What are you pumping into your V6

[sspantic]

With compression ratio of 10:1 I am hesitant to use low grade gas (87).
I put 89 or 91 depending on gas price.

 

[Jeff Kleb]

With compression ratio of 10:1 I am hesitant to use low grade gas (87).
I put 89 or 91 depending on gas price.

It is not just the compression ratio of your engine that matters, but also the fuel-air mixture and ignition timing. It gets complicated, but most newer cars even have a sensor that will retard timing if detonation (knocking) is detected.

However, when timing is retarded to fight the knocking, you use more fuel and will get fewer miles per gallon.

:bash:

 

[sspantic]

That's very true, however, I don't think that 4runners have that option build in.

 

[NCSCOTT]

That's very true, however, I don't think that 4runners have that option build in.

Engines from almost all Car makers have Knock sensors. They have been around for years now.

And yes the 4Runners have it. It will retard the timing in most cases before you ever hear it knock.

I perfer 93 myself since I want everything I can get out of the engine.

OM Page 272 states
"Select 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."

The Fuel section does not make a reference to the V-6 or V-8 for the above statement. That would lead me to believe you could see a gain with both engines.

I know alot of forum members will say they feel no improvement using Premium fuel. However small the gain might be, it must exist or Toyota engineers would not put it in the manual.

 

[Jacobzky]

a gas is a gas. tried 87, 89 and 91 octane. same performance same consumption based on my regular driving habit. ill stick to 87.

 

[mit_peid]

Sometimes it seems like all the different levels of octane is made up by the refinery industry. It probably doesn't even cost them any more to get to the higher octane gasoline. Ever wonder why their profit margins are so big?

I'm not saying that in some cases higher octane fuel is better (turbo engines, high compression engines, fancy sports cars, etc.) but it seems like this segment in the market was created by the refineries. Why is it that the cost difference between the 87, 89, and 91 octane always about $0.10? Shouldn't this go up proportionately?

I don't know. Reading from another forum about how Porsche doesn't even require anything higher than 87 octane just makes me fuel 87 is just fine for my 4Runner.

 

[dingo]

Pumping 87 right now. 91 just too expensive right now. Might just stick to 87 from now on. I'll just let the engine and knock sensors figure all of it out for me.

 

[zeppelin]

Octane is a measurement of a fuel's tendency to knock or ping when mixed with air and burned in the cylinder.

It is not a fictitious construct or marketing tool of the oil refining industry.

It does cost more to refine a gasoline to a higher octane, but it does not necessarily make the gasoline "better" for your car. If the manufacturer recommends 87, use 87.

Sometimes it seems like all the different levels of octane is made up by the refinery industry. It probably doesn't even cost them any more to get to the higher octane gasoline. Ever wonder why their profit margins are so big?

I'm not saying that in some cases higher octane fuel is better (turbo engines, high compression engines, fancy sports cars, etc.) but it seems like this segment in the market was created by the refineries. Why is it that the cost difference between the 87, 89, and 91 octane always about $0.10? Shouldn't this go up proportionately?

I don't know. Reading from another forum about how Porsche doesn't even require anything higher than 87 octane just makes me fuel 87 is just fine for my 4Runner.