What grade gas do you use and where do you pump your gas at?

Wow that forum is hard core. There must be a million posts on oil related topics.

 

This is the manual info.

Fuel type Unleaded gasoline only

Octane rating
(Unleaded gasoline) 87 (Research octane number 91) or higher
Fuel tank capacity
(Reference) 21.1 gal. (80.0 L, 17.6 Imp.gal.)

Here is info on a RON (Research octane number).

Some foreign vehicle manuals recommend a Research Octane Number (RON) instead of the more common octane rating that appears on most gasoline pumps. As a rule, the recommended octane rating can be determined by subtracting four (4) from the recommended RON number. A vehicle that calls for "91 RON" should use 87 octane gasoline (as measured by the (R + M) / 2 method). Using a higher grade than is required will not usually increase performance. However, if the vehicle is equipped with knock sensors, as many late model vehicles are, a higher octane grade may enhance performance.

However, myself purely from an ethanol amount perspective I run mid grade at a min. Being in the motorcycle business I see all sorts of issues with crappy low grade fuel that clogs up the injectors which reduces the atomizing of fuel and or complete failure. The stuff we work with is smaller but essentially the same long term affects can be seen on a larger vehicles since it's getting more fuel efficient and using smaller motor / fuel components.

I don't usually see a difference from mid (89) to high (91 +). I do see slightly better fuel economy from low to mid and a slight better throttle response.

 

I use 91 octane and get 22mpg on my 4.0L. I don't plan on pumping regular anytime soon, but am not against it.

 

https://www.neiwpcc.org/tanks2013/presentations/tuesday/Fuel Additives and DEF/Fuel Additives_Hurlocker_2013_Tuesday.pdf

Since reading this and doing some additional research, I have made it a point to fill up the cars, trucks and motorcycles using unleaded regular at Costco as much as possible. Their proprietary additive package makes them a very good Top Tier gasoline, since the base stock gasoline comes from the same filling racks at the refineries in Anacortes as does most of the gasoline in Western Washington.

My local Costco also tends to be the cheapest gas around for several miles, is on my way to the freeway and is open at 0630 when I stop by for filling up. There is very little traffic there at 0630. This is important since my wife likes to fill up there on Sunday afternoons, and the wait in line just makes me want to weep sometimes.

 

87, QT. Like a chinese buffet, I like places that stay busy and consistently replenish their product unlike the Shell across from it that barely has any car traffic.

Question: I refueled last night after running my tank down to where it gave me a warning and said I had 25miles to empty. Specs say my tank holds 21gal. I filled it completely full and only put in a little over 17gal. What am I missing here?

 

An inaccurate or overly conservative (by intent) reserve algorithm.... probably a combination of both.

Over time (and with a little daring - while carrying a small fuel jug as precaution), you can better get an idea of your 'true' reserve distance.

 

Why not use 87, the gas our engines were designed to use? You are just wasting your hard earned money by using 91. It's time tested that the increase in cost to go from 87-91 doesn't come close to justifying the negligible mpg increase. Skip the throttle response, engine feel etc, that is all in your head!

 

So what about gas at higher elevations? I know in most of the country the lowest octane regular fuel is 87, but here in colorado regular is 85, and 87 is mid grade due to the elevation. So would I still need to use 87 mid grade, or could I use 85 and it would be the same thing to the truck?

 

Page 579 of the 3rd Gen Owners Manual says that "Toyota strongly recommends the use of Top Tier Detergent Gasoline." You can look up companies that sell it online at http://www.toptiergas.com/. Personally, I'm betting that there is some money changing hands for that recommendation, but hey, I'm a bit of a conspiracy theorist.

 

That's a decent little video in that link... Good info

 

I have a friend who runs 87 in an Audi that calls for 91. It runs fine granted its a lease.

I run 87 generally from chevron.

 

I'm running Shell 91 octane w/ 0 ethanol for my supercharger.

 

You're fine with 85.