Should I be using premium gas in my Tacoma?

I have only run premium in my truck since I picked it up. I average somewhere between 28 and 37MPG while driving around the city on 35s with stock gearing and no tune.



Obviously I am joking, about mileage and mods, Dudes on jeep forums make idiotic claims like that all the time. I do run Ethanol free premium but only because of the following reasons:

1) I only commute to work 3 days a week, before that I worked from home full time, and my previous job was <5 miles from my house. So I don't go through gas at an alarming rate and don't want to worry about the hygroscopic properties of ethanol blends.

2) I get to use the same fuel/cans for everything I own, small engines definitely benefit from ethanol free fuel.

3) No more wasting money on additives/snake oil for ethanol blend fuel, yea it's a wash after you take into account, (with gas prices where they are right now it is about $14 more per tank) the higher price but it is less trips to the store and no wasting time mixing the additives in.

4) I am sure there are more reasons but that's really all i can think of for now.

I am sure I would be fine running 87 with ethanol and dumping in additives. If I could get ethanol free 87 I would happily run that in the truck.

Other ways to waste money for peace of mind include: running Mobil-1EP with BG MOA and changing oil every 5k, (did it on my last vehicle and the motor still burnt the valve seats at about 140k), running Amsoil signature series and and Amsoil filter and changing oil every 5K, doing that on this truck because I don't want to deal with additives, I don't put many miles on the truck, and the included filter housing drain tube works great. Add a fridge to the bed of the truck for the 2 camping trips a year and occasional tailgating.

 

Ok two things here. One - how did I “impose” my experience? I did exactly what you did by simply relating my experience and even said I don’t care what anyone else does with their money. Go back and read my words carefully then get back to me if you like.

Two - last time I checked 87 is not 93. If it says use 87 that doesn’t mean anything higher is better. It simply means the engine requires at 87 to run efficiently and they dont recommend going lower. I think you’re making the mistake of thinking that if 87 is good then anything higher is better. It doesn’t work that way. But you do you.

By the way, around here, the standard regular gas is 86. You can’t get anything else without jumping up to the 90’s so 86 is pretty much what everyone uses, including myself and I have noticed ZERO difference between it and anything higher including 93. So again, If you think 93 makes a world of difference knock yourself out. It’s your money.

I will say that IF I did notice a difference I would use the higher octane (not “better” or “premium” by the way. The only vehicle I presently have that requires it - and I definitely do see a difference if I don’t use it - is my Indian Springfield which requires it or the engine knocks. That’s the way it was designed.

 

Reading though this and other threads like it, I’m beginning to think people get so caught up in it on a personal level because they like to think they are justified in spending the extra money then get irate when people basically tell them they are just wasting it.

Personally I don’t give a rat’s ass. People tell me I waste money on expensive fly rods when a much cheaper rod will do the same thing. Are they right? To an extent yes performance wise, but I don’t get the personal satisfaction from a less expensive commercially manufactured plastic rod as I do from a handmade cane rod. Even when on occasion the plastic rod will cast circles around my cane. To each his own but it’s my money.

 

11 pages!?! I can't believe this thing is still going....

 

Octane and oil threads…

 

Don't forget the shifting and ECT threads

 

Completely agree lol. I do run premium (more for the ethanol free benefit) on my more.... high performance toys.

 

Man, I have been gassing up my FJ for over a decade with rot-gut 87 fuel and never noticed that 91 octane only sticker! Whoops!

 

I drove a Lexus RX which uses the same 3.5L engine as the Taco for ten years that was supposed to use Premium, I never bought Premium. I gave the Lexus to my daughter when I bought my Taco. The Lexus never had any issues and is still going strong at 145,000+ miles.

 

I ran 91 in mine not because I wanted too, but I didn't want it sitting with 10% ethanol in it for weeks at a time as found in lower octanes. I drove my 18 maybe 300 hundred miles a month on a good month.

I doubt there was any performance advantage.

 

I'm not an accountant, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn once.

I've got a stock ACLB with 265/65-17 size Goodyear Wrangle tires. I want something different to increase my fuel mileage and be aggressive on pavement......What do y'all recommend???? If I stay with the same size will they rub???


Good grief.....this discussion has morphed into ridiculous, passed ludicrous and gone plaid.

Burn diesel or av fuel or methanol or nitrous or methane or.......... the Tacoma needs a minimum of 87 Octane. Burn what you want, it only burns your wallet quicker.

 

I see what you did there.

 

Actually adding ethanol to lower octane gasoline's will increase the octane level. Its mostly how 87, and on up are blended.

 

Not in my state anything that is 91 is clearly marked on the pump ethanol free.

 

Just wait until I start yet another thread ABOUT WHAT OIL IS BEST BWAHAHAHA!!

 

Peanut oil is king. Two tanks of that and you’ll never put gas in your engine again, guaranteed.

 

Knock knock.
Who’s there?
No one.
Fill’rup regular…

 

Premium hurts my feelies.

Hi-Test for me

"fill, 'er up with ethyl " is the way it should be .


;-)

 

Only way to get ethanol free gas in our state is to buy a barrel of race fuel.

 

Unexpected benefit, you can drink it on skid row.