TOP TIER Detergent Gas?
04-25-2010, 04:15 AM
#1
TOP TIER Detergent Gas?
Anyone out there only (or mostly) use the TOP TIER detergent gas recommended by Audi in the 2010 S4 Manual?
www.toptiergas.com
www.toptiergas.com
04-25-2010, 05:47 AM
#2
AudiWorld Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: I-95
Posts: 1,011
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I won't have the car for a couple of weeks yet, it's on a boat somewhere in the Atlantic as we speak (hurry up, sailors!) but I've read a little bit about deposit issues with the TFSI direct injection. While I don't believe the Top Tier gas will fix the problem it should help, so I definitely intend to use it - I'll print out the list and keep it in the car.
Another thing that's supposed to help the deposit issue is higher octane, if anyone knows if any of the Top Tier fuels are available in an octane higher than 93 please clue me in. (Another thing that's supposed to help is keeping the engine hot, so don't be afraid to use your right foot!)
Some interesting info about gasoline brands and detergent additives - it looks dense but it's actually a quick read.
Another thing that's supposed to help the deposit issue is higher octane, if anyone knows if any of the Top Tier fuels are available in an octane higher than 93 please clue me in. (Another thing that's supposed to help is keeping the engine hot, so don't be afraid to use your right foot!)
Some interesting info about gasoline brands and detergent additives - it looks dense but it's actually a quick read.
04-25-2010, 05:52 AM
#3
AudiWorld Super User
Yes.
Many here use only top tier, highest octane fuel. Though it's more for a performance issue and that it really doesn't save you that much money using a lesser grade. Since we have Direct Injection (DI) engines, there is no injector washing fuel spray over the intake valves, which cleans them from deposites with the detergent in the fuel. Our fuel is injected direct into the cylinder, so detergent or no is worthless for our vales really.
Modern engines check constantly for pre-ignition of fuel (knocking, which occurs when the fuel ignites prematurely from heat/pressure in the cylinder rather than from the spark) and will adjust to prevent it. Higher octane fuel prevents this, allowing for more power from the same amount of fuel. This means that you will get a very slight better MPG from higher octane fuel. This helps offset the cost, but considering the overall price difference, it is not huge.
At $3.129 a gallon for high octane, you would pay ~$50 for a 16 gallong fuel up (roughly our tank dead empty). Say you gas up once a week, over a year you would spend ~$2,603 for gas.
For lower octane we'll say it's only $3.029 a gallon. Using the same amounts, at the end of the year you have paid $2,520 for gas. You used a lower grade and got less MPG out of it by a small amount, had less power in a sports sedan for an entire year - all to say $83 dollars.
Not worth it to pay $50K for a car and skimp on the fuel.
Many here use only top tier, highest octane fuel. Though it's more for a performance issue and that it really doesn't save you that much money using a lesser grade. Since we have Direct Injection (DI) engines, there is no injector washing fuel spray over the intake valves, which cleans them from deposites with the detergent in the fuel. Our fuel is injected direct into the cylinder, so detergent or no is worthless for our vales really.
Modern engines check constantly for pre-ignition of fuel (knocking, which occurs when the fuel ignites prematurely from heat/pressure in the cylinder rather than from the spark) and will adjust to prevent it. Higher octane fuel prevents this, allowing for more power from the same amount of fuel. This means that you will get a very slight better MPG from higher octane fuel. This helps offset the cost, but considering the overall price difference, it is not huge.
At $3.129 a gallon for high octane, you would pay ~$50 for a 16 gallong fuel up (roughly our tank dead empty). Say you gas up once a week, over a year you would spend ~$2,603 for gas.
For lower octane we'll say it's only $3.029 a gallon. Using the same amounts, at the end of the year you have paid $2,520 for gas. You used a lower grade and got less MPG out of it by a small amount, had less power in a sports sedan for an entire year - all to say $83 dollars.
Not worth it to pay $50K for a car and skimp on the fuel.
04-25-2010, 06:30 AM
#4
Some interesting info about gasoline brands and detergent additives - it looks dense but it's actually a quick read.
