Octane booster when premium is not available? (1 Viewer)

[joseywales]

With the 2024+ Land Cruisers having the twin turbo engine comes a requirement for 91 octane fuel. If a guy were to live, or travel in areas where 87 is the only fuel, should one be adding octane booster? Not buying fuel is obviously not an option, and you can’t force gas stations to bring in 91, so what do you do? Is there a “best” brand or recipe? My research says ones higher in MMT are likely best, but also that MMT is banned in some jurisdictions.

Thoughts?







Oh, and don’t forget to call it a “Prado” at some point.

 

[simple]

#1 It a single bitty turbo not a twin

#2 If you pull up to a gas station in America and they only have regular and not premium fuel you don't want that fuel. To me that means its a very old gas station. Those kind of gas stations probably have never replaced their tanks and pumps or not in a long time. That's gonna give you some rotten fuel which is going to stress your fuel system. Octane booster isn't going to do a thing against rotten fuel.

#3 carry a fuel can if you are remote enough that you might need a bump of fuel. I keep 7 gallons of ethanol free premium with me all the time

 

[efjayatee]

Sorry not the answer that you were looking for but I guess carry any brands of octane booster for the duration of that stretch if traveling. Better something than nothing and stick with the same brand (that is usually available at gas stations) STP, Techtron...ect.

 

[joseywales]

My local gas station has premium pumps, but we are rural and they no longer bother to bring it up as the people (other than me, of course) are hillbillies and drive older domestic rigs. There are a few of us with premium requirements but not enough to support them bringing it up I guess. So this is not a “Jerry can” solvable situation.

 

[efjayatee]

STP contains MMT and price is reasonable vs other brands like BOOSTane and VP Racing.

 

[joseywales]

I’ll check into that. Is it the good ‘ole STP Fuel Treatment that we all know? Or is it a different product?

I will buy “proper” fuel whenever I’m in the “big” city, but if I need to fill up around the house, the STP sounds like it will work. Appall octane boosters do is impede pre-ignition, which seems like it will be fine. Might not be getting all the 326 ponies this way, but I want to avoid hurting the engine.


Edit: Found their booster. Not the old school treatment. It looks like hot sauce. Yum.

 

[Jeremy556]

It says "You must only use unleaded gasoline. Select premium unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 91 (Research Octane Number 96) or higher required for optimum engine performance and fuel economy."
Premium is not a requirement, just needed for best performance.

 

[efjayatee]

This alone is for temporary use and not to be mistaken as a substitute to premium. As long as you cycle your gas on fill ups- is less damaging over time than not doing so.

 

[joseywales]

Yeah, we go to bigger stations often enough it would be maybe every 3rd tank that required regular. I can’t remember if it’s 85 or 87 at ur local station, but it’s good clean fuel.

 

[efjayatee]

Where I live 91 is premium and 87 is regular. When I had my turbo toy car I would carry around chevron techron booster to fill with midgrade 89.

 

[simple]

Truly rural is where the only pump they have is farm diesel so everyone drives pickup trucks no newer than 1997. They stink but they still run great.

Yeah new vehicles want premium but are designed to be able to handle lower octane. They got smarter with their sensors and EFI designs.

I'm a gas snob and have been burned too many times with bad fuel ruining an old trucks fuel pump. PITA to drop a truck's gas tank just after you filled it up and the no name brand fuel stop killed your fuel pump with bad fuel. So I get jerry cans of the good stuff when I'm in the big city.

 

[mkennedy009]

You maybe able to get fuel at the local little airport. I have in the past purchased 'avgas' from a small airport. Really makes the motorcycle run well and smell awesome.

 

[efjayatee]

I think OP just needs a temporary solution when he's not able to fill up in town. Storing fuel may not be in his interest. 1 tank of lower grade and a booster is what hes planning. And of course every chance he'llget, he will fuel up with 91+.

 

[joseywales]

I’ve got five 5 gallon cans of watered down boat gas from changing the tanks in my big boat so storing it isn’t a big deal… Waiting for the right time to throw a match at it

I’m more worried about times when I’m staying home and needing to avoid the premium on my side of the border ($6+ per gallon) vs $3.60 for regular across the border.

 

[stridertexas]

This may not be convenient but what about only putting a couple gallons in of regular when feasible until getting into the city and then mixing with premium later.

Probably a lot more stops to make but you’d minimize the amount of regular that’s burned.

Though I’m convinced after reading all the threads that running regular in this rig most or half the time is probably perfectly fine over its lifespan.

 

[joseywales]

I feel like we are overthinking it. If what Jeremy posted is from the owners manual, at least.

It says "You must only use unleaded gasoline. Select premium unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 91 (Research Octane Number 96) or higher required for optimum engine performance and fuel economy."
Premium is not a requirement, just needed for best performance.

 

[Jeremy556]

I feel like we are overthinking it. If what Jeremy posted is from the owners manual, at least.

I copied that from the manual for the US 2025 LC 250 from Toyota Technical Information System
https://techinfo.toyota.com/

The Tacoma and 2025 4runner with the same engine and power specs don't even recommend premium:
You must only use unleaded gasoline. Select octane rating 87(Research Octane Number91) or higher. Use of unleaded gasoline with an octane rating lower than 87may result in engine knocking. Persistent knocking can lead to engine damage. At minimum, the gasoline you use should meet the specifications of ASTM D4814 in the U.S.A.

 

[efjayatee]

This:
End of debate

 

[baltistyle]

Why not fill those five gallon cans with your preferred fuel and keep it at home?

 

[joseywales]

Why not fill those five gallon cans with your preferred fuel and keep it at home?

I do that already, but for the boats, tractors, saws, old Tacoma, Sequoia etc that don’t need premium fuel.

I’ll keep a bottle or 2 of the STP octane booster on hand just in case. Thread closed… (ish).