Can I burn regular fuel in my Lexus RX330 without damaging the engine even though the manufacturer recommends burning mid-grade fuel?
Does the manual say it’s recommended or required??? If required then NO. But if recommended then yes…Although I don’t know why you’d want to. Running lower octane then what’s recommended, the car will have less power and worse gas mileage.
Your knock sensor will compensate by retarding the timing. You will lose some power and/or fuel mileage, possibly enough to offset the $5 financial windfall you gain using regular. It won’t hurt the engine though.
I’ll second that. My wife’s 2006 Toyota Sienna with the 3.3 V6 recommends premium for more power, but does not require it. It’s used regular gas since new with no problems, but it is not driven hard either. One of these days, I’m going to run a few tanks of premium to see if there’s enough of an improvement in mpg to offset the difference in price. Read your owner’s manual closely.
Ed B.
Look in manual for REQUIRED or recommended. If required assume damage will occur. Otherwise enjoy that meager $2/fillup and less performance and possibly mileage associated.
Can you? Perhaps, as others have said. Check your manual.
Personally I’d use what the manufacturer recommends.
Think of it like the schduled maintenance. You could, if you chose, probably go a lot farther between schdeuled maintenance items than the manual suggest. You could probably even go forever without servicing the tranny. But whether you might pay a price is a different question.