Ethanol free vs Top Tier

Joined
Mar 28, 2007
Messages
387
Location
York, Pa.
I have a '19 Kia Sorento with the 3.3 V6 engine. I've used Top tier fuel since new. On my last fill up I thought I would try an ethanol free fuel from a small, sort of 'mom and pop' station that has nothing but e-free gas. It's only 10 cents more a gallon, but it is a no-name brand, so I'm assuming that it's not Top tier. Am I any better off with the e-free gas? Any benefit to using it plus a fuel system cleaner occasionally to keep the injectors clean? Or should I go back to a Top tier fuel?

I will start using the e-free for my mower and snow blower.

Thanks for any input.
 
I'd be disappointed if that engine didn't perform equally well on either top tier E10, bottom tier E10 or any brand of E0
 
I have somewhat related question: does the ethanol-free gasoline come from the same sources/channels as the ethanol-blended one these days? And if not, what are those other sources/channels of ethanol-free gasoline and are we sure they produce at the same quality level?

OP, does that "mom and pop" station get a lot of traffic? My main issue with some of these smaller stations is old/stale gas due to limited traffic. Also, some of them may not be as diligent about keeping their tanks clean since there's no corporate SOP to adhere to.
 
Top Tier Valero 90 non E , use it for cars , mowers , and snowblowers well over 7 years . No issues .
 
SARCASM ALERT: Not to be taken as nasty.

I don't know about your world but has any one ever asked politely at a gas station if their top fuel is NO ALCOHOL?

They look at you like you have 2 heads or are some kind of troublemaker.
 
I've been visiting a local independent service/gas station in town. Their 87, the only grade they have, is E0, about .20 to .40 more than Exxon. The nudge upward in gas mileage is not enough to pay for the difference . . . but my opinion is that the Buick runs even more smoothly on it.
 
SARCASM ALERT: Not to be taken as nasty.

I don't know about your world but has any one ever asked politely at a gas station if their top fuel is NO ALCOHOL?

They look at you like you have 2 heads or are some kind of troublemaker.
Around here, the clerks bob their heads vigorously and proclaim, "No alcohol!" Even though the pump clearly says "Up to 10% Ethanol."
 
I wish I could find that. Around here E0 is at least a dollar a gallon more than E10 and it only comes in 87 octane.
 
Unless the manager tells the employee's or it posted behind the counter for the employee's to read they ain't guuna know or care. Heck the most manager's don't know. Isn't it funny that fuel without ethanol cost more? You "ADD" the ethanol to the base gas. Just like unleaded fuel back in the day was more expensive. They didn't remove the lead "additive" from the base gas........they just didn't add it...........and stick it to the public.
 
Isn't it funny that fuel without ethanol cost more? You "ADD" the ethanol to the base gas. Just like unleaded fuel back in the day was more expensive. They didn't remove the lead "additive" from the base gas........they just didn't add it...........and stick it to the public.
The government subsidizes ethanol fuel, lowering its cost.
Tetraethyl lead was a very potent and inexpensive way of boosting gasoline octane.
That's why companies were so gung ho to use it.
Unleaded gas has to use more expensive additives to boost octane.
For awhile MMT was very cheap, but it too was banned.
 
The government subsidizes ethanol fuel, lowering its cost.
Tetraethyl lead was a very potent and inexpensive way of boosting gasoline octane.
That's why companies were so gung ho to use it.
Unleaded gas has to use more expensive additives to boost octane.
For awhile MMT was very cheap, but it too was banned.
MTBE was great stuff until it leeched into the ground water. Friend’s dad sold remediation systems and made a fortune in the early 2000’s.
 
If you do a little research as to why Top Tier gas exist you would understand why Top Tier is the way to go. When you hear about people getting water in their gas it is usually an older gas station. Bad gas is not uncommon is Georgia. The two bigger newer gas chains in the Atlanta area are QT and RaceTrac. The state agency that monitors gas stations in Georgia recently stated that they have never found bad gas at a QT or RaceTrac. QT is Top Tier and my favorite place to buy gas. RaceTrac is not Top Tier.
 
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QT is Top Tier and my favorite place to but gas.

I have an old Taurus that loves QT gas. It's the only gas it doesn't slightly ping with. It's a new station. I wonder if the gas is just that much better or if it's the only station I've even gotten gas from without a bunch of water or crud. 😁 It pings with Chevron, Shell and Kroger.
 
I have an old Taurus that loves QT gas. It's the only gas it doesn't slightly ping with. It's a new station. I wonder if the gas is just that much better or if it's the only station I've even gotten gas from without a bunch of water or crud. 😁 It pings with Chevron, Shell and Kroger.
The Top Tier gas at QT is probably keeping your Taurus a little cleaner. Chevron and Shell should be ok for your Taurus. The number of stations with bad gas is very very low but enough to make me cautious . Kroger is not Top Tier and I never use them. I know that my daughter has issues when she does not use Top Tier on her 2003 Camry.
 
My 2011 F150 3.5L Ecoboost clearly gets better MPG with ethanol free fuel. I get about 1mpg more with super vs regular. But using ethanol free results in as much as 3mpg more!

Not a clue whether it's better for the engine or not.
 
Been using 87 ethanol free for 5 years now, small mom & pop station, no issues, I break even as the price offsets my mpg gains on both vehicles but I just do not like ethanol. I wish it was only a 10 cent difference here. For me 3-4 mpg bump in mpg especially in the hybrid.
 
I'd run the fuel blessed by the "Top Tier Gods" in the Kia and save the .10/gal.
I would however, go to the Mom/Pop place and buy the fuel for all your outdoor power equipment.
 
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