PDA

View Full Version : Anomoly found: Were *any* Marauders produced from the factory to run on regular fuel?



1gtx
07-22-2016, 04:50 PM
I just purchased a 2003 Marauder that appears to have been built during the 300A to 300B transitional period (2MEHM75V63X658673). It's has a build date was 11/21/02 and has seat pockets, traction control, remote fuel door, auto parking brake, donut spare, and a number of other mixed features.

As I'm carefully inspecting the car I found that the instrument cluster shows "Premium fuel only" and the back of the remote fuel door shows the standard marauder tire pressure and size decal on the top (decal #658673) and on the bottom a "Regular fuel recommended" + translations in french and spanish. Both decals are in the same condition and there are no signs of other decals or any tampering and the fuel door paint matches both on the inside and outside.

The car was originally purchased by two mexican-american brothers near the the Arizona/Mexico border. They've owned it the entire time until I purchase in a few days ago.

The transmission program seems hyper aggressive on saving gas (can lock up in 4th at 1100 rpm at 25mph), but maybe I'm just used to my other Marauder with a very loose Reinhart program, 4.10 gears, and a stallion 3K converter.

Amazingly enough on driving the 200 miles home I was stuck in a 6 hour long traffic jam and it still got over 22 mpg in 90 degree heat with the a/c blowing. I'm impressed. My other Marauder would be hard pressed to get 17 mpg on such a trip.

Any ideas about the regular fuel or did the factory just screw up with the decals on this one?

-Mark

ctrlraven
07-22-2016, 05:19 PM
No. The Marauder should have a Premium Fuel sticker on the fuel door.

In the manual it states a minimal octane rating of 91 must be used.

RubberCtyRauder
07-22-2016, 05:27 PM
you are experiencing the factory trans tune. suggest getting a new tune from Mos speed shop here in the vendors section. stay away from Reinhart. his website is gone etc. nothing good will come about with him

kirk
07-22-2016, 05:55 PM
Fuel door or sticker replaced with a GM for some reason (or no reason),

or

somebody at the factory wasn't paying attention that day or was playing games.

I gotta believe it's one of these.

If it's number 2, BINGO we may have found another one of a kind.

Turbov6Bryan
07-22-2016, 05:56 PM
Your car was wrecked, flipped over and landed in a pond during a demolition derby

No sticker negates compression ratio

FordNut
07-22-2016, 06:23 PM
somebody at the factory wasn't paying attention that day or was playing games.


One of mine is like this. I suspect they put on the GM/CV fuel sticker then stuck the MM tire sticker on it.

RF Overlord
07-22-2016, 06:36 PM
I can't believe Ford made a single 4V 4.6 with low compression to run on regular. It's got to be an assembly-line error with the fuel door.

...and what RCR said about the transmission. The factory shift schedule was optimised for fuel economy and really does upshift way too soon.

cat in the hat
07-22-2016, 07:40 PM
Interesting, but not exactly an upside-down biplane on a postage stamp ;)

kirk
07-23-2016, 08:58 AM
Interesting, but not exactly an upside-down biplane on a postage stamp ;)

Now that there's funy

maximusslade
07-23-2016, 10:13 AM
What is the stock compression ratio for a Marauder?

cat in the hat
07-23-2016, 10:18 AM
10.1:1 IIRC

maximusslade
07-23-2016, 10:52 AM
Dang. Seems my engine will only be 9.85

lji372
07-23-2016, 01:48 PM
I'm pretty sure if that sticker says regular your good to go with that :2thumbs: