Are there any studies or data to suggest one Top Tier fuel is better than another?
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Audit systems do that all the time - and that includes tracers that go into the formula itself …
Audit findings end careers …
Not even that.
TT permits the same base SAE/ASTM gasoline as anyone else uses,
stipulates a minimum of 8% motor grade ethanol,
and then lists TT minimums of all the approved EPA detergent packages.
So basically all one has to do is use the TT specified quantity of detergent. And pay TT for the privilege of using their signage. Or use the TT quantity of detergent anyway, not use TT signs, and not pay TT. Is rumored Texaco/Chevron, Shell, and possibly others, do not pay TT but are permitted to use the signage. I rarely see TT signage at these stations because the whole point of TT is to convince you that Costco gasoline is as good as Shell.
I wonder how much / how often you would need to use techron to match the "top tier" minimum requirements?
Always gets me that vague claims of more additives are assumed to be better even though there are no details of what the additives are and why. More, more! Surely there’s a point of diminishing returns returns or when it can be counterproductive.
They posted an article in their monthly magazine about the new additive pkg. and also had placards on their pumps for awhile. You have to be a Costco member to know what's going on with their products. The general public has no idea.
Well at least they can claim “our gas leaves 3x the residue of the other guys”.
It's dissolved in the gasoline and gets burned and/or vaporized where it goes out the tailpipe.
That it stays behind when the fuel completely evaporates has nothing to do with its effectiveness as a detergent additive.
I agree that using residue level as a measure of detergent effectiveness is almost silly.
Removal or inhibition of deposition is the only result worth measuring.
Don't have a definitive answer to this question but I do know that my '19 Camry's 301 hp 2GR-FKS V6 has had zero issues with QuikTrip fuel and I often see Georgia State Patrol Chargers filling up there.
I think the rationale is that which doesn't evaporate is the additive package minus whatever additive solvent also evaporates. But that could be a lot of stuff, as well as there being detergent components that can evaporate. There are additives that have no detergent properties like dyes, stabilizers, corrosion inhibitors, etc.
Weight/mass of additives probably doesn't mean much. I know with the allergy meds I take, I use a 60 mg dose of the active ingredient. But there are similar meds where the dose is 5 or 10 mg of active ingredient that supposedly lasts twice as long.
Nothing in that report addresses the question in the OP of differences within TT certified fuels.
Yes there is. It, as OP was inquiring about, shows that there are differences between TT fuels. For example, page 17 shows that whatever TT fuel #5 produces over 7x more deposits than TT fuel #6.
Downside to these types of reports, they aren’t going to take the risk listing brand names because they are afraid of being sued. But yes, it shows that there can and are differences.
I haven't researched this for about 10 years but yes, there are differences. TT establishes the minimum you "know" they have but many brands go above and beyond TT and it varies by grade.
From 10 years ago it went along these lines
87 octane (from highest level to TT for products in my area)
1) costco
2) Philips 66/conoco/sunoco
3) BP/amoco
4) QuikTrip
91 Octane
1) Costco/BP/Amoco/Shell
2) Phillips 66/conoco/sunoco
3) QT
They used to market based on "minimum federal requirements" and I think TT was typically 2x the federal minimum additive levels. Costco was 5x for all grades. BP and Shell were 5x for premium. Philips66/conco were like 3x for all grades. QuikTrip only ever guarantees meeting TopTier minimum but QT sells a lot of gas and having known fresh gas counts for a lot.
Here is some updated info now that I went and looked again:
- Top Tier = 2.5x federal minimum
- Conoco/philips66/sunoco = 3.25x federal min for all grades Conoco
- Costco = 5x federal minimum https://www.costco.com/fuel-promise.html
- BP/Amoco = no longer specific levels provided but clearly says premium has more detergents than lower grades. BP also claims 10x "better cleaning" than federal minimum requirements. I doubt that means 10x the detergent levels.
- Shell = 6x federal min (Premium) no claims about 87 octane so I would assume it is just TT levels
- QuickTrip = Top Tier minimums.
- Top Tier = 2.5x federal minimum
- Conoco/philips66/sunoco = 3.25x federal min for all grades Conoco
- Costco = 5x federal minimum https://www.costco.com/fuel-promise.html
- BP/Amoco = no longer specific levels provided but clearly says premium has more detergents than lower grades. BP also claims 10x "better cleaning" than federal minimum requirements. I doubt that means 10x the detergent levels.
- Shell = 6x federal min (Premium) no claims about 87 octane so I would assume it is just TT levels
- QuickTrip = Top Tier minimums.
I don't really buy that it necessarily has to scale like that. It's all about whether or not a particular additive meets the requirements at a specific concentration. Obviously Phillips 66 seems to think that 2.5x the EPA minimum for their particular additive will pass the Top Tier test requirements. But theoretically a different additive can "scale" differently. Like one additive where 2x will do that. Or 3x for a different one. Or possibly even an additive where no amount will meet the testing requirement.
I saw some federal regulation that states that additives (outside of oxygenates) can't be more than 1% by volume. But something like an aftermarket additive can easily be more than 1% when used as directed. I remember a 20 oz bottle of Chevron Pro-Gard that was mostly some sort of carrier solvent. But that solvent was mostly stuff that would already be in pump fuel.
Thanks. I didn't really believe all the people saying "it's all the same." Makes no sense. Just like not at all API SP oils meeting that spec are the same.
^^^ This.
Let's also note that the additives they use are their own and, as you said, are added on site. Each station has separate tanks for their additive package and it's metered into the fuel. They use the same package for regular and premium, so there's no need to spend extra $$$ to get a better additive package.
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