2001 LX470, do I have to put premium in it? (1 Viewer)

[mish]

I just purchased used LX470 and it says "Premium Fuel Only" on the fuel door. Do I really have to buy premium for this engine? Other models like Tundra and new 4Runner do not call for Premium only with essentially the same engine.

Also, is LX470 still considered to be FJ100, or is it not?

Thanks for you help.

 

[Wrench]

Yes and welcome!

 

[Big_Moose]

Mish

Yes you must run premium fuel do to the different computer programing in the Lexus vs the Tundra V8.

The LX470 is a "uzj100" classification rathern then a fj100. The "F" designates the engine, i.e. F,2F,3F, 3FE, FZJ........ The "U" is for the new I-force V8 powerplant.

 

[80and100cruisers]

LX470 is basically the UZJ100, but softer suspension, etc. In my 100 (99 model) I rarely use premium and for 60,000 miles its been fine. I tend to drive mine harder than the average driver. My dad has an 03 100 and he also doesn't fill with premium.


-Matt

 

[Gumby]

The LX470 (and 450) run a knock sensor that will compensate for low quality gas, however, if the engine is designed to take advantage of better gas, your performance might be better with premium. This is as opposed to the thousands of people who run premium with absolutely no benifit.

But the ads do say it's better for your car.

 

[uzj100]

I rotate the fuel in my 100, 87, 89, 91 repeat.

Never any issues.

'99 - 80k miles

 

[fj55-100]

uzj100 from the standpoint of a lexus engineer,
Yes you should run the higest grade avail, all the bit maps in the ecm were created on the foundation that eng is run whithin wear limits,environment is stable, fuel provided is of sound quality and meets reqirements of design application for proper and complete combustin
many Quirks can develop in the learned memory of the ecm when it learns to adjust for poor fuel < knocks , trans shifts, misfires,all normally ocur but are lessened by the ecm in its set map>
over a long period of time this will run the base setting off its projected map and lead to shortened lifespan of drivetrain.

ok i will put the geek back in his box now!!!

 

[uzj100]

Does that mean, stick to one grade of gas? and unhook battery so the computer will forget all the damage I have done?

Thanks,

uzj100

 

[fj55-100]

yes stick to the best grade you can git for your area
try the battery trick , for min disconect of 1 hr , note this does not clear all learned functions just the ones stored locally in ecm memory the rest will reset in time when driven through that map area in ecm

 

[e9999]

what about this notion that using higher octane fuel will result in better gas mileage. Urban legend or has it been truly documented? There was one post mentioning it that suggested an improvement that would basically offset the extra cost. Anybody else with serious numbers?
Eric

 

[cruiserman]

No way in H you're going to make up the cost difference between regular and premium by better mileage. Running premium fuel is part of the extra cost of driving a late model Land Cruiser. You should figure that in your decision to buy the rig.

Edit:
I ran some quick numbers. Assuming 16MPG w/regular fuel & 18MPG for premium fuel (just guessing) for fuel consumption, and assuming $1.50 for gal of regular & $1.70 for gal of premium for fuel costs . . .

over 1 year of driving (15k miles), your rig will consume 15k miles*(gal/16miles) = 937.5gal on regular & 15k*(gal/18miles) = 833.3gal on premium.

cost for regular = $1.5*937.5 gal = $1406
cost for premium = $1.7*833.3 gal = $1417

Very little difference in cost if you believe the assumptions. If you didn't care about the effect of regular on the motor, I would drive for a month on regular and then for a month on premium and see what the difference is. Calculate the overall fuel cost and decide for yourself.

 

[firetruck41]

[quote author=cruiserman link=board=2;threadid=8912;start=msg77366#msg77366 date=1071770582]
No way in H you're going to make up the cost difference between regular and premium by better mileage. Running premium fuel is part of the extra cost of driving a late model Land Cruiser. You should figure that in your decision to buy the rig.

Edit:
I ran some quick numbers. Assuming 16MPG w/regular fuel & 18MPG for premium fuel (just guessing) for fuel consumption, and assuming $1.50 for gal of regular & $1.70 for gal of premium for fuel costs . . .

over 1 year of driving (15k miles), your rig will consume 15k miles*(gal/16miles) = 937.5gal on regular & 15k*(gal/18miles) = 833.3gal on premium.

cost for regular = $1.5*937.5 gal = $1406
cost for premium = $1.7*833.3 gal = $1417

Very little difference in cost if you believe the assumptions. If you didn't care about the effect of regular on the motor, I would drive for a month on regular and then for a month on premium and see what the difference is. Calculate the overall fuel cost and decide for yourself.
[/quote]
Nice Calculations, but I'll bet if there is a MPG difference, especially in a engine designed for lower octane, it would be in the tenths of a MPG, not 1 or 2 mpg difference. That would really make it un-economical to run high octane.

 

[e9999]

I'll keep track of the numbers on the 03 and let you guys know.
IIRC the manual did say that one needs 87 octane or more but I don't recall reading about having more than 87 as a preference. Will check.
Eric

 

[mish]

Thak you all for your help and welcome.
I will consider buying premium for my boat.
So far I am trying to deal with those crappy quality leather seats. I can not believe how Toyota charges $68K for this vehicle and uses such low quality leather for the interior. My truck has 55K miles on it and drivers seat is already all wrinkeld up ready to run splits. Every Cruiser and LX470 I saw during the last few weeks had exaclty the same type of wear starting from 25K and going up to completely trashed seats at around 100K miles.
My passenger front is not wrinkled, but very dry and crunchy and truck is only 2 years old from Missouri.

 

[Pitbull]

PO just drove it and did not take care of the seats.

 

[mish]

I have to admit that this "PO" took care of every other thing in the truck. It is in mint condition, I can't find any blemishes! Drives better than my previous 2003 4Runner I just unloaded.

 

[Cruiser_Nerd]

[quote author=e9999 link=board=2;threadid=8912;start=msg77349#msg77349 date=1071769008]
what about this notion that using higher octane fuel will result in better gas mileage. Urban legend or has it been truly documented? There was one post mentioning it that suggested an improvement that would basically offset the extra cost. Anybody else with serious numbers?
Eric

[/quote]
Don't know, but using less than the required 91 Octane does.

Average mileage from 33k to 55k miles on '00 100:

93 Octane: 16.6 mpg
93 Octane winter formulation: 15.9 mpg (we'll see what our MTBE ban does for this)
87 Octane: 15.5 mpg

Right now the 93 is about $.28 more than the 87. someone else can do the math.

I figured the leather was cracking from the friction of slinging out the wallet all the time.

 

[e9999]

1 mpg extra. Not bad! but that does not cover extra cost.


btw, 03 manual states:
"Select octane rating 87 (RO number 91) or higher"
"For improved performance, the use of premium unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 91 (RO number 96) or higher is recommended"

and no premium label on door

E

 

[mish]

Those bastards! I want no Premium label on the fuel door!

 

[Pitbull]

[quote author=mish link=board=2;threadid=8912;start=msg77578#msg77578 date=1071798279]
I have to admit that this "PO" took care of every other thing in the truck. It is in mint condition, I can't find any blemishes! Drives better than my previous 2003 4Runner I just unloaded.
[/quote]

Some people just don't realize that you have to condition the leather on the seats. I would get some good conditioner and use it every month for the next year and then as needed. I bet if you do they will last a long long time. My 95 seats still look great. Sounds like you bought a nice LX470, hope to get one myself some day.