Simple Trick for Increasing Power in the Toyota Tundra Revealed

Car companies are known for offering model variants with different levels of power – despite often using the same type of engine.

Thanks to modern electronic control units (ECUs) – the computers that run engines – carmakers can easily turn power outputs up or down, reducing power to suit inferior-quality fuel in different markets, or charging higher prices for increased performance.

Now, a senior analyst at Lexus USA has revealed an easy way for owners to extract up to 15kW from the Toyota Tundra.

According to a report from website CarBuzz, the Toyota Tundra can have its power increased from 326kW to 341kW, just by switching to 98-octane premium unleaded fuel.

The same 3.4-litre twin-turbo hybrid V6 petrol engine in the Tundra produces 341kw in the Lexus LX700h sold in North America – with apparently the only difference being that Toyota recommends standard 91-octane petrol for the Tundra, and premium 98 fuel for the Lexus.

While the power increase may not be immediately noticeable, modern engines are typically fitted with knock sensors, which, in basic terms, will advance or retard the engine timing based on the fuel’s octane level – increasing or decreasing performance.

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Popular in the 1990s and 2000s, aftermarket engine tuning – sometimes referred to as ‘chipping’ – would often be as simple as adjusting fuel mixtures and advancing the timing on petrol engines to run on 98-octane fuel. Sometimes with surprising results.

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Cars nowadays often have the ability to do this themselves, however this is the first instance of a manufacturer acknowledging a 15kW power increase based on which fuel has been used.

The downside? You have to spend the extra money at the pump for premium unleaded.

Have you tried this in your Toyota Tundra? Let us know the results in the comments section below.