks a year or more.

Your ride, do what you want, I just know how little mine liked the 87 if yours likes it then good on ya

Casper said:

Where I live, 89 is 16 cents more a gallon than 87. That's $5 per fill-up with the 32 gallon tank.
So $120 bucks a year or more.

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Funny, here in the corn state it's hard to find 87 and when you do it's MORE expensive than 89 because it's 100% gasoline.

Chewy said:

Funny, here in the corn state it's hard to find 87 and when you do it's MORE expensive than 89 because it's 100% gasoline.

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Ah, the good old days of real gasoline. I can almost smell it!

On a serious, yet sad note. 87 & 89 octane here in Ontario typically run 10% or 10% (87) and 5% (89) ethanol. Some providers offer no ethanol in their premium fuels. However, 87 is always the cheapest and premium can run up to $0.16/litre or approximately $0.60/USGallon more.

I am happy to say that our Sport runs just fine on 87

cta said:

I am happy to say that our Sport runs just fine on 87

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I have not tried 87 in my new Sport, not sure I want to even bother. Yeah it may cost $5 more per fill up but hell I burn up 2 to 3 times more than that having a descent cigar and you guys that drink **** out more than that with 2 or 3 beers (pun intended on the beer smilleys )...

AirborneSilva said:

I have not tried 87 in my new Sport, not sure I want to even bother. Yeah it may cost $5 more per fill up but hell I burn up 2 to 3 times more than that having a descent cigar and you guys that drink **** out more than that with 2 or 3 beers (pun intended on the beer smilleys )...

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You certainly have a point about the cost of beer up here, or any alcohol for that matter. I actually prefer tequila, and I figure that if I'm ever in a dire situation and can't get home because I've run out of gas, I'll try using some tequila in the RAM (totally kidding...of course)

Chewy said:

The lower the octane, the more power... Unless... You get a ton of KR (knock retard) and then it's the opposite. So running 89 is best. You shouldn't need 91+ unless you're tuned. It's a waste. 91+ doesn't have more detergents in it or anything like that. People have thought for years that "premium" meant it was better fuel. It's NOT!

Stick with a top tier fuel provider like Shell or BP and you'll be good. BP wasn't always on the list. Nice to see them there.

TOP TIER Gasoline Retailers:
USA_____________Canada
76 Stations____Chevron Canada
Aloha Petroleum Esso
BP____________Petro-Canada
Chevron_______Shell Canada
Conoco
CountryMark
Exxon
Hawaii Fueling Network (HFN)
Holiday Stationstores, Inc.
Kwik Trip / Kwik Star
MFA Oil Co.
Mileage Stations
Mobil
Ohana Fuels
Phillips 66
Quik Trip
Road Ranger
Scheirl Oil
Shell
Texaco
Tri-Par Oil Co.
U.S. Oil

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Gasoline marketed as "TOP Tier" has nothing directly to do with the Octane rating of the fuel, only the nature of the detergent content added to prevent carbon and/gum build up at injector nozzles, valves, etc. The type of detergent additive to achieve this labeling adds about one cent per gallon to the pump price of the fuel, assuming the same type of detergent additives haven't always been in most fuels. The kicker is other brands of fuel from other refiners and retail outlets may contain an equally as good injector cleaner additive but they simply have seen no need to gain the approval of the four vehicle manufacturers that hawk the term "Top Tier Gasoline." For general information, Chrysler/Ram and Ford are not among the automakers pushing the TOP TIER Gasoline bit.

Going one step further, all refiners have non branded marketing units that sell gasoline to regional distributors and/or retail marketers. Good examples of such retail marketers are "Travel Stop" type chains such as Love's, Pilot, Raceway, Travel Centers of America, and others. Just because a fuel is unbranded from the refiner doesn't mean it is inferior fuel or has fewer additives than that sold beneath their various brand names. It all has to meet certain testing standards imposed by the EPA and if sold in California their testing standards as well.

There is a potential problem with buying unbranded gasoline. That problem is the lack of monitoring phase separation levels in tanks at the retail distribution level by any refiner. Fuel that has begun to "phase separate" in a branded retailer's tanks will be pumped out of those tanks by the refiner and replaced with fresh fuel. "Phase Separation" only occurs with fuel containing 10% or greater Ethanol content and can occur in the tank of any vehicle not driven somewhat frequently sufficient to require fresh fuel being added to the tank. Fuel that has "phase separated" can make a mess out of a vehicles fuel system and more than likely will cause the computer to simply shut down both the fuel delivery and ignition based upon an unacceptable variance in fuel pressure resulting from the viscosity change in the liquid in the fuel system.

JimE said:

Gasoline marketed as "TOP Tier" has nothing directly to do with the Octane rating of the fuel, only the nature of the detergent content added to prevent carbon and/gum build up at injector nozzles, valves, etc.

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Never said or implied it did... Just that using fuel from these companies is usually safer than running to the kwik-e mart or something...

I only buy gas from Shell, guess next time it will cost a little bit more.

I read somewhere where a dodge mechanic was saying put 89 in them. He had been in several 5.7s that had ran only 87 and it wasn't good.... I've been running 89 every since. Don't care about the extra money to keep the truck happy.

PX8 said:

I read somewhere where a dodge mechanic was saying put 89 in them. He had been in several 5.7s that had ran only 87 and it wasn't good.... I've been running 89 every since. Don't care about the extra money to keep the truck happy.

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