Premium gas - are you using it?

OconRecon

Member
About 2 weeks into my new JL and switched over to premium. What are you all doing? I was used to more time between fill-ups when I had my GMC Sierra - so the change has helped.
 

8k miles on mine. Nope, not using premium. No need. I've got no knocking or pinging. What I do, though, is primarily run Shell gasoline or other Top Tier certified fuel, like Sunoco, Mobil, or Countrymark. I'd say it's been 90% Shell, though.

I haven't done it yet, but occasionally I'll plan on running ethanol free gas, when it is convenient to get it and am not fussy over price. My JK performs noticeably better on ethanol free. It is a 3.8, though. The 3.6 might not get as much benefit, or at least feel like it, as does the old JK. I get about 1/2 mpg better on the JK and it feels slightly more responsive.

I'll run V-power in the JK ever 6k miles, or so. It gets to knocking/pinging a bit, so I'll run a full tank of V-power through it and do a few Italian tune-ups, and that usually takes care of it for the next 5 to 6k. That 3.8 is just a little more finiky and I think it gets a slight bit of carbon build up over those miles on 87 regular.
 

Jetboy

New member
Be very careful of non-ethanol gas, most stations don’t sell enough to keep it fresh. And today’s gas won’t last 3 weeks untreated. Then the octane rating starts down quickly.

We are having all kinds of issues with 2cycle engines on boats. With old hoses not being ethanol friendly. But then destroying the engine from bad gas.


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wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Jeep recommends 87 octane on a 3.6L and that's what I always use. There is no need for 91.

As far as clean gas or ethanol free gas goes, I use it all the time for all my old iron and yard equipment. Granted, I live in a car town where lots of people own classics.
 

aug0211

New member
How you like it so far? I love that little engine. But wanna see what others think.

Sent via....

I’ve been very happy so far.

I’m turning 37s and I have zero complaints. I do, hit 8th gear - that surprised me.

Auto stop/start is essentially unnoticeable.

The torque is great. This engine is very responsive and fun to drive. Passing power is surprisingly good - but I also attribute some of this to the transmission, too - the 8 speed auto is lightyears ahead of the 6 speed manual I had in my JK.

I don’t think I’ll be saving any money overall, but that wasn’t my objective. It’s fun to drive!


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13_gecko_rubi

New member
I’ve been very happy so far.

I’m turning 37s and I have zero complaints. I do, hit 8th gear - that surprised me.

Auto stop/start is essentially unnoticeable.

The torque is great. This engine is very responsive and fun to drive. Passing power is surprisingly good - but I also attribute some of this to the transmission, too - the 8 speed auto is lightyears ahead of the 6 speed manual I had in my JK.

I don’t think I’ll be saving any money overall, but that wasn’t my objective. It’s fun to drive!


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The start/stop with etorque is so much better. It's actually starting to move the Jeep as it's starting.

Hitting 8th doesnt surprise me with that engine. It's torque band is so much lower it can hold gears much better.

Sent via....
 

aug0211

New member
The start/stop with etorque is so much better. It's actually starting to move the Jeep as it's starting.

Hitting 8th doesnt surprise me with that engine. It's torque band is so much lower it can hold gears much better.

Sent via....

That makes me happy to hear you say that about 8th. Part of my reasoning for the turbo was hoping to turn 37s a bit better - and I thought maybe I was selling myself on my 37s doing ok because of the turbo - but hearing it from you makes me feel like it’s actually real and not me just imagining it.


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OconRecon

Member
So, here’s why I wanted to ask the forum.

- I’m coming from a big tank 2010 GMC Sierra to my new 2018 Ruby JL
- Thus, I’m going to the gas station more often.

And then this happened...

- My son has a 2015 Sahara JK. Has 20,000 miles on it with factory 33” tires. Rides great.
- He is now in Arizona, and long story short, we hired a guy to drive his Jeep out to him, from Ohio.
- My wife, on a whim, fills it up with Premium to start the driver out. She didn’t happen to mention it.
- The Jeep arrives in AZ without a problem, but when asked how the drive went, he tells my son, “great, but the weird thing is I got 25 mpg’s with the first tank of gas, but then 17-18 mpg’s per tank after that”.

