Is 87 Octane a "Top-Tier"?

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My Hyundai Kona N-Line with a 1.6T Smartstream GTDI only requires 87 to run optimally. Indeed a survey of other Kona 1.6T owners seems to indicate that going 89 or more does not result in added "performance" and equal or even worse fuel consumption.

If I just stuck with 87, am I getting "sufficient" detergents in my gas? I fuel up at exclusively at Shell and Chevron.

Thanks.
 
The Hyundai manual recommends their Hyundai Fuel System Cleaner (which we know is Chevron Techron rebranded). I suppose this recommendation assumes the lowest common denominator that not so "top tier" gas is being used?
 
To answer your direct question ... Is 87 considered "Top Tier"?
Yes, and no.

If the brand is certified by TT to be TT, then yes, 87 is so.
If it's not, well then it's not.

The TT cert has nothing to do with the octane rating; it has to do with the detergency.

Now, some brands will actually put MORE detergents in their higher octane products; Shell, BP and others do this. But all their main gasonline offerings are TT, so the minimum is met.

There has been talk by the engine makers to up the ante; raise the detergent/quality/cleanliness bar, as it were. That has been in discussion for a while, but it's not happened yet. Given that folks are already very senstive to the cost of fuel, raising the bar would only make it more expensive, so it's been met with limited support.

See Lubener's post above for the link to approved brands.
 
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Now the question to be asked is if you use TT 89, 91, or 93 (shell) or 94 (chevron), do they add even more detergents beyond the base line amount in TT 87 offerings?
 
Now the question to be asked is if you use TT 89, 91, or 93 (shell) or 94 (chevron), do they add even more detergents beyond the base line amount in TT 87 offerings?
BP 87 octane is Top Teir. They say even higher then TT. But I bet that is just marketing. I had a LSPI event when I first had my Kona 1.6T AWD when it was stock at about 1,750 rpm full load. The car felt like it jumped 5ft in the air and I though I popped a ring land or bent a rod on that one, but all was well after. After that event nothing lower then 89 octane went into my tank. I had LSPI approved oil at the time, I don't remember which one. I think Mobil 1. I know all the stuff posted on the Kona forms. I myself would suggest mid teir 89 octane in the summer at least. You really don't want to be bumping into a weird event or timing pull back. It's up to you, I have not heard of anyone having an event like mine, so you maybe fine.
 
BP 87 octane is Top Teir. They say even higher then TT. But I bet that is just marketing. I had a LSPI event when I first had my Kona 1.6T AWD when it was stock at about 1,750 rpm full load. The car felt like it jumped 5ft in the air and I though I popped a ring land or bent a rod on that one, but all was well after. After that event nothing lower then 89 octane went into my tank. I had LSPI approved oil at the time, I don't remember which one. I think Mobil 1. I know all the stuff posted on the Kona forms. I myself would suggest mid teir 89 octane in the summer at least. You really don't want to be bumping into a weird event or timing pull back. It's up to you, I have not heard of anyone having an event like mine, so you maybe fine.
"...Popped a ring land or bent a rod on that one, but all was well after". Figure of speech or did it land you in the dealership with a warranty claim?

Yeah I'm the same dude over at hyundaikonaforums. I've had my car long enough to put up up a review. Cheers.
 
BP 87 octane is Top Teir. They say even higher then TT. But I bet that is just marketing. I had a LSPI event when I first had my Kona 1.6T AWD when it was stock at about 1,750 rpm full load. The car felt like it jumped 5ft in the air and I though I popped a ring land or bent a rod on that one, but all was well after. After that event nothing lower then 89 octane went into my tank. I had LSPI approved oil at the time, I don't remember which one. I think Mobil 1. I know all the stuff posted on the Kona forms. I myself would suggest mid teir 89 octane in the summer at least. You really don't want to be bumping into a weird event or timing pull back. It's up to you, I have not heard of anyone having an event like mine, so you maybe fine.

BP withdrew from the Top Tier program. I'm not sure if Sunoco is back. OK - Sunoco is back.


While Costco is in the program, their method of doing so is far different than anyone else. Nearly everyone else adds the detergent at the fuel depot where there should be plenty of time for the detergent to mix evenly by the time it's delivered to the gas station. Costco's method is to take an EPA minimum generic detergent at the fuel depot (required by regulations) but then they meter their own detergent upon delivery at Costco gas stations. My primary concern would be how well mixed it is since I've never seen them stop customers from pumping gas during fuel deliveries. But at the very least it would meet the EPA minimum since they have fully EPA compliant fuel coming out of tankers.
 
"...Popped a ring land or bent a rod on that one, but all was well after". Figure of speech or did it land you in the dealership with a warranty claim?

Yeah I'm the same dude over at hyundaikonaforums. I've had my car long enough to put up up a review. Cheers.
What does this have to do with the octane rating of the fuel and the detergency level?
 
"...Popped a ring land or bent a rod on that one, but all was well after". Figure of speech or did it land you in the dealership with a warranty claim?

Yeah I'm the same dude over at hyundaikonaforums. I've had my car long enough to put up up a review. Cheers.
Yep, I have seen you there. No, just figure of speech. To this day, I still can't believe my motor is still running after that.
 
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BP withdrew from the Top Tier program. I'm not sure if Sunoco is back. OK - Sunoco is back.


While Costco is in the program, their method of doing so is far different than anyone else. Nearly everyone else adds the detergent at the fuel depot where there should be plenty of time for the detergent to mix evenly by the time it's delivered to the gas station. Costco's method is to take an EPA minimum generic detergent at the fuel depot (required by regulations) but then they meter their own detergent upon delivery at Costco gas stations. My primary concern would be how well mixed it is since I've never seen them stop customers from pumping gas during fuel deliveries. But at the very least it would meet the EPA minimum since they have fully EPA compliant fuel coming out of tankers.
They probably just don't want to pay the fee for name use. They still have their version of it....but can we trust them????
 
They probably just don't want to pay the fee for name use. They still have their version of it....but can we trust them????

I have no doubt that BP is doing what they say they're doing. Even before Costco had an official Top Tier license, they were advertising their "Clean Power" detergent, but only at locations that were set up for their metering system and that clearly had signs. Part of the Top Tier requirements are that every gas station for that brand meet the requirements. When that was happening with Costco, I used it without worrying that somehow they were cheating me out of what they were advertising.
 
We don't have Costco gas here in Metro Vancouver (at least in the parts I frequent). So I'm mostly stuck with Chevron and Shell anyways (87). I may consider settling with 89.
 
Your engine doesn't require 87 to run optimally. 87 is the minimally. It recommends on 87 or HIGHER.
With a turbo, more octanely=more optimally

Toptier gas stations are for ALL grades of E10.

And yes, some gas stations will add more for the 'premium options' . They can go beyond toptier. Middle grades will sometimes be a blended mix of regular/premium depending on station tank counts. So if the premium, like Shell's nitro+ 7x EPA, one might get ~4x for midgrade since most only require 2-2.5x dose for any grade when compared to EPA gas.

Getting sufficient detergents isn't always enough. So, don't be shy of the occasional bottle of a quality fuel system cleaner. And, intake valves might need cleaning too. So, break out the metered IVD cleaning sprays.

I am not worried about when/where/how they are mixed. But, do hope that the employees have some common sense, usually required for hazmat tanker drivers and tanker farm utility workers.
 
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