Fuel Additive

[signals34]

Is there a best fuel additive for the H-3. or is better to put nothing in at all....

[signals34]

Is there a best fuel additive for the H-3. or is better to put nothing in at all....

[x-humm]

Hey Signals34,

When the Dealer did my 1st service at 3500 miles, I was charge a total of $80.00. That included an fuel additive that they put in the gas tank.

I'll pull my receipt and see which fuel additive they used.

[f5fstop]

Fuel additive to do what? If you are using fuel from a known supplier, than nothing needs to be added. Better yet, purchase fuel from only a top tier supplier and you will get all the additives required.
Maybe every thirty thousand miles it would be good to run some Techron (from Chevron) through the system, but that is all and really not required.

[HummerNewbie]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by HUMMER NUT:
Hey Signals34,

When the Dealer did my 1st service at 3500 miles, I was charge a total of $80.00. That included an fuel additive that they put in the gas tank.

I'll pull my receipt and see which fuel additive they used. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sounds to me like you got ripped off. I would be pissed if I went in for an oil change and the decided to do other things and charge me without asking. Probably charged you $20 for a $5 bottle and $20 labor to add it

[fourfourto]

I went in at 1,400 miles for first oil change I brang in coupon they sent me and it came to $30.00

[1COOLH3]

We just talked about this at our last GM Dealer meeting with GM Area Service Managers. They told us that because of new gasoline formulations there is more sulfur which is very corrosive and this new addiditive protects against that.

BUT- you still should'nt have been charged for something you didnt agree to especially if it was more than the estimate or approval amount.

Here is the bulletin:

GM Fuel System Treatment PLUS, Fuel Sending Unit Corrosion and Fuel System Deposits #05-00-89-078 - (Nov 9, 2005)
GM Fuel System Treatment PLUS, Fuel Sending Unit Corrosion and Fuel System Deposits
2006 and Prior All GM Cars and Trucks

2003-2006 HUMMER H2

2006 HUMMER H3

2006 and Prior Saturn (Canada Only)

2005-2006 Saab 9-7X

GM Fuel System Treatment PLUS
GM Fuel System Treatment PLUS, P/N 88861011 (for U.S. ACDelco®, use 88861013) (in Canada, 88861012), is now available.

Added Benefits and Uses
The PLUS portion of GM Fuel System Treatment PLUS is the addition of a filmer additive that, when used regularly, can protect fuel system sending units from the corrosive effects of certain sulfur contaminants found in some of today's gasoline.

Sulfur contamination can disrupt electrical continuity of certain fuel sending units and lead to erratic or false fuel gauge readings. With scheduled usage, GM Fuel System Treatment PLUS protects against the effects of harmful sulfurs in gasoline.

You Get Four Benefits
One bottle of GM Fuel System Treatment PLUS added to the fuel tank at each oil change:

• Cleans -- Sulfur corrosion from fuel gauge sending units.

• Prevents -- Harmful sulfur components from attacking sensitive fuel system electronics.

• Protects -- By coating metallic surfaces of the fuel system.

• Removes -- Engine deposits left from use of poor quality fuels.

GM Fuel System Treatment PLUS will replace the original GM Fuel System Treatment, P/N 12345104 (in Canada, 89020804). The original formula may still be available for a limited time, and provides the excellent Fuel System Cleaning aspects of the new product without the filmer.

[f5fstop]

I won't go into why GM issued this bulletin, but it is only a major problem with certain types of fuel sending systems, and I won't go into why it is a problem, or which vehicles is really pertains too.

The treatment primarily cleans the contacts on the fuel system contacts inside the tank, and will supposedly add a film to protect the contacts.

The GM GM Fuel System Treatment plus is a formulation with the major additive being Techron that is used to clean the contacts. Techron is manufactured by Chevron, and used in Chevron fuels. If there is no Chevron in your state, you should be able to find another one of GM's Top Tier Suppliers in your state.
Here is GM's bulletin on use of Top Tier Fuel.

Corvette is one vehicle that is well known to have problems with the fuel senders due to the problems with sulfur in the fuel deteriorating the fuel sender contacts. On the Vette forum it was problem number one with complaints. However, driving all my Vettes over many years, I can say I never had a problem with the fuel sender going out, but I only burned Shell, Chevron, or BP (not on the following list, but noted in some studies as having one of the best formulations since they continue to use AMOCO's formula after the merger).
I did have my Jeep's fuel sender replaced at 11,000 miles, but I burned cheap fuel, usually from the local Kroger store in Columbia TN. After having the sender replaced, I continued to burn the same fuel, but every 3,000 miles I ran a added a can of Techron to the fuel tank, and for the remaining 35K miles, I never had the sender replaced.

