PLEASE HELP: 87 Octane Mess-Up

[xopher]

I finally did it. My mind was wandering and I got my wires crossed, grabbed the wrong handle and put 10 gallons of 87 octane in on an empty tank. :(I tried siphoning and found out the rumor about anti-siphoning baffles is true.So, what's the official word on Octane Boosters like STP? Will they get me back to the right level? or am I gonna have to tow it/drop the fuel tank?Please help!

[Pat]

If it were me I would just go about my daily driving at street speed limits, no loading the motor like over big hills, no passing gear, no wide open throttle and in a few hours your tank will be empty and you can refill. Octane boosters are not going to help IMO.

Don't forget that after you refill with high octane the fuel line, rails, and injectors still have the reduced octane in them so drive a few more miles at reduced speeds until the good stuff has flowed through all the fuel system.

It's still good gas the motor is not going to carbon up and choke, just reduced octane so motor timing is the governing factor.

Regards,

[oldekid]

I did that one day with about 5 or 6 gallons, before I caught myself. I then topped off with 93 octane, and she ran fine.

[offroadkarter]

I'd remove the DR tune... The factory tune can compensate for 87 or 89 as long as you dont beat on it...

[Vortex]

Unless you are going to do some high speed runs I dont think it will hurt it at all. Just refill with premium when you get down to 1/2 a tank or so.

[Black_Noise]

go top off with highest octane possible and try a Outlaw octane booter, I used it once, didnt blow up

[MM03MOK]

Octane Boost is a waste of money. Cheaper to add 93 to the tank if you're really worried about it.

Interesting FAQ from Gold Eagle 104+ Octane Boost:

Q: Can I use a lower grade of fuel than is recommended by the manufacturer and add 104+ Octane Boost products to make it a higher grade?
A: No, we recommend that you follow the fuel grade suggestion in your vehicle’s owner’s manual.

http://www.goldeagle.com/brands/104_plus/faq.aspx

[CKMustangCobra]

Just top it off with high-test fuel and baby it until you can fit another 10 gallons in.

[cvpiftw]

It should be fine IMO. Just dont beat on it.

[Motorhead350]

I put Kerosene in my car on accident and ran it down a race track five times.

It needed new spark plugs and that was it. Kerosene is like 20 octane and did no real damage other than running like crap until I changed the plugs.

You will be fine.

Your car is idiot proof and I am speaking from experience.

[xopher]

Thanks all for your input. I've been sitting in a bar about a block from my car cooling off from my act of stupidity reading your replies. I'm gonna dilute it with a gallon or two of 93 octane and slowly limp it back home, swap the tune down to the stock 91 octane, and then try to burn it down to near empty during the next day or two, and then fill her back up with the good juice. Thank you all for replying and assuaging my fears of knocking my motor to oblivion :P

[bigmerc'03]

swapping the tune down with 410 gears isnt good to do u will be ok just drive normal till u get it down to quarter tank then fill with 93

[xopher]

swapping the tune down with 410 gears isnt good to do u will be ok just drive normal till u get it down to quarter tank then fill with 93
10-4. I'll keep limping it along with the 4.10 tune to burn it down. I just drove for an hour keeping it under 2500 rpms and burned it back down to a half tank or so. A boring, but peaceful, drive..

[Matt In Detroit]

Dude, youre making way too much of this. Cooling off with a beer over gas? come on. Top it off with 91 or 93 and be on your way. Goin to the track, or a dyno, or hot rodding around, sure its a concern. Doing your normal trip back and forth to work under light to normal loads, not so much IMO. FWIW, I ran 87 in my first marauder for 2 years straight with neither a hicccup, knock, breakdown, or stumble.

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

I put half a tank of 6 month old 87 in the MM once because I had to empty a tank and had no way to get rid of the fuel (I bought a fuel tank online and when I went to pick it up it was almost full!!!!). Although I would never do this except in an emergency, I drove pretty normal and the car was fine. I definitely did not keep it under 2500 rpms

[Richy04]

Dont do shat, just add 93 and baby it until you can add more.. I sometimes can't find 93 and get 89. I run a 91 octane tune and as long as you dont Steve McQueen it, you will be ok..

[Bluerauder]

Dont do shat, just add 93 and baby it until you can add more....
This ^^^^ is what I would do in the situation.

I would also consider putting a sticky note inside the fuel filler area with a big note that says "91 Octane Minimum" if your mind is often prone to wandering. ;)

[xopher]

FWIW, I ran 87 in my first marauder for 2 years straight with neither a hicccup, knock, breakdown, or stumble.
:eek: Uhhh, maybe I'm erring on the side of safety and a touch too worried about a mere 10 gallons, but what you are describing is indisputable engine damage, unless you never got into it and challenged the engine timing. Curiously, what was the fate of your first Marauder?


This ^^^^ is what I would do in the situation.

I would also consider putting a sticky note inside the fuel filler area with a big note that says "91 Octane Minimum" if your mind is often prone to wandering. ;)
Haha, I've already got a Premium Fuel only sign, but my mind was on a few guns I'm researching for a relative to sell and a blond who just got out of a Focus at the pump across the way. :D

[Bluerauder]

.... but my mind was on a .... and a blond who just got out of a Focus at the pump across the way. :D

Sudden loss of blood flow to the brain does result in decreased memory function. This is a perfectly natural response. :D You should have mentioned that you had a real good excuse. ;)

[Ms. Denmark]

Dude, youre making way too much of this. Cooling off with a beer over gas? come on. Top it off with 91 or 93 and be on your way. Goin to the track, or a dyno, or hot rodding around, sure its a concern. Doing your normal trip back and forth to work under light to normal loads, not so much IMO. FWIW, I ran 87 in my first marauder for 2 years straight with neither a hicccup, knock, breakdown, or stumble.What he said. Fill it with 93 octane and fagedabadit!;) BTW Blonds of all sorts should be banned from places where critical decisions are being made by men of all descriptions.:D

[Zack]

Drive sanely and you will be fine!

