Ford Owners Manual - Top Tier Gasoline

[Lambeau]

So I was reading our Explorers owners manual. Ya, I know I’m SVTP, and shouldn't be reading an owners manual but I found this pretty interesting.
I’ve never really paid attention to Top Tier fuel details before:

TOP TIER™ is recognized as a premier fuel performance specification developed and enforced by leading automotive and heavy duty equipment manufacturers. The intention of TOP TIER™ is to create a winning situation for retailers, auto manufacturers, and drivers.

TOP TIER™ Detergent Gasoline was first introduced in 2004 when a group of automakers recognized the need for a higher detergency gasoline standard than that required by regulation:

When the U.S. minimum additive performance standards were first established in 1995, many gasoline marketers reduced the concentration of detergent additive in market gasoline by up to 50%. As a result, many automakers experienced instances of deposit build up within engines leading to poor performance and sometimes engine damage, both resulting in dissatisfied customers.

Vehicle and equipment manufacturer sponsors have a specification by which they can drive market fuel improvements to meet the ever changing demands of engine technology when regulations or specifications may not go far enough.

Top Tier retailers in the USA:
TOP TIER™ Gasoline Brands

Not a big CR guy, so for what it’s worth:
Study Shows Top Tier Gasoline Worth the Extra Price

Carfax info:
Everything You Need to Know About Top Tier Gas | CARFAX

We pretty much always use BP gas. Back in 2013 they joined TTG:
BP joins ’top tier’ detergent gasoline program | News and insights | Home

Even though they’re still listed as a Top Tier Gas, in 2016 they reinvented “Invigorate”:
BP Debuts New Fuel, Refreshed Look for BP-Branded Retail Sites | Press releases | Media room | BP U.S.

We’ve always purchased name brand gasoline and haven't any fuel related issues over the years, knock on wood.

Anyone have any knowledge or experience with these claims and TTG?

 

[nxhappy]

maybe it burns cleaner, maybe it doesn't. It's all about money and advertisement and that's the ONLY reason it's in the owners manual. Usually I fill at Arco or Valero, both of which claim to use TT. Honestly I don't think it matters. You are better off running some injector cleaner every once and a while, along with some seafoam. I can tell you for certain the seafoam has amazing results.

 

[03cobra#694]

What vehicle? I only run Mobil in my 18 EB 150.

 

[RedVenom48]

Essentially it means dont run shit fuel and your engine will run very well.

 

[derklug]

With direct injection, the fuel doesn't hit the valves anyway so the detergent value is wasted. I can't say if I have been to a station that didn't have top tier in recent years.

 

[CobraBob]

Costco is the lowest priced gasoline in my area AND it is Top Tier. I've been using Top Tier at Costco for the past few years.

 

[Lambeau]

maybe it burns cleaner, maybe it doesn't. It's all about money and advertisement and that's the ONLY reason it's in the owners manual. Usually I fill at Arco or Valero, both of which claim to use TT. Honestly I don't think it matters. You are better off running some injector cleaner every once and a while, along with some seafoam. I can tell you for certain the seafoam has amazing results.

For about the past 10 years I've been using Techron and most recently RP Max Clean in our vehicles ~2x/yr.

What vehicle? I only run Mobil in my 18 EB 150.

My wife's 2019 3.5L EB.

 

[Kiohtee]

I use Shell non-ethanol 93 and Sheetz E85. Sometimes Shell's regular ethanol 93 depending on where I'm at when I need it.

 

[nxhappy]

Costco is the lowest priced gasoline in my area AND it is Top Tier. I've been using Top Tier at Costco for the past few years.

my local costco has a line longer than disneyland LOL I Never go there because filling up takes 30 damn minutes

 

[me32]

I perfer chevron, if not available then shell, 76 would be my 3rd. When i had a cosco membership i would use them. They also have good gas.

 

[03Sssnake]

maybe it burns cleaner, maybe it doesn't. It's all about money and advertisement and that's the ONLY reason it's in the owners manual. Usually I fill at Arco or Valero, both of which claim to use TT. Honestly I don't think it matters. You are better off running some injector cleaner every once and a while, along with some seafoam. I can tell you for certain the seafoam has amazing results.

I like Valero their 93 and E85 are great. The E85 usually tests close to 90% and the 93 never showed knock in any of logs.

 

[jaxbusa]

This subject is crazy because I was just asking my wife the other day. Our closest gas station doesn’t even advertise what brand it has at the pump and it started the conversation. Thanks for sharing.


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[coposrv]

After every oil change my dad says to drain the gas tank, fill with water and Palmolive and let it run for 17 mins. Cleans the sludge he says.


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[OETKB]

Let me dissect this discussion to "good gas" versus "not good gas".

My FIL had a little four banger 91 Mazda truck that he bought new. I'd borrow it routinely, and it would spark knock like crazy. I'd always fill it up with premium to remedy this, while he'd drive across town to buy cheap no-name gas if he could save a nickel a gallon.

Long story short, he died, we inherited the truck 14 years old and I started filling it up with good name brand regular 87 gas. Ran fine. Ran great, actually.

It was the cheap ass gas he bought, not the need for premium level octane that caused the issues.

 

[Serpent]

my local costco has a line longer than disneyland LOL I Never go there because filling up takes 30 damn minutes

Lol, ive dropped off a roommate at the train station at 6am and the costco line is 6 wide already 5-6 cars in each queue.

 

[08mojo]

For me, there is a noticeable difference between filling my car with 93 from a top-tier station (more power) vs one that's not. This is a boosted car, so I'm sure the difference is more dramatic.

That said, we have a 'beater' that gets 87 from Kroger. Cannot tell a difference between the Kroger gas in that car vs a top-tier station.

 

[BigPoppa]

Top Tier gasoline keeps the chamber from buildup as well as valves. But, it also keeps injectors clean from gumming, which is beneficial to direct injection engines as well.

 

[Coiled03]

For me, there is a noticeable difference between filling my car with 93 from a top-tier station (more power) vs one that's not. This is a boosted car, so I'm sure the difference is more dramatic.

That said, we have a 'beater' that gets 87 from Kroger. Cannot tell a difference between the Kroger gas in that car vs a top-tier station.

I'd like to see proof of that on a dyno.

 

[08mojo]

I'd like to see proof of that on a dyno.

If you pay for the dyno sessions, I'm happy to put it on one. For what it's worth, it's a factory turbo car. I never noticed a difference going from Kroger gas to Shell gas in my previous Mustangs ('14 5.0 and '16 5.0), nor did I notice a difference in the Jeep SRT. But I can tell you, without a doubt, there is a noticeable difference when getting into boost on my new car.

 

[BigPoppa]

The detergents really shouldn't make a difference in power in between fill ups. The only thing that should make a difference is octane. If you don't have as much power between fill ups at two different places, it's most likely the actually octane is different despite what is on the label of the gas pump.

The detergents only prevent buildup over a long period of thousands of miles.