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I typically put Pilot, Loves, Marathon, Mobil, sometimes Shell, sometimes BP in my daily driver. Have no issue with Chevron, Texaco, Phillips 66, Sunoco.
I put CountryMark 91 ethanol free in my old cars and lawnmowers just because it is the closest ethanol free.
I buy whatever's cheapest. Usually that's the gas pumps by the Walmart. Modern gasolines have to meet so many standards that they're all fine. This is not something to worry about.
I have always preferred Sunoco, never a problem going back to the days of 260 at the pump. Totally sold when I had to pull intake on old Lexus w/ 200+k that was pretty much Sunoco exclusive and valves were perfectly clean.
Always hated Exxon & Mobil as within 5-10 minutes after getting gas in multiple older cars the preignition would start every time when the load increased, no imagination involved. The bonus being those 2 brands are typically 10-15 cents more expensive.
My friend stopped selling gas (Sunoco) so I now usually run Costco with no issues.
Last edited by bccan; December 13th, 2021 at 06:06 AM.
My Dad was a chemist for Sunoco many years ago and was sold on Hi-test as it burned cleaner and you will get better mileage. I used to drive 50 miles a day to work and I could clearly see better mileage with Hi-test.
The lowest price is the best gas I use. I actually did mix 110 and ethanol free 91 50/50 in my Jetfire to see how it would run since it is high compression with boost. I could not even tell a difference.
Gas is indeed a commodity but as has been discussed before, many brands have a proprietary or individual additive package and many brands are just the same as the other. Top Tier MIGHT be an example but as I understand, it is a club, largely paid to be a member of, but at least there are standards, kind of like API.
I sure licked a lot of green and plaid stamps as a kid, strengthened my tongue for those really long bus rides to school on really short busses!
Cheapest I can find from a reputable station. Usually just put in 87 octane. I have a stock original 69 350-2 with 80k mi on it. Occasionally put in some lead additive for good luck, not sure it needs it.
The Top Tier organization says its products can help keep your engine’s intake valves, fuel injectors and combustion chamber free from deposits left by unburned gas. This isn’t wishful thinking on the part of these gasoline marketers. Third-party research backs up at least some of the Top Tier claims.
According to studies by the likes of AAA and MotorWeek, Top Tier detergent gasoline has a noticeable impact on engine deposits. Consider the AAA results. They indicate that, on average, engines running on Top Tier fuel end up with 19 times fewer intake-valve deposits than those that rely on non-Top Tier gas. AAA says that over the long term, the increased deposits left by non-Top Tier gas can reduce fuel economy by 2 to 4 percent and cause a major increase in emissions.
i.e.,
Shell (advertises 7x the detergent additive needed to meet Federal regs)
Chevron (advertises use of Techron detergent--the one my best car bud uses to clean his injectors after using cheap gas)
Exxon Mobil (advertises detergents keep engine 2X cleaner. Tracers are part of the detergent to ensure each gallon has correct concentration. Premium fuel only.)
Some of y'all have the luxury of a good regional fuel blend. What we get out of Greensboro NC tank farm is **** no matter what brand it is. I've proved more than once that fuel mileage and performance on my vehicles is better on fuel from Charlotte or Selma NC or Richmond VA tank farms. As in 14 mpg on Greensboro gas vs 19 on Charlotte-sourced gas. Same route, speeds, weather conditions, gas brand; the only variable was the fuel source.
You would think Charlotte and Richmond air quality standards would be as stringent as the Piedmont Triad area.
87 here is all within a couple cents of being the same price so I get top-tier if it's convenient. Can't see driving 10 miles the other side of town to get Shell and there are no longer any Texaco stations in the area. Run a lot of Sheetz, Valero and Citgo with a 20oz dose of Techron at every oil change.
Before the older Oldsmobiles went dormant they got mostly BP or Texaco.
I would not pay 10 or 15 cents more for the "TT" gas, nor would I drive around looking for it. A mile from our house in Providence RI, there's a full service Citgo that's less than the self serve off brands.if we go to our other house, gas is 30 cents more, self service and off brand. So...it makes sense for me to use it, particularly in our injected cars. I would seriously doubt any gas engine I have has carbon deposits, lol.
All gasoline is delivered to a terminal (tank storage) via pipe line. Different brand vendors will pick up gasoline by tank truck. At this time the fresh gasoline is " Blended" with the different additives of the major retailers. After blending and loading gasoline is trucked to your local gas station to be sold. Another thing, there are no pipe lines for 'Ethanol". It has to be trucked to a terminal and stored in a tank. The ethanol has to be blended just like the additives. The blending of the ethanol with the gasoline is referred to as " Splash Blending ".
