Top Tier or Regular Fuel with PEA?

[Durango]

SteveC,

By Federal law all gas companies must maintain a certain amount of solvent for the injectors so what I do is buy the most inexpensive gas possible AND then every other month add a big bottle of Techron, Reagain or something simular to get the PEA levels up. With the extra bottle in my tank along with about 25 gallons of gas the PEA level is higher than you would get by buying "Top Tier" gasoline. My two cents.

Durango

 

[StevieC]

Durango,

That is fine logic... Here to get a good PEA additive it's about $13/bottle.

That is a lot of money to spend to increase cleaning additives in your tank when you can just run Top-Tier fuel which is supposed to be good enough to keep injectors spotless under grueling conditions. (According to shell anyways)

I drive lots of highway miles and my injectors aren't known to be problematic for deposits so I think I'm covered.

I do see your logic though but wonder if it's any benefit over my way both financially and performance wise.

 

[ziggy]

I thought it is a BAD idea to run PEA constantly? The back of the bottles say to use every 3,000 miles or so...not every fill up. maybe might do damage to seals?

 

[mechanicx]

The fuel additive makers claim it has been extensively tested to do no harm even if used at every tankful.

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted By: ziggy
I thought it is a BAD idea to run PEA constantly? The back of the bottles say to use every 3,000 miles or so...not every fill up. maybe might do damage to seals?
It's ok to run regularly if it's not in extreme doses like those fuel system cleaning products are which are intended for occasional use.

That is why most who use these kind of additives all the time dilute them down.

 

[Durango]

SteveC,

In my area of the nation the price of top tier gas is high compared to others in different regions. We in California pay what I think is the highest of anyone in the nation except for Hawaii. Currently I'm using ARCO cuz the prices is right and it's close to my home so that makes me happy except I have to pay cash instead of CC. Dispite the bad rep this gas has I've never had any real issues that I can say. Still though every other month and for sure after every 3K service I'll add a bottle of Techron or Reagine just to make sure the PEA level is up. If I used a top tier gas in my two cars it's only because the price has dropped big time. Sometimes I'll even use Costco over ARCO if the ladder/ARCO's price is too high as well.

Durango

 

[StevieC]

I was at the pumps today and here is how ours breaks down... I think we are getting raped.

$1.03/Litre = $4.53 CDN / US. Gallon - Regular 87 Octane 10% Ethanol
$1.18/Litre = $5.19 CDN / US. Gallon - V-Power 93 Octane 0% Ethanol

We have 52% taxes added to the cost of our fuel up here as stated on some pumps with a pie-chart sticker.

The crazy thing is we are an oil exporting country and the U.S. is our biggest customer and we are your second biggest oil supplier!

I use Shell because of the cleanliness of the fuel and it's cleaning power according to Terry. I also dose my fuel every once and a while with a high PEA based cleaner like Amsoil P.I. or some others to ensure a clean fuel & emission system.

 

[ffracer]

I was in Ontario a few weeks ago after not being up there in a year or two.

When did gas taxes go up so much? Ontario used to be ~40 cents US more than NY per US gallon.

I was amazed to see an Esso with 1.08/L = ~$3.75/US gallon

Stevie, I think you are using Imperial gallons.

 

[Mau]

StevieC that maybe true in your area, but in the city (Toronto and GTA) it's all the same except for the no name stations which are usually a few cents cheaper then the rest of the big name guys.

 

[tonycarguy]

I just buy Shell VPower additive at Big Lots for $2.50, then add 1/3 bottle per fillup.

 

[StevieC]

It would be cheaper for me to buy the additive and then use no name gas...

 

[Spyder7]

Price is regulated here so its all the same price no matter where you fill up. I stick with top tier (Esso) and have just started to use tc-w3 as a cheap ucl. I did 1 Regane overdose and will continue to use it, but only half a bottle into my 13 gallon tank, and only once between oil changes (about every 3,000 miles). I don't think there's any benefit to using it more frequently than that.

-Spyder

 

[UG_Passat]

not all of Top Tier uses PEA.
Most uses PBA additive. Non-Top Tier, my guess is PBA exclusively.

One part of the question is:
PBA Top Tier vs. Regular w/ a bottle of PEA? I'll do the latter.

The 2nd question is

PEA Top Tier vs. Regular w/ bottle of PEA? I'd do PEA Top Tier... and on top of that add a maintenance dose of PEA.
Top Tier w/ PEA

 

[Spyder7]

I do both. Top tier always, and (with the initial Regane shock therapy long done), continued Regane maintenance doses every 5,000 km, or at least a couple times a year. I don't think top tier gas and after market PEA treatments are somehow exclusive to one another. Best combo imho is both (without overdoing the PEA dosing frequency).

YMMV, but I believe this to be the ideal combo - at least for me.

-Spyder