[Joe Walsh]

Drive sanely and you will be fine!

Huh!?
Why do that?
:P

[Matt In Detroit]

:eek: Uhhh, maybe I'm erring on the side of safety and a touch too worried about a mere 10 gallons, but what you are describing is indisputable engine damage, unless you never got into it and challenged the engine timing. Curiously, what was the fate of your first Marauder?

I leased that car for 24 months and turned it back in. Now it being a lease had nothing to do with running 87, I fully intended to purchase the car off lease, financial issues prevented me from doing so. So the thought that it was being treated like **** because it was a lease is not the case. Did i get into it? sure. Passing gear, occasional spirited driving, etc. Did i beat the car on a daily basis? no.

I dont own the car anymore but if i run an Oasis on it, it shows it never went in for engine repair after me. Doesnt mean it didnt somewhere, but id be curious to know. No indisputable engne damage showed up in the 2years or 24k I put on it.

[W4LTD]

Thanks all for your input. I've been sitting in a bar about a block from my car cooling off from my act of stupidity reading your replies. I'm gonna dilute it with a gallon or two of 93 octane and slowly limp it back home, swap the tune down to the stock 91 octane, and then try to burn it down to near empty during the next day or two, and then fill her back up with the good juice. Thank you all for replying and assuaging my fears of knocking my motor to oblivion :P

Throw a liter of Bacardi 151 in the tank and you'll be fine... J/K of course!:P

[Baaad GN]

JACK!!!!!! from KY! solves everything for a while anyway.

[omarauder]

Dude, youre making way too much of this. Cooling off with a beer over gas? come on. Top it off with 91 or 93 and be on your way. Goin to the track, or a dyno, or hot rodding around, sure its a concern. Doing your normal trip back and forth to work under light to normal loads, not so much IMO. FWIW, I ran 87 in my first marauder for 2 years straight with neither a hicccup, knock, breakdown, or stumble.


Hey, anything (even nothing at all) is a good reason to cool off with a beer.....:beer:
just don't drive while your enjoying it.

[Matt In Detroit]

Hey, anything (even nothing at all) is a good reason to cool off with a beer.....:beer:
just don't drive while your enjoying it.


This is true, ill take a scotch and Vernors.....

[Bluerauder]

JACK!!!!!! from KY! solves everything for a while anyway.
Jack comes from Tennessee. Jim is from Kentucky.

[DTRMiguel]

Throw a liter of Bacardi 151 in the tank and you'll be fine... J/K of course!:P

Ohhh everclear :D

[Vortech347]

You'll be just fine even with the tune. Just don't beat on it.

My wife put 85 in our 01 cobra with a tune on accident. A FULL tank. Ran fine, just told her to keep it under 4k rpm till she filled it up again. That was 30k ago.

[knine]

Octane Boost is a waste of money. Cheaper to add 93 to the tank if you're really worried about it.

Interesting FAQ from Gold Eagle 104+ Octane Boost:

Q: Can I use a lower grade of fuel than is recommended by the manufacturer and add 104+ Octane Boost products to make it a higher grade?
A: No, we recommend that you follow the fuel grade suggestion in your vehicle’s owner’s manual.

http://www.goldeagle.com/brands/104_plus/faq.aspx
That's one well read wabbit if you ask me. :2thumbs:

[ChiTownMaraud3r]

Just don't try to port & polish your engine by pouring sand into the gas tank or into the air intake, and you'll be fine.

[SVT_MERC]

You will be fine....... The knock sensor '03/sensors '04 are there for a reason. If they sense the slightest bit of detonation (the result of too low octane gas), the PCM will un-advance (retard) the ignition timing to a safe point that it quits.

[Mike Poore]

It's mostly flat where you live, and if you keep it out of O/D and not lug the engine it's gonna be just fine. I'd hit the SUNOCO station and top off with their highest grade, when you're ready. Nothing wrong with being concerned when there's a possibility something bad will happen.

Since it's an '03A with a tune, your concern(s) are valid, though, as it's my recollection they have but a single knock sensor, unlike the "04's :)

[sconut1]

I'd agree with the rest of the posts here. Don't drive it real hard and it will be just fine. Top up with some hi-test when you've gone through 1/2 a tank. During the height of fuel price insanity here last year (5.82 /us gallon for premium), I was alternating tanks of 89 and 91. No issues at all. I drive like a grandmother though.

I can't belive I'm happy now to pay 3.85 /us gallon now......god I miss 1.70 a gallon gas....

[MM03MOK]

How did you make out? Everything OK?

[sconut1]

Absolutely no issues at all. I felt a little guilty about doing it, but all was more than fine. I typically don't romp on the gas too much though.

The reason I tried it (other than saving money) is that someone told me that Octane ratings here in Canada is a minimum guarantee. So if I'm buying 89, that's the minimum and quite often the fuel will test higher than what's in the pump. Whether that's the actual case, I don't know. It seemed reasonable enough to me. At the end of the day there were no issues with fuel economy at all, nor did there seem to be any performance issues that I noticed with my driving habits. Certainly not a ping or any drivability isues.

After all that, I'm using solely using 91 now that fuel prices aren't totaly insane!

[Bluerauder]

I typically don't romp on the gas too much though.

I have the exact opposite problem .... I just like to hear the roar. :D

[ludwigvan968]

Q16 will take care of it :)

[Brian H]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i put in lower grade octane gas. STOP PANICING AND GO BUY SOME CAM2 AND RUN THE DOG **** OUTTA IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!! Waaaa!!!!!!!