I'm pretty lucky, Arco is closest to my house only a few blocks away they are also consistently the cheapest around me and they are top tier ,I fuel both my Jeep, my wife's Torrent there both of them run fine with no ill effects using the lower octane fuel, I also fuel the 56 there however it gets only premium fuel, It has never exhibited pinging, knocking or run-on so I will just continue to use the premium in it.
Back in the day I worked for Montgomery Wards we had a auto center and we serviced everything we even did convertible tops and seat covers, exhaust, installed knee freezer A/C units, stereo's, at our store we did just about everything except heavy line work. we also had a pretty busy gas island with 6 pumps but we only sold regular and premium, my go fast racing buddies who worked there would not buy their fuel there the would go to the other end of the mall and buy their fuel at the JC Penny auto center because they had multi-grade pumps
with the options
for higher octane fuels, I didn't believe it I thought it was a sales gimmick and at the time I didn't have a vehicle that required anything but standard pump fuel. Anyway remember these ? this is what the JC Penny auto center had, I believe Sunoco had something similar.
Shell or BP around me are top tier. A local convenience store has converted to Mobil, which I have not used in years. Also all Meijers gas stations started carrying top tier fuel about 6 months ago. Plus I get 10 cents off/gal. This is what I use due to price and it's easy to get in and out of!
I would not pay 10 or 15 cents more for the "TT" gas, nor would I drive around looking for it. A mile from our house in Providence RI, there's a full service Citgo that's less than the self serve off brands.if we go to our other house, gas is 30 cents more, self service and off brand. So...it makes sense for me to use it, particularly in our injected cars. I would seriously doubt any gas engine I have has carbon deposits, lol.
Direct Injection engines have quite a few problems with carbon buildup.
We get Chevron 94 ethanol-free around these parts, so that's what goes in the Olds, along with a bottle of Lucas octane boost. The others get whatever they get as long as it's top tier and the appropriate octane rating.
Go to a local fuel depot, and watch every brand trucks roll up and under the same rig and have the same fuel pumped from the same tanks, no matter the brand.
It is all marketing crap. that one brands is better than anothers.
Go to a local fuel depot, and watch every brand trucks roll up and under the same rig and have the same fuel pumped from the same tanks, no matter the brand.
It is all marketing crap. that one brands is better than anothers.
Not true.
Top Tier gas must be licensed and authorized to meet the standards set. Top Tier Detergent Gasoline additives must be present at the correct concentration. Top Tier licensed retailers agree to not use organometallic additives (such as MMT or Ferrocine).
The test engine operated on a TOP TIER gasoline averaged 19 times fewer intake valve deposits than when it was operated on non- TOP TIER gasoline. (based on the ASTM D6201 test - TOP TIER gasoline averaged 34.1mg of deposits per intake valve versus non- TOP TIER average of 660.6mg
Shell V-power which is top tier in the old cars up to about 10:1 cr. Plugs look good, easy starting in hot weather. Mileage and seat of the pants performance in our Avalon and Camry is much better. BP here is also top tier, I switch it up once in a while.
Top Tier gas must be licensed and authorized to meet the standards set. Top Tier Detergent Gasoline additives must be present at the correct concentration. Top Tier licensed retailers agree to not use organometallic additives (such as MMT or Ferrocine).
The test engine operated on a TOP TIER gasoline averaged 19 times fewer intake valve deposits than when it was operated on non- TOP TIER gasoline. (based on the ASTM D6201 test - TOP TIER gasoline averaged 34.1mg of deposits per intake valve versus non- TOP TIER average of 660.6mg
I will state this AGAIN. no matter what a 35 page study states. Go to your local fuel depot, and watch every and all brand gas station tankers roll in, and under that same rig, and get filled from the same holding tanks..
What that study states, and what happens daily, is TWO different things.
I will state this AGAIN. no matter what a 35 page study states. Go to your local fuel depot, and watch every and all brand gas station tankers roll in, and under that same rig, and get filled from the same holding tanks..
What that study states, and what happens daily, is TWO different things.
How does the load of fuel in the tanker truck become 87 octane, 91 octane, 93 octane or Diesel between the fuel depot and the gas station/convenience store ?
June 8th, 2021, 07:22 AM
