Gas mileage on my truck.. UPDATE

[Gillbot]

Heh, No reason to be snoddy..... I'm glad my help was of little use to your well trained self. I'll be sure to keep any further comments to myself as I see that I am waisting my breath here.

:|

Originally posted by: Down4U

Originally posted by: Gillbot
i dont see how high mileage would cause pinging, it should cause less due to blow by not allowing full compression. and yes, i do trust the automaker. my ford aspire has over 300k on the clock and still runs fine on good old cheap 87 octane

Well good for you.

 

[Down4U]

Originally posted by: Gillbot
Heh, No reason to be snoddy..... I'm glad my help was of little use to your well trained self. I'll be sure to keep any further comments to myself as I see that I am waisting my breath here.

:|

I thought you were coming across as snobbish. Sorry about that.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: Down4U

Originally posted by: Eli


LOL! Where on earth did you come up with that conclusion? It's totally wacky, lol.

Again.. you are using cheap in the wrong way. Just because the gasoline is cheaper does not mean that it is of lesser quality. Infact, it is the same gasoline - it just has different.. or more.. additives in it that increase octane rating. The Octane rating is simply a measure of the fuels ability to resist spontaneous ignition.. Nothing more, nothing less.

Fortunately, most states regulate gasoline quality. You have nothing to worry about by buying the cheapest fuel you can find.

Pinging is a pretty distinct sound. Once you hear it, you'll know.. since you haven't heard it, I doubt your experiencing it.. although, it is funny how different people percieve different sounds. Fill it up with 87 and listen carefully next time you're driving.

LOL I know, I know. I'm sure people find themselves having to leave their cars at the shop often for all kinds of reasons, and I'm sure cheaper gas isn't likely one of them.

I think I'll try that with one of my pop's cars. I'm not sure I want to experiment with a truck that cost me eight grand just a year ago.

No.. It doesen't work like that. You can't just "try it in one of your pop's cars". Engines are not created equal. Assuming you literally mean a "car", the engine in your Jeep compared to whatever car your referring to.. It's like apples to oranges.

They're both engines, but that is where the similarities stop.

You will not hurt anything by using 87 octane fuel. You are not experimenting with something that is going to damage anything. I mean, don't you see what we are saying? This is a thread about the fuel economy of your car.

We are telling you that using the wrong octane results in less fuel economy. It also costs more - but for no benefit. Since your engine is not designed to use higher octane gasoline, it is not taking advantage of it.

The higher the octane rating, the less energy the fuel contains - but in an engine that was designed to use it, that energy loss is turned into a net gain because of the higher efficencys that come with higher compression ratios.

We could be telling you to increase your MPG by moving to a lighter weight engine oil. That would be potentially dangerous experimentation.. Not changing fuel octanes, lol..

If you want to do something for the longevity of your engine, go change its oil, oil filter, and air filter... and please, don't buy Fram replacements.

 

[Down4U]

Originally posted by: Eli

No.. It doesen't work like that. You can't just "try it in one of your pop's cars". Engines are not created equal. Assuming you literally mean a "car", the engine in your Jeep compared to whatever car your referring to.. It's like apples to oranges.

They're both engines, but that is where the similarities stop.

You will not hurt anything by using 87 octane fuel. You are not experimenting with something that is going to damage anything. I mean, don't you see what we are saying? This is a thread about the fuel economy of your car.

We are telling you that using the wrong octane results in less fuel economy. It also costs more - but for no benefit. Since your engine is not designed to use higher octane gasoline, it is not taking advantage of it.

The higher the octane rating, the less energy the fuel contains - but in an engine that was designed to use it, that energy loss is turned into a net gain because of the higher efficencys that come with higher compression ratios.

If you want to do something for the longevity of your engine, go change its oil, oil filter, and air filter... and please, don't buy Fram replacements.

Yep, there's quite a big difference. The one car of his I would probably experiment with is his '92 Toyota Camry.

I'll eventually start getting comfortable with the idea of using 87 octane. I don't know, blame it on my pop. He always used to tell me never to fill 'er up with the "cheap" gas.

 

[etech]

Down4U

When your engine is idling what is the idle speed both when cold and when hot?

Read the last post in this thread for things to check.

.Jeeps Unlimited


Did anyone mention that using higher octane gasoline will speed up the accumulation of carbon deposits?

