Fuel Advice

Curly · 19-11-2006, 08:07 PM

We have a new LS LX Focus. After 2 weeks it has just developed a slight pinging. Can anyone advise me as to what fuel we could use that may help this problem? We were just using normal unleaded and but this afternoon put Mobil 6000 in and haven't driven far with this yet. I don't want a "rocket" just a great car. I know very little about petrol. Is pinging common in the Focus? Thanks.

pertuan · 19-11-2006, 08:13 PM

Judging by the posts around here, it seems pinging is a common problem. Personally I use Vortex 95 and I dont really have any problems. I dont think my car pings but then I'm not really sure what to listen for. I've been told that it sounds like a crinkling sound?

raymon81 · 19-11-2006, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curly

We have a new LS LX Focus. After 2 weeks it has just developed a slight pinging. Can anyone advise me as to what fuel we could use that may help this problem? We were just using normal unleaded and but this afternoon put Mobil 6000 in and haven't driven far with this yet. I don't want a "rocket" just a great car. I know very little about petrol. Is pinging common in the Focus? Thanks.

You cant use normal unleaded in the new focus, it takes 95ron and up fuel like vortex(caltex) or optimax(shell) or wateva other premium petrol there is at other petrol stations.

MoreHPformyXR6 · 19-11-2006, 08:22 PM

That's it the new Focus require's 95 PULP or above. New Fiesta however will run on ULP. With pinging which would happen under load is it a slight miss type sensation as I cant have remember having a car ping on me.

Curly · 19-11-2006, 08:31 PM

In the specification book it says Fuel 91 -98 RON. We put Mobil 6000 in today. What octane is that?

MoreHPformyXR6 · 19-11-2006, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curly

In the specification book it says Fuel 91 -98 RON. We put Mobil 6000 in today. What octane is that?

That's interesting as it say's 91 - 98 RON on Ford's website (yet Redbook says 95) & a Ford new care salesman said to us last week as my mum bought a new Fiesta that 91 is fine for it but you need 95 for Focus.

19-11-2006, 08:55 PM

It is possible to run 91 on the Focus, but I recommend 95+ Octane. You get better fuel economy. I've tried many many times over different fuels. My average fuel economey on 91octane is around 8.4-8.6l/100km, 95 is around 7.7, 98 is around 7.4-7.5. 100 Octane gets me slightly lower, but the engine runs really nicely on it.

Curly · 19-11-2006, 09:07 PM

Ok. So should that help the pinging?
Are Vortex 95 and Mobil 6000 the ones to use if I'm going to stick with 95?
Is another brand better?

Thanks for this advise. It's really helpful.

pertuan · 19-11-2006, 09:17 PM

Well, my Focus runs pretty much exclusively on Vortex 95 and I havent had problems. The other times I dont run Vortex95, I run Vortex98. lol I have a Caltex fuel card. :P

raymon81 · 19-11-2006, 10:44 PM

Curly, use Vortex98 and trust me u wont be disappointed

You will feel the difference in smoothness and better fuel economy.

Lonesta · 19-11-2006, 10:53 PM

Yes my lil Focus loves it 98 RON diet, go 4 it

.

Curly · 19-11-2006, 11:21 PM

I noticed 95 is about 6 cents more than 91. How much extra is 98?

Lonesta · 19-11-2006, 11:36 PM

Yeh the price of 98 RON can sometimes make me cry, But you get what you pay for.

*Checks ford manual. Well with my 2.0L zetec it says with 91 RON i pump out 85kw, with 95 RON 96kw, thats a 11kw difference. Not sure if 98 RON makes anymore dif, or if it is even the same with your car, but with 98 RON i find it runs better. I guess it comes down to how much are you willing to pay.

Piotr · 19-11-2006, 11:40 PM

Use 95ron. Being a european car the focus is tuned for 95ron fuel (They don't have 91ron over there).

Curly · 19-11-2006, 11:47 PM

We topped it up with Mobil 6000 this afternoon. So it's about 1/2 91 and 1/2 95 at the moment. Perhaps we will stick with 95 for a few weeks to see if the pinging stops and if it runs any better. Thanks for your help.

zetec · 20-11-2006, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lonesta

Yeh the price of 98 RON can sometimes make me cry, But you get what you pay for.

*Checks ford manual. Well with my 2.0L zetec it says with 91 RON i pump out 85kw, with 95 RON 96kw, thats a 11kw difference. Not sure if 98 RON makes anymore dif, or if it is even the same with your car, but with 98 RON i find it runs better. I guess it comes down to how much are you willing to pay.

