2003 300B..... can I run 87 octane?

[Chad1987]

Hey everyone,

I apologize if this has been beat to death, but I was wondering if I could run 87 octane in my Marauder without any significant issue. I have been running 91 octane in this car since I bought it and am aware it says "Premium Unleaded Only" on the dashboard, but could I run 87 (or even 89) octane in it w/o any significant issue?

Usually, in my findings, most cars that demand premium just ask for it so you can get the best performance, but 87/89 octane can be run as well, just with slightly diminished performance. Is this the same way for an '03 300B?

[Bradley G]

You could if it was DTR

[Ms. Denmark]

Hey everyone,

I apologize if this has been beat to death, but I was wondering if I could run 87 octane in my Marauder without any significant issue. I have been running 91 octane in this car since I bought it and am aware it says "Premium Unleaded Only" on the dashboard, but could I run 87 (or even 89) octane in it w/o any significant issue?

Usually, in my findings, most cars that demand premium just ask for it so you can get the best performance, but 87/89 octane can be run as well, just with slightly diminished performance. Is this the same way for an '03 300B?
NOOOOO! You'll break it! :eek: :D Our high compression engines don't like low octane gas. Use premium!

[Bluerauder]

Hey everyone,

I apologize if this has been beat to death, but I was wondering if I could run 87 octane in my Marauder without any significant issue.

MM Owner's Manual says 91 Octane minimum. Anything less than that and you may have premature detonation in the cylinders and cause serious engine problems. I would consider a possible blown engine as a significant issue.

If you drive like Grandma ALL the time, you may be able to get away with it for awhile. Just don't exercise the go pedal too much. NO rabbit starts. NO freeway romps. NO fun. NO way.

The difference in gas price between 87 and 91/93 isn't all that much and might save you $6.00 on a fill-up. You'd have to have 1,000 fill-ups to offset the cost of an engine replacement. That's roughly 340,000 miles of driving. You'll be replacing the engine long before that time using 87 Octane. Even if you could replace the engine for half that amount, you are still looking at 170,000 miles before you hit the "break even" point.

Not remotely worth it IMHO.

[Chad1987]

Wow, OK, nevermind. Did not know it was so cruicial.

[Blackened300a]

Hey everyone,

I apologize if this has been beat to death, but I was wondering if I could run 87 octane in my Marauder without any significant issue. I have been running 91 octane in this car since I bought it and am aware it says "Premium Unleaded Only" on the dashboard, but could I run 87 (or even 89) octane in it w/o any significant issue?

Usually, in my findings, most cars that demand premium just ask for it so you can get the best performance, but 87/89 octane can be run as well, just with slightly diminished performance. Is this the same way for an '03 300B?

I know what you are saying about some cars requiring higher octane for added performance but run fine on regular. My mothers CTS would be rated at 285hp on regular and 306hp on 93 octane due to the computer being able to compinsate by adjusting timing and fuel curves. These engines are not computerized enough to compinsate for 87 octane with the high compression and the set timing. Use 91 octane or find yourself a crown Vic LX sport if gas costs are your main concern.

[nh muscle]

You could just get a grand marquis with a flow master. Just sayin

[RF Overlord]

I am the RF Overlord and I concur with everything said above. :)

[Juice]

The octane rating of gasoline refers the percentage of octane in the fuel. For example, 87 is 87% octane and 13% heptane. Heptane is much cheaper to produce, but is much more likely to spontaneously combust under pressure, which is why higher compression engines (like ours) require premium gas, since premium contains less heptane than regular. This is why running regular in a car requiring premium can cost you an engine, and running premium in a car only requiring regular is just a bigger hole in your wallet.

In other words, just follow the damn directions. :up:

[Chad1987]

In 2004, the Marauder added dual knock sensors. Why is that?

[MOTOWN]

In 2004, the Marauder added dual knock sensors. Why is that?

To better control detonation! especially if a guy attempts to run 87 nocktane!:mad2:

[marauder410]

if you cant spend the extra 3 bucks when filling up using 87 instead of the supposed 91 or 93 like i use EVERY TIME sell your MARAUDER and get a 4 banger is cant afford the gas just sayin no offense

every1 should know when buying there MM the gas is gonna be expensive since it is a V8 and needs premium 91 or even better 93 if cant afford it dont bother buying it and buy a 4 cylinder honda civic or somethin or at least just buy a grand marquis and use 87 in that PLEASE DONT PUT 87 IN YOUR MM gonna do nothing good spend the extra 3 bucks when filling up instead of putting in 87 in and 2 years later blow you motor and have to pay 5 grand for new motor just sayin :shake:

[Bluerauder]

...... but I was wondering if I could run 87 octane in my Marauder without any significant issue.


NOOOOO! You'll break it! :eek: :D Our high compression engines don't like low octane gas. Use premium!

+1 ^^^^^ and here's why .....

