Premium Gas, or Standard?

[DOPR-Dragon]

I have a '92 Exporer, and she's getting thirsty. The people I got it from filled the tank up with premium to "shake loose anything in the engine", then after running through the tank, filled it back up (premium again) and gave it to me.
Should I continue with premium, or stick with standard? I know some engines take better to premium than others, and I'm not sure if the older Explorers are or not. After all, this big guy is about 26 years old.
As far as I know, the engine is stock. The original sales receipt lists it as a 4.0L EFI V6 engine.

 

[arco777]

Standard 87 octane is fine in these motors; there is no performance benefit to running higher octane. Welcome to the forum.

 

[trashtruck]

agreed, 87 is fine for these motors and premium is a waste.

 

[natenkiki2004]

Premium won't shake loose anything or help clean any better. The 3 varieties at the pump are octane rating and have no bearing on cleaners/additives. The brand of gas has more to do with it than anything else.

That said, regular gas is what these engines were rated for. However, I HAVE to feed mine premium due to pinging that occurs. I'm chalking it up to a temperamental 1991 computer where Ford was still learning (lean burn mode when TCC in OD occurs). Even with premium, I've had my engine ping when it's raining and 40's out. If the engine runs well on regular gas, run it.

 

[CreepingNet]

The only reason I ever used mid-grade or premium in the X was because it would ping under load. For some reason since I started servicing it myself, it's stopped doing that on regular and seems quite happy just as long as she's got gas in the tank. Seems to coincide with my cleanup and repair of the cooling system last year.

 

[DOPR-Dragon]

Thanks guys. Knowing this will save me a bunch at the pump!

 

[Jason94sport]

Only time I ran 93 is when I had the no longer made custom tuned chip, & even then I didn't feel much difference.

 

[2stroke]

These basic ECU's don't have provisions to advance timing, so there is no performance gains from higher octane gasoline. By that same reasoning, they don't have knock sensors either, making them very prone to detonation. Because of that, many of us, myself included, run higher octane fuel. Mine is usually ok just driving around with 87 octane, but while towing it will knock bad. So I run 91 octane, and while some consider it a "band-aide" fix, it has completely taken care of my problem long term.

 

[arco777]

Mine used to ping a little on hot days at high load. Higher octane did indeed help. Eventually the problem cured itself and I haven't had to run higher octane since. That was a couple years ago now.

 

[ks54703]

Run premium 91 no ethanol as our 87 & 89 blends have ethanol in them. Do not really know if a 94 is set up for blended fuel.

94 limited
16 F150 lariat

 

[bradh8]

I have a '92 Exporer, and she's getting thirsty. The people I got it from filled the tank up with premium to "shake loose anything in the engine", then after running through the tank, filled it back up (premium again) and gave it to me.
Should I continue with premium, or stick with standard? I know some engines take better to premium than others, and I'm not sure if the older Explorers are or not. After all, this big guy is about 26 years old.
As far as I know, the engine is stock. The original sales receipt lists it as a 4.0L EFI V6 engine.

I'm no expert for surent, but for what it worth .... I got a 94 XLT (approx 48,000 miles on her) and live/work/drive at 9,000 to 10,000 feet altitude

I have a '92 Exporer, and she's getting thirsty. The people I got it from filled the tank up with premium to "shake loose anything in the engine", then after running through the tank, filled it back up (premium again) and gave it to me.
Should I continue with premium, or stick with standard? I know some engines take better to premium than others, and I'm not sure if the older Explorers are or not. After all, this big guy is about 26 years old.
As far as I know, the engine is stock. The original sales receipt lists it as a 4.0L EFI V6 engine.

I'm no expert buy for what its worth, 94 XLT (4.0 V6 Cologne) daily driver at around 9000 to 10000 feet altitude .... I have put premium (91) in, when the station was out of regular (85) but normally run the regular... she doesn't seem to care... runs like a champ either way... have low milage though at approx 48,000