A Reason to AVOID Top Tier Gas?

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If I interpret this to mean that all top tier gas has between 8...10% of ethanol, then I'm going to go out of my way to avoid the stuff!

http://www.toptiergas.com/deposit_control.html

1.3.1.2 Base Fuel. The base fuel shall conform to ASTM D 4814 and shall contain commercial fuel grade ethanol conforming to ASTM D 4806. All gasoline blend stocks used to formulate the base fuel shall be representative of normal U.S. refinery operations and shall be derived from conversion units downstream of distillation. Butanes and pentanes are allowed for vapor pressure adjustment. The use of chemical streams is prohibited. The base fuel shall have the following specific properties after the addition of ethanol:

1. Contain enough denatured ethanol such that the actual ethanol content is no less than 8.0 and no more than 10.0 volume percent.
 
Doesn't matter around here. I haven't seen anything but E10 gas in years. Is "Top Tier" something people talk about in your neck of the woods? I never heard of it until someone mentioned it on BITOG last week. From what I hear you really don't know where the gas comes from based on the sign in the gas station--they generally get it from the same place. I have definitely seen the name brand trucks filling the tanks in the no name stations.
 
I originally thought that as well, but that requirement is only for the fuel used during testing. One example is I have seen Shell stations that have stickers on the pumps that state that their premium fuel contains no ethanol and Shell is a top tier.
 
The base gas might come from the same place, but a top tier brand like Shell might check the gas and reject it if it was watered down or some other issue. Also the top tier brand will have the beands cleaning additive pack that makes all the difference. Other brands might take any gas without checking it at the lowest price and not have any detegents added. It doesn't matter who delivered the gas. That doesn't mean it's the same.
 
I hesitate to mention this because I rarely put any stock in peoples mpg claims online, but...

I switched over from "whatever's cheapest" (usually Mobil) to Shell 2 tanks ago and with the same driving style, speed, and routes went up 3 mpg on my GTO (premium). It's enough to keep me sticking with the Shell.

Around here there's no such thing as non-E10 fuel.
 
Anybody know why BP and Sunoco have never made an effort to get their fuels top-tier rated?
 
Originally Posted By: Hemi426
Shell is top-tier and my truck runs great on it


My vehicle runs frikkin' fantastic on Redline, Redline, Redline, Redline oil, some might say it is the nectar of the gods.
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Originally Posted By: BBDartCA
If I interpret this to mean that all top tier gas has between 8...10% of ethanol, then I'm going to go out of my way to avoid the stuff!

http://www.toptiergas.com/deposit_control.html

1.3.1.2 Base Fuel. The base fuel shall conform to ASTM D 4814 and shall contain commercial fuel grade ethanol conforming to ASTM D 4806. All gasoline blend stocks used to formulate the base fuel shall be representative of normal U.S. refinery operations and shall be derived from conversion units downstream of distillation. Butanes and pentanes are allowed for vapor pressure adjustment. The use of chemical streams is prohibited. The base fuel shall have the following specific properties after the addition of ethanol:

1. Contain enough denatured ethanol such that the actual ethanol content is no less than 8.0 and no more than 10.0 volume percent.



So what? Avoid them for what reasoning? All the anecdotal reasonings posted in the past?

modern computer controlled EFI cars can handle all sorts of fuel types and blends and electrical fuel pumps can do so too, yet still provides a long and reliable service life.

So why fuzz over ethanol blended gas? Just use it.

Q.
 
Shell is top tier gas here in Canada and their premium has no ethanol in it at all. I get 10% better MPG (21-22 vs 19-20 average) using their premium versus Sunoco's Ultra 94 which has 10% ethanol here.
 
Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
You cant get away from it.


I can't get away from it either, it's all over Missouri. Supposedly, it's not required (Ethanol) in the Premium blends (91 or higher), but my little Chevy Metro runs on anything.
 
duh, you get better mileage without alcohol. It has less energy per unit!

Top Tier is simply a standard. At least you know it meets certain minimums.

Extensive dyno work showed me that in my area the BP had the lowest knock values, thus greatest HP.
 
Originally Posted By: cchase
I hesitate to mention this because I rarely put any stock in peoples mpg claims online, but...

I switched over from "whatever's cheapest" (usually Mobil) to Shell 2 tanks ago and with the same driving style, speed, and routes went up 3 mpg on my GTO (premium). It's enough to keep me sticking with the Shell.

Did you factor in warmer temps?
 
Originally Posted By: Bamaro
Originally Posted By: cchase
I hesitate to mention this because I rarely put any stock in peoples mpg claims online, but...

I switched over from "whatever's cheapest" (usually Mobil) to Shell 2 tanks ago and with the same driving style, speed, and routes went up 3 mpg on my GTO (premium). It's enough to keep me sticking with the Shell.

Did you factor in warmer temps?


Yes. The fuel is the only thing that changed and it is back down on my current tank with grocery store brand gas...
 
Originally Posted By: BBDartCA
If I interpret this to mean that all top tier gas has between 8...10% of ethanol, then I'm going to go out of my way to avoid the stuff!

http://www.toptiergas.com/deposit_control.html

1.3.1.2 Base Fuel. The base fuel shall conform to ASTM D 4814 and shall contain commercial fuel grade ethanol conforming to ASTM D 4806. All gasoline blend stocks used to formulate the base fuel shall be representative of normal U.S. refinery operations and shall be derived from conversion units downstream of distillation. Butanes and pentanes are allowed for vapor pressure adjustment. The use of chemical streams is prohibited. The base fuel shall have the following specific properties after the addition of ethanol:

1. Contain enough denatured ethanol such that the actual ethanol content is no less than 8.0 and no more than 10.0 volume percent.



You can't get gas in my area unless it is the E10 [censored]. Top Tier brands or otherwise. They can not sell regular gas here.
 
Originally Posted By: Eddie
By calculation E10 will give 4.3% less mileage.

Yeah, and I've heard other people report significant gains running ethanol-free gas. There are a couple stations on the island that sell it so I did some testing of my own. The result for me was that e-free gas gave statically indistinguishable MPGs from the standard E10. So, go figure. heh
 
Originally Posted By: Eddie
By calculation E10 will give 4.3% less mileage.


My truck loses about 7% city/10% highway mileage when using E10, compared to E0
My wife's car loses about 3% city/5% highway mileage when using E10, compared to E0

Both are non-FFV designed to run on 87 octane (min), 100% gas. The owners manuals state this, along with the fact that up to 10% ethanol can be used without harm.

Anybody else worried about warranty issues when we move to E15 or E20???
 
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