Marathon Gas, fuel quality

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wemay

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I understand below to mean, good quality gas should be used but not necessarily that Top Tier members are the only companies producing high quality, detergent rich fuels. That being said, MARATHON gas stations are taking over several other stations (BP, Shell and Mobil) around here. Is MARATHON gas considered as good as the others in your estimation? I also use Techron every oil change.

From both Hyundai owner's manuals
Fuel Additives
HYUNDAI recommends that you use good quality gasolines treated with detergent additives such as TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline, which help prevent deposit formation in the engine.
 
Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
All gas is good.

Just use the least expensive gas plus a bottle of Techron.



+1, and Red Line gas additive, too.
 
Originally Posted By: babbittd
Marathon Gas has partnered with STP (for additives) since 2006, according to the website.

Here is Marathon's claim as it relates to EPA standards, they make no claim in comparison to Top Tier:

Marathon gasolines with STP Additives deliver more than double the minimum EPA required dose of detergent additives.

http://www.marathonpetroleum.com/brand/Stations_and_Stores/Gasoline_with_STP_Additives/Q_A/



This is exactly why I am considering it. Thanks
 
Marathon Gasohol is just okay.

It isn't like this is gas with STP fuel treatment added. It has been reported that STP is just using an additive package from an existing supplier whom supplies fuel additives to gasoline companies.

Everyone involved is hoping to cash in on the STP name recognition.
 
Originally Posted By: babbittd
Marathon Gas has partnered with STP (for additives) since 2006, according to the website.

Here is Marathon's claim as it relates to EPA standards, they make no claim in comparison to Top Tier:

Marathon gasolines with STP Additives deliver more than double the minimum EPA required dose of detergent additives.

http://www.marathonpetroleum.com/brand/Stations_and_Stores/Gasoline_with_STP_Additives/Q_A/

Top tier gasolines have 4-5 times the EPA required cleaning additives.
 
Top Tier is a cert that the company pays for, correct? I ask because I've heard it said that there are other brands that refuse to pay for this cert, yet have the same quantity of additives in their fuel.

Discuss.
 
Originally Posted By: mjk
Top Tier is a cert that the company pays for, correct? I ask because I've heard it said that there are other brands that refuse to pay for this cert, yet have the same quantity of additives in their fuel.

Yes, sorta, kinda. But if a retailer is meeting the Top Tier specs, they will probably cough up the fee and get a little extra advertising. Marathon is NOT Top Tier certified and my guess is that the non-PEA STP additive they're using wouldn't provide the same level of cleaning power. Marathon got in bed with STP as a sort of anti-Top Tier protest.
 
Originally Posted By: loneryder
Originally Posted By: babbittd
Marathon Gas has partnered with STP (for additives) since 2006, according to the website.

Here is Marathon's claim as it relates to EPA standards, they make no claim in comparison to Top Tier:

Marathon gasolines with STP Additives deliver more than double the minimum EPA required dose of detergent additives.

http://www.marathonpetroleum.com/brand/Stations_and_Stores/Gasoline_with_STP_Additives/Q_A/

Top tier gasolines have 4-5 times the EPA required cleaning additives.

76 claims it's about 2.5 times (and they exceed this by 30% of EPA mins), although I thought it was more about testing a particular concentration. There's always diminishing returns any time too much of something is used. I don't know if you could really say that every detergent additive that meets EPA requirements will meet the Top Tier testing requirements simply by upping the concentration to a specific multiple of the minimum for EPA requirements.

As for STP, they claim it's their additive just like Costco brands the additive they bought from Lubrizol, or that large oil companies bought from Oronite, Afton, or Lubrizol.
 
Originally Posted By: dave5358
Originally Posted By: mjk
Top Tier is a cert that the company pays for, correct? I ask because I've heard it said that there are other brands that refuse to pay for this cert, yet have the same quantity of additives in their fuel.

Yes, sorta, kinda. But if a retailer is meeting the Top Tier specs, they will probably cough up the fee and get a little extra advertising. Marathon is NOT Top Tier certified and my guess is that the non-PEA STP additive they're using wouldn't provide the same level of cleaning power. Marathon got in bed with STP as a sort of anti-Top Tier protest.


In their Q&A, they advise the additive is NOT the same as the STP sold in stores.
See below...
 
Originally Posted By: wemay
http://www.marathonpetroleum.com/brand/Stations_and_Stores/Gasoline_with_STP_Additives/Q_A/

Q. Are the STP Additives in Marathon gasolines exactly the same as the products found in retail stores?

A. No, the STP Additives found in Marathon gasolines use a different formulation than the products found in the STP retail bottles...


Every gasoline additive sold in the US needs to be registered with the EPA, whether it's a miracle in a bottle or a bulk additive meant to be added to fuel at the terminal. Even denatured ethanol has to be registered, and that's the only additive from Marathon that's registered.

http://www.epa.gov/otaq/fuels/registrationfuels/web-gas.htm

STP is listed as "STP Products Manufacturing Company c/o Armored AutoGroup Inc.". All additives appear to be bottled aftermarket stuff, and none had a marking in the "Certified Detegent" column for detergent additives meant to go into bulk fuel. I'm guessing this means that it's been certified with test results to meet the EPA's minimum cleanliness standards.

So I would think that STP probably just attaches their name to some other certified bulk additive from BASF, Afton, etc.
 
Originally Posted By: y_p_w [/quote

Every gasoline additive sold in the US needs to be registered with the EPA, whether it's a miracle in a bottle or a bulk additive meant to be added to fuel at the terminal. Even denatured ethanol has to be registered, and that's the only additive from Marathon that's registered.

http://www.epa.gov/otaq/fuels/registrationfuels/web-gas.htm

STP is listed as "STP Products Manufacturing Company c/o Armored AutoGroup Inc.". All additives appear to be bottled aftermarket stuff, and none had a marking in the "Certified Detegent" column for detergent additives meant to go into bulk fuel. I'm guessing this means that it's been certified with test results to meet the EPA's minimum cleanliness standards.

So I would think that STP probably just attaches their name to some other certified bulk additive from BASF, Afton, etc.


Great info, thanks!
 
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Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
All gas is good.

Just use the least expensive gas plus a bottle of Techron.




That is what I have been doing for years. Works for me.
 
Top Tier gas is a marketing scam and so is Hyundais recommendations on using fuel system cleaner. No stations around me say anything about being Top Tier.

I haven't used a fuel system cleaner in 20 years. I use whatever gas is the cheapest. No problems.
 
I don't doubt you have been ok without top tier and without fuel system cleaners (although you may have used top tier unwittingly). Some engines and usage patterns have less trouble than others.

But no way is top tier and PEA cleaner a scam.
 
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