Shell VPower Premium Unleaded with FMT

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Hi

The Shell VPower with FMT (friction modified technology) does this really work ? ie clean ring area valves and lubricates it.

Or is Shell VPower with FMT just marketing krapp ?

Do all top tier fuels brands have some form of friction reducing additive as Shell claims to have without the hype ?
 
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My opinion is all top tire gas is the same. Because the product is a commodity, companies need to try and differentiate themselves from others to increase sales. Consumers buy into this. I remember when Shell used to promote their gas as having "platformate" in it. It turns out Platformate was in all gasoline's. When I went to university one of my professors used to work for Imperial oil (Exxon) and told many stories how they would try and market gasoline.

A friends father drove a tanker truck for 40 years. He would pick up at the refinery and deliver to stations. One refinery would supply many different brands of retail stations. Truck driver would then dump in a jug of additives that were specific to that retail brand. Sometimes he would forget to dump in the jug if her was in a hurry...
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Originally Posted By: Bluestream
My opinion is all top tire gas is the same. Because the product is a commodity, companies need to try and differentiate themselves from others to increase sales. Consumers buy into this. I remember when Shell used to promote their gas as having "platformate" in it. It turns out Platformate was in all gasoline's. When I went to university one of my professors used to work for Imperial oil (Exxon) and told many stories how they would try and market gasoline.

A friends father drove a tanker truck for 40 years. He would pick up at the refinery and deliver to stations. One refinery would supply many different brands of retail stations. Truck driver would then dump in a jug of additives that were specific to that retail brand. Sometimes he would forget to dump in the jug if her was in a hurry...
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FULL of FAIL.

HOW many times is it going to have to be posted??????????????

It is not a "commodity". If you educate yourself, then you can make an educated comment on top tier fuel.


Please read this:
http://www.toptiergas.com/

"TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline is the premier standard for gasoline performance. Six of the world's top automakers, BMW, General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen and Audi recognize that the current EPA minimum detergent requirements do not go far enough to ensure optimal engine performance.

Since the minimum additive performance standards were first established by EPA in 1995, most gasoline marketers have actually reduced the concentration level of detergent additive in their gasoline by up to 50%. As a result, the ability of a vehicle to maintain stringent Tier 2 emission standards have been hampered, leading to engine deposits which can have a big impact on in-use emissions and driver satisfaction.

These automakers have raised the bar. TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline help drivers avoid lower quality gasoline which can leave deposits on critical engine parts, which reduces engine performance. That's something both drivers and automakers want to avoid."



Also, Read this:

http://yel.pca.org/tech_fuel.php

"Question 1 - Shell and Chevron do not even have refineries in our area. So how can we possibly get their gas and representative additives at our stations?

Answer 1 - Correct. Shell and Chevron do not have refineries in our area. Their fuels, along with generic gas (take 91 Octane for instance), all come out of the same "depots" which are located in Wyoming and Idaho (Pocatello for Chevron). As the fuel is being loaded onto the tanker truck, the Techron (for Chevron) and Shell's proprietary additive package (for Shell V-Power) are injected into the fuel to give the ratio that Shell or Chevron requires. So the fuel you buy in Wyoming has the identical additive blend as the fuel that comes out of the Shell or Chevron refineries in California. The non-branded fuels are also injected with their specified fuel additives as they are loaded onto the tanker trucks, although they may not necessarily meet the Top Tier Detergent Standards set by major car manufacturers,. By the way, the injection of additives into the fuel as it is being loaded onto the tanker truck is a common industry practice across America.


Q 2 - The fuel is delivered in no-name gas tanker trucks to the branded gas stations. The tankers then go from the branded station to the generic station to deliver fuel. Therefore, all stations must get the same type of fuel.

