Ford F150 Eco-Boost.

[jcl]

The best fuel to use is the lowest AKI that doesn't negatively impact performance (usually due to timing being retarded when detonation is sensed) Your engine doesn't know what AKI the fuel is, it just knows what the effects are.

Modern engine management systems protect the engine, so there is little risk of engine damage as long as you use a fuel that is spec'd by the manufacturer.

Fuel will vary geographically, seasonally, and from what the label on the pump says. That label is a minimum, not exactly what the fuel characteristic is. That is why you will get a wide range of responses to 'what fuel works best for you' questions.

If the timing is being retarded enough to matter by the engine management system, you will have a decrease in hp and mileage. I used mileage as a proxy for both, since it was easy to measure. If the timing was not being retarded enough to matter, then I saw no reason to use a higher AKI fuel.

Note that the timing isn't retarded all the time with a lower AKI fuel. It may only happen 1% of the time, for example, at certain load and throttle settings, and you won't generally notice that.

My last four vehicles (not Ecoboosts) were spec'd for 91, but were stated to be fine from 87 AKI on up. We have good quality fuel where I live. I ran multiple tanks and calculated the fuel consumption precisely, not using the on board gauge. I found that 87 had a slight performance decrease, 89 was fine, and 91 made no difference. So I used 89 for 100,000 km or so, on three of the vehicles, when filling at home. When I travelled, I didn't know the fuel suppliers so I tended to use 91. I found more impact from ethanol content variability than AKI.

On one of the vehicles, which had twin turbos on a 3 litre, 94 made it come alive, although 91 was spec'd. Seems the engine management system could take advantage of the better knock resistance of the fuel, as it was within the map range. The local 94 also had zero ethanol, which I appreciated.

The only way to know for your new truck is to test it. Multiple tanks, various load conditions, see what difference it makes. If you notice it, use a higher AKI fuel. When you get to where you can't tell the difference, you don't need any more AKI. It doesn't have more energy, it isn't better for the engine (given equivalent quantities of detergents, etc). There are so many variables, that the owner's manual will use phrases like 'recommended' instead of 'must'. They can't account for all the variables either, whether it be altitude, engine condition, driver habits, payload or towing load, etc. So they have a minimum, to prevent damage, and soft recommendations that use words like 'may'.

If all of the above seems like too much trouble, just use premium. Or whatever nozzle is closest. But if you want to play with it a little (after it is broken in and loosened up a bit) then it can be interesting to see what fuel is actually required, and you can go from there.

Jeff

[KJRitchie]

The Ecoboost, being a turbo engine, high altitudes can be compensated so I guess that is why the manual doesn't recommend 85.

Kelvin

[DKB_SATX]

Jcl: 3-liter twin-turbo with an aggressive map... Did you have a GTR?

Hopefully with modern engine mgmt systems they are quicker to take advantage of higher octane after a tank of low grade fuel. I know my '01 GTI was very slow to recognize better fuel after it dialed back the power. I've never put anything less than 91 in my '07 Legacy GT wagon so I don't know how long it would punish me for feeding it cheap gas.

[jcl]

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

Jcl: 3-liter twin-turbo with an aggressive map... Did you have a GTR?

Hopefully with modern engine mgmt systems they are quicker to take advantage of higher octane after a tank of low grade fuel. I know my '01 GTI was very slow to recognize better fuel after it dialed back the power. I've never put anything less than 91 in my '07 Legacy GT wagon so I don't know how long it would punish me for feeding it cheap gas.

BMW 535i M Sport, 2007, when it had twin turbos and not the current single 'twin power' turbo. Officially 300 hp, but others were measuring 300 hp at the wheels on calibrated dynos. The change in response was measured in minutes.

Jeff

[Roadtech]

What is the max payload capacity of a 2015 F150 4x4 Platinum with all options?

[Spamcan]

I have been told by my dealer that my 2015 Platinum SuperCrew 4x4 with 6.5 bed will have 2,070 pounds of payload, and should be delivered around February 6.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by Roadtech

What is the max payload capacity of a 2015 F150 4x4 Platinum with all options?

Hi, I saw a 2014 Platinum Super Crew cab on the dealer's show room floor while I was having them find my truck; This truck only had a payload of 1065 lbs. That's pitiful! Hopefully the 2015 will have more than that.

Note: I asked the sales person to search anywhere on the Ford Dealer site and find a payload of 1065 lbs listed and he was unable to find one. He thanked me for showing him that the door sticker was the only real thing that could be trusted. I let him know that if my truck's payload was less than that of my Lincoln, he lost a sale.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by Spamcan

I have been told by my dealer that my 2015 Platinum SuperCrew 4x4 with 6.5 bed will have 2,070 pounds of payload, and should be delivered around February 6.

Hi, we, the sales person and I, searched all of the books and computer sites and the only accurate thing is the sticker on the actual truck. Mine spec'ed for 1900 lbs payload, but things like the Off Road package caused mine to lose 155 lbs. [down to 1745 lbs] Don't count on anything until you see the actual sticker or one on a truck as close as possible to what you want. Once again a 2015 model should be higher than what I saw on a 2014 model.

[KJRitchie]

Originally Posted by Spamcan

I have been told by my dealer that my 2015 Platinum SuperCrew 4x4 with 6.5 bed will have 2,070 pounds of payload, and should be delivered around February 6.

