A reminder to run Top Tier fuel and avoid cheap gas

[N7turbo]

Besides that, 10 times better protection than what?

Probably compared to gas without additives, which might not exist in the wild.

 

[sm1ke]

From website bp says… "bp and Amoco gasolines with Invigorate® offers 10 times better protection against intake value deposits and helps clean any deposits left by minimum detergency fuels."

I think they meant to say "valve", not "value". Besides that, 10 times better protection than what?

A minimum detergency fuel is a fuel that meets only minimum government standards. I think that's what they're referring to, which I assume are fuels from places like Esso, 7-11, Circle-K, or other smaller stations.

I found this CR article that shows the difference in intake valve build up, comparing Top Tier to non-Top Tier fuel used.

The results showed that, on average, non-Top Tier gasoline left 19 times more carbon deposits on injectors and intake valves and in the combustion chamber than Top Tier gasoline had.

AAA also found that Top Tier gasoline can have a cleansing effect, reducing intake valve deposits by 45 to 72 percent when used over a 5,000-mile interval. Variation in the results is attributed to the detergents used by different brands.

While the intake valves on our GDI engines won't benefit from a Top Tier fuel, it does help with keeping injectors and combustion chambers clean. I also learned that while the detergents do have some cleaning power, they're better at preventing carbon build up, and they won't clean caked on deposits. So it's not like you can run non-Top Tier gas for 5 years, then run Top Tier gas and expect it to wash off the deposits. Ideally you would run a Top Tier gasoline consistently to clean and prevent carbon build up.

 

[bojo]

Been running Shell Nitro Premium in my 2025 CX5 Non Turbo. That, combined with bumping up to Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5w30 (from 0w20) , couldn't be happier with the cars responsiveness, acceleration, and the way it purrs so quiet at idle I sometimes think the engine shut off.