Toyota Camry: Which Octane to use - 2000 Camry LE - 30000 Miles on it.

On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 03:13:21 GMT, "kokkie" <com> wrote:
 

Read your owners manual - all fuel-injection Toyotas have knock
sensors and pretty smart EFI computers, and are designed to run just
fine on regular grade gasoline. The manual says something to the
effect of 'you /must/ use at least 87 pump octane regular, but you
/can/ use mid-grade or premium "for increased performance".

The computer can advance the timing to get a bit more power out of
premium fuel, but the power bump you get (under 1 HP) is not enough to
make up for the 20c to 30c a gallon price bump for premium. The oil
companies are going to talk up the alleged benefits of running premium
fuel, because they make more money selling it.

Unless you're going out trailer towing, or on a long trip blasting
up 8%+ highway grades with your foot mashed to the floor, save a lot
of your money and just use regular around town.

But to be sure that it's handling the switchover to regular okay,
the next time you stress the engine climbing a hill roll down the
window, turn down the radio, and listen for the /lack of/ knocking to
make sure it has adjusted itself right. If it sounds like someone's
rattling a tin can full of pebbles under the hood, it's knocking...
 

No problem. Take the money you were wasting on premium fuel, and
change to synthetic motor oil - that is something that is proven
effective at getting you longer engine life.

--<< Bruce >>--

"kokkie" <com> wrote in message
news:lHNGb.26215$gnilink.net... 

V4 eh? Boy, Toyota's ambitious!
 
Which 

I don't know, what's your MANUAL say? If it required premium grade gas, it
would clearly say so on the instrument cluster: "PREMIUM FUEL ONLY."

-Tim
 

Thanks Bruce!

"Bruce L. Bergman" <invalid> wrote in message
news:com... 
30K 
Which 

In news:com,
Bruce L. Bergman <invalid> being of
bellicose mind posted:
 

Bzzzzzzt Not -all- Toyotas have been equipped with knock sensors.
You don't find them on Corollas pre OBDII. ;-)

and pretty smart EFI computers, and are designed to run 

I beg to differ. Premium fuel use shows it's best advantange when
the EFI computer is in closed loop (lean with maximum ignition timing
advance) and modulating the EGR normally at less than 1/3rd throttle.
This is when an engine is closest to spark knocking. HOWEVER, when
you go past 3/4 throttle ("your foot mashed to the floor"), the EFI
computer goes open loop, much richer, and retards timing considerably
which.... makes the engine LEAST prone to spark knocking.
 

Then, "mash ot the throttle" and note how all the spark knock
disappears when the EFI goes 'open-loop.'

--

* Philip

"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,
Just like the ones I used to know"
-Bing Crosby

Use the cheapest gas u can find....some gas is not as good as others...like
they put water or something in it to make more gallons to sell....lol



"Philip®" <net.invalid> wrote in message
news:AkZGb.20226$news.pas.earthlink.net... 

In news:N1%Gb.5854$news.adelphia.net,
Jennie <net> being of bellicose mind posted: 
 

Jennie... stick to baking cookies. ;-)
--

* Philip

"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,
Just like the ones I used to know"
-Bing Crosby

Jennie wrote:
 

Use quality gas, but 87. The lower the octane, the more power the fuel
has per gallon. But you don't want to be too hard to burn or else you
get pinging. 87 is good.

OTOH - I'm shocked at the sheer number of cars that now require premium
fuel. The new 2004 Camry even does. The Buick Regal does. The BMW,
Mercedes, and even the Volvo 40 series do. Sheesh - what the???

You do that in Canada in winter and the car goes about 4 blocks before the
fuel line freezes and the car stalls
Happened at the PetroCan on Hw10 and Hwy 401 about 10 years ago. They dug
all the gas tanks out of the ground and replaced them to cure the water
leaks.

The customers were mad as hell, as initially they said "it wasn't us", but
when more customers turned up with frozen lines the game was up. The
Mississauga news put it on the fron page as I recall.

"Jennie" <net> wrote in message
news:N1%Gb.5854$news.adelphia.net... 
others...like