Misconceptions about fuel and power

[mitchellrick13]

Having owned 5 Raptors since 2010 and being a chemical Engineer, I have to "speak out" a little about some of the BS floating around about fuel types, etc. All my comments are 100% fact checked and based upon 40+yrs experience in the petroleum industry:

1. Both 87 and 93 octane fuels (basic/non-premium contain 10% ethanol unless it is specifically noted). The 93 Octane is better for the Gen 2/3 Raptors because it is a slowing igniting fuel compared to 87 octane and better for the higher compression, turbo-charged engines.
2. Ethanol-Free fuels (typically 90 octane) are better for engines BUT WORSE FOR INJECTORS. Ethanol free fuels will not absorb moisture and running water through an XDI (or whatever brand of injector you may have) injector will cause deposits on the injector and decrease HP performance. This has been proven many times over. Ethanol fuels absorb the water/moisture and reduce (not eliminate) deposits on injectors.
3. Ford will replace your injectors at a cost of $1600+ which YOU SHOULD NOT DO. Get the injectors taken out and have them professionally cleaned and tested. The fuel injector additives at NAPA, etc are a waste of money and do not clean nor work because they are chemically based and these products contact the injector for micro-seconds (no time to react and clean). The theory that they work is a joke. You can send injectors to injectorrx.com and get them cleaned and re-tested for $25/injector so you can get your V-6 injectors cleaned for less than $200 vs $1600 for new. Bottom line - a twin-turbo V6 high compression engine will need its injectors cleaned IF you want to maintain full hp (for $200 I do it because why spend all that money and have non-optimal engine performance?)
4. Ethanol-Free Fuels - while I am not a metallurgical expert, you need to be careful and check that the additives in these fuels will not cause problems with the linings on fuel rails, etc. Ethanol free fuel is great but I strongly suggest you really do your homework as Ford and others do NOT design or consider ethanol free fuels in their metallurgies and linings.

I hope this is useful info. Unfortunately, there are some un-true things being posted on the forum that need to be challenged.

 

[TwizzleStix]

Well good for you!

 

[TomDirt]

"The fuel injector additives at NAPA, etc are a waste of money and do not clean nor work because they are chemically based and these products contact the injector for micro-seconds (no time to react and clean). The theory that they work is a joke." So what's your opinion on Seafoam? If it's not doing anything for the injectors is it actually cleaning anything on my NA 6.2l? I previously tried it on a '96 Bronco and other than seeing some white smoke I couldn't tell any difference.

 

[Donovan]

Also interested in sea foam thoughts also. And to be fair, I like the write up. Now I need some scholarly evidence.

Lastly, 93 octane, a nice foot on the gas and an oil change every 5 to 7 will do wonders.

 

[Bozz]

My Gen 1 6.2L seems to run a little better and get a little better mileage when I add a can of SeaFoam to the tank when filling up. I put a can in every 3-4 fill ups. I can tell when mileage starts dropping. I watch it like a hawk. Just my experience, nothing scientific.

 

[Mk1 Caddy]

Isn't ethanol bad overall? Its what causes valves to get all gummed up

 

[Bozz]

Isn't ethanol bad overall? Its what causes valves to get all gummed up

Also causes corrosion.

 

[Bill Giles]

Thanks Mitch.

 

[sixshooter_45]

What about Techron?

 

[Keshka]

In my experience, ethanol does indeed absorb moisture. We used to use it in the good ole days to rid your tank of water from condensation....every once in a great while. Condensation would occur in open vent fuel systems (think carburetor and older fuel tanks). Today, with fuel injection, when the rig is shut off, so is the fuel tank vent, greatly reducing any condensation. When left in any ICE system that is vented, the gasoline and alcohol evaporate before the water so as the system sits the concentration of water increases until corrosion starts. It will really make a mess of a carburetor and a good possibility of destroying it all together.

Ethanol also has fewer BTU per gallon that gasoline does resulting in less power generated. It costs more and will decrease milage overall. So you pay more and get less.

As far as injector deposits, I have no data, only experience. My '91 F150 with a modified 5.0 that now thinks its an HO mustang engine has over 100k miles on it and never had the injectors cleaned and she still lets everyone know this is not your mama's F150. Would she benefit from cleaning? Pretty expensive to fine out. ....dyno, clean, dyno.

Does ethanol help reduce emissions? Again, no data. I do remember the argument for it in the first place...."to reduce our consumption of fossil fuels" and move toward a "renewable" energy source. That plan may sound good on paper but the reality of it is that it takes more energy to produce ethanol than petroleum.