redhotrod
Turbo Happy
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Why is gasoline so inferior today then it was when our cars were new? Why isn't 93 octane just 93 octane, whats missing to help combustion?
Gasoline quality
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Gary Wells
White turbo Buick trailer park trash
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FWIW & IMHO:
Just a stab in the dark here, but my guess would be;
1: Forcing car manufacturers to manufacture cars that will run on lower octane ratings, thereby allowing the oil industry, in general, to manufacture, sell, and distribute gasolines that have a lower octane rating and no lead and/or lead by-products did some damage to the high octane situation.
2: Maybe the other additives required state by state for the EPA do some damage.
3: Costs to manufacture high octane gas have risen, and the oil industry can make more money making low octane gasolines for the masses than it can by making more specialized high octane gasolines for the high performance industry.
Notice that some states can get 93 octane for about what regular gas (87 octane, , I believe) is sells for/ is available in Ca.
Besides, why should the government care whether you like the octane rating in gas.
Everything is cost/profit/loss driven.
Just my own opinion, though, but I do reserve the right to be reasonably bitter over the situation. And don't even think that the gas stations owners are unhappy over this, too.
Just a stab in the dark here, but my guess would be;
1: Forcing car manufacturers to manufacture cars that will run on lower octane ratings, thereby allowing the oil industry, in general, to manufacture, sell, and distribute gasolines that have a lower octane rating and no lead and/or lead by-products did some damage to the high octane situation.
2: Maybe the other additives required state by state for the EPA do some damage.
3: Costs to manufacture high octane gas have risen, and the oil industry can make more money making low octane gasolines for the masses than it can by making more specialized high octane gasolines for the high performance industry.
Notice that some states can get 93 octane for about what regular gas (87 octane, , I believe) is sells for/ is available in Ca.
Besides, why should the government care whether you like the octane rating in gas.
Everything is cost/profit/loss driven.
Just my own opinion, though, but I do reserve the right to be reasonably bitter over the situation. And don't even think that the gas stations owners are unhappy over this, too.
redhotrod
Turbo Happy
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That's my exact point, why isn't 93 octane just 93 octane, wouldn't it burn the same now then 15+ years ago, I know there is more garbage in there now, all the stupid additives and all. And I also understand someone wants to get rich easy, everyone needs gas that wants to drive.
But why is the quality different if it is the same octane?
But why is the quality different if it is the same octane?
Gary Wells
White turbo Buick trailer park trash
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It is not the same octane:
Ther best generally available in Ca that I know of for standard commercial most commom brand pump gas is 91.
I know that other states have as high as 93. Ca and some of the other more restrictive states probably have more impurities, and more additives than the other states. 91 octane in Ca is probably the same quality as 91 octane in other states for 91 octane.
That does not mean to imply that 91 octane in ca
would have been 93 octane like other states if it wern't for the additives. I am sure that manufacturing processes have some bearing on this subject also. There is also such a thing as tolerances. Who knows what the tolerrance is for 91 octane in Ca. In other words in Ca, to sell 91 octane, the tolerance might be plus or minus 1 octane or .5 octane to consider it as 91 octane. Ever notice that when you buy a qt of oil, it is always more than a qt. But when you buy a 5 gal jug, it is over or in excess by about the same amount.
A company making/selling/packaging oil by the qt would not want a law suit against them for selling less than a qt. There is enough oil in a qt to prevent that.
There is also a such a thing as unilateral tolerancing. Plus 5, minus nothing or vice versa. The U. S. Department of Weights and Measures is generally the watchdog for such things.
Ther best generally available in Ca that I know of for standard commercial most commom brand pump gas is 91.
I know that other states have as high as 93. Ca and some of the other more restrictive states probably have more impurities, and more additives than the other states. 91 octane in Ca is probably the same quality as 91 octane in other states for 91 octane.
That does not mean to imply that 91 octane in ca
would have been 93 octane like other states if it wern't for the additives. I am sure that manufacturing processes have some bearing on this subject also. There is also such a thing as tolerances. Who knows what the tolerrance is for 91 octane in Ca. In other words in Ca, to sell 91 octane, the tolerance might be plus or minus 1 octane or .5 octane to consider it as 91 octane. Ever notice that when you buy a qt of oil, it is always more than a qt. But when you buy a 5 gal jug, it is over or in excess by about the same amount.
