2020 F-150 5.0, can I use Ethanol Free gas in this truck and will it make a difference in gas mileage?
What does your owner's manual say?
2020 F-150 5.0, can I use Ethanol Free gas in this truck and will it make a difference in gas mileage?
Of course. Straight gasoline has an increased energy density as opposed to E10 (regular pump gas is E10). That translates to better gas mileage, theoretically.
Fill up with straight gas and calculate your cost per mile traveled. That will give you your answer.
It's likely not enough to warrant the increase in the gas price. We don't use most of the oil we produce in this country (the oil we produce is termed light, sweet crude, our refineries specialize in sour, heavy oil, which is a lot more plentiful and you can't easily swap between the two) The ethanol content also helps to thin out carbon deposits, as it's a powerful solvent.
Personally, I went the other way and started buying E85 (my '14 F-150 is Flex-Fuel capable, I think your F-150 is as well, it would say on the tailgate, or look at the VIN) because it's over $1 cheaper than E10 and I'm getting 14.5 MPG vs 17 MPG. I go to the gas station slightly more frequently, but I'm saving a lot of money in the process. I also have a 37 gallon tank because of the tow package, so I don't really "notice" much of a difference. I can go 517 miles to a tank of E85 vs 667 miles on E10.
Gas prices rocketed to $3.50 a gallon last week because of flooding in Indiana. I found a couple gas stations nearby that have been selling E85 for $2.22 and $2.19 through the duration of the flooding. Gas prices have since come down to around $3 a gallon.
can I use Ethanol Free gas in this truck
Of course. Gasoline engines run on gasoline. But it will cost you more for no benefit.
will it make a difference in gas mileage?
Yes. It will improve, but not enough to offset the cost. You will end up spending more dollars per mile. Mr @justin-shepherd recently performed this experiment and the math confirmed this.
can I use Ethanol Free gas in this truck
When my father-in-law was driving through Middletown just now, I noticed that ethanol-free gas is $3.99 a gallon vs Regular E10 gas at $2.79, it's way not going to be worth the small gas mileage increase. Stick to regular pump gas if you are still unsure.
In my 82 Mustang I once owned it hurt the gas mileage using ethanol gas. It was also a 5.0, ethanol free gas gave me a better mpg, even driving it fast. This is supposed to be an upgrade to the same engine,
The 5.0L engine displacement is the same in displacement, only. They are completely different engines.
The 5.0L in your 2020 F-150 is a 3rd Generation Coyote V8 with dual overhead camshafts. With your '82 Mustang, that was most likely an overhead valve design with the camshaft in the center of the engine block and two valves per cylinder, not 4. The valves were actuated by pushrods, not the cams themselves.
Those engines were replaced at some time in the '90s with a new 5.0 single overhead camshaft engine. You could fit one in the body of my '99 Ford Ranger and I thought about doing that modification before the Ranger's frame cracked. There is someone with a modded 5.0 in a Ranger somewhere near me. I thought it was a Mustang the first time I heard it, but that sound came out of a Ranger.
In 2010, Ford started producing the first generation 5.0 Coyote V8 for installation into the 2011 Ford Mustang GT and the 2011 F-150.
I don’t know if the internal parts can do without the ethanol now.
It doesn't harm your engine, beyond risking excess carbon buildup. The engine was designed with E10 in mind from the factory. I would use E10.
I have not looked it up in the owners manual. In my 82 Mustang I once owned it hurt the gas mileage using ethanol gas. It was also a 5.0, ethanol free gas gave me a better mpg, even driving it fast. This is supposed to be an upgrade to the same engine, I don’t know if the internal parts can do without the ethanol now.
@hatcat68 In general ethanol-free gas will yield better mileage, is easier on the fuel system components, and does not degrade as quickly as the ethanol-laden stuff but on a late model vehicle you should use what the manufacturer says is OK.