A vehicle engine knock can be so humiliating and boring, especially if you had planned to travel to an urgent meeting. The most common cause of the problem is the poor maintenance of the engine. But who is to blame if not the lack of information about maintaining your vehicle.
Therefore, If you own a Toyota 4runner or plan to own one in the near future, there are some questions you will find ringing in your mind. First, you might be eager to know what kind of gas a Toyota 4runner takes. Nevertheless, you may be interested to know if premium gas is ideal for your vehicle and the type of fuel you can use for your car. All this is destined to keep your car engine efficient and effective in the long run.
So, to help you maintain the functionality of your vehicle engine, this article covers the key things you need to know about your vehicle, particularly the Toyota 4runner. But first, let’s begin with the available types of gas that you can use in your car.
Types of Car Gas
Ideally, there are three main types of gasoline, namely:
Regular Gas-87 Octane
The regular gas comprises 87 octane, an average of 85 and 88. Manufacturers recommend this type of gas for many cars, specifically the Toyota 4Runner.
The regular 87 octane helps your car engine run effectively. However, the engine’s performance can be less compared to when using higher octane gas ratings. So, if you have a low budget and need high-quality gas, then the regular 87 octane gas is ideal for you. That is because this type of gas is the least expensive among other types of gas that offer a bunch of benefits to your car engine.
Mid-grade Gas- 89 Octane
The mid-grade gas is the second-class type of gas rated 89 octane, and it is mainly helpful on high-performance vehicles with high compression ratios engines.
This type of gas beats the 87 octane in its engine performance benefits. It offers a more optimal performance by enhancing fuel efficiency. However, it does not perform better than the third type of gas- premium gas.
Premium Gas- 91 Octane
As the name suggests, the premium gas, rated 91 octane, is premium in quality. It is ideal for any heavy-duty vehicle, and it gives the most desired engine efficiency. However, it has premium prices; hence it can be costly to maintain your car when you choose to use it.
In addition, the above-stated types of gasoline are the main types. Many of these fuels fall below the 87 octane mark. And are not common in modern vehicles because of their poor performance. Also, note that some companies brand these grades in different names, such as unleaded, super, and super-premium. But the octane rating remains the same.
So among the listed gas types, which one is ideal for the Toyota 4runner specifically.
What Kind of Gas Does a Toyota 4runner Take?
First, note that the Toyota 4runner vehicle is an independent make. It is different from other vehicles such as Chevrolet Tahoe, Toyota Rav4, Ford Explorer, Toyota Venza, and others. Therefore, as the names differ, so are the accessories. Consequently, every vehicle design has its unique type of gas.
All Toyota 4runner generations require 87 octane or above. That’s because the use of octane lower than 87 can lead to your vehicle engine knocking.
But to be precise enough, the 91 octane is the preferable gas to use in your Toyota 4runner. The octane number 91 is highly recommendable even by the Toyota 4runner manufacturers. Although, as we stated earlier, you can safely use octane number 87 and higher. But what octane fuel is ideal for the Toyota 4runner vehicle?
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What Kind of Fuel Does a Toyota 4runner Use?
Using improper fuel can also cause engine knocking apart from the use of octane gas number less than 87 on your Toyota 4runner. So, only use unleaded gasoline on your vehicle. Moreover, the unleaded gasoline should have the proper octane number rating, as previously stated. That is because even if you use unleaded gasoline, but the octane number is less than 87, it will still result in persistent engine knocking.
Additionally, do not use leaded gasoline. It damages the three-way catalytic converters in your vehicle, which in return causes the malfunctioning of the control system. Also, you should avoid using gasohol since it hurts the vehicle’s fuel system, thus reducing the engine’s performance.
Does a Toyota 4runner Require Premium Gas?
As we stated earlier, most Toyota vehicles are designed to use either regular or mid-grade gas. Consequently, the premium gas is ideal for a high-performance car like the 2020 Toyota Supra. But, using the premium gas on a Toyota 4runner isn’t the wrong approach. However, there are claims by people who prefer premium gas that it can turn your vehicle speed equal to that of racing cars. No, it won’t. What it does is it only gives your vehicle a relatively high engine power compared to regular and mid-grade gas.
Remember, the regular gas makes the ECU pull timing to keep the engine safe, resulting in reduced engine horsepower. So you may require premium gas for additional MPG. That’s because the gas helps the horsepower to function optimally, thus producing a total amount of power that would have been lost when using the mid-grade or regular gas.
However, the fuel prices have been escalating, and that should tell you using premium gas is less sensible when there are better options like regular gas and mid-grade gas. Like the premium gas, the two have the potential to run your engine as effectively as you would love.
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What Kind of Gas Does a 2019 4runner Take?
Remember, the type of gas suitable for your car is stated on the vehicle’s manual. For instance, in the case of the 2019 4runner, the manufacturer recommends using regular gas, which usually contains 87 octane.
The Toyota 2019 4runner has neither a turbocharger nor a supercharged engine. So, that means the car can operate comfortably and effectively using regular gas. But, if you want to upgrade to premium gas, you can do so. There will be no harm to your vehicle. But can you switch back and forth from premium, regular, to mid-grade gas? Let’s look at that.
Switching Back and Forth From Premium, Regular, and Mid-Grade Gas
You might be scared of the effects on your car if you have been using regular gas, and then all of sudden, you want to try premium or mid-grade gas. No, don’t be scared. You have the freedom to use any of the three types of gas regardless safely.
For instance, you might have been using regular gas daily on swift drive roads. But, you encounter road trips that involve towing mountainous and rocky roads, and thus you require more power and additional MPG. In that case, feel free to upgrade to premium gas that gives your car full power potential and enjoy your drive. However, the rate you switch back and forth from the gas types should be out of reason and kept minimal to avoid damaging the engine.
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What Gas Does a 4runner V8 Use?
Like 06 Tundra and 2019 4runner, the 4runner V8 uses regular gas with 87 octane. You will encounter the 87 octane gas on the vehicle’s manual as per its manufacturer. However, as we previously stated, any octane of 87 and higher is ideal for improving your car’s performance without knocking or pinging.
So, you can also use either premium or mid-grade gas to run your 4runner v8. However, unlike the v6, the v8 engine consumes more fuel. Therefore, it will be reasonable to stick to using the recommendable regular 87 octane to save on fuel costs.
Conclusion
If you have been in a dilemma on what type of gas or fuel to use on Toyota 4runner, hopefully, this article has shed limelight on what is right and what’s not.
If your car manufacturer instructs you to use premium gas, please do so. On the other hand, if it says you use regular gas, opting to use premium or mid-grade gas won’t add magic to the actual car power. Of course, it will give your car horsepower the potential to produce its total power capacity, but sometimes it might do otherwise by causing a decline in your car performance.
Your Toyota 4runner engine performance matters a lot. As you purpose to use the suitable gas and fuel, where you get them is a point of concern. Sourcing gas from a reputable and trusted gas station is recommendable. Avoid jumping from one gas station to the other and stick to your favorite one.
