Do you use premium gas?

There are a number of videos online that detail what knocking sounds like and potential causes. I cannot find any that compare the sound of a 2024-2025 Toyota Tacoma ICE running on different octane gasoline. Anyone care to document the sound being identified as "knocking"? It is a very specific sound.

In refinery lab test rig engines used to measure octane ratings, automated ignition timing is varied and used to find the "knocking point" for a given batch of gasoline and an octane rating is assigned for QC. That "knock" is definitely audible when out of the desired range for the given fuel and engine tune. The clicking sound presented in online videos is the same as what I have heard during those tests.

I have never heard this type of clicking in my 2024 (or 2021) running 87 octane. I heard it a couple of times in my first 1997 Tacoma with a TRD supercharger, which absolutely, prior to modern ECM timing adjustments, required higher octane fuel. That TRD supercharged V6 clicked following two tank fills (separate incidents) during idle and especially with acceleration. [Backcountry Montana fuel outlets?]. I suspected at the time that the fuel purchased was not 91 even though it came out of a 91 octane pump. The clicking went away as soon as I could fill it with "better" gas.

 

It literally IS recommended. Look on page 615 of your manual "Octane Rating 87 or higher" That is what a manual does. Gives you directions on what to do and use on your car.

Use whatever you want but trying to fear monger people into thinking 87 is bad for this engine is just that, fear mongering. 87 is fine. There is no knocking with 87 . If there is then you have engine problems and should seek a dealer as that IS THE RECOMMENDED fuel grade.

 

Point of clarification: the phrase "approved fuel" does not exist in the 2025 owners manual.

It does state, page 621:

Implication being that if you're experiencing (significant) knocking when using 87 octane, you need to get it seen by Toyota as something is wrong.

 

If we're being entirely fair, there's knock with any grade of fuel. Every tune has a knock management strategy. The knock sensor measures knock and makes adjustments like pulling ignition timing or reducing boost pressure. As long as there's an acceptable number of knocks per unit time within the acceptable range of parameters, everything is fine. Generally speaking, a stabler fuel will knock less often and allow more timing advance and higher cylinder pressures, which works out to higher dynamic compression and usually higher thermal efficiency — more power — than you get with more unstable fuel.

You don't usually hear the knocking because it's very subtle. Most of the time when people describe "hearing knock," they're actually describing serious pre-detonation, which I'd describe as "BB's hitting a coffee can." That condition is Bad with a Capital 'B' and is how pistons melt or fracture, rings break, and rods crack.

 

Exactly. The 2.4 has 11:1 compression and is turbocharged. Depending on temperature, altitude, fuel quality, and load the ecm is constantly adjusting the timing based off of knock sensor input.

 

Exactly and keeps it from, well knocking. On 87 the engine does not knock and it certainly doesn’t knock less on 91. If you are hearing knocking when running 87 you need to knock on the door of your dealer. Your truck is faulty.

 

There is knock, the sensor "senses" something and gives that info to the ecm. Toyota thoroughly tested this engine for max performance on 87 octane. The vibration/rattle knocking is not harmful but certainly not smooth. Premium fuel allows the engine to operate in a larger envelope without knock, so it will run smoother.

Will premium fuel give you more power? Well, if your timing is being retarded you're making less power. Premium fuel will keep your power where it is supposed to be. If your timing is retarded, your engine is not going to be fuel efficient. Premium fuel will maintain the fuel economy you are supposed to have.

Maybe the hybrids run a little smoother and/or the fake engine sound (which sounds great) is masking it, but I think my engine runs smoothly. It has also been giving me great fuel economy. If I ran premium fuel I would likely get zero performance or fuel economy improvements. Other configurations (non-hybrid), temps, altitudes, fuel quality, driving habits, or load may make your experience different and you may benefit (power and/or economy) from using premium fuel.

 

Dear “Earth is flat” guy is back……..the only one fear mongering here is you………nobody has said the 87 is bad…….what HAS been said IS that 91 is better……..better performance, better detergent content, by tuners, by performance garage owners on this forum……..
And yes, I put 91 in my lawn mower, my leaf blower, my generator, my weed Wacker…..all recommended by small engine shops for better performance and less maintenance visits……

what’s next “Earth is flat” guy……more fear mongering about wasted money by guys who put Fuel additives in their tank every oil change……spare me.

 

I mainly have heard pinging or knocking from regular gas on my 2017 mainly during hotter months vs colder months . Not sure why

 

Dear Mr CNN guy. Stop reporting fake news. I never once posted 91 was not better than 87. Go back to watching the View and enjoy your day.

 

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Poptarts are better than Strawberry. There. I said it.
Fight me!

 

The Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts do provide more "energy" (more calories per serving) and the Strawberry Pop Tarts contain Red Dye 40. You've made a solid nutritional choice. Facts matter.

 

Pop tarts are the pantry consolidation prize when there are no more toaster strudels in the freezer.

 

It's official.

 

Pop tarts have also replaced bananas as the food most shaped like a phone.

 

This isn’t even controversial. It’s objectively true

 

I cannot answer your question directly, but your gasoline is (potentially) coming from five different refineries based on your location.
Based on the premise of this thread, have you tried changing your gasoline outlet (retail) choice when this happens? Do you notice a difference if you change sources?

 

I use 87 exclusively

And it rarely has more than 1/4 tank of gas in it, my fuel light comes on all the time because I'm lazy

I'll bet lunch 90% of the guys who claim they hear knocking are just hearing exhaust noise

 

The day I start swiping right on my poptart will be the day I should be taken to go live on the farm upstate.