Thor Forums

[Oneilkeys]

Originally Posted by petew

While cheap gas may not have as many additives at the "Top Tier" gas it won't hurt your rig , at least so says AAA and some car manufacturers (Toyota for example ).
Clean fuel injectors are very important to proper engine operation and there may be less detergent in cheap stuff.
Chevron Techron is touted as one of the best injector cleaners out there and is available in Walmart and Autozone as well as many other places.
It is the exact additive that Chevron uses in their fuel and a bottle is not expensive. Added twice a year or so is said to keep the fuel system clean.
With this in mind I use the cheap gas in my Ford V10 . I stabilize the fuel when the rig will sit for a couple of months and plan to treat it to some Techron on occasion .
To me the weak link in our gas fuel systems is the generator which uses a carburetor with very small passages (small engine) and is most at risk from the ethanol gas sold at most every station.
I am lucky to have several gas stations in my area that sell ethanol free gas and I use it exclusively in all of my small engines. I don't really have that choice when on the road with the RV.
With the exception of the AAA report on cheap gas I read and the quote from a Toyota engineer contained therein the rest is my opinion based on what has worked for me in the past.

Pete

Not exactly true. Read the following from AAA.

“AAA was surprised to learn the extent to which detergent additives impact gasoline quality,” revealed John Nielsen, AAA’s managing director of Automotive Engineering and Repair. “As advertised, tested TOP TIER gasolines kept engines remarkably cleaner than other fuels we tested.”

In response to increasing levels of carbon deposits in modern engine designs, the Environmental Protection Agency mandated a minimum level of detergent for all gasoline sold in the United States in 1996. However, some automakers believe the minimum does not go far enough to ensure optimal vehicle performance and their ability to meet increasingly-stringent fuel economy and emissions requirements. The TOP TIER program and performance standard were developed to guarantee that program participants’ gasoline meets stricter targets for engine cleanliness.

“When it comes to selecting a gasoline, automakers got it right – TOP TIER gasoline performs best,” continued Nielsen. “By selecting a quality gasoline, drivers can minimize engine deposits, increase vehicle performance and improve fuel economy.”

If AAA is right, I see little downside (besides a few pennies per gallon) from purchasing TopTier gasoline and substantial risk to your engine, especially if you keep your RV for many years, if you do not.