• Sign Up! To view all forums and unlock additional cool features

    Welcome to the #1 Explorer ST Forum and Explorer ST community dedicated to Explorer ST owners and enthusiasts. Register for an account, it's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the Explorer ST Forum today!


Fuel octane?

Messages
3
Reactions
1
Points
2
Location
Virginia
#1
What octane is everyone using on a daily basis? Also I have a gas station with 88 octane I think it’s 15% ethanol I sure it safe to use every once in a while but does anyone else use it?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Messages
208
Reactions
92
Points
27
Location
Arden Hills, MN, USA
#2
I use BP 93 octane plenty of stations in my area. I did one tank of 87 and now 3 tanks of 93 now and the ST does run better on the higher octane, worth the extra cost per gallon. Like your ST's name
 

Symetry

Active Member
U.S. Army Veteran
Messages
642
Reactions
875
Points
232
Location
West KY
#3
So far , 2 months , I've only used BP 93.
Vehicle runs really good on it.

May try some 87 just to see how much difference.

Jim
 

Messages
51
Reactions
20
Points
7
Location
St. Augustine, FL, USA
#4
I started with regular but recently started using 93. The fuel mileage went up and the performance was more sporty...faster by my butt dyno. I may alternate some 89 in at half tank. It ran fine on 87 but seems to be worth the extra $ for the higher octane. Note that in the manual it does recommend higher octane in warm weather and when towing. I have to imagine it's a high compression engine and benefits from the higher octane.
 

Messages
330
Reactions
183
Points
37
Location
Burlington, ON, Canada
#5
I've run nothing but 87 octane since day one. No idea what the dealer pre-filled it with for me when I took delivery, although I'm willing to bet it wasn't high-test.

No issues running on 87. I have no doubt I'm down a few horsepower because of the lower octane and the engine auto-adjusting timing etc etc, but whatever power I have lost can't be a whole lot since this thing still goes like stink whenever I want it to. And for my purposes, which is basically commuting to and from work on the highway in a heavily trafficked multi-city area, I will never be racing it at 240kph or drag racing it on a regular basis, and if I ever want to tow with it or take it on a very hilly drive on a hot day I'll fill it with high test first.

Averaging just around 20-21 mpg consistently since day one.

Edit: Yes, now you may all go ahead and lambaste me for not using 93 octane. Go ahead, I'll wait lol.
 

Last edited:

LokiWolf

Active Member
Messages
583
Reactions
320
Points
182
Location
Henrico, VA
#6
Difference in HP on Stock tuning between 87 and 93 is between 10-15 HP.

Also E10 93 is better than EO 93 for HP.

The 88 Octane flex is better for power(slightly) than 87, but slightly worse on MPG.

93(E10) is the best on power and MPG.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 

Messages
51
Reactions
20
Points
7
Location
St. Augustine, FL, USA
#7
I'm not going to blast anyone for using 87 octane, mine ran fine on it. If the price of 93 octane goes through the roof, then I know it will run fine on lower octane. But if 93 is cheap, that's what I'll use...at a half tank I can top off with 89 and still be in the range of 91. I usually keep my tank close to full...kind of a prepper mentality.
 

F=MA

Active Member
Messages
947
Reactions
625
Points
232
Location
Wichita, KS, USA
#8
I run an E50 ZFG tune using 50% E85 and 50% E30 (93 octane). E85 is about $1.59 per gallon now and E30 is about $2.10 ish.

IMG_4063.JPG
 

Messages
72
Reactions
57
Points
17
Location
Fairfax, VA, USA
#10
I started out running E10 93 and for the last couple tanks I wanted to see what E10 87 was like as it is $3.29 vs $2.49 a gallon. Feels a bit sluggish, my overall fuel economy went down from 16.8 to 15.3 (most of my driving is suburban streets with lots of stop signs and lights so i have to be on throttle a lot more). I'm going back to 93 on my next fill up to see how it goes.
 

Messages
72
Reactions
57
Points
17
Location
Fairfax, VA, USA
#11
I run an E50 ZFG tune using 50% E85 and 50% E30 (93 octane). E85 is about $1.59 per gallon now and E30 is about $2.10 ish.

View attachment 4312
Man. that pic makes me cry on the inside with jealousy. I wish I had that pump here.
 

Messages
72
Reactions
57
Points
17
Location
Fairfax, VA, USA
#12
Thought about another reason to run the most powerful pump gas you can on stock tune. I am planning on putting a tune and maybe light mods around 5k or so miles to make sure that I don't have any big issues (Trans seems to pop up a bunch in threads). that being said, I should try to put the car under the stress closest to the tuned version to shake anything loose while I still have a warranty.
 

Messages
84
Reactions
19
Points
7
Location
Sechelt, BC, Canada
#13
Around here, the higher the octane the higher the price - what gives? Also,the higher the grade the less ethanol. I run high-test in my power washer and outboards to get less ethanol so it doesn't turn to garbage over the winter. Ethanol is supposed to have lower BTUs than gasoline? I'm outta here to do some research...
 

Messages
125
Reactions
51
Points
27
Location
Va
#14
I run super in all my ecoboost Ford's.

Sent from my SM-N981U using Tapatalk
 

Messages
106
Reactions
39
Points
27
Location
Merritt Island, FL, USA
#15
I run 93

I had a Toyota FJ, and those are HO engines, they do not like low octane, changes timing and mileage

I figure the same here.
 

Messages
84
Reactions
19
Points
7
Location
Sechelt, BC, Canada
#16
I get it - tons of ethanol. Its not a true 93 octane gasoline fuel because it has so much ethanol and although you FF engine may like it, you are using more of it per mile therefore its not cheaper. We need the SAE document to determine the standards that Ford uses but I'm not spending $85 for it! 3F9DF534-07A3-47E7-88B3-92CCC922C3A4.png
 

LokiWolf

Active Member
Messages
583
Reactions
320
Points
182
Location
Henrico, VA
#18
I get it - tons of ethanol. Its not a true 93 octane gasoline fuel because it has so much ethanol and although you FF engine may like it, you are using more of it per mile therefore its not cheaper. We need the SAE document to determine the standards that Ford uses but I'm not spending $85 for it! View attachment 5673
I gave you all the answers in your other thread. I have the document. I am well versed on the chemistry. Already answered.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 

TMac

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,706
Reactions
1,494
Points
262
Location
Knoxville, TN
#19
I guess I'm spoiled since here in Eastern TN, we can get 93 with ethanol, 93 with no ethanol, E-85, etc. I do not have a tune yet, but I've used all of them. I have seen better gas mileage from the non-ethanol variety. But for an extra 1-2 mpg (highway) from my ST and my previous supercharged Jaguar XF, it is NOT a money saver since it's about $0.80 more per gallon.

edit: I did not mean to imply I filled with E-85!
 

Messages
84
Reactions
19
Points
7
Location
Sechelt, BC, Canada
#20
If you have the document, print the bit about the fuel? Your answer was not definitive.
 



Top