My Honda sat in the garage until today when I could finally find some top tier fuel at Shell. I try not to use that Racetrack/Speedway junk. Sad that only the bargain brand stations were open across the Tampa Bay Area, thanks to the Hurricane. Strange. But hey, things are returning to normal again for most of us. Hurray.
Top-tier gasolines, again!
Knifeman
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My Honda sat in the garage until today when I could finally find some top tier fuel at Shell. I try not to use that Racetrack/Speedway junk. Sad that only the bargain brand stations were open across the Tampa Bay Area, thanks to the Hurricane. Strange. But hey, things are returning to normal again for most of us. Hurray.
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??? What is wrong with Racetrack Gas? We have a RT station at the entrance of our neighborhood and that is all I ever use…..
Nothing wrong with it. All one needs to do a follow a tanker from the fuel depot on Zoo Parkway in Jax and see the various stops they make. Apparently some people think Shell gas comes from the Shell terminal in a Shell truck and only stops at Shell stations.
In a couple words, the answer lies here: TOP TIER. This is something we discuss a good bit on other forums, but no so much here. Seems it's been a long while since we even addressed this subject around here.
It's amazing how many threads address the issue of gas mileage or premium vs regular on those forums, but threads that specifically addresses WHERE we buy our gas are rare. That's likely because like OIL, there are a lot of myths floating about concerning which brand of gas we use, and people tend to be intensely loyal to their fav. brand. Something I learned awhile back was that according to the owner's manual in my car, I was buying the wrong brand of gas. Bear with me here. Our first question is usually, "Should I use regular or premium?" We've argued over this more than once on these pages. But a more important question is, "WHERE should I be buying my gas?" The WHERE is important because many owners know little or nothing about top tier fuels.
I'd like to make this simple. Rather than explain what top tier fuel is, if you don't know, just do a quick google search on "top tier fuels." Or start with Consumer Reports latest article on the subject here CLICKY. The net is awash with plenty of good information about this. That said, the owner's manual in my new Tucson says: "If top tier detergent gasoline is not available, one bottle of additive is recommended..." Reading a little further reveals that they are referring to utilizing fuel additives (like Techron) every 8,000 miles. I'm not making this up. Hyundai didn't come right out and demand that we use top tier fuels ONLY, but do the math, folks, that's what they're saying. And Hyundai is not alone: other manufacturers recommend the same.
The bigger question is why, and what's this got to do with my Gold Wing? It is well documented that top tier fuels make a big difference inside your engine. Will I get better mileage and smoother running today? Not likely. But use TT fuel exclusively for years, tear down the engine and compare with the other guy who didn't. Two simple facts: your engine does develop deposits over time, and second, TT fuels limit those deposits. Top tier fuels are worth every extra penny they cost. It's worth learning about because it really MATTERS. And know this: every station in town uses the same gas from the same refiner. The difference takes place when it's loaded into the tanker. That's where the additive package goes in. Consider the words of one guy who actual drove a tanker and DID THIS. CLICKY HERE. Once that tanker leaves the terminal bound for Racetrack or Shell, it's no longer the same fuel. End of story.
At least one consumer here bunked by ‘product differentiation’ that justifies them into paying more for supposed benefits that are never realized because they also have a need to buy vehicles before they are worn out or need expensive repairs caused by “crap gas.”
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What @garyahouse said is Gospel. For a few years I managed a fuel truck terminal for our refinery in Port Arthur TX. Two other area refiners also had local terminals. We had "exchange" contracts with EVERY gasoline brand which allowed all brands to sell gasoline from every refinery to every brand. Our "Fina" (now Total) refinery provided gasoline to Shell, Exxon, Texaco, Gulf, Chevron, British Petroleum, and a whole bunch of other brands. The major branded carriers dumped their own additive into the tanker at the point of loading.
Some of the independent brands, and none of the unbranded sellers did not use ANY additives. A steady diet of raw (no additive) gasoline will foul injectors.
Gasoline is gasoline, regardless of the brand. The additive package is the major difference. Also, the top tier brands are more likely to enforce the gas station operators to pay strict attention to the water-cuts in the underground fuel tanks and the condition of their equipment.
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Make that two consumers. I tend to keep my vehicles a long time. I rode my 2006 Wing 320,000 miles. At this time my present 2012 Wing at 165,000 miles is the baby of the bunch in my fleet, for both my car and my truck have over 200,000 miles, and I've never had any injector issues. I'll gladly pay a couple of cents extra for peace of mind.
