In my last 4runner (2000) with the V6 and in my current one (2004, V8) I get pinging on 87 octane whenever i'm putting the engine under load. Going uphill or pulling a load. If I run higher octane the pinging goes away. For a while I thought it was in my head, but as I pull up to my driveway (which is on a hill) I will always hear the pinging with the lowest octane gas. As soon as I add 91 or 93 and it gets mixed with the cheaper stuff, the pinging goes away.

I don't think the lower octane will hurt the engine as that is what the owners manual recommends, but I just hate that sound in a new engine.

 

Jack Daniels. Oh in my truck I mean 87 :pat:

 

Normally I use 87.
If the price between 93 and 89 is under 5 cents difference, I would use 93.
So, my average is about 89.666...
not bad.