Fuels, additives, and everything related.

[Buddy]

On advise, starting a thread thats everything and anything fuel related. More information we all can learn from the better. The oil thread is a wealth of knowledge.
Lets chat!!

 

[Buddy]

The FACTS About Fuel & Additives!

How much difference is there between different brands of fuel and grades of octane? Retired fuel engineer Chip Hewette joins us again for a deep dive on GASO...

www.youtube.com

First post with a video.

 

[HEMIMANN]

Good job. There is intelligence on this scattered all over the Forum, unfortunately.

On octane, additives, ethanol, detergents, etc.

 

[Buddy]

I know Lake does not like fuel additives, but I have some Redline SL-1 and will get more. I also have some Amsoil P1 for another vehicle, and will use it as well.
Before gas prices went insane, I was using Silver (89) all the time and Gold (91 and 94 when near specific stations) in another car. I stopped the Silver for a bit. But after this video I may grin and bare it and use Silver again. I suppose it works out to another $40/ month more give or take in the big picture for me and my driving personally.

 

[Burla]

Lake often doesn't include the best products because they tend to disprove his premise. Not including si-1 the best fuel additive, omitting biotech in oil additive vid for the same reason, and he did admit bgmoa has a purpose but underplayed it's benefit. Not only does si-1 clean better then anything known, but also adds lubricity which was another point to this vid. He is a great resource, but lets face it he is also a corporate insider, so take the good info he posts but also consider what we have for evidence.

.

 

[Travis8352]

I really wish he tested si-1 and restore and protect fuel system cleaner.

 

[Travis8352]

Heres the results from the video, atleast the wear reduction for those that dont want to watch the whole thing

 

[Buddy]

TOP TIER™ Station Finder - TOP TIER™ Station Finder

TOP TIER™ Station Finder. TOP TIER™ is recognized as a high-quality fuel performance standard developed by leading automotive and heavy-duty equipment manufacturers.

stationfinder.toptiergas.com

Looking for top tier stations, it appears only Shell and Costco are in my area.

 

[GeauxinUp]

TOP TIER™ Station Finder - TOP TIER™ Station Finder

TOP TIER™ Station Finder. TOP TIER™ is recognized as a high-quality fuel performance standard developed by leading automotive and heavy-duty equipment manufacturers.

stationfinder.toptiergas.com

Looking for top tier stations, it appears only Shell and Costco are in my area.

95% of my fuel is Shell (93)

 

[Curmudgeon]

Although I have both Sunoco and Exxon within 5 miles, neither one
has the Top Tier sticker on the pump, or the window, or anywhere I can find. The nearest shell is 25 miles one way.

I've been getting my gas from a locally well-known convenience chain that is Top Tier and they also have 90 octane Ethanol-Free. Coffee is pretty good too.

So I still treat with a double-shot of Red Line Sl-1 maybe 3 times per year.

*Double-shot = (2) 15oz bottles added to my 26 gallon tank.

 

[Travis8352]

Although I have both Sunoco and Exxon within 5 miles, neither one
has the Top Tier sticker on the pump, or the window, or anywhere I can find. The nearest shell is 25 miles one way.

I've been getting my gas from a locally well-known convenience chain that is Top Tier and they also have 90 octane Ethanol-Free. Coffee is pretty good too.

So I still treat with a double-shot of Red Line Sl-1 maybe 3 times per year.

*Double-shot = (2) 15oz bottles added to my 26 gallon tank.

Ive never seen a top tier sticker on a mobil pump but if it says synergy then its top tier

 

[Curmudgeon]

My Google-Fu tells me these are the "Top 10" of Top Tier gas stations...

• Shell (1)
• Costco (2)
• Chevron (3)
• Exxon (4)
• Mobil (5)
• Phillips 66 (6)
• QuikTrip (QT) (7)
• Sinclair (8)
• Texaco (9)
• Conoco (10)
  
  
  And then I found this...
  
  "Top Tier" is a voluntary performance standard for gasoline that guarantees higher-than-average detergent levels to keep engines clean. While more than 50 brands qualify, the following are five of the most popular and highly-regarded Top Tier options:
  • Shell: Widely considered the gold standard. Shell includes its proprietary V-Power NiTRO+
    additive, which is designed to actively clean out engine deposits and protect against future carbon buildup.
  • Chevron: Features Techron, one of the most rigorously tested and highly regarded detergent additives in the automotive industry.
  • Costco (Kirkland Signature): Offers Top Tier fuel at wholesale prices. Kirkland Signature gas meets all Top Tier detergent standards to maintain engine performance and fuel efficiency.
  • Exxon / Mobil: Both brands share the same high-quality fuel supply. ExxonMobil's additive package is specially engineered to prevent deposit buildup and maximize mileage.
  • QuikTrip (QT): A favorite, particularly in the Midwest and South. QT guarantees its gasoline exceeds Top Tier standards and is known for rigorous fuel quality control.

 

[RamDiver]

Heres the results from the video, atleast the wear reduction for those that dont want to watch the whole thing

This is great info.




.

 

[HEMIMANN]

Listen, PEA IS the top detergent fuel additive for gasoline. The cheaper, less effective one is PIBA.

Top Tier Gasoline ain't gonna pass the the metric cleanliness test without PEA. We only have COSTCO and Shell around here, also. The others pulled out or dropped Top Tier (Kwik Trip). Plus up here, the state is bribed to force ethanol on us.

Get some Red Line Pl-1 and keep it with you if you can't find a Top Tier gas station.