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: Down4U

Originally posted by: Eli

No.. It doesen't work like that. You can't just "try it in one of your pop's cars". Engines are not created equal. Assuming you literally mean a "car", the engine in your Jeep compared to whatever car your referring to.. It's like apples to oranges.

They're both engines, but that is where the similarities stop.

You will not hurt anything by using 87 octane fuel. You are not experimenting with something that is going to damage anything. I mean, don't you see what we are saying? This is a thread about the fuel economy of your car.

We are telling you that using the wrong octane results in less fuel economy. It also costs more - but for no benefit. Since your engine is not designed to use higher octane gasoline, it is not taking advantage of it.

The higher the octane rating, the less energy the fuel contains - but in an engine that was designed to use it, that energy loss is turned into a net gain because of the higher efficencys that come with higher compression ratios.

If you want to do something for the longevity of your engine, go change its oil, oil filter, and air filter... and please, don't buy Fram replacements.

Yep, there's quite a big difference. The one car of his I would probably experiment with is his '92 Toyota Camry.

I'll eventually start getting comfortable with the idea of using 87 octane. I don't know, blame it on my pop. He always used to tell me never to fill 'er up with the "cheap" gas.

You guys don't fill the Camry up with Premium too, do you?

*sighs wistfully* .. lol

There certainly used to be concerns about fuel quality.. but the regulations are so strict now.. you don't really have to worry about it. Just keep getting the same brand, but move down to 87. You will get better fuel economy, and be spending less at the pump anyway - a double gain.

Like I said, newer cars have ping, or knock sensors.. so even if the Camry required 93, you wouldn't hear pinging if you put 87 in it. You would get considerably less MPG, though.

 

[Down4U]

Originally posted by: etech
Down4U

When your engine is idling what is the idle speed both when cold and when hot?

Read the last post in this thread for things to check.

.Jeeps Unlimited


Did anyone mention that using higher octane gasoline will speed up the accumulation of carbon deposits?

It idles about 900 RPM both cold and hot.

 

[Gillbot]

I was merely trying to aid a fellow AT'er in understanding the real differenses in fuels. Like has been said here over and over, moving to lower octane fuel should net you less $ spent at the pump and better fuel economy. It's all win win. I just wish there was more education about the real differences in fuel grades other than the all too common misconception that higher is cleaner or better gas.

Originally posted by: Down4U

Originally posted by: Gillbot
Heh, No reason to be snoddy..... I'm glad my help was of little use to your well trained self. I'll be sure to keep any further comments to myself as I see that I am waisting my breath here.

:|

I thought you were coming across as snobbish. Sorry about that.

 

[Down4U]

Originally posted by: Eli

You guys don't fill the Camry up with Premium too, do you?

*sighs wistfully* .. lol

There certainly used to be concerns about fuel quality.. but the regulations are so strict now.. you don't really have to worry about it. Just keep getting the same brand, but move down to 87. You will get better fuel economy, and be spending less at the pump anyway - a double gain.

Like I said, newer cars have ping, or knock sensors.. so even if the Camry required 93, you wouldn't hear pinging if you put 87 in it. You would get considerably less MPG, though.

*Admits yes to that question sheepishly* That's my good ol' man's car, and you can't really teach an old dog new tricks too often.

Surprisingly enough, he fills up his tank once every two weeks, and he almost drives it to work every day.

 

[Down4U]

Originally posted by: Gillbot
I was merely trying to aid a fellow AT'er in understanding the real differenses in fuels. Like has been said here over and over, moving to lower octane fuel should net you less $ spent at the pump and better fuel economy. It's all win win. I just wish there was more education about the real differences in fuel grades other than the all too common misconception that higher is cleaner or better gas.

Yes, I understand and do appreciate your take in this subject. Cars is a relatively new subject for me. I've only been a licensed driver for three years. The same goes for owning my own car. Please pardon my partial ignorance.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: Down4U

Originally posted by: Eli

You guys don't fill the Camry up with Premium too, do you?

*sighs wistfully* .. lol

There certainly used to be concerns about fuel quality.. but the regulations are so strict now.. you don't really have to worry about it. Just keep getting the same brand, but move down to 87. You will get better fuel economy, and be spending less at the pump anyway - a double gain.

Like I said, newer cars have ping, or knock sensors.. so even if the Camry required 93, you wouldn't hear pinging if you put 87 in it. You would get considerably less MPG, though.

