For those of you who only buy the cheapest gas..

[Bouncer]

A new standard has been developed by BMW, General Motors, Honda, and Toyota for better fuels. The current standard that most gas stations use is not up to par. The detergent additive levels are as low as they legally can be. With that comes increased emissions, decreased performance, and lower fuel economy.

This site list the stations that use the new Top Tier standard that far exceeds the government minimum. http://www.toptiergas.com/retailers.html

Any station not listed on that site could not meet the Top Tier standard.

[beefcake]

Probably still cheaper to buy the cheap shit and just have to pull your heads to surface down your pistons and valves and change out your injector after 100k miles. Frickin "top tier" gas is outrageous. I put that in my gixxer. :thumbsdow

[Bouncer]

Probably still cheaper to buy the cheap shit and just have to pull your heads to surface down your pistons and valves and change out your injector after 100k miles. Frickin "top tier" gas is outrageous. I put that in my gixxer. :thumbsdow

Top Tier gas is just an amount higher in detergents then is the government standard. Shell, Conoco, Chevron, and a few others use a much higher level of these detergents. That is the Top Tier standard.

I think you are referring to the Octane level. (Regular, Medium, and Super) This has nothing to do with what I am talking about.


Here are the details of the standards.

Deposit Control Standards

The standards developed by the four automobile manufacturers (BMW, General Motors, Honda, and Toyota) for TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline are described below. This technical document describes the deposit control performance of unleaded gasoline at the retail level that minimizes deposits on fuel injectors, intake valves, and combustion chambers. These standards comprise the requirements for TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline.

Standards

1.1 Retail Gasoline Performance Standards. The deposit control performance of unleaded gasoline conforming to section 1 of this document shall be met at the retail level in all grades of gasoline sold by a fuel company in all marketing areas of a selected nation. In addition, conformance to the standards shall mean gasoline sold in the selected nation shall not contain metallic additives, including methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT).

1.2 Deposit Control Additive Requirements. The deposit control additive used to meet the performance Standards described in 1.3 shall meet the substantially similar definition under Section 211(f) of the Clean Air Act. Also, the additive shall be certified to have met the minimum deposit control requirements established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 40 CFR Part 80. Lastly, the additive shall be registered with the EPA in accordance with 40 CFR Part 79.

1.3 Deposit Control Initial Performance Standards. Initial deposit control performance shall be demonstrated using the tests shown below.

1.3.1 Intake Valve Keep Clean Initial Performance Standard.

1.3.1.1 Test Method. Intake valve deposit (IVD) keep clean performance shall be demonstrated using ASTM D 6201, Standard Test Method for Dynamometer Evaluation of Unleaded Spark-lgnition Engine Fuel for Intake Valve Deposit Formation. Tests demonstrating base fuel minimum deposit level (1.3.1.2) and additive performance (1.3.1.3) shall be conducted using the same engine block and cylinder head. All results shall be derived from operationally valid tests in accordance with the test validation criteria of ASTM D 6201. IVD results shall be reported for individual valves and as an average of all valves.

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.
2. Contain no less than 8 volume percent olefins. At least 75% of the olefins shall be derived from FCC gasoline as defined by CARB (advisory letter, April 19, 2001).
3. Contain no less than 28 volume percent aromatics.
4. Contain no less than 48 mg/kg sulfur. At least 60% of the sulfur shall be derived from FCC blend stock.
5. Produce a 90% evaporation distillation temperature no less than 290°F.
6. Produce IVD no less than 500 mg averaged over all intake valves.

1.3.1.3 Demonstration of Performance. The base fuel from 1.3.1.2 shall contain enough deposit control additive such the IVD is no more than 50 mg averaged over all intake valves. Results for individual valves and an average shall be reported. The unwashed gum level of the fuel containing deposit control additive shall be determined according to ASTM D 381 and reported.

1.3.2 Combustion Chamber Deposit Initial Performance Standard.

1.3.2.1 Test Method. Combustion chamber deposits (CCD) shall be collected and weighed along with IVD using ASTM D 6201, Standard Test Method for Dynamometer Evaluation of Unleaded Spark-Ignition Engine Fuel for Intake Valve Deposit Formation. ASTM D 6201 does not contain a procedure for collecting and measuring CCD. Adapting a scrape and weigh procedure developed by CARB is recommended (see referenced test method dated March 12, 1999). Results for individual cylinders and an average shall be reported.

1.3.2.2 Base Fuel. Combustion chamber deposits shall be measured for the base fuel from 1.3.1.2.

1.3.2.3 Demonstration of Performance. The base fuel from 1.3.1.2 treated with additive at the concentration meeting the standard found in 1.3.1.3 shall not result in more than 140% of the average CCD weight for the base fuel without additive.

1.3.3 Fuel Injector Fouling Initial Performance Standard.

1.3.3.1 Test Method. Fuel injector fouling shall be measured using the TOP TIER fuel injector fouling vehicle test available from GM. GM will run the test on a first-come-first-served basis and shall make the method available to those who wish to run the test on their own.

1.3.3.2 Base Fuel. Two options for base fuel are available:

1.3.3.2.1 Option 1. A full boiling range hydrocarbon gasoline or gasoline blending component, without oxygenates and without deposit control additives, that results in at least five inoperative injectors when tested by the method in 1.3.3.1.

