Gas Grade 87 89 or 92 in 2000 AWD?
11-28-13, 09:31 AM
#16
Moderator
Having a different point of view is just fine and a healthy discussion is always enlightening and educational. Once it gets into a winning/loosing a debate, it becomes a spectacle. [this includes religion, politics, oil, gas etc]
SO
When it gets down to, telling what others should do, it crosses the line.
Sorry to repeat ... state your reasons for your choice and let the others decide for themselves.
Note: The reason this thread is still open is that we have not reached the threshold. My post was/is a fair warning.
Salim
SO
When it gets down to, telling what others should do, it crosses the line.
Sorry to repeat ... state your reasons for your choice and let the others decide for themselves.
Note: The reason this thread is still open is that we have not reached the threshold. My post was/is a fair warning.
Salim
12-02-13, 11:55 AM
#18
Lexus Champion
Is this one of those religious war things?
I'm always willing to learn. I didn't know anything about the knock sensors. When my car started knocking recently I thought I was getting bad gas. Then I got the CEL. I also hadn't noticed until then what the manual says about using regular and possible performance loss.
The FTC said in most cases there is no benefit:
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles...ctane-gasoline.
Exxon says the same thing:
http://www.exxon.com/usa-english/gfm...y_gas_faq.aspx
California energy center too (they quote the american petroleum institute)
http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/...s_premium.html
This article from the Economist is kind of schizophrenic:
http://www.economist.com/blogs/babba...octane-ratings
The author still feels he should use a higher grade, even though the article ends with: "As for those who earnestly believe (and quite a few do) that filling the family Toyota with premium will somehow make it go faster or deliver more miles to the gallon, all one can say is don’t bother. As one wit noted, the only thing it will make run faster is money from your pocket."
I did find some information that indicated two-stroke engines might benefit from it. And other information that said it could damage them.
In the end it might be best to follow the most common advice from all the articles: Use what the manufacturer recommends.
I'm always willing to learn. I didn't know anything about the knock sensors. When my car started knocking recently I thought I was getting bad gas. Then I got the CEL. I also hadn't noticed until then what the manual says about using regular and possible performance loss.
The FTC said in most cases there is no benefit:
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles...ctane-gasoline.
Exxon says the same thing:
http://www.exxon.com/usa-english/gfm...y_gas_faq.aspx
California energy center too (they quote the american petroleum institute)
http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/...s_premium.html
This article from the Economist is kind of schizophrenic:
http://www.economist.com/blogs/babba...octane-ratings
The author still feels he should use a higher grade, even though the article ends with: "As for those who earnestly believe (and quite a few do) that filling the family Toyota with premium will somehow make it go faster or deliver more miles to the gallon, all one can say is don’t bother. As one wit noted, the only thing it will make run faster is money from your pocket."
I did find some information that indicated two-stroke engines might benefit from it. And other information that said it could damage them.
In the end it might be best to follow the most common advice from all the articles: Use what the manufacturer recommends.
Correct, and they recommend Premium....
12-06-13, 02:31 PM
#19
mechanics(deaelership and independent) telling me to use premium gas... why?
I sometimes get my RX300 serviced at the dealership and sometimes at an independent shop.
(the dealer frequently have Mobil 1 oil/filter changes for only $19+tax, which is cheaper than
what I pay for Mobil 1 oil alone, plus it comes with a free car wash and vacuum... good for
both Lexus and Toyota vehicles, since the dealership sells both)
Anyway.... I'm confused as to why the mechanics at BOTH places always tell me to use
premium gas. When asked, they just said "it's better for this type of engine in the RX300"
with not other explanation. At the dealership, the "recommend owner to use premium gas"
is always printed on the invoice when I take the Lexus in. On my other car, a Toyota Camry
of the same model year with a similar V6 engine, they both said do NOT use premium gas
unless I like throwing money down the toilet.(again, words from the mechanics at BOTH the
dealership and the indy mechanic)
Can anybody tell me if they are right or wrong?
