3.5 eco premium while towing
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cwalter (06-21-2018)
The following users liked this post:
cwalter (06-21-2018)
06-21-2018, 03:53 AM
#3
Never
06-21-2018, 07:04 AM
#4
My understanding is the reasons to use higher octane are 1. to protect the cylinders from pre-detonation 2. for more MPG (could be a benefit out west when towing to get more range even if not enough to make up for the $ of premium). 3. More power for towing. Unlike older engines, the computer senses and makes adjustments for octane level to take the best advantage of the fuel you use. My primary concern is pre-detonation and I doubt running higher octane could pay for itself in MPG improvement alone. However some have reported MPG increase that are proportional to the price difference.
I've run 89 since I bought it. I tow often in the summer but not far (most tows are <10 miles per tow and maybe 10% towing per fill-up). These short tows are heavy ~9 - 10K. But the hills are short and low speed so I'm never on the gas hard enough and long enough to get the kinds of cylinder temperatures you would have pulling a 10 mile long highway hill out west. That's my rationale for the 89 instead of 93. If I were towing big hills at speed in the heat or bucking a head wind all day across the mid-west, I'd run the highest octane I could get.
Once a year we take a camping trip. This year's route will be 3,000 miles 100% towing my TT. It's an east coast trip so no long hills. I'll experiment with 89 vs 92/93 and see if I can tell any difference in MPG. If there's no observable difference in MPG, my guess is I'm not pushing it hard enough to benefit from 92/93. My TT is only 5K loaded and sits low on the axles so there isn't as much frontal above the truck as some have.
Next winter I'll experiment with 87 vs 89. I rarely tow in the winter and everything runs cooler in the winter. So less chance for pre-detonation.
If I find that 93 does make up for the price in MPG, I'll run it all the time. If not, only for situations that cause higher than normal cylinder temperatures.
I really have no idea what is the right compromise. The fact that I'm running 89 as the middle options is indicative of the fact that I have no idea what the long term impact is to the engine. Maybe you could run 87 all the time and still get 300K out of it. I have no idea. Just guess work here.
I've run 89 since I bought it. I tow often in the summer but not far (most tows are <10 miles per tow and maybe 10% towing per fill-up). These short tows are heavy ~9 - 10K. But the hills are short and low speed so I'm never on the gas hard enough and long enough to get the kinds of cylinder temperatures you would have pulling a 10 mile long highway hill out west. That's my rationale for the 89 instead of 93. If I were towing big hills at speed in the heat or bucking a head wind all day across the mid-west, I'd run the highest octane I could get.
Once a year we take a camping trip. This year's route will be 3,000 miles 100% towing my TT. It's an east coast trip so no long hills. I'll experiment with 89 vs 92/93 and see if I can tell any difference in MPG. If there's no observable difference in MPG, my guess is I'm not pushing it hard enough to benefit from 92/93. My TT is only 5K loaded and sits low on the axles so there isn't as much frontal above the truck as some have.
Next winter I'll experiment with 87 vs 89. I rarely tow in the winter and everything runs cooler in the winter. So less chance for pre-detonation.
If I find that 93 does make up for the price in MPG, I'll run it all the time. If not, only for situations that cause higher than normal cylinder temperatures.
I really have no idea what is the right compromise. The fact that I'm running 89 as the middle options is indicative of the fact that I have no idea what the long term impact is to the engine. Maybe you could run 87 all the time and still get 300K out of it. I have no idea. Just guess work here.
06-21-2018, 07:20 AM
#5
Senile member
I always run premium while towing. After 2 trips running 87 octane, the difference is obvious. Much better power throughout the rev range, meaning better low end torque, easier to hold higher gears at speed, etc. It's just better with 93. Anyone who tows with 87 on the ecoboost motors is really, really missing out. Especially when it's hot.
06-21-2018, 09:32 AM
#7
YMMV
Premium is roughly 17-19% more expensive than 87 octane nationally.
I gain about 7-10% better FE running Premium. So it cost between 7-12% more to run premium.
I prefer it over regular when towing and hot conditions.
I spend $250 in gas per month on regular. So running Premium will cost $17-30 more per month this summer. Last summer Premium was 12% more, so it cost me $12-17 more a month to run Premium.
So so it really is up to you and the price difference in your area. I feel it runs better and makes towing a better performance. But it is always up to the individual.
YMMV.
