Best Gasoline?

[Annoyed]

1: higher octane ratings are worth it only if the engine requires it. Electronic compensation aside, if an engine doesn't knock w/87 octane, using higher won't gain you anything. If the electronics are compensating for low octane by backing the timing off or whatever, yes, you will gain by raising the octane rating so the electronics don't back it off anymore.

2: Yes, most gasoline companies do share the source refined product. But each has their own additive blends/etc.

3: Personally, I use only Hess, as it's the only thing I can get my hands on that isn't a 10% (or more) ethanol blend. Ethanol is a: lower energy content than gas so you have to use more and b: Harmful to older systems; it rots the rubber in their fuel systems. Damned environmental whack jobs don't consider that stuff when they advocate that nonsense.

 

[Jeff Kleb]

1: higher octane ratings are worth it only if the engine requires it. Electronic compensation aside, if an engine doesn't knock w/87 octane, using higher won't gain you anything. If the electronics are compensating for low octane by backing the timing off or whatever, yes, you will gain by raising the octane rating so the electronics don't back it off anymore.

Spot on! If the owner's manual says to use '87' unleaded regular, then you can run it in your vehicle; provided your timing is set correctly and the engine is in good working order. Putting in '89' or '93' is mostly a waste of money - unless you have a high-performance car, a turbocharged/supercharged engine, higher compression ratio, etc., etc.

An occasional ping or knock under hard acceleration is nothing to fear, but you don't want your car to sound like a diesel truck with a heavy load either.
:cowboy:

2: Yes, most gasoline companies do share the source refined product. But
each has their own additive blends/etc.

True dat! Most places have one big pipeline and two or three tank farms per metro area. There may be 30 or 40 different brands of fuel in a market, but most of it comes through the same distribution network via a handful of tanker truck companies. The additives are the main difference (Techron, V-Power, etc.)

3: Personally, I use only Hess, as it's the only thing I can get my hands on that isn't a 10% (or more) ethanol blend. Ethanol is a: lower energy content than gas so you have to use more and b: Harmful to older systems; it rots the rubber in their fuel systems. Damned environmental whack jobs don't consider that stuff when they advocate that nonsense.

I never knew Hess (don't think we have any around here - but they are in Northern VA) did not use ethanol in their gasoline. That's a nice thing to consider, though. I have never seen ANY gas stations around here that don't use a 10% ethanol blend - especially in the summer months when cleaner blends of gasoline are mandated by law.

Ethanol does indeed have a lower energy content and a gallon of it contains fewer BTUs than does gasoline; thus decreasing fuel economy somewhat. In some places, E85 (85 percent ethanol & 15 percent gasoline) is available and actually costs less at the pump than regular unleaded gas. However, you will not go nearly as far on a gallon of it than you would with gasoline.

Alcohol does, however, have a much higher octane rating than gas and will all but eliminate pre-ignition or knocking of any kind. Some racing engines run on it, too. (I have always wondered if a passenger car could run E85 and get good fuel economy almost all the time -- if the compression ratio were very high and the timing was advanced.)

Diesel fuel probably has the most BTUs of any available motor fuel - but you can't use it in a gasoline-powered car. Also, the compression ratio of a diesel is much, much higher than a gasser -- since diesel require a "knock" in order to run at all.
:lmao:

If you think the eco-geeks have messed things up for the engines and fuels used in passenger cars, you should see the morass of pumps, filters and emissions controls being forced upon diesel-powered vehicles! Our new (2007+) trucks at work have a particulate filter trap that periodically has to be regenerated and the soot "burned off" every so often. This has decreased our fuel mileage significantly - and also has caused a decrease in performance from pre-DPF trucks. Additionally, this drives up the costs associated with purchase, maintenance and repair during the service life of our fleet.

As with everything else, this excess cost will get passed onto the consumer.
:uzi:

 

[004Gunner]

I never knew Hess (don't think we have any around here - but they are in Northern VA) did not use ethanol in their gasoline. That's a nice thing to consider, though. I have never seen ANY gas stations around here that don't use a 10% ethanol blend - especially in the summer months when cleaner blends of gasoline are mandated by law.

Hess does put ethanol in their fuel, but apparently it depends on the state. The Hess station near me has the 10% blend, along with every other gas station in New Jersey. The last time I filled up with non-ethanol was in Vermont.

 

[MikesToy]

I call my V8 a high-performance car so i put 91 octane even tho the manual says a minimum, again a minimum of 87 is recommended. What i don't get tho is my buddies use 87 and they complain why my tailpipe is so clean and theirs is not (kinda like having gunpowder on theirs).

 

[JohnsD90]

M1 is not the best. Valvoline is the best. M1 failed numerous unbiased tests that Valvoline passed. I just read this somewhere - dont remember where though.

Heres some info:

VWvortex Forums: CASE STUDY: Oil Analisys On 2.0 (Mobil1 vs Valvoline)

Rottella Synthetic is the best, valvoline is just overated.

 

[Annoyed]

I never knew Hess (don't think we have any around here - but they are in Northern VA) did not use ethanol in their gasoline. That's a nice thing to consider, though. I have never seen ANY gas stations around here that don't use a 10% ethanol blend - especially in the summer months when cleaner blends of gasoline are mandated by law.

You would have to check local dealers, but here, ethanol content is required to be posted on the pumps, and the Hess is the only one that doesn't have it. I've spoken to the management of 2/3 of the stations in this suburb and they confirm.

Alcohol does, however, have a much higher octane rating than gas and will all but eliminate pre-ignition or knocking of any kind. Some racing engines run on it, too. (I have always wondered if a passenger car could run E85 and get good fuel economy almost all the time -- if the compression ratio were very high and the timing was advanced.)

Well, if you think about what raises octane, additives that make the gas harder to light in order to prevent preignition, that makes perfect sense.

If you think the eco-geeks have messed things up for the engines and fuels used in passenger cars, you should see the morass of pumps, filters and emissions controls being forced upon diesel-powered vehicles! Our new (2007+) trucks at work have a particulate filter trap that periodically has to be regenerated and the soot "burned off" every so often. This has decreased our fuel mileage significantly - and also has caused a decrease in performance from pre-DPF trucks. Additionally, this drives up the costs associated with purchase, maintenance and repair during the service life of our fleet.

As with everything else, this excess cost will get passed onto the consumer.
:uzi:

I'm well aware of the hell that the environmental whack jobs have wrought upon the diesel powered transportation industry. Such a pity that most people swallow their felgercarb hook,line & sinker without even thinking about their alarmist warnings. I mean, C'mon, people! We as as species have had the ability to accurately measure & record temperature for roughly 500 years. The Earth has been able to support life for at least 65 million years! We as a race can't possibly have enough data to have an educated opinion on the subject!

/rant off. =)

 

[Jeff Kleb]

What i don't get tho is my buddies use 87 and they complain why my tailpipe is so clean and theirs is not (kinda like having gunpowder on theirs).

I don't know about you, but I would be kind of leery about anybody trying to look up my tailpipe.
So Gay

As for gunpowder being in there, I am not even going to ask what you did on the 4th of July.
:bravo:

** This post is rated "H" for humor being a requirement. If you don't have a sense of humor, then don't read it. **

 

[Annoyed]

Well, so much for Hess. Went to get gas over the weekend and there was the dreaded 10% Ethanol sticker on the pump.