In this video I’m tackling the super controversial Ranger Raptor fuel debate: is 87 octane “killing” the 3.0L EcoBoost? I literally filled up with 87 and the comments went crazy—“you’re gonna blow your engine,” “you’re gonna mess up timing,” all that. So I break it down the no-BS way: Ford built this 3.0L twin-turbo to run 87 (it’s on the cap and in the manual), and the reason it can do that is because the truck has knock sensors that will pull timing and boost to protect the engine. Running 87 isn’t some instant grenade button—if your truck blows up on 87, you’re probably doing something wrong. That said, surviving and thriving aren’t the same thing. If you want full power, premium matters. I explain what you give up on 87—less boost (about 1.9 PSI in one example), slower 0–60 (one test showed 5.3 on 93 vs 5.9 on 87), and a less “peppy” feel, especially when towing, in hot weather, or when you’re beating on it off-road. My takeaway is simple: 87 is fine for daily driving, but if I’m towing or heading to the mountains, I’m running the highest octane I can find (91/93) to get the full 405 hp and 430 lb-ft Ford advertises.