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2.3 ford performance tune and fuel octane?

EruptionEnvy602

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Forgive me but I am not clear on this. My understanding is that on the 2.3 you can run 92 and the engine will adjust, providing more torque/hp.
When looking at the numbers on the 2.3L tune (https://performanceparts.ford.com/part/M-9603-B23), it says premium fuel "required." Is the premium fuel just required to hit the higher outputs, or does it mean you can no longer run 85/87?

We travel regularly to Mexico and some of our favorite places (bahia de los angeles) occasionally find themselves without gasoline, or more commonly they only have the "verde" which is 87. Being able to switch to lower octane fuel without damaging the engine is something I'd like to preserve.
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hemiblas

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Forgive me but I am not clear on this. My understanding is that on the 2.3 you can run 92 and the engine will adjust, providing more torque/hp.
When looking at the numbers on the 2.3L tune (https://performanceparts.ford.com/part/M-9603-B23), it says premium fuel "required." Is the premium fuel just required to hit the higher outputs, or does it mean you can no longer run 85/87?

We travel regularly to Mexico and some of our favorite places (bahia de los angeles) occasionally find themselves without gasoline, or more commonly they only have the "verde" which is 87. Being able to switch to lower octane fuel without damaging the engine is something I'd like to preserve.
Once you add the new tune you can no longer run less than 91. Without the tune, it does adjust for the octane level as you mentioned.
 

LethalPerformance

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With the Ford Performance calibration you can run lower octane than what's recommended. What happens is that you won't fully benefit from the tune until higher octane is put in and the knock sensors adjust. You'll just be at a less aggressive timing table until higher octane is sensed.

A good example of this would be if you are running the Ford Performance cal and you're traveling to where you only have access to 87 you can still run the 87 without any issues. You'll just make less power the same way as if the Bronco was stock and you needed to run a lower grade fuel for some reason.

Let us know if you have any other questions.

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Brnzbronc

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With the Ford Performance calibration you can run lower octane than what's recommended. What happens is that you won't fully benefit from the tune until higher octane is put in and the knock sensors adjust. You'll just be at a less aggressive timing table until higher octane is sensed.

A good example of this would be if you are running the Ford Performance cal and you're traveling to where you only have access to 87 you can still run the 87 without any issues. You'll just make less power the same way as if the Bronco was stock and you needed to run a lower grade fuel for some reason.

Let us know if you have any other questions.

Thanks!
@Lethal … what about running E15 with the Ford Performance tune? Would be a good YouTube video to test E15 vs 93 octane??
 

LethalPerformance

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@Lethal … what about running E15 with the Ford Performance tune? Would be a good YouTube video to test E15 vs 93 octane??
Most pump gas has E10-15 already mixed in. If you look at the pumps, they'll declare what content they have (typically in a range). Now, E50 would be a different story (of which requires a custom tune).
 

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When discussing performance tuning with other enthusiasts, the topic of fuel octane always seems to come up. Some people argue that using a higher octane fuel is a waste of money and doesn't provide any real benefits, while others swear by it and insist that it's essential for getting the most out of your engine. Where is the truth?
 

Lèòn

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When discussing performance tuning with other enthusiasts, the topic of fuel octane always seems to come up. Some people argue that using a higher octane fuel is a waste of money and doesn't provide any real benefits, while others swear by it and insist that it's essential for getting the most out of your engine. Where is the truth?
Ford says so themselves: 30hp difference between 87 and 93, and I can confirm it as I feel the difference.

My question is how does the 93 tune react to say 94?
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