87 Unleaded V.S 91/93 premium GAS

This guy is an idiot. Spark advance is the opposite of what he claims. You advance the spark because it takes time for the flame front to propagate across the top of the piston and produce the downward force you need. If the timing is retarded, the plug fires later, the piston is already on the way down before the fuel/air charge starts to burn, and you lose part of the power stroke. The solution is that as the engine turns over faster, you advance the timing because the flame propagation time is constant, and at a higher piston speed, you need the spark earlier so that most of the pressure is built just as the piston moves past TDC.

His explanation is backward, firing the spark later to have higher compression. You have the same compression eventually as the piston top has to move past TDC.

Higher octane can boost performance. All of these engines have a knock sensor. If the ECU detects knock, it retards the spark to stop it, and that loses power. Higher octane resists that pre-ignition problem and allows a better spark advance so that once again the pressure pulse occurs at TDC, not well after.

If your engine doesn't ever trip the knock sensor, then higher-grade gas is money down the drain. If it does, a higher grade might offer more performance if it resists the pre-ignition enough to let the spark advance to optimal setting.

Pretty amazing how much disinformation comes out of a "video expert."

 

Actually most gas comes from the same refinery anyway. Major companies might add things like Exxon's Techron or whatever, but the gas itself? Same stuff. I used to live where there were several different gas stations at a major intersection, you would see different trucks at the same station depending on demand. Shell delivering to Exxon, Exxon delivering to a non-Exxon, no-name delivering to BP, etc. The mom and pop stations get gas from most anybody.

 

How come Mobil and shell both have/had refineries in LA. Just to add additives...

 

Take your ECU fuse out and put it back in then see how much better it runs! The noise in a 4L is mechanical there is nothing in even aviation fuel that will effect that. Define smoother. By putting 93 0n top of 87 did not make it 93.

 

By not using some thing I don't need in the time I have owned my 20011 I have saved about $900 in fuel cost and by the time I sell it I will have around 4 grand in my pocket more to put towards a new one but hey if you like to waste money.

 

I've been putting in 91/0% ethanol since day one (103K now) Better mileage, more power, smoother running engine. More than worth the price of admission!

 

If you really believe that, you're a fool! 20011 huh?

 

I worked on a tug/gasoline barge for years as well as many product tankers,prior to loading,the tanks are inspected as well as the intended product,it's tested for rvp(reid vapor pressure),color,odor,octane,this is done at the lab prior to load or discharge..I've been to exxon refineries,loaded for shell,discharged that,go to Conoco and discharge at aamoco...as most companies may advertise their "special additives" they're either infused at the truck loading rack..or batch mixed to storage tanks..they will not load if either of the tests are off,as a matter of fact,we would only load to 1 ft. in the designated tanks then stop for another lab test...if everything was cool,we would continue to load with numerous samples prior to "topping off".

 

I use 91 here because it reduces noticeable knock under load AND it's the only corn free fuel option we have.

 

You guys are all incorrect... All gas stations get there gas from the same depots. They just get and additive poured in, like Techron and shit. My friend works at a smaller fuel company. They service all gas stations with the same gas. Octaine and shit can make a difference but you Shell V93 or whatever, come from the same place.

 

It's pretty much simple math.

 

I ran 93 for 2 months to see how it would do v 87. I definitely noticed a bit more "get up and go" but I haven't crunched the numbers yet. When I do, I'll start a thread.

 

That's the value-add, not the octane rating.

My records show ethanol costs right at 10% in fuel efficiency. Simply an expensive government solution where there was no problem. Again.

 

If you've done this since day one, how do you know all these things are better? You didn't create yourself a baseline on the OE recommended fuel.

On all my vehicles for the last 15 years or so I've kept spread sheets that include every drop and type of fuel, as well as general conditions it was consumed under.

One sample, a street driven car that I raced, one with a 7.2k limiter that I regularly bumped. Fuel fully documented between 30k (when purchased) and 100k, when sold, over a 12 year period.

Ping was kept at bay by a well maintained cooling system and keeping the motor de-carbonized. If it got too warm or compression rose from carbon build up, combined with fuel soak in the carbon build up (making a lean condition), it would ping upon heavy load. Easy to fix, easier to prevent.

Ethanol was the devils drink. MPG dropped an easy 10% in all driving conditions.

Higher octanes made no difference in anything but my wallet being lighter. Any brand, any grade.

 

I run the same the majority of the time.

The 4.0 supposedly makes a tiny bit more horsepower and a little more torque on 91 or better.

I actually get slightly better mileage on 87 but I can feel the power difference on 93. On the same hills at the same speeds it can hold 5th with 93 and has to downshift on 87. Plus, it pings on 87.

Worth mentioning that until 2007 the Tacoma manual recommended 91 or better. After that, they changed it to say 87 is just fine.

I keep meaning to let the tank run way down and drive over to NY one night. There's one totally self serve gas station there that has 91 with no ethanol.

 

I'm just going to leave this here:

**FACE PALM**

 

My simple math shows a wash. Improved mileage pays for the more expensive gas. Now add in improved performance and fewer visits to the pump. Pretty simple!

 

The 2005 owner's manual says to use 91 octane for best performance and fuel economy. That line was removed in later years' manuals. Not sure if Toyota changed the ECU tuning or removed the line for marketing reasons (so as not to appear high-maintenance).

The 2007-2009 FJ Cruiser had the same engine as the Taco, but was officially rated at 239 hp / 278 lb-ft on 91 octane. The Taco's 236 hp and 266 lb-ft are rated on 87 octane. I'm not sure if the Taco will gain 3 hp and 12 lb-ft on 91.

It's also possible the 87 gas in your area is simply of poor quality, so you may get the same "feeling" on midgrade 89 octane while saving a slight bit of money compared to 91.

 

I have used 87 in every Toyota truck I've owned. Never even tried anything higher. I do try to find ethanol free gas as much as possible, but the closest station to me that has ethanol free 87 is about 40 miles from home.

I also never run any ethanol fuel in my MX bike. That gets VP C9 which is basically 96 pump octane rated gas without lead, detergents, or ethanol.

 

I run 91 cause it's ethanol free here