Should I be using premium gas in my Tacoma?

my wallet says no

 

I agree if the truck is stock with no aftermarket tunes, theres no reason to use a higher grade gasoline than 87. I tried a few tanks of 89 mid grade, and 92 premium....the truck either ran the same, or worse when premium was used.

 

Ran 91 and got better gas mileage due to weight savings. My wallet was lighter.

 

I use to do a 270 mile commute every few weeks and tested 87 vs 91 occasionally (more so in the winter as my fuel economy was crap in winter) what I noticed I gained an equivalent MPG equal to the extra cost. So 91 octane gives me more range on my tank without it costing any extra not sure if that's true in the summer (I have 2ns gen V6)

 

When I bought my truck in 2009, I asked my mechanic is there anything I need to do differently with this truck than my old one? His response was; run premium gas in it. It will save you from having to replace sensors early. So I have used premium gas since the second tank. 364,000+ miles later, it still runs like a young truck.
I found a tread on here about cleaning the throttle body. People were posting pictures of their throttle body before and after cleaning at 60,000-80,000 miles. I had 200,000 on mine, so I took it off to clean. It was cleaner than others with less miles. I feel the premium gas has a lot to with how clean it was.
I my opinion premium gas is like synthetic oil, better quality better results.

 

Depending on the quality of the actual fuel available in your area, your 87 might actually be closer to 85. The 92 might actually be closer to 87. So, your results could be just finding fresh quality fuel.

 

That was certainly true, some time ago. Today with the ability of modern engine/ecu's ability to vary ignition timing and valve timing by a considerable amount, it is no longer the case. I would bet that with the toyota(and other makers) engine the variable timing will self adjust between 85 and 93 ish. That is the range of standard fuel.

 

Thats funny was told just the opposite if running premium fuel when the engine manufacture calls for 87....told me premium fuel can cause the o2 sensors to fail earlier. Imo, its more about how fresh your fuel is. We did an emission test on a 22R powered toyota back in the day before, and after with the fitch fuel catalyst product....was amazed how it kept gas as fresh as the day you got it from the pump. Month old fuel was already showing more emissions then the same gas that was treated with fitch a moth earlier.

 

This story starts with a profound misunderstanding of fuel and laws of physics, and ends with a placebo effect summery of perceived benefit where none exists.

Don't mean to hate, this is the internet after all and you know what they say about opinions.

OP, don't waste you're money, just run what the truck was designed to use, 87.

 

What about 89 octane? Had a co-worker mention this reduces carbon buildup in the engine?

 

Nonsense. Ignore coworker's anecdotes.

 

kk ty. Gas is expensive enough, I’d rather not spend more if I can avoid it

 

Although I am in the camp that premium is a waste of money in most cases, I will say that if you are in an area that is not so well traveled and happen on a gas station that sees little use, get premium. Gasoline degrades over time and loses octane pts. Sometimes it's not a bad idea to run a point or two higher just because the stated octane may in fact not be correct.

 

Skip the higher octane gas. I've tried a tankful or two and saw absolutely no difference from the gas I buy at Sam's. Now, if you can find a station in your area that offers it, ethanol free gas will give you noticeably better performance.

 

Again the manufacturer doesn’t call for 87 octane, it calls for 87 or higher octane. There’s a difference on that statement that a lot of people don’t seem to see.

 

Sam’s is not considered Top Tier and Toyota recommends Top Tier top quality gas and that’s definitely not what you find at Sam’s. Costco , on the other hand does offer Top Tier fuel.

 

One could spin your argument into the fact that said “not so well traveled” gas station likely has premium gas in their tanks that’s much older than the 87 octane, being that most people don’t use premium, it sits in the tank longer.

 

Good point
Sure, premium can sit longer, but premium takes longer to degrade in pts as well.

 

I feel like this topic is covered once a week.

Higher octane theoretically has a lower energy density. You will never notice the difference. Therefore, there is no benefit since our trucks call for 87. The only time it makes sense is if you are towing on a hot day, as it could reduce the chance of detention (which would still be prevented by the computer by adjusting the timing).

Ethanol free fuels have more energy density but the difference in price does not justify the change. Ethanol gas will technically keep your engine cleaner than the former. Pretty much all cars are designed to run on ethanol and its a cheap way to increase octane ratings. Ethanol free only makes sense if you are storing the gas (e.g., a boat or car you don’t use often) as it is hydroscopic and will slowly absorb water in the air.

Putting in higher octane and ethanol free fuel are both “old school” ways of thinking. Older engines did not have anti-knock sensors and had a tendency to detonate depending on the fuel. This is no longer an issue as modern engines can adjust to avoid detonation before it occurs. Likewise, older engines had problems with ethanol drying out the rubbers used in the hoses. Also no longer a problem.

Put the cheap stuff in and enjoy.

 

People do what they want with their own money. I can’t tell anybody how to spend their money. As far as placebo effect, I’m perfectly fine if it’s my imagination playing tricks with me. The bottom line is my truck drives better and I happen to enjoy more that way even if it’s all in my head.