Thus, I think I’m going to run with Premium for a few tanks and see if my mpg’s increase to the point that I”m at the gas station less and see if it’s “worth” it.

Just wondered if anyone here had found such a substantial benefit with the JL, when it comes to mpg’s and regular vs premium.
 

13_gecko_rubi

New member
So, here’s why I wanted to ask the forum.

- I’m coming from a big tank 2010 GMC Sierra to my new 2018 Ruby JL
- Thus, I’m going to the gas station more often.

And then this happened...

- My son has a 2015 Sahara JK. Has 20,000 miles on it with factory 33” tires. Rides great.
- He is now in Arizona, and long story short, we hired a guy to drive his Jeep out to him, from Ohio.
- My wife, on a whim, fills it up with Premium to start the driver out. She didn’t happen to mention it.
- The Jeep arrives in AZ without a problem, but when asked how the drive went, he tells my son, “great, but the weird thing is I got 25 mpg’s with the first tank of gas, but then 17-18 mpg’s per tank after that”.

Thus, I think I’m going to run with Premium for a few tanks and see if my mpg’s increase to the point that I”m at the gas station less and see if it’s “worth” it.

Just wondered if anyone here had found such a substantial benefit with the JL, when it comes to mpg’s and regular vs premium.
On a 3.6 it isn't direct injection so it can't really vary that much. Premium gas is really just to get higher octane and avoid knock. I doubt you'd see much if any difference. But run a few full tanks and see. Can't hurt anything.

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OconRecon

Member
I’ve always run with plain old gas, despite “car guys” though the years swearing by premium for various reasons. Not only knock, but better on everything in the very long run.

Frankly, I always though it was just for those who buy the most expensive everything. We all have those friends.

But, when the unknowing driver of my son’s JK told this story, unprompted, it got me to thinking. It just has the standard V6 from 2015 - no enhancements.
 

Be very careful of non-ethanol gas, most stations don’t sell enough to keep it fresh. And today’s gas won’t last 3 weeks untreated. Then the octane rating starts down quickly.

We are having all kinds of issues with 2cycle engines on boats. With old hoses not being ethanol friendly. But then destroying the engine from bad gas.


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Yep, no worries. My two sources are high volume. One is a Sunoco dealer that fuels lots of big boats and the other is a Co-op that tells me they get filled up with it weekly. In my boat and Rzr, I use Marine Sta-Bil, as well. Those machines sit for weeks and weeks on end, and never have a fuel issue.

Thanks for the good advice!
 

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Jetboy

New member
I had an H O 4.6 L in a 2002 grand Cherokee limited. It would do that. 17 on premium 12 on regular. But it was stated premium gas. I always figured it was rolling the timing back to keep it from knocking. But it was just a guess.


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notnalc68

That dude from Mississippi
I had a G35 that called for premium. It would knock, if I ran regular. In the JK, I ran regular. No problems. I do, however, run a good brand of gas, not the el-cheapo stuff.

My last JKU, started and idled rough, when first cranked. I ran a few bottles of fuel system cleaner through it, and it began to do better. After that, I started filling up at stations that have fuel system cleaners in the gas, line Chevron.


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JTCO

Meme King
Just throwing this up here after owning the 2.0L Turbo for awhile. We've been using 87 octane since we got it (about 2100 miles on it so far) because the owner's manual says it is ok to use. It's my wife's Jeep so I don't drive it much but I have a little bit more in the last couple of weeks. There's a few hills going up to our house and I noticed an exhaust leak sound or exhaust-like rattle accelerating on the uphills only. I'm pretty sure it was pinging. The last time I filled it up, I went with 91 octane and the noise is gone.

So I don't know if the owner's manual is a misprint, but I'm going to error on the side of caution and only use 91 or higher regardless. Many turbocharged manufacturers have recommended 91 for years for a better combustion burn.
 

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