87 top-tier gas, 93 non-top-tier gas, or mix it up for the Bronco?

[PartyMarty]

Obviously we know about the benefits of top tier detergent gasoline (exxon/shell/valero etc.) over non-top tier (sams club/bucees/kroeger/general off brand gasoline) in terms of keeping the engine clean, but we also know this is a turbo charged engine that won't unlock the full listed power (and small efficiency gains) from the engines (2.3 or 2.7) without premium gasoline. This is a turbo engine and keeping it clean is crucial for engine and turbo life, but since the 2.7L engine has direct injection and port injection (to help wash away carbon build up) , it would seem that having maximum detergent levels in the gasoline isn't quite as critical.

In my area, there is a 60c to 80c spread for premium over regular at top tier stations, but at Sams club, it's only 30c more a gallon for premium. For example, currently the well priced shell station nearby is $2.45 for regular, but $3.09 for premium, whereas the Sams club is $2.25 for regular and only $2.55 for premium. Basically, I'm willing to pay an extra 10c/gallon for premium at non-top tier Sams Club over regular at Shell, but not an extra 60c or more for premium at a top tier station. Unfortunately the top tier Costco gas station with cheaper premium gas is far out of my way.

I'd like to get the maximum performance and full turbo spool/boost out of the engine, but don't want to gum up the engine in the long run as I plan on keeping this thing over 200k miles or till gas is just too expensive. (Also, apparently baby-ing the throttle for too long can cause the turbo wastegate to seize and result in premature turbocharger failure and replacement).

So what fuel would y'all put in the Bronco? 87 top tier (Shell for example), 93 Sams club, or just mix it up and fill up with 87 shell for one tank and then a 93 sams club for the next tank? Or even just 87 Sams club on occasion if you're feeling cheap? I'm getting a squatched 4dr BD (almost 5300 lbs) 2.7L FWIW. Edit: also getting shadow black and live in Central Texas, so high air intake and engine temps are also of concern).

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[618TRVLWILD]

My mercedes is top tier..91 or higher. I usually do a mix in the summer..figured I'll do the same in the bronco.

 

[HBTFD]

Without a tune you will not see a performance increase running 93 octane gas. If you run non ethanol you should see a 2% increase in fuel economy. As far as the “cleanliness” of branded fuels it’s a crap shoot. All the gas where I live gets pumped thru the same pipe to the distribution center. I see the same tankers trucks at name brand gas stations, mom n pops and big chain grocery/wholesale clubs.

 

[Toccoa]

87 from QuickTrip or RaceTrac is all mine is getting.

 

[John Bronco_ I am here]

Not sure what you are talking about with "top-tier" gas. If you watch the local supplier fill the stations, they all use the same. The difference is supposed to be additives but they don't always get put in. Now-a-days the real difference is the ethanol content, some companies are mandated to run 10-15% while others are not.

The Bronco is designed to run off of 87 but with most newer engines it can detect if a higher octane is used and adjust the engine accordingly. Most newer cars that I have had say to fill up with non-ethanol one tank every oil change.

 

[mC.242]

All the gas in CA is considered "top tier", so unless I see/feel a big difference running premium I'll stick to standard grade. I'm fairly sure I won't.

 

[Daktari]

I usually fill up at Chevron since they have a deal with Safeway and with my clubcard the price often drops 20c/gal, which is neat, but I don't go out of my way for that. For cheaper I'd have to drive 20 min to Costco or find a rotten robby or similar, not worth my time.
From what we know the Bronco will take regular, so that's what I'll feed it. I might get premium for trips to the mountains, I do that with my Tacoma (though I really don't know if it makes a difference). I don't pay attention to what gas costs since I have to buy it anyway, so no idea what the difference is between grades. I just expect a modern engine to be fine, my Taco is 18 years old and never had any engine problems, so a 2021 engine will hopefully hold up as well. 120k miles on the Taco with zero repairs to engine or drive train. Will Ford offer me the same? I sure hope so...

 

[Headsong]

And then, in Chicago area, we get the stupid 'summer blend' whatever that is....so IF I were inclined to mix in some 91, when? All year? Summer only?

 

[Karl_in_Chicago]

Not sure what you are talking about with "top-tier" gas. If you watch the local supplier fill the stations, they all use the same. The difference is supposed to be additives but they don't always get put in. Now-a-days the real difference is the ethanol content, some companies are mandated to run 10-15% while others are not.

The Bronco is designed to run off of 87 but with most newer engines it can detect if a higher octane is used and adjust the engine accordingly. Most newer cars that I have had say to fill up with non-ethanol one tank every oil change.