*Admits yes to that question sheepishly* That's my good ol' man's car, and you can't really teach an old dog new tricks too often.

Surprisingly enough, he fills up his tank once every two weeks, and he almost drives it to work every day.

Yeah.. the Camry is going to get decent fuel milage.. You aren't going to lose as much by going from 87 required to 93 as you would by going from 93 required to 87, but there will be a difference... both in MPG and fillup prices.

It's okay. That's what the Forums are here for.. to learn. You'll get it some day if you want to learn.

I suggest checking out HowStuffWorks. You can learn a lot about engines and Octane.

 

[Down4U]

Originally posted by: Eli

Yeah.. the Camry is going to get decent fuel milage.. You aren't going to lose as much by going from 87 required to 93 as you would by going from 93 required to 87, but there will be a difference... both in MPG and fillup prices.

It's okay. That's what the Forums are here for.. to learn. You'll get it some day if you want to learn.

I suggest checking out HowStuffWorks. You can learn a lot about engines and Octane. [/quote]

I like HSW. I had a great time reading up on four-stroke engines. I guess I'll now have something else to read about.

 

[etech]

Originally posted by: Eli

You guys don't fill the Camry up with Premium too, do you?

I test drove a Camry a few years ago and it did require premium gas. That was one of the reasons I didn't buy one.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: etech

Originally posted by: Eli

You guys don't fill the Camry up with Premium too, do you?

I test drove a Camry a few years ago and it did require premium gas. That was one of the reasons I didn't buy one.

Hmm, apparently the V6 requires 91 octane. The 4 banger is happy with 87.

 

[Down4U]

Originally posted by: etech

I test drove a Camry a few years ago and it did require premium gas. That was one of the reasons I didn't buy one.

My dad's Camry is a V6. I must say it is a very low-maintenance kind of car. Other than getting some routine work done for a car hitting 80k (got timing belt changed, other miscellaneous stuff), it's been going on strong.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: Down4U

Originally posted by: etech

I test drove a Camry a few years ago and it did require premium gas. That was one of the reasons I didn't buy one.

My dad's Camry is a V6. I must say it is a very low-maintenance kind of car. Other than getting some routine work done for a car hitting 80k (got timing belt changed, other miscellaneous stuff), it's been going on strong.

Well, you don't need to feel bad about putting premium in it.. the V6 Camry requires it.

 

[Down4U]

Originally posted by: Eli

Well, you don't need to feel bad about putting premium in it.. the V6 Camry requires it.

Yea I saw you saying that before. My pop does have a '95 Cherokee too. It's virtually the same exact engine that my GC has, but I'm sure his has the tranny that outputs a lot more torque than mine. His could probably snap your neck from 0 to 40, the pick-up on it is incredibly stronger than mine.

 

[StageLeft]

That seems pretty bad gas mileage - 11.X MPG. I mean that's along the lines of a lincoln navigator or a behemoth SUV.

Here is another vote for following what the manual says. My parents used to think that the more expensive gas was higher quality and would sometimes put it in their cars (I think only my mother actually), but I always put in the cheapy. Since higher octane gas has less energy per volume than a lower octane you're really doing yourself a disservce by using an octane higher than that specified in the manual. My Sentra has 165k miles and I give it the cheapest watered down 87 swill I can find and it runs like a top. The maxima likes 91 so I give it 93 because finding 91 around here is almost impossible. Although it has knock sensors by putting in an 87 it will lose a small amount of power and gas economy.

Occasionally a car that requires 87 will develop an issue where 87 starts to cause pinging. We know somebody with a saturn and she told me she puts in 89 and I questioned why and she said because it pings on 87. So I said it must not have originally done that and she admitted it didn't, so she's patched the issue by raising the octane slightly. But if your manual says 87 just give it 87.

The only station around here with 91 has: 87,89,91,93 and 93.5 They actually have a sign over the 93.5 calling it "power octane" playing on people's lack of knowledge about it. I'm sure plenty of people with relatively low compression engines put in the 93.5 and later "swear that it's faster"

 

[Down4U]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
That seems pretty bad gas mileage - 11.X MPG. I mean that's along the lines of a lincoln navigator or a behemoth SUV.

