Switching to 87 octane?

[Flame Red Rebel]

ethanol is corrosive to older carbs and hoses. Not so much a issue on newer stuff in the last 10 years

run premium in the ram and SRT 8 with ethanol in it............

Non- Ethanol is crazy high here and see no gain to switch

 

[kurek]

I pulled my travel trailer this summer, and there was a huge difference in power and pinging depending on Octane I used. Switching from 91 to 87 was downright scary. Went up a long hill in 5th and that thing chattered soooo bad I was almost ready to pull over and crawl up. Seriously. Could be a combination of bad gas that made it even worse, but I try switch around from time to time and like clockwork, the pinging will show up under moderate - heavy loads with < 91. Or maybe it wasn't "bad gas" but just had to give the ECU time to figure out the octane changed and retard timing? But lack of power was noticable too.

Maybe I just got a bad hemi.

I think in the case of relatively modern engines, or higher-performance engines fuel quality becomes a lot more relevant to their behavior. My last 4wd didn't have a knock sensor and I'm pretty sure it would run on melted ear wax the same as it would run on premium. My wife's car doesn't have one either, and my little commuter Jeep does but both are tuned to run on 87 octane so while the Jeep maybe stands a chance of advancing timing a little if it's on premium I don't think it's likely they stored any hidden performance in there.

But our Rams do recommend mid grade, surely there's a reason they made that recommendation as it does contribute to the total cost of ownership calculations all the magazines run and obviously for sales comparisons they have an incentive to keep that number as low as possible to get an edge on the competition. I run premium in mine just because the $ difference isn't much (vs. mid grade, half the difference between 87 and prem) and I have the good fortune of being able to afford it. Still I've had a couple tanks in the past when refilling at not-my-usual stations that had something wrong with them and the difference in behavior was as you describe - massive and undeniable. Whole different truck!

 

[kurek]

I have run ethanol (up to 10%) in my Shindiawa weedeater for probably 25 years. It has never missed a beat, haven't done a thing to the motor other than new spark plug.

I always run plain old E10 in all my yard tools including a very old lawnmower (branded Montgomery-Ward) that I only retired 2 years ago still in running shape, with a cracked mower deck. I do winterize my equipment when it's put away for the season, maybe that's where the difference comes in. But I wouldn't want last year's petroleum in the carb either come springtime.

 

[ramffml]

I always run plain old E10 in all my yard tools including a very old lawnmower (branded Montgomery-Ward) that I only retired 2 years ago still in running shape, with a cracked mower deck. I do winterize my equipment when it's put away for the season, maybe that's where the difference comes in. But I wouldn't want last year's petroleum in the carb either come springtime.

I admit it's abuse; but I have never changed or emptied the gas over winter in any of my lawn cutting tools. That goes for a zero turn Kohler 24 hp, little briggs push mower, and my weed eater. Couple pulls in the spring and they fire right up! My Zero turn I get professionally serviced, so they do the oil changes and fuel filter changes etc. But I do run the fuel tanks "as is".

But yeah its abusive. Come to think of it, that Briggs is at least 6 years old and I have never cracked open the oil stick after the initial fill.

 

[Tripper]

I run 91 whenever possible

 

[Pull Ya]

Posts containing political content have been removed from this thread. There are specific forum rules prohibiting political comments and/or discussions. Further violations of forum rules will result in additional administrative action.
Jay

 

[U&A]

Run it.

It will be fine.

Use a good fuel system cleaner frequently that has PEA in it. The more PEA the better.


Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]

 

[Wild one]

Posts containing political content have been removed from this thread. There are specific forum rules prohibiting political comments and/or discussions. Further violations of forum rules will result in additional administrative action.
Jay

Damn Jay,you gotta leave it up long enough for the rest of us to have a giggle,there's been no evening entertainment anywhere lately these days,even on the fb pages,lol

 

[crackerjack1957]

Yeah get a laugh out SNL political skits......can't we get 1 here......LoL

 

[GsRAM]

I ran 89 in my truck when I first got it. Ran fine. Switched to 87 to see what it'd do and saw no noticable decrease in performance.

Then I figured when towing my 6k tt I should run the 89 and did. The tried running the 87 towing and saw no noticable performance decrease.

After that I switched to 87 all the time and that's all I've run in it since with no issues. I do run a bottle of seafoam through it once in awhile for maintenance but that's it.

Just my .02.

 

[clint440]

I ran 89 in my truck when I first got it. Ran fine. Switched to 87 to see what it'd do and saw no noticable decrease in performance.

Then I figured when towing my 6k tt I should run the 89 and did. The tried running the 87 towing and saw no noticable performance decrease.

After that I switched to 87 all the time and that's all I've run in it since with no issues. I do run a bottle of seafoam through it once in awhile for maintenance but that's it.

Just my .02.

I think on a factory tune, increased octane octane has negligible benefits other than more cost. Or at least that's what I recall before I had my pickup custom tuned.

Tuned: There is significant difference between a 91 JG Headers tune and a 89 JG Headers tune. Can't wait to tow sometime.

 

[Wild one]

I'd lay odds the majority of trucks are run on 87. The average owner is probably buying the cheapest fuel they can.

 

[Seth Richards]

I’ve only run 87 octane in mine. No reason to spend more for higher octane if the engine is tuned for the lower octane. Just a waste of money imo.

 

[GsRAM]

I think on a factory tune, increased octane octane has negligible benefits other than more cost. Or at least that's what I recall before I had my pickup custom tuned.

Tuned: There is significant difference between a 91 JG Headers tune and a 89 JG Headers tune. Can't wait to tow sometime.

I totally agree, 100% correct.

 

[GsRAM]

I'd lay odds the majority of trucks are run on 87. The average owner is probably buying the cheapest fuel they can.

Yes absolutely, a 30 gallon tank is a big beast to fill. Lol.

To each their own of course, just like oil and filter choices. If I felt a noticable increase in power I'd spend the extra dough for 89 in a heartbeat. It's just not there for me in my case.

 

[Pull Ya]

93 octane in mine, but I have a 93 octane custom tune from Hemifever. A little more expensive than 87 or 89 but it's worth it for me. When you play you gotta pay---LOL
Jay

 

[U&A]

Always with a top tier gas the higher the octane the more cleaning additive they have in it.

Just as a note.


Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]

 

[Lyle Longboat]

89 recommended, 87 acceptable.
Out here in God’s country, We have nothing but 87 (doubt it even 87). I have no choice but to run this and no issues. I use to run 89 religiously and use to throw in 93 from
Time to time. Now, Lucus fuel additive goes in every fill up.

 

[ramffml]

I don't know how you guys do it. My truck refuses to run 87 without sounding like there are 50 squirrels playing marbles under the hood.

I'm wondering though. Lets say you drive with 91 for a couple fills up, then put 87 in. Is the engine going crazy because it still thinks there is 91 in it? Does it have to run through 5 tanks before it realizes and adjusts?

That might be an interesting test this winter where I'm not working my truck hard. Put 87 in and see how long the pinging lasts.

 

[Alweeja]

2012 here, and I’ve fed mine nothing but 87 since day 1 with no issues


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

87 on my Hemi always w/no issues.