Premium versus Regular gas

[Pitbull]

Good information - might save you some $$$

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=683

 

[tabraha]

Yeah, just saw that on Clublexus too. Very interesting article and I wish they could have provided some emperical data with it. If the numbers from torn down engines or something else proof positive were given I'd switch in a heartbeat. I wish the media would wake up and give data instead of quotes sometimes. I remember when the thread came up and I mentioned our Tundra running fine on cheapo gas someone said that the the CPU's were different between some of the years and that's what allowed it to run fine. I still think the old 100's won't bat an eye on 87 I still put 93 in mine every time

 

[Pitbull]

I agree, I just posted because it sounded interesting. I think people should always follow the owners manual. But with my owners manual it states that it will run on 87 and for improved performance use premium. The attached article indicated that even the auto manufacture engineer could not tell a big difference between the performance of 87 and 91 octane in his Acura. Since 87 is cheaper and it won't hurt anything I guess I will stick with 87

 

[tabraha]

Definitely good stuff. What I'd love to see is fuel injector testing more than anything. That's what I've always heard the main difference was between 93 to 87 was keeping the injector heads from clogging or building up. I don't think knocking or pinging would ever happen with the ECU's being able to compensate the timing etc... and if anything was affected it'd be over a pretty extended period of time of the life of the vehicle. I couldn't tell the difference in my Acura either; but that was b/c the tranny had me distracted when it went out at only 15k miles! That was when I decided on the 100 I currently have.

 

[mtycruiser]

Injectors gum up does not have anything to do with octane rating, the higher the octane rating the more compression the gas can withstand without igniting thus reducing the tendency to pre-ignition (pinging) in an engine. If an engine does not "ping" with 87 octanes, it does not require higher grade gas as the ECM compensates timing to avoid "pinging"
Quality of the gasoline and cleaning additives used on it do have and effect in injector gum up.

 

[tabraha]

I understand that there is not a direct relationship of injector gum up to octane ratings. I always thought that 93 typically had more detergents and other additives and that the additives were what was really helped to keep the injectors clean. Anyways, it's probably a negligible difference until you get years and years down the road if at all. I may consider regular afterall since y'all are debunking some of my myths. Here's a couple more articles along the same lines.

http://brandautopsy.typepad.com/brandautopsy/2004/07/the_gas_we_pass.html

http://auto.consumerguide.com/auto/editorial/features/index.cfm/act/feature21


Tad

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

Not sure about other vehicles, but I can tell the difference in my 100. After 1-2 tankfulls my 100 becomes sluggish on regular. It then takes 1-2 tankfulls of premium then it's back. Somebody once told me the engine has sensors that effect timing, etc. I'm a big dummy on that techno stuff...though I run premium so I don't desire a 1000-pound lighter 4Runner (HA, GOTCHA PITBULL!)

Actually, our LC group ran into and followed a stock new 4Runner down the Alpine Loop from Engineer Pass in CO toward Ouray. Did pretty well overall. He did slightly damage a running board. He also put many dings in his underside because he kept hitting it going over and down rocks. For bone stock he did OK and completed the run. When we hit pavement he tore off and away from us.

 

[mabrodis]

I've felt sluggish times and peppy times in my 80, but I've never been able to directly relate it to gas. I get gas whereever I am when I need it, so no pattern to easily follow. Even when the vehicle feels less poweful it usually gets the same MPG (which is BAD btw)...

John, did you just do Engineer Pass recently? I was just down in Silverton on Sunday, came in Saturday night, had to leave Sunday night to come back to Denver (leave tomorrow for Maine), wish I could have met more people, saw some nice Cruisers though...went up to some lake on the Silverton side of Red Mountain Pass...there were 4 nice 80s with us, didn't see any 100s though...

Later,
Mark Brodis

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

We took our 100 and ran with our AZ buddies. They had three 80's and a 60. We got there (Ouray) Thursday, they arrived Friday and we all left Tuesday.

Here's a quick run down on what we did:

Day 1: Poughkeepsie Gulch (UPHILL) to California Pass to Animas Forks to Silverton to Corkscrew Gulch to Ouray. BTW: The 100 did awesome up the Wall at Poughkeepsie. I took a difficult line up the tall ledge on the right path. Glad I had 35's!

Day 2: Yankie Boy Basin then up Imogene Pass and down to Telluride then up Ophir Pass to 550 then Ouray.

Day 3: Alpine Loop to Engineer Pass to Lake City up Cinnamon Pass (entirely in 4WD high) to Animas Forks then return via the Engineer Pass Road (more challenging because it was rainy)

When we get the pictures posted I'll post a link. Fun trip, great people, worth the ride and I didn't even miss my 80.

BTW: 2 people died on Black Bear the day before we got there. We've done BB Pass in our 100...and in the rain. Won't do it again!!