A company making/selling/packaging oil by the qt would not want a law suit against them for selling less than a qt. There is enough oil in a qt to prevent that.
There is also a such a thing as unilateral tolerancing. Plus 5, minus nothing or vice versa. The U. S. Department of Weights and Measures is generally the watchdog for such things.
Blown&Injected
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Kinda funny to see people buying the mid grade. I guess it is possible that some cars get no knock by going to the 89, but I believe most just do not want to feel cheap
About the OP, I am not sure I understand what the problem is. New fuels are being oxygenated. Is this bad? Race gas is oxygenated. 93 R+M/2 should be the same as always as far as octane is concerned.
Screw all of you guys, I can't even buy 93 octane as 91 is the best we have here. There is a station in town that sells 100 octane for $4.50+ a gallon though.
And yes, we usually have to pay an extra $.10 per grade increase even going from 89 to 91.
And yes, we usually have to pay an extra $.10 per grade increase even going from 89 to 91.
Don't get your hopes up when purchaseing 93 Octane gas.
There have bean many reports that you are actually getting a lower octane
Does anyone know if there is a cheap kit that we can purchase to test the octane level that is available?
Oh by the way.I can get the same 100 octane gas here,but it is 5.00 per gallon
There have bean many reports that you are actually getting a lower octane
Does anyone know if there is a cheap kit that we can purchase to test the octane level that is available?
Oh by the way.I can get the same 100 octane gas here,but it is 5.00 per gallon
Gary Wells
White turbo Buick trailer park trash
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Correction: "U. S. Dept. of Weights and measures" is state controlled and should be "Ca Dept. of Agriculture- Dept of Weights and Measures" for Ca, and is probably similiar for other states. I don't believe that they are responsible for accuracy of octane ratings, though, but they are responsible for checking the accuracy of the amount of gas being pumped in comparasion with the stated amount. Oops, my bad.
FWIW,
Additives have no bearing on octane. 93 in MS is 93 if FL is 93 in CA....
The removal of lead (way back when) and now MTBE does make reaching the octane numbers slightly more difficult but octane is still measured the same way.
Having said that, the longer gasoline is in storage, the more "light ends" (i.e. butane, pentane) are liberated. Obviously, high temperatures can make this even worse. Buy gas from stations that have a lot of traffic and high product turnover.
You do lose some octane numbers as the gasoline degrades and I doubt that you'd get exactly what it is when it leaves the refinery even if you pumped it straight off the truck and into your car. It's just barely meets the octane spec when it leaves the refinery.
I'm a gasoline blender at ChevronTexaco's largest refinery. We try to blend it to EXACTLY the octane number 93.0/ 87.0. Any more than that is considered "giveaway" and is avoided wherever possible. Just FYI, we don't "blend" mid-grade 89 octane. It is merely a 35/65 mix of unleaded and supreme that is already saleable.
Additives have no bearing on octane. 93 in MS is 93 if FL is 93 in CA....
The removal of lead (way back when) and now MTBE does make reaching the octane numbers slightly more difficult but octane is still measured the same way.
Having said that, the longer gasoline is in storage, the more "light ends" (i.e. butane, pentane) are liberated. Obviously, high temperatures can make this even worse. Buy gas from stations that have a lot of traffic and high product turnover.
You do lose some octane numbers as the gasoline degrades and I doubt that you'd get exactly what it is when it leaves the refinery even if you pumped it straight off the truck and into your car. It's just barely meets the octane spec when it leaves the refinery.
I'm a gasoline blender at ChevronTexaco's largest refinery. We try to blend it to EXACTLY the octane number 93.0/ 87.0. Any more than that is considered "giveaway" and is avoided wherever possible. Just FYI, we don't "blend" mid-grade 89 octane. It is merely a 35/65 mix of unleaded and supreme that is already saleable.
Then you might be able to answer my question.
Is there an easy way of checking octane content that wouldn't cost us too much and be easy to do?
