What Is Top Tier Gasoline, and Why Should I Use It?
Top Tier gasoline contains more effective detergents than federally required, which helps clean fuel injectors and reduce harmful carbon deposits inside the engine. Clogged fuel injectors and carbon buildup can result in poor idling, rough running, and hesitation and “knocking” under acceleration, as well as reduced fuel economy and increased exhaust emissions. If you’ve been using non-Top Tier gasoline and experience any of these problems, tests have shown that switching to Top Tier gasoline can reduce these symptoms in 1,000 miles of driving. In fact, some car manufacturers specifically recommend using Top Tier gasoline in owner’s manuals.
Related: Do Fuel Injectors Need Periodic Cleaning?
Why Top Tier Gas Is Helpful and How to Find It
Carbon buildup became a bigger issue with the advent of fuel injection (which replaced carburetors) during the 1980s. So great was the problem that in 1996, the EPA established minimum detergent standards for gasoline. Yet even those standards proved insufficient in some cases, so in 2004, vehicle manufacturers came up with Top Tier gasoline standards for fuel that provided significantly better cleaning performance.
Not all fuel brands adhere to Top Tier gasoline standards. Those that do are listed on the Top Tier website, which also includes a link to a Station Finder App you can download to find Top Tier gas stations near your location when traveling.
Although some Top Tier gas stations show the “Top Tier” logo on their pumps, others do not. But if the brand is listed on the Top Tier website, all stations selling that brand should be dispensing Top Tier gas in all grades (regular, mid-grade and premium). While some brands may include more cleaning power in their premium grade of gas, those brands are not specified on the listing.
Top Tier Gas Vs. Bottled Fuel-Injector Cleaner
Primary causes of the running problems listed above are clogged fuel injectors as well as carbon deposits on intake valves and in the combustion chamber. Tests have shown that different detergents are better at cleaning some of those problem areas than others, so there are often multiple types of detergents used in a given gasoline.
This is noteworthy because some bottled fuel-injector cleaners may only be aimed at cleaning fuel-injector nozzles, while others may claim to also clean intake valves and combustion-chamber deposits. Furthermore, some car manufacturers recommend against using any bottled fuel additives. Thus, consistently filling up with Top Tier gasoline can be more effective (not to mention easier and far less expensive) than using a bottle of fuel-injector cleaner, though the latter — if its use isn’t discouraged — may provide faster results.
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