Premium is roughly 17-19% more expensive than 87 octane nationally.
I gain about 7-10% better FE running Premium. So it cost between 7-12% more to run premium.
I prefer it over regular when towing and hot conditions.
I spend $250 in gas per month on regular. So running Premium will cost $17-30 more per month this summer. Last summer Premium was 12% more, so it cost me $12-17 more a month to run Premium.
So so it really is up to you and the price difference in your area. I feel it runs better and makes towing a better performance. But it is always up to the individual.
YMMV.
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06-21-2018, 10:17 AM
#8
Never with my 2.7. The manual states "severe duty usage" for premium. To me this is like being within a couple hundred pounds of your limit, or very steep long climbs, pulling weight offroad in 4x4 etc... Just towing a trailer to me is not "severe" usage...
I tried several tanks of premium after my break-in period in 2015 and saw no improvement at all using premium. Used regular again for another year and a bit and decided to try a few more tanks. Still no difference. Been running regular ever since.
Travel trailer is 5000lbs, boat is 7500lbs. No issues towing either, no pinging, no sudden losses of power from timing adjustments. However, I also rarely have to climb any big hills and it's pretty flat around here. I get up to 12.5 MPG with both trailers, sometimes better with the boat because it's more aerodynamic. On the highway, wind is the enemy, not weight. Worst I've had with the camper was 9.5 MPG during a bad wind storm and going straight against the wind out in the open.
4x4 pulls the boat out of the water easily. No flooring the gas pedal needed, doesn't need high RPM either. There's no hurry to yank a boat out of the water...
I tried several tanks of premium after my break-in period in 2015 and saw no improvement at all using premium. Used regular again for another year and a bit and decided to try a few more tanks. Still no difference. Been running regular ever since.
Travel trailer is 5000lbs, boat is 7500lbs. No issues towing either, no pinging, no sudden losses of power from timing adjustments. However, I also rarely have to climb any big hills and it's pretty flat around here. I get up to 12.5 MPG with both trailers, sometimes better with the boat because it's more aerodynamic. On the highway, wind is the enemy, not weight. Worst I've had with the camper was 9.5 MPG during a bad wind storm and going straight against the wind out in the open.
4x4 pulls the boat out of the water easily. No flooring the gas pedal needed, doesn't need high RPM either. There's no hurry to yank a boat out of the water...
06-21-2018, 10:30 AM
#9
I've use premium the first 6mos including a few tows when I first brought her home. Since we tow about once every other month, I decided to use regular gas for my DD to work (~33mi RT) on two tanks and see if I notice any difference which I didn't so I will be running regular for now and when I know we'll be towing I'll fill up with premium. So far we schedule our camping dates so I know in advance to use up all the regular before I fill up to premium. Why premium? Because out west here in Oregon we got lots of rolling hills and I'll need all the power I can get since the wife and kids wants to bring the kitchen and the toys 
06-21-2018, 11:48 AM
#10
Senile member
I recently completed a 4500 mile roundtrip during which I experimented with reg, mid and hi octane. I was not able to measure a mileage or performance benefit. I am skeptical of mileage variation claims based on octane when towing because there are too many significant variables that cannot be controlled during an over the road test. Wind direction and velocity, and density altitude are the two big variables assuming the load is constant.
A caution is that octanes are lower in high elevation locations and are usually split: Reg 85, mid 87, premium 89 ( or 90, 91). Ford guidance is NOT to use octane less than 87 in the turbocharged engines, so everyone should use mid grade or premium whether towing or not, in these locations.
A caution is that octanes are lower in high elevation locations and are usually split: Reg 85, mid 87, premium 89 ( or 90, 91). Ford guidance is NOT to use octane less than 87 in the turbocharged engines, so everyone should use mid grade or premium whether towing or not, in these locations.
I can explain the difference and it will make sense to you, as I have felt it. Especially here in FL. Would be more so at high altitudes and in heat.
Lower octane forces the PCM to cut back ignition timing. Higher octane fuel allows more prodigious use of ignition timing, boosting power, and more importantly- torque, across the powerband. More torque on tap at low rpm=easier to maintain gear. Just using 93, my numbers are at least 3.5mpg better, usually on the realm of 4-5mpg better when towing. More power, holds 9th gear longer at cruise versus 8th gear without lugging (as it happily downshifts anyway instead of lugging). Smoother, better acceleration.