I wonder what the XLT version have, may be 2300lbs? Is yours with the HD Payload and Max Tow pkgs?

Kelvin

[Spamcan]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

I wonder what the XLT version have, may be 2300lbs? Is yours with the HD Payload and Max Tow pkgs?



Kelvin

It was ordered with Max Tow, but not HD Payload (which unfortunately is not available on the 2015 Platinum).

For comparison, my 2013 Platinum with Max Tow has 1490 pounds of payload, according to the door sticker.

[graysailor]

I did order the Max Towing and the dealer tells me that the payload should be around 2000lbs. This is for the Platinum. Because it is a high end truck the rear ends are at 3.55 which limits the payload capacity. Currently I only have 1100+lbs. of payload so this new truck will be a heavy upgrade.

[Larry C]

Originally Posted by Spamcan

I have been told by my dealer that my 2015 Platinum SuperCrew 4x4 with 6.5 bed will have 2,070 pounds of payload, and should be delivered around February 6.

Good luck on that! Be sure to post what the door sticker states when you do take delivery on it.

Larry C

[LaBigDogs]

My dealer just let me know my special order 2015 F150 is ready for shipment! The Beast will be here soon! It will be paired up with the SS Clipper.


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

[kamadeca]

Hi there,

Pardon my ignorance, and I don't mean to be a smart ass, but isn't an F-150 supposed to be a ½ ton pick up. In that case a payload of 1065 lbs fits the bill perfectly. Just saying.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by kamadeca

Hi there,

Pardon my ignorance, and I don't mean to be a smart ass, but isn't an F-150 supposed to be a ½ ton pick up. In that case a payload of 1065 lbs fits the bill perfectly. Just saying.

Hi, I will try to answer this question for you; And if I'm wrong, I'm sure that someone will correct me. Basically you would be right, but I don't, and haven't seen, any new trucks listed by tonnage. In the 50's, 60's, and maybe the 70's we all called then 1/2 ton 3/4 ton, and 1 ton trucks. Now they are 150, 250, 350, and 450. Or 1500, 2500, and 3500 series. On my window sticker it says; "Vehicle Description, F-150 2014 F-150 4X4 Supercrew 145" wheelbase 3.5L Ecoboost V-6 Engine" Etc. There is nothing that I have found that designates my truck as a half ton, plus 745 lbs.

[dznf0g]

It is an antiquated term from many decades ago.

[m.hony]

1/2 ton still designates the least payload, 3/4 still designates more payload, and 1 ton still designates even more and so on and so on scooby dooby doo on up to 450, 550, 650, then medium duty (56,000#) and heavy duty (80,000#).
They gotta use some terminology to designate. Why not use terms that have been around 70 or 80 years?

[Larry C]

Originally Posted by m.hony

1/2 ton still designates the least payload, 3/4 still designates more payload, and 1 ton still designates even more and so on and so on scooby dooby doo on up to 450, 550, 650, then medium duty (56,000#) and heavy duty (80,000#).
They gotta use some terminology to designate. Why not use terms that have been around 70 or 80 years?

Seems to me the main reason people don't want to use the old terms is because they don't sound big enough...(Think, 1/2 ton as compared to 150, 1500, etc., also 3/4 as compared to 2500, etc, also 1 ton, as compared to 3500.) Seems like if someone wants a truck with the capacity of a 3/4 ton (2500), why the hell, don't they just buy one?

The 3/4 would come with the correct bearings, rear axle capacity, and if they order correctly, it'll have the correct rear axle ration they need for their towing needs.

Also seems to me in the case of the 1/2 ton trucks, some of these owners have a pretty good imagination, od the capacity of the truck, and a lack of understanding of how to set up their hitch. Of course, this doesn't include the owners of the HH and the PP, as they seem to have everything figured out on nearly every subject of towing...

For whatever it's worth.

Larry

[m.hony]

The GM and Ram terms 1500, 2500, and 3500 sound even bigger than Ford's terms...

[PaulnGina]

Originally Posted by Larry C

Seems to me the main reason people don't want to use the old terms is because they don't sound big enough...(Think, 1/2 ton as compared to 150, 1500, etc., also 3/4 as compared to 2500, etc, also 1 ton, as compared to 3500.) Seems like if someone wants a truck with the capacity of a 3/4 ton (2500), why the hell, don't they just buy one?

The 3/4 would come with the correct bearings, rear axle capacity, and if they order correctly, it'll have the correct rear axle ration they need for their towing needs.

Also seems to me in the case of the 1/2 ton trucks, some of these owners have a pretty good imagination, od the capacity of the truck, and a lack of understanding of how to set up their hitch. Of course, this doesn't include the owners of the HH and the PP, as they seem to have everything figured out on nearly every subject of towing...

For whatever it's worth.

Larry

Larry, you and I think a LOT alike!

I remember when the F150 designation first came out..... it was referred to as a "heavy 1/2-ton"....whatever that is.

These days, it seems like a lot of people want to believe (for some reason) that an F150, 1500, or whatever you want to call it, is a good solution for towing a 34' AS or Avion. IMHO, that will never be a good long-term solution. Might be OK for a "feather-light", but not something that grosses at 10K lbs. or over.

Like I've said before, people can do whatever they want, but there's a reason the truck manufacturers make the different classes of trucks. I don't think it's a good idea to use ANY tow vehicle that will be operating at or near it's limits just cruising down the road.