Also, are you telling me that Chevron and Texaco are the same company???
In the town that I live in I noticed all of the Texaco's were dissapearing.They were replaced with Shell stations.
BP supplies shell and texaco, along with others...
But when I buy texaco fuel it's sooo much cleaner then shell fuel, not sure why, but I think it's becuase the texaco gets more business.
IT should be the same gas exactly, but WHO knows ...
I run texaco 91 + some leaded 112.
But when I buy texaco fuel it's sooo much cleaner then shell fuel, not sure why, but I think it's becuase the texaco gets more business.
IT should be the same gas exactly, but WHO knows ...
I run texaco 91 + some leaded 112.
Chevron and Texaco merged (actually Texaco was bought by Chevron) two years ago. The rebranding/selling of stations is part of the FTC's requirements for the merger so as not to have too large of a market share in some areas.
I know of no easy/cheap way to check octane in the field. We have an Octane "screen" machine on the dock to test product after it's been loaded on ships/barges but it's not cheap and not small enough to carry around. There may be a way but I'm not aware of it.
77tech9,
Your major refineries supply almost all of the gasoline in the area that they're located in when the other brands don't have a refinery in that vicinity. Example: Our refinery sells Chevron, Texaco, Shell, BP/Amaco (another merger) and the gas that goes to the unbranded "Mom 'n Pop" gas stations in most of the Southeastern US. The ONLY difference is the additives that are added at the marketing terminal (truck rack). Gasoline standards are stingently regulated by the Federal Government. The only "wild cards" are the additives.
The refineries in other areas reciprocate by adding our additive (Techron) to their gasoline in areas where we don't have a refinery.
HTH
stickybones
What?
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So is it worth the extra $ to pay for brand name gas (i.e. Shell, Mobil, Texaco, Exxon, etc) or do you get the same quality with the cheaper mom and pop gas? Do the additives do anything positive for our cars?
Additives definitely help. If it was an old beater, I wouldn't worry too much. Even the Mom 'n Pop stations have a generic additive in their gasoline.
Which is best? That's what they do all the advertising for! Too "help" you choose theirs. I'm partial to the Chevron w/Techron for obvious reasons and because it works to really clean an engine. I've used the Techron additive that you can buy separately (same stuff) to get a high mileage car to run considerably better. Appears to help old, tired injectors.
They're all good. Try 'em and see what works best in your car, then stick with it.
Which is best? That's what they do all the advertising for! Too "help" you choose theirs. I'm partial to the Chevron w/Techron for obvious reasons and because it works to really clean an engine. I've used the Techron additive that you can buy separately (same stuff) to get a high mileage car to run considerably better. Appears to help old, tired injectors.
They're all good. Try 'em and see what works best in your car, then stick with it.
My car seems to like the Mom-n-Pops gas and my wallet does too. There is a station by my house that only charges an extra $.08 per grade increase, so you are saving $.04/gallon on premium and they usually have the best prices on 87 too. Don't have to worry about their tanks as it is only about 2 years old and they get so much traffic in there that you know the gas never sits. No sense in paying more for the same thing.
Yup! I run 10% Ethanol gasoline and everyone tells me that with the alcohol you won't have as much BTUs and not giong to make as much power. To those people I don't even comment. With this gas in a stock Turbo Regal running a 100 Thrasher chip and 16psi the car ran 13.0@105 with a 2.2 sixty foot. I don't know about you guys but I think that is pretty damn good! I see some people barely running that on race gas. Same octane rating fuel, the enthanol reduces knock by 10 degrees, yet it is rated at the same octane rating?
Well xylene I do not like, that is crap, it WORKS to some extent.
If your going to pay $8+ a gal for it, just buy race gas.
But different gas qualities are also better if they are more clean. With less water, minerals, etc it will run a lot better with less knock.
If your going to pay $8+ a gal for it, just buy race gas.
But different gas qualities are also better if they are more clean. With less water, minerals, etc it will run a lot better with less knock.
redhotrod
Turbo Happy
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How can we find out whos fuel is officially the cleanest? Or burns the best for the best hi performance? I guess try and testing.