04-25-2010, 06:33 AM
#5
AudiWorld Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 191
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes.
Many here use only top tier, highest octane fuel. Though it's more for a performance issue and that it really doesn't save you that much money using a lesser grade. Since we have Direct Injection (DI) engines, there is no injector washing fuel spray over the intake valves, which cleans them from deposites with the detergent in the fuel. Our fuel is injected direct into the cylinder, so detergent or no is worthless for our vales really.
Modern engines check constantly for pre-ignition of fuel (knocking, which occurs when the fuel ignites prematurely from heat/pressure in the cylinder rather than from the spark) and will adjust to prevent it. Higher octane fuel prevents this, allowing for more power from the same amount of fuel. This means that you will get a very slight better MPG from higher octane fuel. This helps offset the cost, but considering the overall price difference, it is not huge.
At $3.129 a gallon for high octane, you would pay ~$50 for a 16 gallong fuel up (roughly our tank dead empty). Say you gas up once a week, over a year you would spend ~$2,603 for gas.
For lower octane we'll say it's only $3.029 a gallon. Using the same amounts, at the end of the year you have paid $2,520 for gas. You used a lower grade and got less MPG out of it by a small amount, had less power in a sports sedan for an entire year - all to say $83 dollars.
Not worth it to pay $50K for a car and skimp on the fuel.
Many here use only top tier, highest octane fuel. Though it's more for a performance issue and that it really doesn't save you that much money using a lesser grade. Since we have Direct Injection (DI) engines, there is no injector washing fuel spray over the intake valves, which cleans them from deposites with the detergent in the fuel. Our fuel is injected direct into the cylinder, so detergent or no is worthless for our vales really.
Modern engines check constantly for pre-ignition of fuel (knocking, which occurs when the fuel ignites prematurely from heat/pressure in the cylinder rather than from the spark) and will adjust to prevent it. Higher octane fuel prevents this, allowing for more power from the same amount of fuel. This means that you will get a very slight better MPG from higher octane fuel. This helps offset the cost, but considering the overall price difference, it is not huge.
At $3.129 a gallon for high octane, you would pay ~$50 for a 16 gallong fuel up (roughly our tank dead empty). Say you gas up once a week, over a year you would spend ~$2,603 for gas.
For lower octane we'll say it's only $3.029 a gallon. Using the same amounts, at the end of the year you have paid $2,520 for gas. You used a lower grade and got less MPG out of it by a small amount, had less power in a sports sedan for an entire year - all to say $83 dollars.
Not worth it to pay $50K for a car and skimp on the fuel.
04-25-2010, 06:51 AM
#6
Many here use only top tier, highest octane fuel. Though it's more for a performance issue and that it really doesn't save you that much money using a lesser grade. Since we have Direct Injection (DI) engines, there is no injector washing fuel spray over the intake valves, which cleans them from deposites with the detergent in the fuel. Our fuel is injected direct into the cylinder, so detergent or no is worthless for our vales really.
If it's all (or mostly) about the octane, then why not go with "non-Top Tier" 94 octane over Top Tier 93 octane?
In practical terms, near me, Shell (Top Tier) has 93. Sonoco (not Top Tier in the U.S.) has 94. Which one would you use?
(Shell also happens to be close by, whereas Sunoco is a drive -- but that's another story).
04-25-2010, 06:57 AM
#7
Trending Topics
04-25-2010, 07:06 AM
#8
AudiWorld Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: I-95
Posts: 1,011
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
And thanks for the congrats, I am beside myself with excitement, I feel like I did as a kid on Christmas Eve - "C'mon, Christmas, GET HERE!!"
04-25-2010, 07:13 AM
#9
AudiWorld Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: I-95
Posts: 1,011
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Not too far (~20 miles) from here there's a drag strip and the gas station next door sells 100 octane racing fuel but I bet it's not top tier. I wonder what the pluses/minuses of using that fuel would be (aside from the 40 mile round trip to get it!).
04-25-2010, 07:34 AM
#10
Oh personally I prefer shell over sunoco even though it is 93 v 94 octane, use it in my wifes A4. later Ron