The Ford F150 is one of Ford’s standup vehicles that deliver dependability, performance, capacity, and longevity.

And because of these outstanding features of the F150, many wonders if the Ford F150 Use Regular Gas . Now, here is a quick answer to that.

The Ford F150 uses regular unleaded gas. Ford recommends unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 87 in F150 cars. Premium gas can also go in F150. However, it is best to use it only when recommended. You can check your owner’s manual for that information.

Does a Ford F150 Take Regular Gas?

The Ford F150 takes regular gas just like most Ford cars. However, I recommend that the Ford F150 be operated using regular unleaded gasoline with a minimum octane rating of 87. 

The fuel octane rating is specified because some fuel stations, for certain reasons, sell out regular unleaded gasoline that has a fuel octane rating of less than 87.

This type of gasoline is not advisable if you desire to maximize the performance of your Ford F150 efficiently. 

The reason for this is that gases with a fuel octane rating less than the recommended 87 combust too fast in your car’s engine and, as a result, can cause the engine to knock. 

That results in a reduction in the fuel economy and the car’s power and may cause serious damage to your engine, which may not be covered in your car’s warranty. 

However, you’re advised to stop the car immediately and contact your dealership for further assistance when this happens. However, this will cost you some money.

Most Ford F150s manufactured since 1996 to date run on the regular unleaded gasoline with an 87 fuel octane rating.

Although, for supercharged F150 vehicles, especially the ones manufactured after 2012, Ford recommends that the premium fuel octane rating of 91 be used on such vehicles. 

As much as the F150 can still run perfectly with the regular unleaded gasoline, the high octane fuel is best to maximize its performance.

And since there’s a wide range of variation for Ford F150 cars which may have different fuel requirements and engines. 

What Type of Gas Does Ford F150 Take?

The fuel octane rating recommendation applicable to the different models of F150, such as the Super cab, Super crew, Raptor, the Regular cab, and so on, are stated below.

First, start with the Ford F150 Vehicles with 4.2L V6 or 4.6L V8 engines manufactured from 1996 to 2004.

These cars use regular unleaded gasoline with an 87 fuel octane rating, while those with a 5.4 supercharged V8 engine use a premium octane rating of 91 or higher.

Next is the 2004-2008 Ford F150 with 4.2L V6, 4.6L V8, or 5.4L V8 engines, and those manufactured in 2009- 2012 with car engines of 4.6L V8, 5.4L V8, or 6.2L V8.

They make use of the regular unleaded gasoline as well. 

Not forgetting the F150 with yellow fuel cap or E-85 emblem, known as Flexible Fuel Vehicles.

This car also takes regular unleaded gasoline with a fuel octane rating of 87 or the E-85, a gas containing 15% regular gasoline and 85% ethanol.

More so, other regular unleaded Ford vehicles made from 2012 to date are those with 2.7L, 3.3L, and 3.5L car engines. 

You must have observed that most of these F150 run on regular unleaded gasoline.

It is, however, important to know that for the optimal performance of these vehicles, Ford recommends the premium fuel octane rating of 91 and above for use in extreme weather conditions such as during hot weather or when the vehicle is towing.

However, getting the best gas for your vehicle shouldn’t depend on your preference but rather on the manufacturer’s recommendation. You can find this recommendation in your owner’s manual.

Difference between Regular gas and Premium gas.

The major difference between regular gas and Premium gas is their fuel octane rating. One has a higher fuel octane rating than the other.

The following are some factors that distinguish regular gas from premium gas. 

#1. Octane Rating

Regular gas has a fuel octane rating of 87. This rating shows the ability of the gasoline to deal with uneven fuel combustion in your engine.

While premium gasoline, also known as a high octane fuel, has a fuel octane rating of 91 or greater.

The Common versions of premium gasoline in the United States are the 91 and 93 fuel octane ratings. 

The 93 octanes are also called Ultra or super gasoline. The word “ultra” and “Super” indicate the presence of a higher octane in this gasoline compared to 91 premium fuel octane.

Note that the octane level requirement for a premium gas varies from state to state.

For example, some states require an octane rating of 92 to be considered a premium fuel, while another could be 90 or 91, as the case may be.

#2. Cost

The higher fuel octane rating of the premium gas makes it more expensive than regular gas.

And because the price of the regular gas is far cheaper than the premium gas, it is commonly used by many.  

Although the fuel prices vary based on location, there is a general price difference of about 20-40 percent per gallon between them.

#3. Eco-Friendliness

The commonly used regular gas is unleaded gasoline. That simply means they have no lead content in them.

And this makes them safe for use in the environment and less hazardous to human health. 

However, the premium gas is more eco-friendly because it produces less pollution than the regular unleaded gasoline, thereby keeping the environment and your car’s engine cleaner. 

#4. Additives

The additive such as detergent added to fuel is less in the regular unleaded gasoline and more in the premium gas.

The excess additive in the premium fuel helps keep the engine walls of your vehicle clean. 

Also, the more the additive in fuel, the costlier the fuel. This feature is another reason the price of the premium gas is more than that of the regular unleaded gasoline.

#5. Over-all Performance

The premium gas has been proven to perform better than the regular unleaded gasoline. You may think that, after all, gas is gas.

But one thing you need to understand is that when you use the regular gas and the premium gas separately in your car’s engine, there’s a huge difference in the performance rate of your vehicle. 

The major reason for this difference is the fuel octane rating. The higher the fuel octane rating, the better your vehicle’s performance.

So, high octane fuel is a predictor of your vehicle’s performance. Not only that, high octane fuel has higher tolerance against engine knock.

An engine knocks when the fuel in the fuel chamber ignites unevenly in several areas, which may damage the car’s engine if you are not cautious. 

The premium octane gas can withstand this engine knock more efficiently than the regular gas because of its high octane fuel rating.

That makes it a great option for most vehicles. In addition, auto manufacturer’s engineers often recommend the premium gasoline for cars with high- compression, turbocharger, and many other high-performance aspects. 

That is because the engine of these vehicles performs optimally with high octane fuel gasoline. 

However, note that using premium gas when your car can run on regular gas gives no extra benefits to engine life, reduced emission, or fuel economy. 

3 Reasons To AVOID 2023 Ford F-150

Final Thought

Most Ford F150 vehicles use regular unleaded gasoline with an octane fuel rating not less than 87.

That is because an octane rating of less than 87 will cause your vehicle’s engine to knock, which may eventually damage your F150.

However, I recommend using premium fuel octane to deal with this issue.