I'm in the market for a GX470 and ran across a note mentioning the engine requiring premium. Does the GX470 really take premium fuel? Does anyone strictly run regular?
GX470 - premium fuel?? (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter efog
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you can use premium if you really want to but for my 2005 it's just "recommended" so I don't use premium. Same engine as Toyota Sequoia and 4runner v8 those don't say anything about premium fuel.
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Right I know it's supposed to share the same engine, but I don't recall if they had VVT. Different tuning can create different fuel demands.
Have you driven a long time like that?
Have you driven a long time like that?
~6 months. If premium was required it would say so, like on my other car. It's a luxury car the GX so they put "Premium Recommended" just so people feel special. Do a search and see what others have said if you need further proof.
NMBruce
SILVER Star
If you go here, Lexus Drivers My Lexus Online Owner's Manual. Lexus tells you different things for different years, like 2005 premium is recommended, 2006 you can use reg, but only for a short time, 2007-09 only premium.
Lexus went to VVTi in 2005 and 2006 had a power rating upgrade because of new SAE ratings. So with VVTi, did it become a marking thing or really needed? The 4Runner V8 for 2005-2009 have the same engine with VVTi but lower HP & TQ ratings.
I have been switching between the two after 5-6 fill ups and don't see a big difference in performance or mpg.
Lexus went to VVTi in 2005 and 2006 had a power rating upgrade because of new SAE ratings. So with VVTi, did it become a marking thing or really needed? The 4Runner V8 for 2005-2009 have the same engine with VVTi but lower HP & TQ ratings.
I have been switching between the two after 5-6 fill ups and don't see a big difference in performance or mpg.
mexellent
Supporting Vendor
I have been running 87 and for the most part I haven't noticed a difference. However, the other day I pulled out on to a service road and let her rip all the way to 60mph. The power delivery felt like it was "stepped". I imagine that's the engine adjusting timing as it's going through the rev range. No discernible knocking was heard though. Still, I feel like a Lexus engine should be buttery smooth. I filled up with 93 and I am going to do another pull from 0-60 to see if I notice a difference.
I am running premium in mine but on my Baja trip I had to settle for 87 octane a few times and I never noticed a difference. But then again in Baja you always look to fill up once you hit half a tank because you never know if you will be able to get gas at the next station. So I was probably never running on a full tank of 87.
Mexellent, I have noticed this exact same phenomena in my 06. While accelerating with healthy throttle, the power seems to come in steps, and not a smooth, progressive arch. I chocked it up to the driving habits of the PO. I planned on pulling the battery, resetting everything to zero and going from there. The truck had a full tank of premium.
To me it sounds like Lexus has a different tune requiring premium. That's why it has a different HP rating then the 4Runner with the same basic engine. The stepping of power is likely the ecu pulling timing due to knock noticible to the ecu only.
Right. You should never feel the truck detonate as the knock sensors are doing their job. It's more common in forced induction applications, but a single, heavy detonation can blow a hole right through a piston.
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That's what I was thinking as well. It's not surprising that you get more HP with the higher octane. However, I haven't seen a lot of people complain about knock or lag of power by the VVT compensating for the lower octane. I wonder if you could do an ECU tune to run regular.
I run premium in my 03. Seems good on anything. Going mid to see how will it does
I run nothing but 87 in my 2009 GX. No issues, no "stepped" performance, just smooth quick acceleration.
I ran one tank of 93 after I first got the truck and found zero noticeable performance or fuel mileage difference.
NMBruce
SILVER Star
I have never hear a knock or felt a lost in power or stepping of power the times I have used reg.
I have recorded my best 2 MPG using reg fuel 22 and 21.5, my best on premium is 20.
right now I am on empty and getting ready for a trip to Chicago, so I will do a fuel tank of Premium and see how the GX does, plus I am pulling my little off road trailer.
Lexus very well might have a different tune, or ECU set up for the GX, but there are many who run reg fuel and have not had a problem, heck who knows what was put into our vehicles before we got them. Todays ECU should be able to adapt timing in a nano second and I think should be OK, unless you get some really bad gas. I use "Top Tier" when ever I can.
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The way I see it, people drive these across Eastern Europe and Asia, granted they could have a different ECU tune, but I don't think the quality of gas is necessarily consistent. I used premium a few times and as others have said I didn't feel/hear/notice any difference so I decided to run reg. My Mini Cooper requires premium, and it says so on fuel cap, while my GX says nothing on fuel cap related to premium, if it did I would perhaps be more inclined to run premium only.
mexellent
Supporting Vendor
I filled it up with 93 and have been driving it around. "Stepping" seems to be gone during full throttle 0-60 runs. No pulling the battery necessary it seems.
Next step will be to fill back up with 87 and see if using one of our scan tools we can count the knocks per set number of revolutions. I forgot what the unit is but my girlfriends 2010 Focus has a way to measure it. This should give us a conclusive answer.
Sounds good Mexellent. I did take dog for a drive and while I wasn't doing any hard acceleration, the power did seem smoother but that may have been a placebo lol. I'm hoping to do some more shake down runs before I take it to Summit in July. I did find the passenger side tire was bald on the inside and the ball joints looked rough. I'll swap the ball joints and then take it for an alignment after I get the lift and A arms done.
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I've tried all levels and found absolutely no difference in mpg or power. I've been running regular unleaded for the last 50k miles I'd say. no problems.