Top Tier gasoline (and later, diesel fuel) is a spec of gas that has a minimum level of detergents & additives present across the entire spectrum of fuel (so not just premium) sold by a retailer. Contrary to popular opinion it isn't some gimmick that Big Oil came up with as a marketing scheme but is instead a spec developed by a consortium of auto makers and engine manufacturers. Retailers selling top tier gas will usually have the Top Tier logo displayed.
https://www.toptiergas.com/

As to the OP's question - since Ford calls for 87 octane in both of the motors currently offered I'll be choosing top tier 87; there's nothing to be gained by running higher octane. As someone that has vehicles that ALL call for premium I'll be happy to save some change at the pump. Here at home I get my gas at Costco as they are both a top tier seller AND have the lowest price around by a significant margin. After filling up at my local Costco I pass a gas station half a block away that's usually 30 cents or more a gallon higher (Ashland & Roosevelt, Chicago).

 

[HotdogThud]

really depends on a lot of factors. The ones I personally care about on the fun car (here in Arizona) are making sure that I've got a high enough octane to avoid knocking and *shudder* detonation. Given the heat here, intake temps in the middle of summer can get to creeping up on 130-150F, and running lower octane gas just means the ECU starts to pull timing and dump fuel to cool things down.

We're also heavily limited on fuel here, can't really get anything beyond 91 at most gas stations. There's a handful near the race tracks that sell 100 and 110 octane, which can be nice to augment a couple gallons into every tank or so to keep it running the way I want to in the summer.

screw it, just run with this stuff all the time: https://vpracingfuels.com/product/motorsport-109-ms109/?c=217

 

[RG7]

93 from Sunoco only. If I’m in a pinch I’ll stop at Exxon or Shell. Growing up, my buddy’s dad drove tanker trucks for a living and had a lot of interaction with guys on the fuel routes and told us horror stories about some of the stuff that went on at “lesser tier” stations. He only bought Sunoco when possible for a reason. Good enough for me.

As far as ethanol content goes, some Shell stations offer 91 ethanol free. 93 pumps sometimes have this option but it’s less common. This is highly market dependent though so I’m gonna stick with 93 — all my cars are tuned for 93 anyway so I can’t get away with anything less.

 

[DLJohnson]

As someone that has vehicles that ALL call for premium I'll be happy to save some change at the pump.

I feel you on that one, I haven't used less than 93 octane in 5 years. The car I just sold was tuned specifically for 93 octane and I had to bring a bottle of octane booster on a road trip through NM and CO because it would throw a check engine light on 91 octane. I'm looking forward to putting regular 87 in something.

 

[John Bronco_ I am here]

If you watch the local supplier fill the stations, they all use the same. The difference is supposed to be additives but they don't always get put in.

Top Tier gasoline (and later, diesel fuel) is a spec of gas that has a minimum level of detergents & additives present across the entire spectrum of fuel (so not just premium) sold by a retailer

During my time in between 1996 and 2020, I've spent some time working in oil refineries. Some retailers, our customers, do request certain additives, however the actual base fuel is the same. Marketing just has a lot of fluff words added in there to make the sale. Let me say additives are good, not sayin' they ain't.

 

[AK SNO RIDER]

Without a tune you will not see a performance increase running 93 octane gas. If you run non ethanol you should see a 2% increase in fuel economy. As far as the “cleanliness” of branded fuels it’s a crap shoot. All the gas where I live gets pumped thru the same pipe to the distribution center. I see the same tankers trucks at name brand gas stations, mom n pops and big chain grocery/wholesale clubs.

I work in this industry. I can't speak for everywhere of course, but where I am at most of the gas stations sell the exact same gas. It comes from the same refinery, through the same loading rack, and onto the same trucks. There are some stations that bring gas in from elsewhere but most are the same.

The only difference is the additives. Different stations will spec a different additive. The additive gets injected into the stream as the truck loads at the rack. Examples would be Shell, Techron, or a generic.

So the gas quality is the same, but the additive (detergents) can be better or worse.

 

[PartyMarty]

really depends on a lot of factors. The ones I personally care about on the fun car (here in Arizona) are making sure that I've got a high enough octane to avoid knocking and *shudder* detonation. Given the heat here, intake temps in the middle of summer can get to creeping up on 130-150F, and running lower octane gas just means the ECU starts to pull timing and dump fuel to cool things down.

We're also heavily limited on fuel here, can't really get anything beyond 91 at most gas stations. There's a handful near the race tracks that sell 100 and 110 octane, which can be nice to augment a couple gallons into every tank or so to keep it running the way I want to in the summer.

screw it, just run with this stuff all the time: https://vpracingfuels.com/product/motorsport-109-ms109/?c=217

Good point on the heat and the engine having to pull timing accordingly! We're not Arizona hot, but pretty damn hot here in central Texas with temperatures well over 100 over the pavement and rocks for most of the summer. Seems like premium, top tier or not, would be worth it in high heat/high engine stress conditions.

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