(the dealer frequently have Mobil 1 oil/filter changes for only $19+tax, which is cheaper than
what I pay for Mobil 1 oil alone, plus it comes with a free car wash and vacuum... good for
both Lexus and Toyota vehicles, since the dealership sells both)
Anyway.... I'm confused as to why the mechanics at BOTH places always tell me to use
premium gas. When asked, they just said "it's better for this type of engine in the RX300"
with not other explanation. At the dealership, the "recommend owner to use premium gas"
is always printed on the invoice when I take the Lexus in. On my other car, a Toyota Camry
of the same model year with a similar V6 engine, they both said do NOT use premium gas
unless I like throwing money down the toilet.(again, words from the mechanics at BOTH the
dealership and the indy mechanic)
Can anybody tell me if they are right or wrong?
12-06-13, 02:49 PM
#20
Lexus Test Driver
In short, they are right!
If you do a search you will find an overwhelming amount of information on this. You will also find there is no definite answer, it's up to the owner what they want to use.
The reason why they recommend premium for the RX and not for the Camry even though it uses the same engine is because of the way they are tuned.
If you do a search you will find an overwhelming amount of information on this. You will also find there is no definite answer, it's up to the owner what they want to use.
The reason why they recommend premium for the RX and not for the Camry even though it uses the same engine is because of the way they are tuned.
12-06-13, 03:33 PM
#21
Driver School Candidate
It is mostly due to how the vehicles are tuned. The Lexus variant of the 1MZ motor has slightly more advanced timing, and if I recall correctly is recommended to use at least 89 octane fuel. The Toyota variant is tuned for 87 octane, so a higher octane is of no benefit.
12-08-13, 07:08 AM
#22
Driver School Candidate
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi,
I have tested this on my 2001 awd, running 5 tanks of 95 averaged 21.3 UK mpg, using 99 got 23.7 mpg.
This was taken by litres per miles not by onboard computer, but the biggest difference in UK premium is the extra detergents added.
Oh and just to cheer you up some more we pay $10 + per gallon !
I have tested this on my 2001 awd, running 5 tanks of 95 averaged 21.3 UK mpg, using 99 got 23.7 mpg.
This was taken by litres per miles not by onboard computer, but the biggest difference in UK premium is the extra detergents added.
Oh and just to cheer you up some more we pay $10 + per gallon !
12-12-13, 08:06 PM
#23
Driver School Candidate
I like using 91-93 (preferably non-ethanol) when I can... and the non-ethanol stuff cost a dollar or so more ($4.09 ATM) per gallon, compared to what I'd pay for the 87 with 10% ethanol stuff I find at BP and Shell (which I buy when strapped for cash). But that's just me.
12-15-13, 05:39 AM
#26
what i'd really like to do is get one of those techstream cables and log any amount of timing pulled with the lower octane grades under normal driving.
I'm guessing at the moment very little to none but thats just my inaccurate butt-dyno talking until we see some data.
Under hard driving, i would expect much more timing pulled unless minimum 91 octane is used.
I'm guessing at the moment very little to none but thats just my inaccurate butt-dyno talking until we see some data.
Under hard driving, i would expect much more timing pulled unless minimum 91 octane is used.
12-15-13, 06:19 AM
#27
Pole Position
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: NJ
Posts: 310
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
12-16-13, 07:59 AM
#28
Super Moderator
I use 93 an I can tell you that with my modifications and if I run 87, the vehicle will not have that great performance, you step on the accelerator with 87 and you will go nowhere, 93 and the vehicle comes alive. However, on a stock RX300 like that of my neighbor, both and they noticed not much performance difference whatsoever. At high altitude, that's a different story with 87 octane being fine to run (due to some chemistry/physics laws), but I ran 92 octane (highest available in Mexico) due to sulfur/quality level differences when I lived in Mexico City.
12-16-13, 08:10 AM
#29
Lexus Champion
12-16-13, 08:13 AM
#30
Lexus Champion
I use 93 an I can tell you that with my modifications and if I run 87, the vehicle will not have that great performance, you step on the accelerator with 87 and you will go nowhere, 93 and the vehicle comes alive. However, on a stock RX300 like that of my neighbor, both and they noticed not much performance difference whatsoever. At high altitude, that's a different story with 87 octane being fine to run (due to some chemistry/physics laws), but I ran 92 octane (highest available in Mexico) due to sulfur/quality level differences when I lived in Mexico City.
They are not one with their vehicle!
I can really tell the difference in my 330 that I have now, and the 2001 300 I had.
