You're all right about the effect of ethanol on parts. My experience has been mixed. I also have property that is 320 miles away and sometimes I don't get up there as often as I'd like. I use fuel stabilizer in the gasoline that I keep up there, I usually keep a couple of 5 gallon jugs in the garage. I use the gas on my 2 chainsaws, 3 if you count the weed-wacker with the pole saw attachment, my 1970 wagoneer and my lawn mower. The wagonner has a carburator that was last rebuilt about 17 years ago and has had no problems, starts right up and runs great (even with points), one chainsaw is about 20 years old and the other one is about 7, both have had no problems either, the lawnmower was bought used in a garage sale 10 years ago so I don't know how old it really is. None of these have had any issues. My pole saw is the newest of them all and it did have a meltdown of the plastic primer tube, I'm not sure about the carburator as I took no chances and rebuilt at the same time last year. So I've got some old stuff that was ok and I've issues with my newest one - go figure.

The guy at the small engine shop that tunes and sharpens my saws said that the ethanol in the gas was driving up his business. This is a small country town in the middle of the sierras and everyone has at least a couple of chainsaws and lots of agricultural equipment.

So if some of us have had problems and some have not, it is not surprising.

 

My ram 1500 was barely used when i purchased it.the salesman was a friend of mine and told me never run anything less than mid grade fuel.but the performance and mileage go through the roof with hi-test.
My average going through town is 25 mpg and on open roads mid 30's to low 40's on mpg.but i am used to driveing dodge trucks this is all i have had for close to 30 years.
I used to get mileage out of my ramcharger 4x4 that most people could not beleive unless they traveled with me.that truck could climb a telephone pole and outrun state trooper intercepter units when we were all running code 3.they were upset beyond beleif when i finally showed them the 318 with a 2 barrel carb under the hood.
The only dodge i ever had a problem with was a 89 ram 1500.i could not keep a transmission in that truck.
Sgt.halbrooks

 

ethanol is goverment mandate crap. been a dodge mechanic now a Ford tech and have seen lots of problems. got a carb out of a four wheeler on my bench right now choked full of white crystals built up so bad can't get no gas. boy was deployed six months put fresh gas in came back and the ethanol killed it. anybody say they can leave ethanol gas untreated for months I call bs on.

 

that's rite you got one of the few salesmen know they product. guys don't know a gas cap from a hub cap can give they opinion all they want. us techs know the real deal.

 

What year and engine? I'm guessing a V6 since it's physically impossible to 25MPH in a city let alone a highway with a 5.7. The highest numbers you could ever see on a 5.7 would be maybe 20MPG in ideal conditions.

In addition, adding 91 or higher octane will not give any HP or mileage increase whatsoever on a stock 5.7. It's physically impossible.

 

No way you could get 25 MPG average with a Ram with a hemi, it's just not believable, more incredible is claiming low 40's MPG.

 

Yeah that's a bit optimistic. 89 mpg might give you 1-2 mpg over 87 because the knock sensors will basically de tune to attempt to lessen pre-detonation. The big advantage to 89 is not mpg but avoiding the long term effects of that pre-detonation, which is magnified under heavy load.

Not even the 3.0 diesel will yield the numbers you claim...

 

My truck has a 5.7 hemi and I only run 92 or higher gas. I was trained as a pup to use the best equipment and maintain it for optimal performance.Whether it be my vehicle or weapons, radios, or anything else my life depended on.
If I could post a picture here in a message I would of the dashboard showing 25 mpg while I drive through the city.The size pictures posted here you would have to enlarge dramatically to sed everything.

 

What you were trained to do and what reality is are two very different things. Decades ago before computer controlled engines things were different. Running higher octane helped in many cases. But over the last decade modern technology has changed all that. High octane fuel is not "better" on an engine that is not designed to run on high octane fuel. Advertising has convinced people who have not done the research that they are doing a good thing. But in the end it's a complete waste.

Dodge programmed the engines computer to work on 89 optimally. Running higher octane will not make more power or increase your MPG. Science proves this. And dozens of very reputable automotive magazines and websites will explain it in detail. You are absolutely throwing money away by running premium in Hemi Ram. Even Dodge will tell you that.

It is an impossibility to see those numbers on city driving on these trucks. In fact It's pretty much impossible to see those numbers on the highway too . The weight of your truck and the design of the engine will not allow it. If you reset the EVIC on the Fuel Economy setting it will start at as high as 30MPG. And shortly after you reset it the numbers will stay high. But if you understand how the fuel economy is calculated you will understand that this number is not accurate when you first reset it. Drive the truck 500 miles and then see what your MPG is after that. You will be lucky to see it anywhere near 20MPG.

 

This is actual proof that drinking the higher octane kool-aid really works.