Regular use of Top Tier gas … Top tier gas is just one of the things you need to know about your car’s fuel. Protects engines from buildup and prevents deposits that deprive engines of performance, responsiveness, fuel economy and long-term reliability. Ethanol wreaks havoc on systems that were not designed for their use. It's not Top Tier. It would be nice to see a Top Tier logo on the pumps, but that’s optional. “With other cars being just fine using the standard, lower octane gas.”. [6] And General Motors fuels engineer Andrew Buczynsky says the various engine-cleaning additives available at auto-parts stores should be used with caution. These vehicles require higher levels of detergents to avoid reduced performance. "[9], In 2004 the standard was adopted by ten gasoline distributors. Most people tend to look at fuel prices first when they choose a gas station for a fill-up. Magliozzi's co-host, Ray Magliozzi, said that in order to be sure of preventing buildup of fuel injectors and valves, motorists should use Top Tier gasoline "at least most of the time. While I agree that most fuel tanker trucks fill up from the same distribution point, it's the additive packages that are added that makes the Top Tier fuel worth the extra cost. A 2007 USA Today article quoted three critics who say it has little or no benefit, but the same article quoted three endorsers of the new standard. The only top tier I avoid is BP, I hate BP because of the Deepwater Horizon "accident" in the Gulf of Mexico a few years ago. AAA hired an independent lab to complete 4,000 miles of simulated driving to compare Top Tier gasoline with the cheaper blends. Yet only around one in ten actually purchase gas based upon its detergent additive package. Here's what I got when I asked about Sunoco and Top Tier "Sunoco gasoline has always been known for high quality, even before we became Top Tier certified - that is not changing. Toyota. As of 2018, Top Tier Detergent Gasoline is available from 61 licensed retail brands and Top Tier Diesel Fuel is available from 5 licensed retail brands. In milder cases, a mechanic may solve the problem by adding a can of fuel-injector cleaner into the gas tank. [17] At first GDI was mainly available in high-end autos, but it is now being used in mid-range cars and economy cars, such as the Hyundai Sonata, Ford Focus and Hyundai Accent. Top Tier certification is also making its international debut this year. When the frequency of misfires reaches a certain point, the on-board computer turns on the "service engine" light on the dash. According to industry spokespeople, using "Top Tier" gas is supposed to result in less engine 'gunk' build-up and improved engine life. Many brands of gasoline are formulated with less optimal additive packages that allow deposits to build in fuel injectors, intake valves and combustion chambers. [5][6] When fuel injectors accumulate deposits, they do not distribute fuel evenly, creating pockets of too much fuel and too little fuel. Typically, Top Tier gasolines will contain two to three times the amount of detergent additives currently required by the EPA. It’s not easy to earn top tier recognition because you have to pass four fuel tests: fuel injectors, deposit control in the intake valves, combustion chambers, and the fuel has to prove that it prevents the intake valve from sticking. by Tony Medley . "[8], In order to be certified as Top Tier, a gasoline must pass a series of performance tests that demonstrate specified levels of: 1) deposit control on intake valves; 2) deposit control on fuel injectors; 3) deposit control on combustion chambers; 4) prevention of intake-valve sticking. And does it justify the possible inconvenience and additional cost of purchasing gas at a Top Tier station? The advantages of top tier gas. GetGo is a subsidiary of The grocery chain Giant Eagle, and are found in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, and Maryland. [18][19][20], In 2004 representatives of BMW, General Motors, Honda, and Toyota got together to specify what makes a good fuel. It’s an explosive hydrocarbon cocktail containing all kinds of different chemicals. Top Tier gas promises to keep your engine a lot cleaner, without a lot additional cost", "On the Line: The Quest for Better Fuel Economy", "Quality of gasoline declines as prices billow", TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline Marks One Year, Shell Canada Limited - TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline, https://www.toptiergas.com/licensed-brands/, https://www.toptiergas.com/diesel-licensed-brands/, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Top_Tier_Detergent_Gasoline&oldid=1014348990, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Articles with a promotional tone from December 2016, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2018, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2016, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Chevron (USA, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, El Salvador, Colombia), Co-op Diesel (Canada - select locations only), Costco Wholesale - Diesel (USA - select locations only, Canada - select locations only), Fast Stop - Diesel (USA - select locations only), Fast Stop Express - Diesel (USA - select locations only), Kirkland Signature Gasoline (USA, Canada, Mexico), Kirkland Signature - Diesel (USA - select locations only, Canada - select locations only), PUMA (Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Puerto Rico), Texaco (USA, Canada, Panama, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Colombia), This page was last edited on 26 March 2021, at 16:00. [9][2][13] New vehicles will supposedly benefit by keeping their engine clean and running optimally, while older vehicles may benefit with increased engine performance and prolonged vehicle life. However, this problem has become less common as manufacturers are now making these units with improved alloys that are less affected by these forms of sulfur. I was General Counsel for an oil company for several years. Their findings show that the additive packages in Top Tier gas resulted in fewer carbon deposits than those found in the non-Top Tier gasoline test. [1], The Top Tier standards must apply to all grades of gasoline or diesel that a company sells, whether it is economy (low-octane) or premium (high-octane). The idea was to keep engines cleaner while improving performance and fuel economy and producing lower emissions. The Top Tier program works well because of how it was designed, said Monroe, combining engine needs with fuel detergency performance. [2], Detergent additives serve to prevent the buildup of engine "gunk," which can cause a host of mechanical problems. At the time of writing, apparently not. These stations must all meet high standards set by Top Tier before they can be approved to sell the gas. Feed it properly!”. Gas brands can participate and get a TOP TIER license if they meet certain standards, which includes performance tests for intake valve and combustion chamber deposits, fuel injector fouling, and intake valve sticking. These are added to the gas to increase energy efficiency. Here's what I got when I asked about Sunoco and Top Tier "Sunoco gasoline has always been known for high quality, even before we became Top Tier certified - that is not changing. What is Top Tier Gas? You might have noticed the “Top Tier Detergent Gasoline” logo at a gas station. 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