1.3.3.2.2 Option 2. Federal emissions test gasoline specified in DFR 86.113-04, into which 4-methylbenzenethiol (WARNING: Flammable solid; irritant) has been blended at a concentration of 56 mg/L. The blended fuel must result in at least four inoperative injectors when tested by the method in 1.3.3.1. the Federal emissions gasoline, without deposit control additives, available from Haltermann Products (1201 South Sheldon Road, Channelview, TX 77530; tel.: 800-969-2542) has been found to be satisfactory.

1.3.3.3 Demonstration of Performance. A demonstration of injector fouling shall be done first. At least five out of six injectors (with Option 1) or at least four out of six injectors (with Option 2) shall be inoperative for the test to be valid. A demonstration of additive performance shall be done after the fouling tendency demonstration; no other test shall be conducted on the vehicle in the interim. A demonstration of additive performance shall be conducted using the same vehicle (including the fuel drain and flush procedures and installing new injectors) with the same batch of base fuel, but now containing the same amount of deposit control additive as in 1.3.1.3. A pass is defined as no more than one inoperative injector.

1.3.4 Determination of Deposit Control Additive Performance Concentration.

1.3.4.1 Methodology. The concentration of deposit control additive needed to meet the standards in 1.3.1.3 and 1.3.3.3 should be equivalent. However, if the concentration of deposit control additive in 1.3.3.3 is grater than in 1.3.1.3m the higher value shall be regarded as meeting both standards. Also, if the difference between the two concentrations is grater than 15%, 1.3.2.3 shall be repeated using the higher concentration.

1.3.5 Intake Valve Sticking Initial Performance Standard.

1.3.5.1 Test Method. Intake valve sticking tendency shall be determined using either the 1.9 L Volkswagen engine (Wasserboxer according to CEC F-16-T-96) or the 5.0 L 1990-95 General Motors V-8 engine (SWRI IVS test). Two options are available for demonstrating intake valve sticking tendency.

1.3.5.2 Option 1. The valve-sticking tendency of the test fuel by itself will not have to be demonstrated prior to testing the candidate additive. The following shall be required of all tests:

1. Test fuel shall be either the same as in 1.3.1.2 or CEC valve sticking reference fuel.
2. Concentration of deposit control additive in the test fuel shall be at least twice the amount determined in 1.3.4.1.
3. Test temperature shall be -20°C.
4. Three 16-hr cold soak cycles, each followed by a compression pressure check, shall constitute a complete test.

1.3.5.2.1 Demonstration of Performance. A pass shall result in no stuck valves during any of the three cold starts. A stuck valve is defined as one in which the cylinder pressure is less than 80% of the normal average cylinder compression pressure.

1.3.5.3 Option 2. The valve-sticking tendency of the test fuel together with an additive known to cause valve sticking shall be demonstrated prior to testing the candidate additive. The following shall be required of all tests:

1. Test fuel shall be either the same as in 1.3.1.2 or CEC valve sticking test reference fuel.
2. An additive known to cause valve sticking shall be selected, and, when blended into test fuel, shall demonstrate valve sticking tendency as follows: (a) for the Volkswagen engine, at least two valves shall be stuck; (b) for the GM engine, at least three valves shall be stuck.
3. Test demonstrating performance of the candidate additive shall be conducted at a concentration that is at least three times the amount determined in 1.3.4.1.
4. Test temperature shall be -20°C.
5. One 16-hr cold soak cycle followed by a compression pressure check shall constitute a complete test.

1.3.5.3.1 Demonstration of Performance. A pass shall result in no stuck valves during the cold start. A stuck valve is defined as one in which cylinder compression is less than 80% of the normal average cylinder compression pressure.

[ROCKETW19]

wow intresting stuff B. one thing i can add is a shop that tunes my car tested out three differnt gas companys on the dyno with the same car. 76 was best cheveron was second and shell was third. according to him, i wasnt there.

[beefcake]

No, not refering to the octane, refering to all those gas stations that like to charge 30 cents more than ampm does. It's like name brand versus generic.

[Bouncer]

It's like name brand versus generic.

For certain gas you are correct. For example, Mobil or BP would be the same exact gas as the cheap places because Mobil or BP have not passed the Top Tier tests. BUT, Stations that have adopted the Top Tier Standards such as shell or chevron and the others listed is not the same as the cheap places. They have a higher level of detergents and thus are better for your engine.

[Bouncer]

By the way, the shell station here is cheaper then anyone else anyway. So it makes sense for me to go there.

[redsquirrel]

I've noticed that my car actually does get better gas mileage than the generics...I can usually get a good 25 miles more per tank if I get Shell or Phillips. In fact, I get the best mileage from Philips

[coffee-guy]

Gotta love racing fuel :P...

[Bouncer]

I've noticed that my car actually does get better gas mileage than the generics...I can usually get a good 25 miles more per tank if I get Shell or Phillips. In fact, I get the best mileage from Philips

agreed. my car has a few gauges that tells my current gas mileage and my average. On average I get about 2 miles per gal more with shell then I do at the generics.

[Bouncer]

fucking stop and go traffic screwed my gas mileage up today. I was up to almost 21 MPG and then today with all the Friday traffic took me down to 18.5.