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  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech

what type of gas should i be using???

  • Thread starter Thread starter 85cleangtvert
  • Start date Start date Oct 11, 2005
8

85cleangtvert

Member
May 19, 2005
103
1
18
Oct 11, 2005
#1
  • Oct 11, 2005
  • #1
with the price of gas going up...i am wondering if I should be or can be running on 87 or 89. I usually put 91 in my 88 5.0, and have been as long as i have had it. I bought it from my friend and he said he always put 91, so i did the same. It has a stock fuel pump and stock injectors, a 70 mm MAF, stock TB, edelbrock intake, mac cold air, GT 40 heads, e 303 cam, headers. I am not sure what the internals of the engine are or what the effect would be if i put cheaper gas in it, but with the prices of gas I would love to start paying for 87 or 89 instead of 91. what do you guys think??
 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?
15 Year Member
Nov 29, 1999
31,179
34
129
Oct 11, 2005
#2
  • Oct 11, 2005
  • #2
I would run the lowest octane you can without pinging. If you run 87 and it pings, I would just dial the timing advance down.

Good luck.
 

sgarlic

Founding Member
Apr 21, 2001
3,085
1
56
Oct 11, 2005
#3
  • Oct 11, 2005
  • #3


Unless you're boosted or something I wouldn't bother running anything above a high quality 87 (Chevron, Shell, etc.)
 

95COBRA241

New Member
Sep 3, 2005
339
0
0
Delray Beach, FL
Oct 11, 2005
#4
  • Oct 11, 2005
  • #4
sgarlic said:


Unless you're boosted or something I wouldn't bother running anything above a high quality 87 (Chevron, Shell, etc.)
Click to expand...

Agreed but most of us are running bumped up timing.
 
8

85cleangtvert

Member
May 19, 2005
103
1
18
Oct 11, 2005
#5
  • Oct 11, 2005
  • #5
cool! ima put 87 in it and if it pings im advancing the timing. its like the prices just went down! haha thanks all
 

25thmustang

Mustang Master
Sep 5, 2003
2,021
85
99
Montgomery, NY
Oct 11, 2005
#6
  • Oct 11, 2005
  • #6
95COBRA241 said:
Agreed but most of us are running bumped up timing.
Click to expand...

I used to run 18* of timing on 89 octane, and even ran some 87 octane a few times with ZERO pinging. I have it backed down to 16* and run 87 solely...

The fact is, you will make more power on lower octane fuel so long as the car isnt pinging. Running higher octane allows for a more aggressive tune which is why in some cases it makes more power, but unless your running race gas, run the lowest octane possible!
 

sunil6784

Member
Mar 31, 2005
620
0
18
Boston, MA
Oct 11, 2005
#7
  • Oct 11, 2005
  • #7
85cleangtvert said:
cool! ima put 87 in it and if it pings im advancing the timing. its like the prices just went down! haha thanks all
Click to expand...


If you put 87 in and it pings, you want to retard the timing, not advance it.
 

sgarlic

Founding Member
Apr 21, 2001
3,085
1
56
Oct 11, 2005
#8
  • Oct 11, 2005
  • #8
95COBRA241 said:
Agreed but most of us are running bumped up timing.
Click to expand...

That's cool. If you would've posted here asking what octane, and said you like running advanced timing, I would've told you higher.
 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?
15 Year Member
Nov 29, 1999
31,179
34
129
Oct 11, 2005
#9
  • Oct 11, 2005
  • #9
Paul, as was already said, even if you are running bumped timing, if you bumped it so much that you need higher octane fuel, you are most likely needlessly spending more on gas than you have to. To reap the benefit of octane and timing boost, you really need to surpass the small octane delta in pump gas.

And with your SN Cobra, you probably are not seeing the ping issues that the GT's do.

Just my two cents...........

Good luck.
 

darthcual

Member
Mar 31, 2005
985
19
18
Arlington, TX
Oct 11, 2005
#10
  • Oct 11, 2005
  • #10
25thmustang said:
I used to run 18* of timing on 89 octane, and even ran some 87 octane a few times with ZERO pinging. I have it backed down to 16* and run 87 solely...

The fact is, you will make more power on lower octane fuel so long as the car isnt pinging. Running higher octane allows for a more aggressive tune which is why in some cases it makes more power, but unless your running race gas, run the lowest octane possible!
Click to expand...

Couldnt have been said better. Lower octane burns swifter and gives more power. Unless you have pinging their is no need for high octane.
 
G

gooch06

New Member
Sep 23, 2004
117
0
0
Oct 11, 2005
#11
  • Oct 11, 2005
  • #11
I use 92 or 93
 

The Shape

Founding Member
Jan 11, 2002
2,224
8
49
East ARKANSAS Delta
Oct 11, 2005
#12
  • Oct 11, 2005
  • #12
When I first got my stang I used to run 93 all of the time. But after being on this site for a while and reading about how octane ratings work, I just started running 87 and it has worked fine for the last 3 years .
 

QDRHRSE

New Member
Dec 31, 2002
1,590
0
0
Palmdale, CA
Oct 11, 2005
#13
  • Oct 11, 2005
  • #13
I run nothing but Super.
 
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