Guest Prospect Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 Hello, I am looking to buy a pathfinder for my son. We are looking at 2002 LE Pathfinders, without 4-wheel drive. We have found one we like, meeting what I just stated, with regards to model and features, but I have a question/concern. We have heard conflicting remarks about what kind of fuel you should put in the car. The book recommends premium, but we have talked to people who put regular in it and say it runs fine. So, I thought a Pathfinder Association would be a good place to ask. Is it a big deal, putting regular versus premium fuel? Would it hurt the engine? Is it just something they recommend? Could you substitute by putting fuel enhancements/additivies in yourself occassionally? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks a lot and I look forward to hearing back... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trainman Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 I have an 02 (same engine) and use the lowest grade or regular (87 octane) gas. My dealer says no big deal, you just lose a bit of power. I only put in injector cleaner every once in awhile. I have no problems with my truck and it works hard. I only use gas from reputable stations (I had a problem with some gas from a card lock with a previous vehicle). For my uses, I do not see the need for any extra additives as the extra 10 hp is not critical for me. With the regular fuel, I can get about 25-26 MPG on the highway (imperial gallons), not sure what the extra mileage would be with higher grades of fuel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trainman Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 And welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Prospect Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 Thanks a lot for the response. It looks like that is the case, just loosing a bit of power. We are not speed demons, so it does not matter to us. I found this website, put out by the government, that lists the Pathfinder as using Regular fuel. Why the heck would Nissan put "Recommend Premium" in their book? Here is the government link, and thanks again... http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/noframes/18113.shtml Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trainman Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 Our Sienna is the same, Toyota recommends premium but we use regular. I think it lowers emissions and increases fuel mileage on the government tests, that may be why there is a big push for it. On the other hand, my sister drives some high strung Acura that has to use premium or damage will result and void the warranty. Of course, this is a 4 cylinder motor that revs to 8 million RPM or something silly but does it go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XPLORx4 Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 The 3.5L engine is designed to run on premium fuel, but with regular fuel (which burns more quickly) the engine is more susceptible to pinging/knocking. To prevent this, the ECM will retard the timing, and you'll lose some power. So, that's why premium is recommended. I've heard some reports of people getting lower fuel economy with regular, which negates the 20 cents per gallon you save by not buying premium. So, the engine will run just fine with regular, but it may not run as efficiently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trainman Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 I've heard some reports of people getting lower fuel economy with regular, which negates the 20 cents per gallon you save by not buying premium. I have heard this as well but have not tested it. It is on my things to do list, to see if the extra 10% in fuel costs are offset by a corresponding 10% gain in fuel economy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yowzaeric Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 I run 87 in my 3.5 and have had no ill effects. There is no difference in mpg either. The only time I step up to mid/premium grade is when towing. Trainman- I have a '04 sienna also and can't find any reccomendations for premium. But we get 28-30 on the hyway@ 75-80 so I'm not looking to change a thing..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sierra Cement Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 wow.... whats my deal then? if use anything less than premium i get a check engine light. i Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trainman Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 Trainman- I have a '04 sienna also and can't find any reccomendations for premium. But we get 28-30 on the hyway@ 75-80 so I'm not looking to change a thing..... It is in the manual under Fuel (page 664-665 of the Canadian version I think). Toyota "recommends" premium but it is not mandatory (like it is in my sisters Acura). And on regular, we get 34-36 imperial MPG in the Sienna. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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