95.5-2004 Tacomas & 96-2002 4Runners 4th gen pickups and 3rd gen 4Runners

What octane gas do you guys run?

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Old 08-07-2005 | 11:45 AM
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fullcircle's Avatar
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From: Atlanta, Georgia
What octane gas do you guys run?

Just wondering if one seems to run better than another to ya'll.
Old 08-07-2005 | 12:16 PM
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Thread has been covered several times before.... but I run 89. If it starts to ping then upgrade the octane if that's why you are asking.
Old 08-07-2005 | 12:45 PM
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cheep stuff my truck luvz it (don't use sheetz my truck bout died on some of that crap)
Old 08-07-2005 | 01:12 PM
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87 is all you need
Old 08-07-2005 | 01:15 PM
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87 or occasionally will run 93 to clean out the injectors. It works just as well as adding the octane booster/fuel injector cleaner.
Old 08-07-2005 | 01:20 PM
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89 for the 4Runner, 87 for the Taco
Old 08-07-2005 | 01:28 PM
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Arco 87 with seafoam every few months
Old 08-07-2005 | 01:31 PM
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i run 87 unless i feel like a baller and then i run 89
Old 08-07-2005 | 01:35 PM
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Thanks guys I appreciate the info. I have to apologize when I ask things that have already been covered. It seems to tick some people off. If I do a search for what I'm looking for and I don't find the answer that I'm looking for that's when I post a thread.
Old 08-07-2005 | 03:14 PM
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89, religiously. Sometimes the odd 91 or 92 if I am trying to squeeze a few extra esso extra points for something.
Old 08-07-2005 | 03:46 PM
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87, gas prices are too high for me to spring for the good stuff.
Old 08-07-2005 | 07:13 PM
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87 cause its all the company will buy me
Old 08-07-2005 | 08:27 PM
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unless youve got a supercharger like me theres no reason to run anything but 87. if you want to be a big baller and run the premium, just drop in the goods
Old 08-07-2005 | 09:50 PM
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unless your engine is pinging, you should run whatever octane the manufacturer suggests (should say in your owner's manual).

running higher octane gasoline will reduce pining, but it can actually increase carbon build up.

higher octane does not mean the gas is "better"...it just means it is harder to burn (which is why it stops pinging).

carbon build-up is caused by incomplete combustion.

fuel harder to burn = more likelihood of incomplete combustion = carbon build-up.

engines are designed to run gasoline with a specific octane rating. if you run an octane level higher than what the engine is designed for, you can get incomplete combustion (because the gasoline is harder the burn than the engine was designed for, so the engine does not completely burn it).

the result, over the long-term, is carbon build-up.

now, once you already have carbon build-up, you may need to switch to (or continue running) higher octane fuel. the reason is that the carbon build up effectively reduces the volume of the combustion chamber, thereby raising the compression ratio (higher compression requires higher octane). also, the carbon deposits retain heat, thereby raising the temperature of the combustion chamber.

however, if you do not have pinging problems and your engine is stock, you should run the recommended octane level, not higher or lower.
Old 08-07-2005 | 10:23 PM
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But some may look at higher Octane gas as insurance. For example - driving around town, local highway, etc. I'm sure 87 would work well in my truck fine. But when pushing the truck up mountain passes and hauling camping gear and a buddy or two or passing a semi when the road goes back from 4 lanes to 2 and you gotta haul ass the truck will ping with 87 sometimes, where as 89 it will not as an example. The previous owner of my truck used to run a camper on it. The truck handled the camper no problem weight wise but the big face of the camper really caused a lot of air resistance and of course the weight and gear too caused pinging with 87 going to interior camping spots that are higher altitude which requires climbing. So he switched to premium whenever he went camping and problem solved.

Last edited by CoedNaked; 08-07-2005 at 10:25 PM.
Old 08-07-2005 | 10:44 PM
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93, every tank.......increase my mileage by alot, and reduced the carbon blowing out my tailpipe.
Old 08-07-2005 | 10:46 PM
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From: Norcal
87 Chevron
Old 08-07-2005 | 11:07 PM
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87 works great for me. I once tried 85 but it had a slight ping so i never used it again. But...

One thing that really sucks about CO and is that our octane level is differnet. Here- its 85, 87, 91 but in CA and almost all other states its 87, 89, 91 or 92

So most of us Rocky Mountain people are forced to buy "mid-grade" which is the low-grade in other states.

It has nothing to do with our high elevation either. Anybody living in CO should read these articles about why we are getting screwed.

http://www.koaa.com/features/investi...iew.asp?ID=251
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/892152/detail.html

Last edited by rocket; 08-08-2005 at 03:38 PM.
Old 08-08-2005 | 04:59 AM
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87 in my '00 unless I know I'm going to tow long distance in which case I MAY go to 89 the fill-up prior to the trip.

When I had my '90 3.slow, I would alternate between 87 and 89 because I had occasional ping that I couldn't seem to get rid of and then an occasional 91 octane when I was going to tow.

The higher octane in my '90 seemed to pull the trailer better on hills. Other than that, I don't notice much difference. Lot's of threads on this topic over the years...

Last edited by Rick F.; 08-08-2005 at 05:01 AM.
Old 08-08-2005 | 07:31 AM
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I run 89 most of the time, with the occasional 92 treat when it's been a good truck



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