A 2 - True. The fuel is delivered in tanker trucks that are not owned by Shell or Chevron. The tanker truck is owned by an independent contractor who is hired by Shell or Chevron or their branded marketers to deliver their fuels. Each tanker truck (which looks like one large tank) actually has two to four smaller tank compartments inside. Each tank can be loaded with a different fuel. A fully loaded tanker truck in our area holds 11,000 gallons of fuel in 5-6 separate tanks (because of the ability for the tractor truck to tow a second separate tanker trailer).The fuel delivered to Shell and Chevron stations contain only their branded fuels. When the tanker truck delivers fuel to a non-branded station, they deliver an entirely different blend of detergent fuels out of another tank. The fuel will not contain Techron or Shell's V-Power package as an additive nor the same percentage of detergents.


Q 3- Shell and Chevron stations could put generic fuel into their tanks with no one ever knowing and then sell it for branded gas and keep the profit.

A 3 - Shell and Chevron put proprietary "markers" in their gas. The oil companies monitor their individual stations by sampling the fuel that is dispensed out of the gas station's fuel nozzle. The fuel is then sent to a lab (typically an independent one) and analyzed for the respective company. If the marker is not present, this would indicate that the station does not have the branded gas that they are suppose to have and the station would then lose their franchise. The labs are able to detect very small changes to the fuel, so if another brand of fuel is mixed into the station's fuel tank the lab would be able to detect it. Both Shell and Chevron are very protective of their fuels and the quality of product they deliver to their customer.


Q 4- Even if additives in the fuel are different, they are not worth the increased price.

A 4 - The EPA requires a minimum concentration level of detergent additives in gasoline. Shell Regular and Plus gasoline's contain more than two times the cleaning agent required by the EPA. Shell V-Power has more than five times the amount required by the EPA. At that level, Shell V-Power actually cleans the engine as you drive, giving it the ability to clean up deposits that have already built up on intake valves and fuel injectors left behind by low detergent gasoline's. Chevron gasoline's contain concentrations of the Techron additive which remove deposits lower quality gasoline's can leave behind as well. In addition, Chevron has the ability to remove deposits in all three grades of its gasoline. The generic brands generally contain the absolute minimum amount of detergent required by the EPA and therefore do not have the ability to clean the engine of deposits.


Q 5 - When I mentioned "Top Tier" fuel to most of our members, their answer was; what is Top Tier?

A 5 - "Top Tier" detergent gasoline helps keep engines cleaner than gasoline's containing the minimum amount required by government regulations. This helps provide optimal fuel economy, performance and reduced emissions. Top Tier detergent standards were developed by BMW, GM, Honda and Toyota and were aimed at reversing the national trend toward lower gasoline additive concentrations. Both Shell and Chevron meet the standards of Top Tier in all of their grades of fuel with Chevron being the first fuel company to meet the Top Tier Requirements. Three other brands that pass the Top Tier Requirements in our area are Texaco, Conoco and Phillips. Generic brands generally do not meet Top Tier standards in any of their grades of fuels.


Q 6 - Are branded fuels really worth the extra money?

A 6 - If helping your fuel injectors to atomize the fuel to their fullest; keeping intake runners and valves clean so fuel does not adhere to the deposits and then drip into the cylinders; keeping performance to the maximum and emissions to the minimum by burning fuel more efficiently; then using a quality fuel should be important to you…but is it? Deposits on the inside of an engine are similar to plaque on the inside of an artery. It takes a long time for the deposits to become noticeable, but there will never the less be a continual decrease in performance whether it is in an automobile or in a human. With proper fuels in a car or drugs in a human, symptoms can be reversed."
 
RG

His post was not full of fail. What the [censored] are you going on about. Gasoline is a commodity. It is traded at the CME on a daily basis. Do you know why adds were being reduced in gasoline?


Virg.

It is marketing. Gas companies are trying to differentiate a commodity. It is not easy to do, so they come up impressive sounding advertising. Min required adds will keep your fuel system clean.
 
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Originally Posted By: rg200amp

HOW many times is it going to have to be posted??????????????