Here is another vote for following what the manual says. My parents used to think that the more expensive gas was higher quality and would sometimes put it in their cars (I think only my mother actually), but I always put in the cheapy. Since higher octane gas has less energy per volume than a lower octane you're really doing yourself a disservce by using an octane higher than that specified in the manual. My Sentra has 165k miles and I give it the cheapest watered down 87 swill I can find and it runs like a top. The maxima likes 91 so I give it 93 because finding 91 around here is almost impossible. Although it has knock sensors by putting in an 87 it will lose a small amount of power and gas economy.

Occasionally a car that requires 87 will develop an issue where 87 starts to cause pinging. We know somebody with a saturn and she told me she puts in 89 and I questioned why and she said because it pings on 87. So I said it must not have originally done that and she admitted it didn't, so she's patched the issue by raising the octane slightly. But if your manual says 87 just give it 87.

The only station around here with 91 has: 87,89,91,93 and 93.5 They actually have a sign over the 93.5 calling it "power octane" playing on people's lack of knowledge about it. I'm sure plenty of people with relatively low compression engines put in the 93.5 and later "swear that it's faster"

Thank you. I mean, I've read up the specs for Navigators, Dodge Durangos, and even Expeditions, and they all rate around 11 MPG for city driving, if not lower. My truck being one of the smaller type of SUVs with a relatively weaker engine compared to the behemoths out there these days, I find it a bit outrageous that I'm getting that gas mileage.

As I've learned, part of it might be due to the gas I'm putting in. I always fill 'er up with 93, and while it doesn't produce knocking in the engine, I'm sure it's not helping the compression process.

And no, I'm not one of those who swear that octane 93 will give my jeep 5 extra hp.

 

[cavemanmoron]

Originally posted by: flood
your MPG will also depend on how you drive your car.

my family, {sisters,and parents,and I} went on a 3500 mile road trip years ago
we had a crew cab truck standard shift,so only Dad and I drove
every time we filled up we wrote down the mileage,and fuel used.
Every time that I drove we got better fuel mileage,by up to a mile per gallon,
not bad for a truck that got from 9-10.5 mpg

My dad still talks about that,and it has been 20 years, LOL

 

[StageLeft]

Lower octane may help, but still I'd be really surprised if having put in 93 killed your mileage to that point. And you only have 185 HP or so. It just seems really nasty!

 

[Down4U]

Originally posted by: cavemanmoron

my family, {sisters,and parents,and I} went on a 3500 mile road trip years ago
we had a crew cab truck standard shift,so only Dad and I drove
every time we filled up we wrote down the mileage,and fuel used.
Every time that I drove we got better fuel mileage,by up to a mile per gallon,
not bad for a truck that got from 9-10.5 mpg

My dad still talks about that,and it has been 20 years, LOL

LOL That would probably be my dad too.

 

[Down4U]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Lower octane may help, but still I'd be really surprised if having put in 93 killed your mileage to that point. And you only have 185 HP or so. It just seems really nasty!

I wish I had talked to my truck's previous owner and asked what kind of gas he/she put in. I bought her from a used car's dealer my pop is real cool with, and the title only shows the truck only having one owner before me.

 

[OutHouse]

Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis

Originally posted by: Down4U

Originally posted by: flood
your MPG will also depend on how you drive your car.

I don't drive her aggressively. I may engage the over-drive one or two times if I need to, but otherwise I'm rather conservative.

OH MY GOD. Overdrive is a gear. Not using it is why your mileage is so crappy.

How the hell can people not realize what overdrive is???

Yip overdrive is your highway gear. it puts less strain on your engine and improves gas milage. But NEVER use your overdrive while towing a trailer. When you step on the gas and "engage the overdrive" is wrong. you are not engaging the overdrive, you are slipping the truck into a lower gear and DISENGAGING the overdrive.

also that is sh*tty gas milage on your jeep. My GMC 1/2 ton 350 V8 gets 18 on the highway and 15 in the city.

 

[LAUST]

Originally posted by: Eli

As others have said, this is absolutely incorrect. It amazes me that people (still?) believe that Octane rating has something to do with the quality of the fuel.

Unless your engine really does ping on 87 octane(in which case, you probably have another problem.. severe carbon buildup, perhaps), you are wasting money, fuel economy, and performance by using Premium.

Correct, Octaine is FLASHPOINT ONLY, it has nothing to do with the way it burns, it's the temp that it ignites.

If you think your little pings are something to worry about try my truck, I go too low and I have to worry about putting holes in my pistons