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Don't waste your money with Premium gas!


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Some additional research:

https://www.cobbtuning.com/ford-ecoboost-and-the-octane-adjust-ratio-monitor/

discusses how Ford dynamically adjusts timing in their Ecoboost engines.  Maybe applicable to our non-boosted C-Max, not sure.

It does say timing can be advanced AND retarded, both, not just retarded, compared to the baseline engine map tune.

If that's the case in our C-Max, then it is possible to benefit from premium fuel, especially if we accelerate hard or tow.  Owner's manual mentions towing specifically.

 

It may be noted that our engine is most efficient at around 2,000 RPM and about 75% full torque load there.  Using the electric motors to augment the engine means the control system tries to keep the engine running at that specific part-load condition when it can. 

Then it comes down to seeing if the engine can advance the timing at most conditions we drivie at.    We know it freely retards timing when excessivley low-octane gasoline is used, but I'm not sure how much it will actually advance timing when at typical driving RPM & loads.

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I have tested this before using ScanGaugeII you can watch the ECM advancing the timing until it detects knocking and retards a little bit. I have seen it go over 40 degrees with high Octane Gas, I have used octane booster to improve MPG's more. I think it added about 2 octane more to a tank, maybe 1 mpg. :) Pure Gas seems to get a little better MPG's than Premium not much, but adding Octane Booster definitely helps.It is also a injector cleaner too. :)  

NOSOctanebooster

It cost about $10 at Walmart.
 
Paul
Edited by ptjones
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...... Premium fuel will provide improved performance and is recommended for severe duty usage such as trailer tow."

Trailer tow?  Do newer manuals actually state that you can tow a trailer with the C-Max?  If so, what do they actually say?  How many pounds?

Our 2013 printed manual says on page 248 (complete with warning triangle/exclamation mark)

:

TOWING A TRAILER

WARNING: Never tow a trailer with this vehicle. Your vehicle is

not equipped to tow. No towing packages are available through

an authorized dealer.

 

Has this prohibition been dropped?

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SnowStorm, towing is banned for all years.   

Still, Ford has never gotten off their lazy rear ends and edited out the mistaken mention of towing, in each model year's manual in about 3 places!   How hard is it to edit out mention of towing?  

Towing isn't available since they would need a better transmission cooling system to handle the extra heat.  Maybe power electronics cooling too.  Engine of course too.

I actually think a 1,000 lb trailer wouldn't be a problem, mounted properly back there of course.  Maybe not towing in the mountains in the summer though.

 

I really wonder what high-torque driving is on the C-Max, especially without towing.  At the full 188 hp, pedal mashed to the floor, is a max torque condition.  Otherwise the engine and motors adjust RPM to be around 75% load, always avoiding knock to some extent just by trying to keep the torque load near that spot.

I drive mine at WOT quite often actually.  Maybe I could gain 1 or 2 MPG from using premium, at a cost of about 10% more of course.

 

 

Owner's Manuals for all model years:

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From the standpoint of the ICE, the CMAX is way over cooled, I use Grill Covers all year around. It would put more stress on the trans, probably not a temp problem.  As far as the inverter goes, not sure you can change the amount of use of charging and discharging than normal. :)  I think trans stress would be the main problem.

 

Paul

Edited by ptjones
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From the standpoint of the ICE, the CMAX is way over cooled, I use Grill Covers all year around. It would put more stress on the trans, probably not a temp problem.  As far as the inverter goes, not sure you can change the amount of use of charging and discharging than normal. :)  I think trans stress would be the main problem.

 

Paul

 

I would think the car would be set up to handle all but the rarest hot conditions.  No manufacturer wants a reputation of their car fails in death valley and then you die of heat stroke.

 

"The hottest air temperature ever recorded in Death Valley was 134 °F (56.7 °C) on July 10, 1913, at Furnace Creek,[16] which is the hottest atmospheric temperature ever recorded on earth.[5] During the heat wave that peaked with that record, five consecutive days reached 129 °F (54 °C) or above. Some meteorologists dispute the accuracy of the 1913 temperature measurement.[17]"   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Valley

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