It is not a "commodity". If you educate yourself, then you can make an educated comment on top tier fuel.


RG, keep drinking the Kool-Aid....
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You want top tier gas? Put your maintenance dose of Regain 2X PEA in the tank when you fill up. Nothing else is reliable or policed. I would do a ethanol % test and water test too - at least in my neighborhood.
 
In my home town, the Kane trucking tanker comes by and fills up every station except Cenex, they actually have a truck labeled Cenex come fill. there are no Top Tier fuels around my town, so I go to Cenex because I get the best MPG from their fuel

After witnessing the whole 1 truck go to every station, I hold very little brand loyalty to gas around here.. because all of the trucks fill up at the same station 30 miles north of me..
 
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RG Why such the passionate response? It is just like Arco said fill up where you like and add fuel system cleaner (good stuff) to your tank at least every 3k. Everyone is trying to make extreme profits and I personally feel NO gas will keep my fuel system clean in the long run.
 
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
A friends father drove a tanker truck for 40 years. He would pick up at the refinery and deliver to stations. One refinery would supply many different brands of retail stations. Truck driver would then dump in a jug of additives that were specific to that retail brand. Sometimes he would forget to dump in the jug if her was in a hurry...
lol.gif



Well, you're post isn't a fail. It's very enlightening, and verifies what I've thought for a long time. We hardly ever see a tanker specific to one oil company filling that one brand's station tanks. The past number of years, it's always some generic tanker, likely filling several stations.

The jug of additives makes sense, and while I suspected it, it's nice to hear it wasn't some notion I just invented in my head. I do know that's what they do with ethanol here, since this province has strange ethanol rules that provide various loopholes.

As for Top Tier gas, whether or not it's simply a marketing ploy isn't an issue for me. I've bought garbage gas from independent stations here before and suffered the consequences. My view was always to buy from a newer (or well maintained) station that had a reputable brand name, which, more often than not, corresponded to today's Top Tier designations. Besides, here, Top Tier gas is exactly the same price as non-designated fuel. There are only a couple stations that are cheaper here, and not by much. I'm not interested in saving two cents per litre for the privilege of hearing pinging all day.
 
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
You want top tier gas? Put your maintenance dose of Regain 2X PEA in the tank when you fill up. Nothing else is reliable or policed. I would do a ethanol % test and water test too - at least in my neighborhood.


Hey, ARCO, while we're at it, let's do a price comparison. What does Regane go for down there? Our regular price here is $11.99 for the regular fuel system treatment, and $13.99 for the high mileage version. Just wondering.
 
There is no way for me to tell what is in the fuel i'm buying, name brand or not, so my way to insure proper amounts of detergents is to add them myself, 3oz of Redline SI-1 every tank and also recently started adding FP-Plus 2oz per tank, mainly for it's UCL properties.
 
Originally Posted By: FMC
There is no way for me to tell what is in the fuel i'm buying, name brand or not, so my way to insure proper amounts of detergents is to add them myself, 3oz of Redline SI-1 every tank and also recently started adding FP-Plus 2oz per tank, mainly for it's UCL properties.


FMC, what makes you think you need UCL?
 
Blustream, I feel it's benifical to have a lubricity componant to gasoline, most of the gas in my area is 10% ethanol, fuel pumps, injectors, valve guides and ring pack all benifit from fuel lubricants, I have found FP-Plus works very well in this regard, it's noticable, it quiets everything down and makes for a very smooooth acceleration, MPG goes up a bit also. For me it's all about having the engine run perfect, it's music to my ears......
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Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
I dont recall maybe 6-8 USD for the 2x. I had good luck with the Shell V-power cleaner on my wifes subaru but I cant find it anymore.


I haven't come across the V-power cleaner up here at all. I've heard about it here, but haven't seen it here at any stations or parts stores. I run the Regane every once in a while, and pretty much stick to Esso, Shell, or Petro-Canada (all three Top Tier here) with an occasional trip to Coop or Husky/Mohawk thrown in.