Info - TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline (Deposits, Fuel Economy, No Start, Power, Performance, Stall Concerns) #04-06-04-047E - (Aug 17, 2005)
TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline (Deposits, Fuel Economy, No Start, Power, Performance, Stall Concerns)
2006 and Prior All General Motors Passenger Cars and Trucks (U.S. Only)

2006 and All Prior Saturn Vehicles (U.S. Only)

2003-2006 HUMMER H2 (U.S. Only)

2006 HUMMER H3 (U.S. Only)

2005-2006 Saab 9-7X (U.S. Only)

This bulletin is being revised to add the 2006 model year, include additional models and add additional marketers of TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline. Please discard Corporate Bulletin Number 04-06-04-047D (Section 06 - Engine/Propulsion System).

A new class of gasoline, called TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline, is appearing at retail stations of some fuel marketers. This gasoline meets detergency standards developed by four automotive companies. A description of the concept and benefits of TOP TIER is provided in the following question and answer section.


Gasoline Brands That Currently Meet TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline Standards
As of August 15, 2005, the following gasoline brands meet the TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline Standards:

• Chevron Chevron has markets in 29 states in the West, Southwest and South, as well as in Alaska and Hawaii. ALL grades of Chevron with Techron gasoline meet TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline Standards.

• QuikTrip (not to be confused with Kwik Trip) QuikTrip operates convenience stores and travel centers in a number of metropolitan areas:

- Tulsa, OK

- Springfield, MO

- Kansas City, MO and Kansas City, KS

- Wichita, KS

- Des Moines, IA

- Omaha, NE

- St. Louis, MO and St. Louis, IL

- Atlanta, GA

- Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX

- Phoenix, AZ

- Bartlesville, OK

- Miami, OK

- Vinita, OK

- Columbia, MO

• Conoco has over 4,000 stations located in 33 states.

• Phillips 66 has locations in 32 states across the nation.

• 76 has over 2,700 stations located throughout the country.

• Shell Shell Oil Products has a network of nearly 7,000 branded gasoline stations in the Western United States. Shell Oil Company markets branded products through more than 10,000 stations in the Eastern and Southern United States.

• Entec Stations offer gasoline through stations located in the greater Montgomery, Alabama area.

• MFA Oil Company offers gasoline at "Break Time" convenience stores located throughout Missouri.

• Kwik Trip, Inc. offers gasoline at Kwik Trip convenience stores in Minnesota and Wisconsin and Kwik Star convenience stores in Iowa.

• The Somerset Refinery, Inc. offers gasoline at Somerset Oil stations in Kentucky.


What is TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline?
TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline is a new class of gasoline with enhanced detergency. It meets new, voluntary deposit control standards developed by four automotive companies that exceed the detergent requirements imposed by the EPA.


Where Can TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline Be Purchased?
The TOP TIER program began on May 3, 2004. Some fuel marketers have already joined and have introduced TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline. This is a voluntary program and not all fuel marketers will offer this product. Once fuel marketers make public announcements, they will appear on a list of brands that meet the TOP TIER standards.


Who developed TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline standards?
TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline standards were developed by four automotive companies: BMW, General Motors, Honda and Toyota.


Why was TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline developed?
TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline was developed to increase the level of detergent additive in gasoline. The EPA requires that all gasoline sold in the U.S. contain a detergent additive. However, the requirement is minimal and in many cases, is not sufficient to keep engines clean. In order to meet TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline standards, a higher level of detergent is needed than what is required by the EPA. Also, TOP TIER was developed to give fuel marketers the opportunity to differentiate their product.


Why did the four automotive companies join together to develop TOP TIER?
All four corporations recognized the benefits to both the vehicle and the consumer. Also, joining together emphasized that low detergency is an issue of concern to several automotive companies.


What are the benefits of TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline?
TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline will help keep engines cleaner than gasoline containing the "Lowest Additive Concentration" set by the EPA. Clean engines help provide optimal fuel economy and performance and reduced emissions. Also, use of TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline will help reduce deposit related concerns.


Who should use TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline?
All vehicles will benefit from using TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline over gasoline containing the "Lowest Additive Concentration" set by the EPA. Those vehicles that have experienced deposit related concerns may especially benefit from use of TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline."

Now a Top Tier supplier does not necessarily meet the low sulfur requirements, but they do used additives to help clean the system.

In addition, last year, a few of the refineries in the south (Marathon in KY, and Shell in either LA or MS) dumped a large amount of sulfur into the fuel by mistake, and fried thousands of fuel senders in the southern states. In fact, GM WINS did a special account since these companies were paying for the senders they destroyed, and GM was covering them for the Dealers, and then billing the oil company for reimbursement. Needless to say, for these cases, no additive helped.

Personally, I will continue to use a Top Tier supplier of fuel, and continue to run a can of Techron through my fuel system every 30K miles. That is my choice.