POLL: Will 85 Octane Ruin The Bronco?

[CalvinT]

I checked the manual and there is nothing that I could find about 85 octane and states to use a minimum of 87. Even the fuel door states 87+ with a sticker.

From page 180 of the 2023 Owner's Manual.

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[cjacobalpinetx]

Big Stripes was OK; Uncles, you would get your credit card number stolen, and Little Stripes was always out of gas.

See 100% wrong. Never ahop at Stipes. Tourist love it.

 

[TacosTuesday]

you could smoke crack once a week and get away with it, but eventually your doctor is going to have some real bad news for ya and your teeth will eventually look like crap.

running 85 octane in a turbo engine where Ford has stated minimum 87 is a gamble. if you live at high altitude and stay at high altitude, you can get away with it. but if you start knocking because of cheap fuel, and something let's go, good luck getting it fixed on warranty. there's smarter ways to save a few pennies.

 

[Poppavein]

P.S. I remember when the jump from regular to premium was only 20 cents.

Heh, I worked at a gas station during the 70s oil embargo.
The prices on the pumps couldn’t be set higher than 49.9. We had to cut the gallon price in half, and then double the final amount.

We were only open to pump gas for a few hours. People got in line hours before we opened. You could only purchase gas on the even or odd day matching your license plate.

What a mess that was.

 

[NCWildtrack]

I gotta say I was having a "Monday" type of day and scrolling through these posts had me laughing out loud. Day fixed.

Thanks!

 

[NCWildtrack]

Heh, I worked at a gas station during the 70s oil embargo.
The prices on the pumps couldn’t be set higher than 49.9. We had to cut the gallon price in half, and then double the final amount.

We were only open to pump gas for a few hours. People got in line hours before we opened. You could only purchase gas on the even or odd day matching your license plate.

What a mess that was.

In California you could only buy gas every other day based upon your license plate. I remember sitting in line with my mom in her blue VW bug.

That's when locking gas caps became a thing...

 

[Bradley Thornton]

Running 85 is kinda a trick question. Will it hurt your new less than 100k Bronco driving around town? No 100% not. Will it run at 100% yes till you put it under a load then it may see ping but most likely we are talking 80-100% WOT or towing. At that point it will pull timing and be 100% ok again it you towed all the time or let your 16yr old son drive it without you in it everyday it would see load and ping all the time. Now at that point it would learn to pull timing all the time. If for some reason you could feel it pinging like bucking a little that is bad and over time would make your Crank bearings go bad. Now lets say you have run 85 for the first 100k mile now you may have some carbon build up on the valves due to the long term use of low octane, To stop this you could add Lucas gas treatment. Something else due to it pulling timing all the time plugs will most likely go out sooner. (A person may say due to the weak lifters in the bronco that little ping may be to much on them you maybe right but the same would go for running 93 its a fine line between love and hate)

What's my point yes it can be done and yes you can save a few bucks up front. Will it hurt your motor in 99% of the cases no BUT it will take extra maintenance to keep it up long term that will come at an extra cost and offset the savings on gas.

My suggestion is to run 87 and when going Offroad or towing run 91 or 93.

Bonus: For the guy that runs 93 it works the same way as the 85 do a little research on carbon buildup due to high octane gas,

My point is just run what the engineers say run but if the wife adds 85 by accident don't worry about it.

I run 38s so I run 93 and add Lucas 1-2x a year. Wife adds 85 by accident I won't be mad.

 

[Jeff P]

A poll? Like winning the poll establishes truth?

No. Like getting the most common opinion on the question.

 

[CalvinT]

But the most common opinion isn't necessarily correct for reliable operation..

 

[Headsong]

No. Like getting the most common opinion on the question.

Opinions do not establish what is true. Ever. Well, then I just expressed one as truth....lol.

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