Anyone getting 6 Cyl engine lugging / pinging on Acceleration

I have a 2014 TRD Sport 6cyl that started to lug and ping on acceleration about 4 weeks ago. Wondering if it is something weird with this summer's regular unleaded gas or ?
It goes away if I move to premium.

 

the fastest way to test if in fact is fuel related is to get one of those Octane additives they sell at any auto store or walmart and see if it goes away. otherwise, it may have to deal with the evap system. Has the engine light come off yet? the knocking sensor should have sent a signal to the ECU by now.

 

No engine light. I'll try the additive. Pretty sure it is fuel related because it goes away if I run premium. Sounds like even if it does, I need the dealer to look at it.
Curious to see if other Taco owners are getting this from this summers fuel supply.

 

Buy better quality gas. Noticed this a few times on my truck. A few tanks later and problem solved. I usually get 87 octane Shell or Chevron. The Costco or no-name brand crap is cheap for a reason.

 

I notice my engine is quieter with premium - less ticking and lugging, but I don't think it's actually pinging. Torque doesn't show any codes. I have a manual trans, so if I let it rev a little higher the noises are not noticeable. I wish I could get 87 without ethanol. In the summer most of the stations around here only sell 87E and 91 straight gas. I think the E is a big part of the problem.

 

Yep, my '13 knocks a bit with the cheap stuff. I don't really care.

 

I don't know if I've ever experienced "lug," "knock" or "ping" but are these detrimental at all to the engine? Or just annoying?

 

It is my understanding that knocking and pinging cause uneven vapor/fuel explosion in the cylinders and can damage both cylinder walls as well as other cylinder related components.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/t-sb-0044-14-feedback-engine-ecm-reprogram-pinging.337705/

 

This. A lot of Toyota's just don't favor cheap gas.

 

This ^^^^

My truck is a 4cyl, but I've experienced the "cheap gas ping/knock" on various vehicles I've owned. Sticking with Shell or Chevron regular 87 octane it doesn't happen.

 

Better gas or not, the problem is not the gas. It's the tune.

Toyota recognizes that the tune is fucky on these models so they actually released a TSB for an ECU reflash.

My advice, take it to the dealer and tell them about it. There should be a TSB# somewhere around here floating around. I used to have the problem, badly too, and hot summer days seemed to amplify the problem. Until I threw my supercharger on and got an entire ECU reflash from the dealer to handle the blower did it go away. Finally.

 

In the past, it was common knowledge that a pinging angine led to the erosion of valves around the edges because of the premature or delayed explosion and would eventually create enough crude on the valve cylinder to allow for a not fully closed valve which would allow hot gases to scape back to the intake damaging seals and other components

 

Great responses.... I will run premium during hot weather and also talk to dealer about updating the ECM programming