Fuel Type Used...

Good to know, thank you. Will talk to dealer on my last "free" service...

Had been getting consistent 17 with Premium. Yesterday's fill was 15, and had been "babying" acceleration cause of the pinging is like nails on a chalkboard for me...

I only use Premium as i feel the engine responds better, and is not as "sluggish" (yes, turdgens engine kinda sucks at low RMPs... lol) as using Regular. Maybe its all in my mind, but experience in older cars i've owned has definitely shown me some change in basic engine "performance".

Ive noticed that difference even between manufacturers... So I only use Chevron, or Shell is no Chevron around... Any others only if no choice and in the middle of nowhere, or need to fill up regardless.

Here in Oregon I've only seen Ethanol Free on Premium Grade, and its upwards of $4 a gallon (at least in the Chevrons i've gotten it for my bike).

 

First thing to remember...the government is not efficient/terrible at business models/over spends for nuts & bolts/and on & on...struggles to carry a piece of mail from town to town?!?

They’ve completely messed up everything to do with gasoline & diesel. The beneficiaries- corn farmers, small engine repair shops, boat engines, investors... each person should assess their on octane needs, researching.

Combustion engines do not benefit from ethanol.

Here’s an informative article by Poplar Mechanics...http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/hybrid-electric/a6244/e15-gasoline-damage-engine/

 

I used regular exclusively for the first 6 months or so I owned my truck, then switched to 93 for a few months. Shortly after switching I got my best tank avg. ever. Then the next tank got my worst ever.
I run regular from Costco now and have no issues. Never noticed any differences that justified the cost difference. Gas has been from Costco 90% of the time.

 

87 from 8 miles on the truck, never an issue and I see around 20-21 mpg with mixed driving in Colorado. City and mountains!

 

I use diesel and get great fuel economy!

But seriously. I see several folks here either don't know what pinging is, or several have something VERY wrong with their truck. I run what is specified for the truck (87 R+M/2). I get 20-21MPG tank averages in normal driving. I pulled my Jeep out west this year with it, burning 87 all the way. Ran miles and miles with my foot to the floor in 5th and 6th gear (high load). Never had any pinging.

 

a couple people here have mentioned "i only run (brandA) or (brandB)" or that they "will never go back to (BrandC)" I personally dont put any stake in what label is on the gas station, i care about price, and whether or not they are going to upcharge me to use my credit card (shell).

I haul gas for a living. I'm talking a LOT of it. In one trip i can deliver 3,600,000 Gallons. We carry gasoline by barge usually loading in NYC and delivering out to CT, RI, MD, MA etc. There is no rhyme or reason as to what terminal the gas comes out of to what terminal it gets delivered to other than product price and availability. I have loaded at the Phillips, Citgo, Chevron, Hess, Shell, BP, and other unaffiliated terminals most of which are all attached to the same pipeline that delivers product to NY up from the Gulf. From any one of these terminals i have taken the product out to Shell, Sunoco, Gulf, Getty, and the heap of unaffiliated terminals down stream. Because there is no terminal owned or operated by people such as Valero, Irving, Mobil, and others in my area clearly they are buying their gas through the same throughput as everyone else.

My point being, its all the same shit. Gas from a Shell terminal in NY goes to a MorganStanley owned terminal in CT and is trucked out to be sold at the local Mobil station (just an example not sure if those are actually the customers in play)

Up my way there is no "non-ethanol" gas. doesn't exist here. everything is E10. We haul barge loads of ethanol separate from the gas to prevent water mixing issues and it gets blended before delivering out to the gas stations. We also only haul 87 or 93. if you get mid grade its a mix of the two that the gas pump is blending on request.

Now, there is the possibility that one customer may accept a lower standard of fuel so if a terminal gets a shitty load some people may buy because its cheaper and run it to their stations. Possibly a truck could show up and test for a little water in it, and the gas station could say F-it i need the gas today dump it in. But usually off spec product gets treated and diluted with quality shit so it can be sold at the top price.

There is also the possibility that in the winter months certain terminals have the capability to blend butane into the gasoline. yes the shit in your bic lighter. yes it evaporates super quick. butane is cheaper and therefore is used to "water down" gas in the months that the EPA will allow, approx oct - april. butane also has lower BTU's than gas so it gives you poor efficiency. there are a million things they mix into your gas to get it to meet certain specs so "if this if off then add that" to get in to meet the industry standard. so mixing a little butane in there is becoming common and will raise the "Vapor Pressure" (how badly your gas wants to evaporate) as long as it stays below the industry standard they can save a couple cents a gallon and still sell you gas at probably the same price.

So to summarize, unless your local gas station has a super secret additive they dump in and mix with the gas before you put it in your car all the damn gas is the same. All these fancy detergents and super engine cleaner gas and tri clean and whatever else they call it is all crap to show you on the commercial. Unless you have a Shady as F---- gas station in town that will put whatever garbage they can buy off the bottom of the tanks at the nearest truck terminal then just go to any of them.

 

Yep. My engine pinged really badly running 87. Switched to 91 and it was cured. Non ethanol premium and runs really f'in good. MT.

 

Ran 91 from Mobil for a few thousand with no issues and now run 87 from Mobil with no issues and now over 14k.

I've done to 400 mile road trips with 6% grades and no ping or knocking.

 

I love truckers.

What would we do without you guys, probably starve and have anarchy within 2 days.

 

truck driver of the sea that is...

 

Oops my bad.

I love truckers and captains if thats even the correct term.

 

i didnt see costco fuel on your list.
same supplier as the others?

 

I think you missed the point

 

Good stuff. Thanks for posting it.

 

...nicely written @santa212, good facts!

I'm a creature of routine & habit, I'll buy from the same gas stations & pump if possible. Back in the day when gas prices were $.49/gal and ethanol-killer-of-the-small-engine did not exist, 87 was a lot more stable than now. About stations being equal and all...what's your thoughts about the gas station pumps being regularly tested and I see at least one(station) per week/month that is digging up the parking lot to replace underground tanks. I know one thing, since I quit buying from el-cheapo-seller-of-cigs-by-singles gas stations I haven't replaced any fuel pumps, or other fuel components. You made a good point about there's no ethanol free gas in your area, does ethanol free exist? or is this another small print scam to add $1 per gal.

 

You do know that the number doesn't indicate the "quality" of the gas, right?

 

“Sorry”, I “meant” to say “octane”.

 

This.

 

My 2016 V6 Tacoma - ECT and Rear Locker button on.

0 - 60. Using Shell 92 V-Power octane *





0 - 60. Using Circle K 87 octane *



* = in my mind.

 

I think the regular testing would have to do with your states dept of consumer affairs. Up in CT there are little stickers that note the last time the pump was tested and act as a seal to show the pump is closed up and has not been tampered. they have a little month and year punch on them, maybe i will take a look at one some time to see how frequent this is being done.

as far as ethanol free, im pretty sure its state law up here that only 10% is sold for "emissions purposes"