87 Octane will ignite/explode in the cylinder before the piston has reached the top of its stroke in our high compression engine (i.e. 10.1 to 1). This is called "premature detonation". The internal explosion will try to send the piston back down the cylinder before it is ready to do so. The upward crank force and the downward explosive force are acting against each other and tend to do bad things to the internals. Such bad things are significant.

[TooManyFords]

I tuned my son's Marauder to run on 89 by pulling 2* of global spark with my SCT tuner. Runs fine. It can be done safely.

[Blackened300a]

In 2004, the Marauder added dual knock sensors. Why is that?

According to Steve Babcock, the 04 had a little more timing added in the tune thanks to the dual knock sensors. Which makes it especially more important to run 91 and better in a 03.

[SC Cheesehead]

I tuned my son's Marauder to run on 89 by pulling 2* of global spark with my SCT tuner. Runs fine. It can be done safely.


^^^^^ What he said. ^^^^^

Car can be re-tuned to retard timing so that lower octane fuel can be run, but that will impact performance as well.

[Bluerauder]

^^^^^ What he said. ^^^^^

Car can be re-tuned to retard timing so that lower octane fuel can be run, but that will impact performance as well.

And it'll take about 2 years and 30,000 miles to recover the cost of the SCT tuner and tune...... maybe more since there's a smaller difference in cost between between 89 and 91/93. Not sure if you can pull enough timing to safely run 87 for an extended period. If this is about the cost of gas .... he is driving the wrong car. :( JMHO.

[mrjones]

[QUOTE=Juice;1199556]The octane rating of gasoline refers the percentage of octane in the fuel. For example, 87 is 87% octane and 13% heptane.



How does that work when you have gas that's rated at 103 or 106?

[SC Cheesehead]

And it'll take about 2 years and 30,000 miles to recover the cost of the SCT tuner and tune...... maybe more since there's a smaller difference in cost between between 89 and 91/93. Not sure if you can pull enough timing to safely run 87 for an extended period. If this is about the cost of gas .... he is driving the wrong car. :( JMHO.

Yup. If you drive 20K per year and average 19 mpg, the cost differential is around $150. An SCT tuner's gonna set you back around $400.


[QUOTE=Juice;1199556]The octane rating of gasoline refers the percentage of octane in the fuel. For example, 87 is 87% octane and 13% heptane.



How does that work when you have gas that's rated at 103 or 106?


Different formulations of Toluene and Xylene impact octane rating.

Here's a link that helps 'splain it...

https://home.comcast.net/~ericdouthitt/pump_gas.htm

[jdiding]

87 octane does not refer to the percentage of octane in the gas its a scientific number to show the gasolines resistance to detonation



sent from the phone of doom

[LANDY]

You can run 87 octane, but you shouldn't!

[fastblackmerc]

You can run any octane you want.....

Use what is recommended and save yourself heart ache.

[mossiehorn]

87 octane does not refer to the percentage of octane in the gas its a scientific number to show the gasolines resistance to detonation


What he said! Made gasoline for over 30 years. Octane is increased by adding "Motor Alky" which is made by treating propane and propelynes with acid. It is a small percentage of the actual gasoline.

[SC Cheesehead]

What he said! Made gasoline for over 30 years. Octane is increased by adding "Motor Alky" which is made by treating propane and propelynes with acid. It is a small percentage of the actual gasoline.


Yup.
------------------

[ShadyLurker]

I'll be loading 75,000 barrels of Alkylate today in Bayonne NJ. Who wants some?

[TooManyFords]

And it'll take about 2 years and 30,000 miles to recover the cost of the SCT tuner and tune...... maybe more since there's a smaller difference in cost between between 89 and 91/93. Not sure if you can pull enough timing to safely run 87 for an extended period. If this is about the cost of gas .... he is driving the wrong car. :( JMHO.

You can pull all the timing you want with the tuner, so 87 is just another degree or two, depending on if/when you hear the knock.

The question was not whether or not it was cost effective, it was if it could be done. The correct answer is YES.

[MENINBLK]

Because of all the reasons given, you should not run anything less
than 91 octane in a Marauder engine.

There is a TECHNICAL reason as well and it has to do with the design
of the pistons and heads of the Marauder engine.
In a short and easy explanation, there is very little clearance between these two.
There is some cylinder head material that comes very close to the top of the piston.
When running a lower octane fuel, the knock it causes is even more extreme
when it occurs in the tiny space between the head and the piston.
The forces it creates can crack the piston surface or the head.
Breaking either of these parts when your engine is spinning at over
2000 rpm is not advisable in the least,
since it will cause irreparable damage to the Marauder engine and
it will cause your smile to turn to a frown... :) -> :(

[Vortech347]

Ditto on the hand held. We took a road trip in the wife's 01' Cobra up to Montana, we ended up stuck at a gas station that only had 85. I whipped out the hand held and pulled 3* global. Car ran fine. But then again, I didn't really romp on it.