... I didn't realize when I posted that above that we've had a go-round with this subject before. But that was back before I joined the forum. CLICKY Based on that thread, it seems like there were a few Nay-sayers in 2019, just as there are now on some of the other forums I frequent. Over on the Dodge Challenger forum, they've done some extensive hands-on testing with this. Guys in search of every possible horsepower spend many hours tearing down their engines examining every possible problem that they can find, including engine deposits. Some even posted comparative (before and after/with and without) pictures of the deposits they found. It became very clear to me based on the evidence they provided, as well as many other sources, that top tier fuel with its higher concentration of additives, is the real deal and it works as advertised.
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We just now had a thread drift way off-topic onto the subject of gasoline brands, additives, etc. One of the posters PM'd me and asked if we could perhaps start a new thread on this subject for there is some interesting information here. I like that idea, so I am moving those posts into this new thread.
The previous 8 posts were originally in another thread. Now, let's talk gasoline!
Glen
The previous 8 posts were originally in another thread. Now, let's talk gasoline!
Glen
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6,784 Posts
I need to clarify a statement I made in what is now Post #6 above. At the time I was managing a terminal additives were not mandatory, and were used in only a few top brands. Later on the EPA mandated that ALL gasoline sold in the US have at least some detergent additives. Presently all gasoline contains some additive, but the top-tier distributors use what they advertise as a better additive. I have no experience with modern additives but wanted to clarify my earlier statement.
I was reading a post written by another fella who delivered gas to gas stations for a living. He talked about where he got the gas and what additives were mandated by the government that they put into his "load" before heading for the cheapest gas stations. He mentioned a couple, but Speedway sticks in my mind. He talked about how they put specific additive formulas in Shell, Mobil, Chevron, etc., and in specific amounts: sometimes 2 1/2 times what was put in for the cheap stations. He said they were very specific about what additives were put in and how much. He said these additives were monitored carefully, especially for the top tier stations. His post was written 12 years ago, so some of what he said may not be relevant now, but Shell for example, at that time, put the same exact additive package in all grades of their gasoline. At other stations, and I forget which, he was instructed to put more into their premium blends. But his "data" was rather old, so I didn't copy it down. Suffice to say that not all fuel packages are created equal. He also mentioned that although Speedway was owned by Marathon (at that time: I'm not sure now), he was required to put the appropriate amount of top tier additives in the Marathon, but much less (minimum government requirement) in the fuel destined for Speedway. He also mentioned that cheaper stations shopped the market daily for the cheapest suppliers and the cheapest additives. His final comments: the fuel came from the same place and was delivered by the same truck. The only difference was the additive package it contained, and that this package was VERy carefully monitored and regulated.
Ok, in regards to Shell, maybe someone more knowledgeable can answer this. They (Shell) advertise their gas is nitrogen enriched but I haven't seen any other company make that claim. Is this also an additive that gets added to the fuel truck at the refinery? And does nitrogen enriched fuel actually make any difference? It may be a placebo effect but whenever I have fueled up at Shell stations, I seem to get less mpg than at other places. Is that just my imagination?
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I buy Top Tier fuel as much as possible and most (obviously not all) stations in my area carry Top Tier signage. The owners manual in my 2013 GMC strongly recommends it.
It's priced exactly the same as the non TT gasoline everywhere around my location.
It's priced exactly the same as the non TT gasoline everywhere around my location.
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Absolutely no fuel related problems over the years and approximately 300,000+. smiles on different GW's all using ethanol fuel. I do use ethanol free fuel in all my mowers, chain saws, etc.
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You are very lucky indeed. I have a buddy back in NC whose small engine business survives (and sometimes thrives) on the number of carburetors he has to rebuild each year from ethanol damage in everything from chain saws, edgers, atv's, etc.
Regardless of supplier, I have never seen a sticker or signage indicating Top Tier fuel. I’ve looked for it. Maybe it’s a forest-for-the-trees kind of thing, IDK. Other than a brand such as Shell or Chevron which I guess is assumed to be TT, would someone tell me how to identify TT fuel.
Gold Wing problems, though?
Id be curious to know how much of a difference it makes in a non emissions engine vs one with emissions controls. I do know that not all def is the same and has caused havok on our trucks. I have to wonder if the detergents are necessary, especially with egr where the burnt exhaust is run back through the engine and the detergents are needed to keep things clean. Ive seen several threads on the hd forums regarding their crankcase breathers that vent into the air intake and the types of garbage it can leave in the cylinders.
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no luck did you read what fuel I use in my small engine equipment
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