 

[HEMIMANN]

My Google-Fu tells me these are the "Top 10" of Top Tier gas stations...

• Shell (1)
• Costco (2)
• Chevron (3)
• Exxon (4)
• Mobil (5)
• Phillips 66 (6)
• QuikTrip (QT) (7)
• Sinclair (8)
• Texaco (9)
• Conoco (10)
  
  
  And then I found this...
  
  "Top Tier" is a voluntary performance standard for gasoline that guarantees higher-than-average detergent levels to keep engines clean. While more than 50 brands qualify, the following are five of the most popular and highly-regardedTop Tier options:
  • Shell: Widely considered the gold standard. Shell includes its proprietary V-Power NiTRO+
    additive, which is designed to actively clean out engine deposits and protect against future carbon buildup.
  • Chevron: Features Techron, one of the most rigorously tested and highly regarded detergent additives in the automotive industry.
  • Costco (Kirkland Signature): Offers Top Tier fuel at wholesale prices. Kirkland Signature gas meets all Top Tier detergent standards to maintain engine performance and fuel efficiency.
  • Exxon / Mobil: Both brands share the same high-quality fuel supply. ExxonMobil's additive package is specially engineered to prevent deposit buildup and maximize mileage.
  • QuikTrip (QT): A favorite, particularly in the Midwest and South. QT guarantees its gasoline exceeds Top Tier standards and is known for rigorous fuel quality control.

You might want to check QuickTrip - I think that's the multi brand for KwikTrip outside of Wisconsin and Minnesota. They dropped Top Tier at the onset of the pandemic and haven't returned. I wrote them, they gave me some meaningless corporate blather.

 

[BossHogg]

As I absorbed this information, a question came to mind. If I drove 300,000 miles using non-top-tier fuel rather than only top-tier fuel, would I notice any difference?

I traded in my 2003 Tahoe with the 5,3L engine. The Tahoe had a few hundred miles short of 300,000 miles. During the ten years I drove it, I used whatever gas, not paying any attention to top-tier fuels. The Tahoe ran fine.

 

[Curmudgeon]

As I absorbed this information, a question came to mind. If I drove 300,000 miles using non-top-tier fuel rather than only top-tier fuel, would I notice any difference?

I traded in my 2003 Tahoe with the 5,3L engine. The Tahoe had a few hundred miles short of 300,000 miles. During the ten years I drove it, I used whatever gas, not paying any attention to top-tier fuels. The Tahoe ran fine.

Would you notice any difference? I have no way of knowing, it is far too subjective.

I'm trying to find everything I can to help get my truck get to the "finish line" about the same time I do. I read, and check for science/tests, and try to make my best choices. So far so good, works for me.

Decades ago all my vehicles would suffer wear and damage that exceeded the value of the vehicle, by about 120,000 miles.
Since year 2000 or so all my vehicles have gone 250,000 and more.
Maybe I'm doing something right, maybe I've been lucky?
Some folks replace their vehicles every couple years just because. Those folks will probably not see any difference.

 

[HEMIMANN]

Yes - engine starts sputtering and missing.

AAA did engine testing years ago that documents it. Then you need to get "fuel system service" cleaning. Deposits build up on intake valve stem and injector nozzles. Unfortunately, the only way to clean intake valve stems on a GDI engine is to add a breather coalescer ("catch can"), but Top Tier detergency is still needed to keep fuel injector nozzle clean.

The real question is why API or some regulatory agency does not require Top Tier level of fuel detergency in all gasoline in the U.S.

 

[HEMIMANN]

News....

Synthetic Oil

BP does not. Renounced Top Tier about the same time as the others, pandemic. They CLAIM they do. ha ha Shell only has a couple of stations left, here and there. Cenex is located only out on the interstates. Did BP not go back to top tier? I know they dropped the requirements for awhile.

www.ramforum.com

 

[Buddy]

Got some gas this weekend in the car at a Shell. Wanted that TT gas, lol.
So prices at the pumps have always roughly bounced around 10 cents every grade, give or take. I got Bronze at somewhere in the $1.50's/liter (what a deal...sad), so Silver would be $1.60's Gold $1.70's, again roughly. Since we've been gettung hosed, haven't really noticed prices other than Reg choice. Well this weekend I was thinking of going Silver, 2 tanks ago threw in a bottle on Amsoil P1 and after the above video figured go with some good stuff. Well, as I said, Bronze was $1.50's, maybe $1.56?? and Silver was... $1.91/liter. Gold $2.02. Thats quite a gap. Which leads me to wonder, why?
Is it because summer has more small engine/recreational people using better gas for their engines? All the boaters are gonna appreciate the extra gas tax they are gonna get to pay thats for sure.
And it also makes me wonder, maybe it has been covered before in one of Lake's videos or research, maybe on here?? But how lomg does the better gas (Silvers and Golds of the TT stations) stay that way in the tanks? I mean, if everyone is leaning to just Bronze 87 choice - by that I mean everyday folks, not all of us nutbars - and the better choices sit, does the gas degrade at all?? I know they are adding every tume they are their with a tanker truck, but what if they are only adding very little? I am just asking thinking what if's here. What if gas ever went $3/liter for 91 or 93 and folks just couldn't. Would the gas drop a bit if small topups wasn't enough to make a difference in the tanks? I just think cause even with high test we add stabilizer for winter storage summer toys. Would the gas companies do similar? Or would they pump it over to 87 tanks after a time and refill with fresh 91?? I am asking because I don't know, not assuming.