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HEMI: Getting +1.5mpg better with use of Regular Unleaded (87).

6K views 18 replies 15 participants last post by  Spentan 
#1 ·
Just a FYI. Have the Hemi and read through some old gasoline threads where a couple people reported getting better gas mileage with 87 octane. Well add me to that list. Have been using 89 octane since I got the car and averaged around 12.5 mpg in city driving (Chicago mind you). About 20.5 on the highway at 70. Well that has been bumped to around 14 mpg city and almost 23 highway on a pretty simple test of merely switching my entire last tank to 87 octane. Haven't noticed any reduced power.

Anyone else experience this?
 
#4 ·
Seriously???

I noticed a power difference switching from 87 to 89 in my '05 WK. It was a clear difference. I didn't calculate the MPG though.

Getting better MPG with 87 just doesn't seem correct so I am skeptical. Anyone else wanna chime in???

:eek:
 
#5 · (Edited)
Hmmm, can't make sense out of it either. Isn't octane the resistance to ignite? You can run more timing (advanced) because it doesn't pre-gnite and ping (i.e. you get a longer, more intense power stroke - which is what she said btw)? By going lower grade maybe it alters the fuel map/timing curve that puts it more in the sweet spot of the way you drive (probably more torque down low in city driving?). What is your mix of driving, how do you know you're getting that in the city vs highway? I get an aggregate reading. I'm guessing you're making long haul comparisons from a full tank? Any change in altitudes or other factors. Were you driving uphill one way and downhill the other, LOL?

Doesn't make sense from a the standpoint of an internal combustion engine, but computers (ECU/PCM/TCM) and their fuel/spark maps can do strange things... . Actually what this tells me is that there is more performance in the engine by going higher grade and having the computer adjust accordingly. But more power should mean more efficiency to a point as well. Maybe a pro-tuner will chime in. Everything you've read so far has been me talking out of my arse ;)
 
#8 ·
The 87 octane fuel has a higher BTU content (energy rating) than higher octane fuels like 89 or 93. But 87 is more susceptible to detonation under load without a lot of timing pull or throttle reduction to eliminate it which ultimately reduces the engine's power output and efficiency. When under moderate/light loads (highway cruising), the engine is not under high output demand (like towing), so an 87 octane fuel can provide better fuel economy than an 89 of 93 as long as the timing pull is not occuring too dramatically under those conditions. I wouldn't expect to see much gain on the city cycle.

As for not feeling the power loss, my only theory is that the throttle-by-wire is already hampering the "feel" of the Hemi so that the marginal horsepower losses from running 87 octane instead of 89 are not always that noticeable in a seat of the pants comparison.

Cruising on the highway, the WK2 might require, say, 30hp to maintain 65mph. The Hemi can generate 30hp easily without requiring the 89 octane for that particular situation which then can arguably yield an economy uptick. However, once you need to many climb steep grades or tow a trailer, a lot more demand is placed on the Hemi and if it's running 87 octane, even with the higher energy content in 87, the reaction to detonation may cause enough timing pull to yield less fuel economy than simply running the 89. I'd like to see a Mythbusters show on this.
 
#9 ·
Yep - count me as skeptical the more I think about it. If Jeep could get better MPG with 87 I'm sure they would exploit that to the hilt. All auto makers are doing whatever they can to get better MPG ratings to sell vehicles and also for overall fleet MPG requirements. There must be other factors involved...or error...
 
#11 ·
I quote from the owners manual:

5.7L Engine​
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.​

 
#12 ·
Could be worth trying out. There is a clear possibility that the software sets up the engine in a less-than-optimal configuration when using a higher octane.
 
#13 ·
The above manual quote specifically states 89 (mid-grade) for optimum performance. 87 doesn't provide optimum performance which should mean less MPG, not more. Regarding 91+ (premium) doesn't give any additional benefit beyond what you get with 89.

Many other people have posted with regard to the WK V8 Hemi that 89 gets better MPG than 87. The same should hold true with the WK2 V8 Hemi. Whether the additional MPG using 89 offsets the additional cost of 89...depends on gas prices.
 
#14 ·
In Australia our lowest RON fuel is 91 with 10% Ethenol, we then have premium 95 and ultra 98. All my cars run on 98 which costs 16c p/l more than the 91. I wonder if Jeep have retuned our cars to run on the 91, as I just expected the Hemi to need 95>. I cannot find the recommended RON for the Au spec ones, the V6 is Flexfuel ?
 
#16 ·
I had the opposite results. I got better mpg with 89 vs. 87 octane. Perhaps you switched at just the time of year when your local station switched from winter blend to summer blend. Most states dictate some type of oxygenation additive in winer months which generally lower mpg and power output. If you switched from winter blend 89 to summer blend 87 you may well have gotten better mpg.
 
#18 ·
Same here...

I've gotten consistently better fuel economy (albeit as reported by the EVIC) since switching from 87 to 89. Admittedly the increase has been just a couple MPG, but at nearly $4.00 per gallon here in the midwest I was willing to take what I could get.

My Hemi now has almost 4000 mi on the odometer so maybe now there would be no difference in economy by switching back to regular from mid-grade fuel. The vehicle runs great and performs as well as one could reasonably expect from a 5000lb SUV with the 89 octane fuel so I'll keeping using it.
 
#17 ·
I switched to 87 a couple of months ago, primarily due to the lower price at the pump. I don't drive my GC very hard, and really haven't noticed any difference in sound (no pinging) or performance.
 
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