So I've got a fairly older (2010) XKR with low miles (20K). Just had an injector replaced, and put some additive in.
I live in LA, so ARCO gas is an option. A few people have suggested that ARCO gas is not so good, and in fact may have been a factor.
It's listed as a "Top Tier" gas.
Any thoughts? I'd be willing to pay a little more if it really is money well spent.

 

It's tough to tell what is the best top tier gas without knowing the ingredients . I haven't seen a list of the top of the top tier but maybe there is one someplace on the web. As for ARCO I know of the name but have not seen any data on how good it is. As we know all top tier gas has additives some more and some less so I can't imagine there being a significant difference. By any chance did you keep the old injector and have it tested to see if it were a spray pattern issue or an electrical problem. Did they try to clean it insitu or just removed and replaced. Now if it was a spray issue then I would be concerned that the rest will start to go. By the way what was the code you got.

 

I'd stop listening to people who come up with stories like that.

Fact is that virtually all gasoline comes from one or maybe two refineries in a given area. The ONLY difference from one retailer to another is the additive package which is blended in as the fuel is loaded on the delivery truck.

As to the over rated 'top tier' marketing scheme. a recent study done by AAA has shown that the difference between so called 'crap gas' (if there is such a thing) and top tier is negligible.

 

Does it/did it sit for long periods of time without being driven? All gas will start to varnish after about a month or so. Those tiny injector holes can get clogged easily. Top Tier gas is supposed to have more detergent which helps with the clogging but only if it's running. Pour a fuel system cleaner in about twice a year for maintenance. I've use Techron for ages but there are others that get good reviews.

 

Sorry but that's patently false. Hundreds of thousands of vehicles get stored for months or years without issue.

False again. Read the AAA report.
Jag explicitly prohibits fuel additives. Modern gasoline contains all the required additives, in the correct amounts. More is not better.

Injector problems on modern cars are virtually unheard of. Blaming the fuel for those rare exceptions is groundless.

 

Agree a few months may be ok but I've cleaned countless carb jets that had shrunk in size due to varnish coating over the years.

Ok, but I said "supposed to have"...

Agree but I made a suggestion based on my experience with varnishing and the OP was concerned with the fuel "grade".

 

I seem to recall reading somewhere that today's gas with 10% ethanol will last 90 days before it starts to gel. This has been a problem in the small engine line such as garden tractors , lawn mowers and snow blowers. It now is a thriving business for these shops who clean these carbs on a regular basis. I wonder if 90+ days affects injectors.

 

That was my assumption but I'm certainly no expert.

 

The one time I put "crap gas" from a discounter into my old Porsche 944, it sputtered terribly and ran poorly until I got a fresh tank. So either the AAA study is not 100% correct or I am the unluckiest person around.

Now here's an article that summarizes the study; the differences in gasoline don't look negligible to me.
AAA Study Finds Drastic Differences In Gasoline Quality

 

Modern Jags don't have carbs.

Based on some clueless friend who believes the old myth that one retailer has better 'grade' gas than another even though it all comes from the same refinery.

 

I'd suggest that you read the full study in it's entirety rather than a summary. The actual differences in fuel consumption and engine power were so slight that the average motorist wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

Only a minority of retailers here in Canada are top tier. If there was an marked difference in vehicle operation with/without- I'd expect to see a lot of poorly operating vehicles. There isn't. Fuel-related engine problems are unheard of.

It's interesting to note that neither Jag nor it's former parent company Ford endorse the use of top tier fuel.

 

The gelling 'may' occur if the fuel is left in an open container where moisture can get at it. My former next door neighbour kept doing this despite my warnings. She must have paid for that mower two time over getting it fixed.

I've been using E10 for decaces, never had a problem. Keep the container closed and drain the fuel tanks and carb at the end of the season.

None of this affects injectors as there's no oxygen getting at the fuel.

 

Thanks, all.

As regards sitting, I'm the second owner of the car. Bought it a year ago with 8,000 miles on it, and as per the carfax, the owner bought it in the fall of 2009 so he got one of the first ones in SoCal. He had it for over 5 years, so he put about 1,500 miles a year on it. So I'm guessing it HAD to have sat for a while at some point.

I've driven it about 14,000 miles since then. It's my daily.

 

Also, don't know about Jaguar, but Land Rover DOES, under certain circumstances, recommend the use of an additive as an option. I've attached the bulletin about it (I think....)

I dumped a can in. But at 24 bucks a pop on Amazon, I don't think I'll be doing it often...

 

I've read that before. It's a last ditch attempt at an in-situ repair for a stuck injector and is NOT a scheduled preventative maintenance task.

 

Anyone can get beat on a tank of gas at some point(s) in their life.

I really don't think there's a difference between brands, or a difference worth driving additionally for. The entrance and egress of the gas station are the most important to me!

I use Techron on in all cars. One bottle a year or so. Never had an injector or fuel issue in 25+ years using it. Could be wasted money, but Costco darn near gives it away.

 

Unless the difference is getting ethanol free premium at the
station in question.

 

I also add injector cleaner twice a year, Cheap to buy and if nothing else makes me feel better.

 

We've got 5 Mobil stations within 10 miles going in any direction. That's all we've used for 50 years.

 

There are a couple "Ethanol Free" stations near me, but the poopy-butts only carry the Low Octane, not even Mid.