Due to our province's weird ethanol regulations, companies can get away with having pure gasoline as premium, since ethanol quotas are done by averaging quantities sold. They can easily meet their quotas by making regular E10 and midgrade a lesser blend. Shell and Coop use pure gasoline for premium, whereas the others tend to stick to E10. The Husky/Mohawk is a perplexing mystery. They advertise the ethanol on TV, radio, and in print like there's no tomorrow, and were the first to use it here. However, the website indicates that their premium is ethanol free, though the pumps have the ethanol sticker on them.
 
Originally Posted By: D.K.
RG

It is marketing. Gas companies are trying to differentiate a commodity. It is not easy to do, so they come up impressive sounding advertising. Min required adds will keep your fuel system clean.



EDUCATE YOURSELF BEFORE YOU POST FALSE INFORMATON.

Top Tier fuel requirements WAS NOT SET UP BY GAS COMPANIES. IT WAS NOT SET UP AS A MARKETING PLOY.

THE EPA set a "minimum" standard for additives in fuel in 1995. As a result, MOST of the gas companies LOWERED the amount of additives they WHERE putting into there gas. This way they SAVED money and complied with EPA standards.

BMW, General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen and Audi got together after finding that the fuel additives being used to meet the EPA standards where not enough to maintain the performance of their engines. THEY as in the CAR MAKERS set the TOP Tier standard. Gas companies, like Shell, Exxon, 76,ect. . have CHOOSEN to comply with the top tier standard to meet what the CAR MAKERS have set as a better standard.


Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Originally Posted By: rg200amp

HOW many times is it going to have to be posted??????????????

It is not a "commodity". If you educate yourself, then you can make an educated comment on top tier fuel.


RG, keep drinking the Kool-Aid....
crackmeup2.gif

kool-aid.gif.png



Educate yourself.

Originally Posted By: Brenden
In my home town, the Kane trucking tanker comes by and fills up every station except Cenex, they actually have a truck labeled Cenex come fill. there are no Top Tier fuels around my town, so I go to Cenex because I get the best MPG from their fuel

After witnessing the whole 1 truck go to every station, I hold very little brand loyalty to gas around here.. because all of the trucks fill up at the same station 30 miles north of me..


Tanker trucks can have more than ONE COMPARTMENT. They can have UP TO 4. If not MORE pending the situtation.


PEOPLE. All this WRONG speculation needs to stop.

"how do I know the shell station is using shell gas"

"the same truck goes around to different named stations"

It is AGAINST FEDERAL LAW to not sell the correct fuel in the labeled station.

Futhermore, do you think SHELL, Or Mobil, Or ect. . . are going to sit back and LOSE money while there franchised station sells no name cheaper gas?????

The gas company KNOWS exactly how many gallons of fuel is sold through the station each day. They also KNOW exactly how much fuel was bought. There is no such thing as getting away with putting no name gas in a labeled station's tank.

It's like a apple bee's franchise owner buying other, cheaper items from a food distributor to make extra money on there food sales, instead of getting the Applebee's items.

Yea, he might get away with it for a week. How long do you think it would take the corprate offices to find out??????

I PERSONALLY KNOW a person who LOST A SUNOCO station because his sold product did not meet the amount purchased from Sunoco.

THIS is like the 3000 mile oil change myth. People need to stop this opinion based [censored]. Get your facts inline, educate yourself on the subject, then you can talk about it.
 
You are totally clueless. Gasoline is a commodity. Top Tier fuel is nothing more than a marketing. You do not understand simple chemistry. You are the one that needs to get educated and stop spouting stupid [censored] that you read on the internet. You do not understand how gasoline is distributed from refineries.

Do you know why Gas Retailers started reducing the amount of additives in gasoline? Saving Money was part of the reason, but not the sole reason.
 
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