FortMorganAl

Unfortunately Top Tier means a mandatory 8-10% ethanol. http://www.toptiergas.com/deposit_control.html Paragraph 1.3.1.2 line 1. That said, I absolutely HATE ethanol but I also run only Top Tier and mostly Shell.

Yes, but those "certain areas" might not be defined where you would expect them to be defined and even then you could find one station that was forced to sell crap gas while across the street they could sell real gas. The government used to mandate 53 different types of gasoline. We are now down to about 7. See how good the government can be to us?

Not quite. MTBE and ethanol are oxygenates used to improve the combustion and supposedly reduce pollution. As a side benefit, ethanol improves octane. But there are many octane enhancers that were used when lead was outlawed and before MTBE and ethanol were mandated. Again, aren't you glad the government stepped in and outlawed the MTBE that they previously mandated?

For what you can get where, here's a map that might help - http://www.exxon.com/USA-English/Fil...p%20100102.pdf (it's big! - 3mb)

wdavis

I know. Crazy isnt it?

Seems half of our government wont allow the use of the vast oil and natural gas resources in the United States.....or allow for the creation of the many many jobs that would come along with it.

JoesC5

Locally, we have Conoco, Phillips & QT which are Top Tier companies. According to state law, any company in Missouri must sell 10% ethanol blend unless 100% gasoline is cheaper. A local TV station did an article on this and the TV station reported that Rapid Roberts (Conoco) said their 87 and 89 had 10% ethanol but their 91 was 100% gasolone. How can Conoco being sold in Springfield, MO be Top Tier yet be 100% gasoline?

crescentbeachbum

Sunoco 93 here is ALL petroleum distillates according to the delivery driver who gets it from their stock.

Besides, since ethanol is an additive, by law it should be listed on the pumps when present. Shell 93 has no such labeling either.

(those are the only 2 brands I use - Sunoco 93 $4.17 @ gal yesterday on US1 near SR16)

have a safe 4th awl y'awl
don't drive drun k
I'm parking MAX for the next 3 days

FortMorganAl

All I know is that the Top Tier website says "These standards comprise the requirements for TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline." The Top Tier site says you can't be Top Tier is you don't have 8-10% ethanol. It also says "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." All grades would mean ALL grades to me. Now if a particular station owner or driver wants to say something different to a TV reporter...

Maizen

I learned this recently also. I thought Top-Tier gases had no ethenol until Oklahoma passed a law that starting July of this year, all pumps must be marked if it has ethenol. All of a sudden, the Shell station I have been using for several months placed the stickers on their pumps. I then researched the Top-Tier web site and found the 8-10% requirement for a Top-Tier rating. It seems that Valero is about the only company in Oklahoma that I found is not adding ethenol.

I also found a shell station that advertises no ethenol which is either not in compliance with the law or not in compliance with the Top-Tier rating

LMB 4 ME

Chevron is the only station I found that does NOT have an ethenol sticker on the 93 octane pumps

RadarP3C

Jim, the BP's here in Murfreesboro are marked with "up to 10% ethanol" as is most stations here locally. The only place that is not marked is Sam's. But I don't know if "10% ethanol" is required to be listed either...

WHT

As you say, Chavez owns Citgo (changing name to Petro Express due to the loss of gasoline sales in the U.S.). I would rather pee in the tank than use Citgo.

cranky

go to this website "toptiergas.com" there are only eight companies in america that are selling this gas. the website will inform you why to use it in your sports car.

RnLi

If it helps anyone, here is GM's posting of TOP-TIER fuels from the GM Tech Link.......


TOP TIER Gasoline Availability
As mentioned in the August 2004 TechLink, GM participated in developing a TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline standard, which exceeds the detergency standards imposed by the EPA (applies to the United States only).

TIP: A running list of comforming gasoline brands will appear in the Reference Guide section of the TechLink website at http://www.gmtechlink.com.

Chevron
Texaco
QuikTrip
MFA Oil Co. (Break Time stores)
Conoco
Phillips 66
76
Entec Stations
Shell
The Somerset Refinery, Inc. (Somerset Oil)
Kwik Trip / Kwik Star
Aloha Petroleum
Tri-Par Oil Co.
Turkey Hill Minit Markets
Severson Oil Co. (Mileage Stations)
Chevron Canada
Shell Canada
Petro-Canada
Sunoco Canada

foremaw

I won't buy Citgo, its government has officially taken an anti-U.S. stance. The Saudi Arabian government has not.

maxp

but in actions they have taken an 'unofficial' anti-us stance.

Grumpy

getting closer

BSE1956

http://www.russomarine.com/content.a...025&cpid=3386&

Mercury Marine is a fine engine manufacturer. This is the best information I've seen yet.....

Regarding power...10% ehanol summer blend is going to have 30% less "power" or potential engergy in about 10% of it's content.
This means a loss of about 3% overall in potential energy of the fuel.

Does this mean a loss of about 13 horsepower or torque in real terms on a 430HP corvette? Not sure.

Not sure if the fuel companies are telling the truth either...
This subject should be looked into by an independent regulating authority.

dkrhardy

We have the Entec stations here and their pumps say that they exceed top tier levels. I was surprised to see that they are actually on the list. Having said that, they are also WAY less expensive than the other top tier stations.

40idf

Petro Express is a different company. They used to have a contract
with Citgo, but now carry Texaco in my area.

Ethanol has less energy content than gasoline. Using it will get you
lower power and lower mileage. But you can rejoice that it's freakin'
"cleaner."

Joe

BSE1956

Just a thought:

If your local bar was allowed by lawmakers to put in 10% cheap
"beer filler" instead of real beer in your mug, I guess they'd be making more $$$.
Here in NY, it say right on the pump "contains 10% ethanol".
Follow the $$$. That would probably answer a lot of questions.........

Fuego

Chevron doesn't use ethanol. At least not in this area of Texas.

phileaglesfan

I did some research on Top Tier awhile back and they had the same address as Quiktrip which was also the first company on their list. Everyone's gas is the same, it is just the additives that are different.

I usually use Chevron or 66 but I also you a bottle of techron once in awhile. Not if it costs 15-30 cents more a gallon though.

I also noticed that Exxon or Mobil 1 is not on the list which are pretty big gas chains.

Amount of ethanol is usually regulated by local regulations. Gas from all companies use the same pipeline at some point in their travel so we all could be buying gas that initially started in Venezuela at some point.