Your LR Zetec must run 95 RON or higher, the 2.0 Zetec is tuned for premium fuel and develops 96kw. 85kw is not a "de-tuned" state for the Zetec, ity's 96kw all the time as you MUST run at least 95 RON Premium.

Only the 2.0 Zetec engine in the CL, LX and Ghia develop 85kw on 91 RON, they are not tuned for premium fuel. The engines are identical in every way except for the tune on the computer's fuel settings etc, the timing etc. They will always be at 85kw even if you run a higher grade of fuel.

This is different to the new model LS Focus which has 107kw all round, identical engine and settings on all models including Zetec now. They are only required to run 91 RON but premium is always better for the environment, your engine and your economy. Your engine should not be pinging using 91RON fuel, which Ford recommends. Take it to your Dealer to get it checked out as it may be indicative of a sensor that is not right and could cause problems later. Running higher grade fuel isn't really a solution, you should get it properly looked at especially since it's under warranty.

mondeoman · 20-11-2006, 11:59 AM

[QUOTE=zetec]They are only required to run 91 RON but premium is always better for the environment, your engine and your economy.[QUOTE]

Please explain this sweeping statement.
How is a higher octane fuel "always better" for the environment?

plee · 21-11-2006, 01:27 PM

The couple of times we have run 91 RON it's been ping city, as soon as we go back to 95 or 98 it's fine, and our economy has always been below 8 with a mixture of motorway and city driving.

Lagom · 21-11-2006, 10:38 PM

In our LS Focus, it was pinging even on 98RON initially. But a few tanks later, it seems to be alright.

FocusLX06 · 22-11-2006, 10:23 PM

mondeoman - I think it's because the car burns more of the fuel, therefore emitting less as greenhouse gases, I might be completely wrong though...

MoreHPformyXR6 · 22-11-2006, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FocusLX06

mondeoman - I think it's because the car burns more of the fuel, therefore emitting less as greenhouse gases, I might be completely wrong though...

Cleaner Burn of the 98 ron im thinking = less greenhouse gases

mondeoman · 23-11-2006, 01:34 PM

Higher octane is about resistance to pre-ignition, I don't think that it is inherently more "clean burning" or that it burns "more completely".
I could imagine that if Ethanol was added to raise the octane rating that it may slightly reduce emissions.

Curly · 23-11-2006, 04:28 PM

I think Mondeoman is right. Wiki says that the higher octane rating itself does not make it cleaner. However, the different chemical composition of most higher octane fuels make it a cleaner and more effecient fuel. Hope this makes sense.

mondeoman · 23-11-2006, 06:00 PM

I think that sort of claim was made for Shell Optimax when it was introduced. You're probably on the right track Curly.

zetec · 24-11-2006, 07:19 PM

Sorry missed the thread for a while.

I was referring to the additives and detergents that they add into 98 and above octane premium fuels, to keep carbon buildup to a minimum and help minimise incomplete combustion, a cause of nasty emissions such as Carbon monoxide and ugly hydrocarbons.

mondeoman · 24-11-2006, 10:09 PM

I'm glad this thread popped back up, I found an interesting article on the recipes for high octane unleaded fuels today. Wanted to share it here. It's a US article so I'm not sure if the all the "oxegenators" are used here.
http://wired.com/wired/archive/14.12/start.html?pg=5

MoreHPformyXR6 · 24-11-2006, 10:15 PM

additives and detergents added to help keep carbon build to a minimum and help minimise incomplete combustion. Is this to 95 RON also? Or only 98 & above.

zetec · 25-11-2006, 04:38 AM

Both.

Vortex (95 RON) http://www.caltex.com.au/products_oil_detail.asp?id=15

Vortex 98 (98 RON) http://www.caltex.com.au/products_oil_detail.asp?id=322

Gauty · 06-07-2007, 01:05 PM

Question..I also have an auto LS LX thats seems ok round the suburbs, but get it on the freeway and I just feel its holding back..Get it up to 100 and keep it there and you feel the engine just wants to kick into a higher gear. Or feels like it.

Its second hand, and has covered 48000k in one year. My thoughts are the previous owners used ULP all the time and as a result the engine is a little sick. I have used 98RON and will..with a minimium of 95PULP for me. I just had it serviced and changed the plugs, and problem remained

My next idea will be to add injector cleaner to the next tank of fuel, and hopefully cure it.

FOCUSonTHIS · 06-07-2007, 01:08 PM

Try injector cleaner and see if it feels better. I'm not sure what else you could do unless you run it on a dyno to actually see what it is doing.