Is premium fuel crucial?
- Thread starter eremoy
- Start date
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My manual says:
"Fuel type:
Unleaded gasoline, Octane Rating 87
(Research Octane Number 91) or higher.
For improved vehicle performance, the
use of premium unleaded gasoline with
an Octane Rating of 91 (Research Octane
Number 96) or higher is recommended."
So premium is not required.
Yours probably says the same thing.
"Fuel type:
Unleaded gasoline, Octane Rating 87
(Research Octane Number 91) or higher.
For improved vehicle performance, the
use of premium unleaded gasoline with
an Octane Rating of 91 (Research Octane
Number 96) or higher is recommended."
So premium is not required.
Yours probably says the same thing.
owen4runner
New member
I don't know if it's mandated by the gov to have the sign in the pump stating that the gas contains 10% ethanol. It should. There's an AM/PM(Arco) station here that has the sticker in each of their pumps.
And to the original question: I have used 87 gas (99% of the time) on mine since I bought it new and NEVER had any problem.
There are just a few stations in my City that sell 100% real deal gas. one is about five miles from where I reside. The price is about 20 cents higher but I feel it's worth it.
Ethanol ruined my 82 Bronco Carb. and it's gummed up my two Honda lawn mowers before I found the 100% gas being sold.
No matter what they the 15% ethanol sellers tell you or what your Toyota dealer tells you ethanol is nasty stuff and it's going to cause injector problems if you don't use a quality injector cleaner like Techron.
:
Ethanol ruined my 82 Bronco Carb. and it's gummed up my two Honda lawn mowers before I found the 100% gas being sold. No matter what they the 15% ethanol sellers tell you or what your Toyota dealer tells you ethanol is nasty stuff and it's going to cause injector problems if you don't use a quality injector cleaner like Techron.
:
slowteg97
New member
i wouldnt suggest using regular in our trucks mostly cause alot of stations are now using 87 octane as reg instead of 89, and the 89 octane is now plus, and 91 is either super at sunoco and ultra is 93 or the 91 has been taken out. i noticed a difference of about 50 miles out of the tank when using 87 verses 89 and i would think with 91 or 93 i'd get alittle better. my average out of the tank is 385 total and when i ran reg 87 i got 330. needless to say it was the last time i ran regular and since im already use to paying almost 5bux a gallon for 87 reg paying 1.89 for plus is no biggy now.
03_4x4Runner
Senior Member
I have only used 87 octane for 5.5 years other than several tanks to so if 91 helped anything. I cannot tell a difference. The engines use knock sensors so the computer will pull out timing etc. if there is detenation.
03_4x4Runner said:
Correct if your engine is Designed to use 87 using anything higher gains you nothing. Now 87 gas mixed with the lower heating value Ethanol reduces your millage, You might be buying a gallon but your getting less value because the Ethanol just is IMHO worthless junk.
Benjamin Choi
Banned
jharris2 said:
i don't think this is true for all model years. i have an '03 v8 limited and i think it doesn't even recommend using premium which is totally cool with me. this ain't no performance car. it's a grocery/beater truck.
2k54RUNNIN
New member
87 is fine, i don't need 90 or higher for my 4runner, I do use it for my 240sx, because I rebuilt the motor and have it tuned for premium gas.
Ethonal absorbs moisture, therefore absorbs water into your tank and hoses and lines all the way to your injectors. Which rusts out and other damaging stuff. Glad we don't have to deal with it here in MN yet. But there is a big lawsuit in Florida and California against oil companies pushing ethanol onto the people, because that's all they can get is 10% ethonal at their local gas stations.
Ethonal absorbs moisture, therefore absorbs water into your tank and hoses and lines all the way to your injectors. Which rusts out and other damaging stuff. Glad we don't have to deal with it here in MN yet. But there is a big lawsuit in Florida and California against oil companies pushing ethanol onto the people, because that's all they can get is 10% ethonal at their local gas stations.
Bourbon City
New member
If her T4R pings on acceleration then she should use the higher octane fuel. If not, then she is fine. Pinging can damage the engine if it is allowed to continue for too long. My 2 cents.
RonMAIDEN
Super Moderator
Using a fuel treatment at least once a year will take care of the water in the fuel system which gets there from condensation in the hot and cold temps so traces of water in our fuel systems is something all of us have to deal with anyway so Ethanol isn't a real big deal. .
Annoyed
New member
Unleaded regular has been 87 octane for 30+ years, ever since the EPA required catalytic converters, and by extension, unleaded fuel.
Nowdays, the addition of ethanol, and various other additives (oxidizers?) required by emissions regulations are lowering the energy content of a gallon of gas, it's not the octane.
From what I've read of the 4Runner's engine management systems, they will produce more horsepower on higher octane fuel, because the engine management computer won't have to back the timing off quite so much to reduce knock, but running on 87 pisswater is perfectly acceptable.
Nowdays, the addition of ethanol, and various other additives (oxidizers?) required by emissions regulations are lowering the energy content of a gallon of gas, it's not the octane.
From what I've read of the 4Runner's engine management systems, they will produce more horsepower on higher octane fuel, because the engine management computer won't have to back the timing off quite so much to reduce knock, but running on 87 pisswater is perfectly acceptable.
