Horsepower, Torque, and MPG Confirmed

[FordPerf Addict]

Mileage on premium vs regular should be nil on most cars. I'm sure there are plenty of people out there that will swear that running premium gets better MPG but by and large if a vehicle is designed to be able to run on regular then there is no difference unless your premium blend has no ethanol or something like that. Lower octane gas simply has more power per volume than higher octane, too.

I'm no expert, but doesn't 93 have more power per volume then 87? Contains more energy right? And if your computer detects higher octane for a more aggressive ignition timing, you get more HP which could potentially lead to better MPG? And I think that is the key too. I know some cars only tuned for 87 and the computer cannot adapt, there's no benefits of higher octane fuels. I know my Ram gets better mpg and HP with 89 vs 87 and I can definitely tell when I used a better fuel rating. The manual said min 87 but 89 recommended for optimum performance. So I guess we'll see what the manual says for the Gen2 as well


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[MostSecretAgentMan]

Octane is an anti knock rating. You get more horse power with higher octane because you have more efficient detention. The gasoline itself doesn't have more power or anything like that.

 

[crash457]

All gasoline contains the same power per volume. Octane is not an indicator of fuels stored energy. Octane is a property of fuels ability to resist pre ignition, or the fuel combusting before the spark ignites it.

You can not gain HP or MPG form higher octane.

You can lose it from lower octane. If the engine detects knocking (the result of pre ignition), it will adjust the time and spark to compensate. Usually by reducing the timing curve. This will result in a less efficient fuel burn. That translates into less power and fuel economy. Running lower octane fuel is same in any computer controlled fuel injected engine, since it will compensate to avoid engine component damage.

That being said, whether or not running lower octane that what is recommended will cost you HP or MPG depends on many factors.

Ambient temperate
Barometric pressure
Engine operating temperature
Fuel impurities
Engine Oil quality
Spark plug condition

This is just a few.

There is no simple answer as to if you will experience any lost power or economy with lower octane.

Best option is to try it and see.

 

[Craigy]

I'm no expert, but doesn't 93 have more power per volume then 87? Contains more energy right? And if your computer detects higher octane for a more aggressive ignition timing, you get more HP which could potentially lead to better MPG? And I think that is the key too. I know some cars only tuned for 87 and the computer cannot adapt, there's no benefits of higher octane fuels. I know my Ram gets better mpg and HP with 89 vs 87 and I can definitely tell when I used a better fuel rating. The manual said min 87 but 89 recommended for optimum performance. So I guess we'll see what the manual says for the Gen2 as well


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It's the other way around. The higher the octane, the higher the resistance to burn. Energy content is similar for both but generally premium fuel has slightly less energy per volume than regular, especially depending on what they put in the blend to increase the octane rating.

Whether or not you gain or lose horsepower is largely semantics, but yes, if your car advances timing for premium fuel you should make more power with premium fuel, and if it retards timing for regular fuel you will make less power with regular fuel. For most vehicles designed to run only on regular, putting premium in won't help out.

 

[ovrlnd]

Yeah, you'd think that with the variables that Ford is able to control in the ecoboost that they'd just say that premium is recommended for optimum performance, rather than straight out required. I mean, it's a lower compression ratio anyway, so if it detects knocking, just limit boost and call it a day.

 

[Mr Roarke]

How about an e85 tune haha