Ram 1500 gas recommendations (Owners Manual)

[Rojack]

Interesting that the owners manual recommends 89 octane for the 5.7 Hemi but 87 for the bigger engine. It does mention knocking so I would have to assume that might have something to do with it but it also states that premium will offer no benefit over regular gas so I don't understand why 89 octane would either.

FUEL REQUIREMENTS
3.6L/6.4L Engine
These engines are designed to meet all
emissions regulations and provide excellent
fuel economy and performance when
using high quality unleaded “regular”
gasoline having an octane rating of 87. The
use of premium gasoline is not recommended, as it will
not provide any benefit over regular gasoline in these
engines.

5.7L Engines
This engine is designed to meet all emissions
regulations and provide satisfactory
fuel economy and performance when using
high quality unleaded gasoline having
an octane range of 87 to 89. The manufacturer
recommends the use of 89 octane for optimum
performance. The use of premium gasoline is not recommended,
as it will not provide any benefit over regular
gasoline in these engines.
Light spark knock at low engine speeds is not harmful to
your engine. However, continued heavy spark knock at
high speeds can cause damage and immediate service is
required. Poor quality gasoline can cause problems such
as hard starting, stalling, and hesitations. If you experience
these symptoms, try another brand of gasoline
before considering service for the vehicle.

 

[SatinSilver]

I'd go with Shell from a newer station if possible (with the specified octane). Click on retailers, www.toptiergas.com .

 

[Rojack]

I use Shell already and I have been using 89 octane as recommended in the owners manual. I am sure there are those that will think I am nuts but I get better mileage with Shell than Mobil. This has been consistent with different vehicles. Just saying I don't understand why 89 octane would make a difference over regular when premium won't according to the owners manual.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Where I live, its not the brand but the station location that gives me O.K. gasoline. The Irving on rt28 in North Salem is consistently good, whereas I just got garbage at the Irving on rt125 in Plaistow. And Garbage at the Mobil at rt125 and 101 in Epping. The Shell on rt125 in Kingston is bad though the one on North rt28 in Derry/Windham is good.

You can disregard top tier as it not policed. Ive gotten deadly poor fuel at top tier spots. Though I might imagine the consistently GOOD stations will have the high detergent fuels.

Why all the poor gas? Id just mark it up to MONEY and again the lack of any policing of fuel quality. Ive seen unmarked tankers at the poor quality stations at late or off hours when there had been Brand marked or Abenaqui tankers filling the UGST at this location just a day or two earlier.

Id love to know what they are dumping in there and where they are getting "it".

AFA 89 octane providing benefit over 93+, you just want ENOUGH AKI to prevent detonation in a particular engine tune, anything more will have no positive effect, and possibly exhibit lazy throttle response.

Good luck finding "fresh" high octane fuel.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: Rojack
I use Shell already and I have been using 89 octane as recommended in the owners manual. I am sure there are those that will think I am nuts but I get better mileage with Shell than Mobil. This has been consistent with different vehicles. Just saying I don't understand why 89 octane would make a difference over regular when premium won't according to the owners manual.

Not really that hard to understand. It's not that 87/89/91 are magic numbers. They're simply industry standards. Especially with EFI and ECUs, it's possible to program an engine for maximum performance for any arbitrary octane rating.

I believe they just set the ECU's firmware to advance the timing to the point where it won't knock on 87/89/91 or whatever. By setting the maximum advancement, they're probably at a point where max performance is reached at 89, and it won't go any further with 91. I've heard that a lot of motorcycles are tuned for 89 octane. I've also heard of some weird ones, like 90 as the recommended octane rating.

 

[SteveSRT8]

The difference is tuning. The same engine (6.4) is rated for premium fuel only in the SRT vehicles.

The 5.7 has an aggressive tune in the pickups at 395 hp. I'm surprised it runs so well on 87-89.

My 2014 ram has been fed a steady diet of 87 since purchase...

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
The difference is tuning. The same engine (6.4) is rated for premium fuel only in the SRT vehicles.

The 5.7 has an aggressive tune in the pickups at 395 hp. I'm surprised it runs so well on 87-89.

My 2014 ram has been fed a steady diet of 87 since purchase...


I have used both 87 and 89 since my purchase. The performance difference is very miniscule according to my butt dyno. I believe the best my 2015 ran was on Sinclair 87. I am not going back to Arizona City just fill up my truck.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: dave1251
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
The difference is tuning. The same engine (6.4) is rated for premium fuel only in the SRT vehicles.

The 5.7 has an aggressive tune in the pickups at 395 hp. I'm surprised it runs so well on 87-89.

My 2014 ram has been fed a steady diet of 87 since purchase...


I have used both 87 and 89 since my purchase. The performance difference is very miniscule according to my butt dyno. I believe the best my 2015 ran was on Sinclair 87. I am not going back to Arizona City just fill up my truck.


Try as I may I have been unable to discern any differences. The truck runs amazingly smooth and happy on 87, and has returned a solid 17+ mpg which is wonderful with my lead footed wife driving it!

 

[VNTS]

Yes I have been wondering about this also.

my 15 Grand Cherokee Hemi also recommends 89 Octane. Wife has been using 87 Octane, have not noticed any detonation or anything.

For first 3400 miles have averaged 22.7 mpg, very pleasantly suprised, note this about 70% high way driving. This is on the Trip B, which is fairly accurate both times I compared to hand calcs at fill ups.


Will have to try some 89 Octane and see if mpg improves or not.

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: dave1251
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
The difference is tuning. The same engine (6.4) is rated for premium fuel only in the SRT vehicles.

The 5.7 has an aggressive tune in the pickups at 395 hp. I'm surprised it runs so well on 87-89.

My 2014 ram has been fed a steady diet of 87 since purchase...


I have used both 87 and 89 since my purchase. The performance difference is very miniscule according to my butt dyno. I believe the best my 2015 ran was on Sinclair 87. I am not going back to Arizona City just fill up my truck.


Try as I may I have been unable to discern any differences. The truck runs amazingly smooth and happy on 87, and has returned a solid 17+ mpg which is wonderful with my lead footed wife driving it!


I got an amazing 24+mpg on that trip with the C.C. set to 74MPH. When I drive the truck I average around 18mpg with mostly city driving. Somehow when my better half drives the average mpg drops into the low 17's.

 

[Justin251]

87 here. 89 sometimes.

 

[webfors]

Originally Posted By: Rojack
FUEL REQUIREMENTS
3.6L/6.4L Engine
These engines are designed to meet all
emissions regulations and provide excellent
fuel economy and performance when
using high quality unleaded “regular”
gasoline having an octane rating of 87. The
use of premium gasoline is not recommended, as it will
not provide any benefit over regular gasoline in these
engines.


Interesting that the Pentastar only calls for 87 octane when it produces ~20 more horsepower in the RAM than in the Caravan. This tells me that anything more than 87 octane in the van is a waste of money, even when towing... ?

 

[-SyN-]

Since New--> Only 89! But who really knows if 89 is actually being pumped into my tank!

17.8 mpg (city) 22-23 mpg (interstate) 70-75 mph.

 

[Lightninrod]

My Owners Guide for my 2013 JGC Overland 5.7 V8 reccommends 91 octane. I use 93 octane Shell as there is no 91 octane here.

Dan