Ask the Car People.SM


What about fuel types & gas mileage?

297 messages,  Last post on Jan 20, 2013 at 2:20 PM

You are in the Maintenance & Repair Forum.

What is this discussion about? Engine, Fuel System

Messages Page 27 of 31

#256 of 297 Gas/Gas Mileage by dchen2003

Jul 14, 2007 (1:17 pm)

I heard some people say some of the gas is not 100% gasoline but with 10% alcohol. Because alcohol has lower energy density that cause lower MPG. Does any one know What brand of gas station use this kind of blend fuel? And what gas station has the best fuel based on your experience.
 
Thank You

#257 of 297 Re: Gas/Gas Mileage [dchen2003] by shipo

Jul 14, 2007 (1:41 pm)

Replying to: dchen2003 (Jul 14, 2007 1:17 pm)
Typically the areas that mandate oxygenated fuels (i.e. most metropolitan areas) also mandate E10 (gasoline with 10% ethanol). If you live in such an area you're out of luck as 100% gasoline cannot be had for love nor money.
 
Best Regards,
Shipo

#258 of 297 Alcohol by imidazol97

Jul 14, 2007 (4:37 pm)

Is alcohol being used in lots of areas now? I thought after he Katrina mess the gov advocated using as much ethanol as possible.

#259 of 297 Re: Alcohol [imidazol97] by shipo

Jul 14, 2007 (8:19 pm)

Replying to: imidazol97 (Jul 14, 2007 4:37 pm)
The proper name for "Ethanol" is "Ethyl Alcohol". Same same.
 
Best Regards,
Shipo

#260 of 297 Re: Alcohol [shipo] by imidazol97

Jul 15, 2007 (5:30 am)

Replying to: shipo (Jul 14, 2007 8:19 pm)
>The proper name for "Ethanol" is "Ethyl Alcohol". Same same.
 
Ethanol and ethyl alcohol are the same chemical, C2H5OH.
 
Are you thinking you are correcting me on something? I don't understand the purpose of your post.

#261 of 297 Re: Alcohol [imidazol97] by shipo

Jul 15, 2007 (7:33 am)

Replying to: imidazol97 (Jul 15, 2007 5:30 am)
Hmmm, maybe I misunderstood the language of your first post:
 
"Is alcohol being used in lots of areas now? I thought after he Katrina mess the gov advocated using as much ethanol as possible."
 
My bad if I got the incorrect impression, but my reading of the above suggests that your language indicated that you were drawing a line between Alcohol and Ethanol. Please accept my apology if I read you incorrectly.
 
Best Regards,
Shipo

#262 of 297 Re: Alcohol [shipo] by imidazol97

Jul 15, 2007 (8:23 am)

Replying to: shipo (Jul 15, 2007 7:33 am)
I didn't word the first post well to say what I had in my mind. You're right that it's not clear.
 
I thought after the Katrina fiasco they encouraged putting alcohol (ethanol) into more and more of the fuel across the country to increase the usage of ethanol (read: improve profit for big companies manufacturing ethanol from corn). I noticed that our pumps used to have a sticker indicating the content COULD contain up to 10% ethanol from some companies who included the ethanol in previous years. Those disappeared. I've not yet tested the name brands for ethanol in our area. I avoid those brands who include ethanol as a technique for reducing quality.
 
I heard a tanker driver say that only 5 Shell stations used pure gasoline in his delivery area. It used to be Speedway, Clark, and other off brands that had ethanol disclaimers on their pumps in this area of Ohio. The use of ethanol reduced the cost per galloon so these stations sold ethanol gas at a price equal to the regular gasoline and made a higher profit per gallon because the ethanol doesn't pay state tax and maybe federal tax.
 
I believe the ethanol gasoline gives lower miles per gallon.

#263 of 297 Re: Alcohol [imidazol97] by shipo

Jul 15, 2007 (9:23 am)

Replying to: imidazol97 (Jul 15, 2007 8:23 am)
Hmmm, I'm not sure of the politics regarding national usage of ethanol (I know they're there I just haven't gotten involved), however, I do know that the EPA has mandated oxygenated fuel in most if not all metropolitan areas around the country, and since MTBE has been found to be particularly nasty stuff, ethanol is now the preferred oxygenate.
 
Here in the Boston area we had no ethanol infrastructure for a long time and as such we were allowed to get away with non ethanol fuels until about a year ago. When they hit, both of our cars immediately started returning about 5% fewer miles per gallon. Grrr.
 
Best Regards,
Shipo

#264 of 297 Re: Alcohol [shipo] by imidazol97

Jul 15, 2007 (9:38 am)

Replying to: shipo (Jul 15, 2007 9:23 am)
Hawaii legislation
 
This states that 50% of fuel in US contains alcohol.
 
governors' conference
 
This states a minimum amount of renewable fuels (ethanol) that will be used. Maybe this was the required ethanol use that I was recalling. Rather than percent of fuel needing to be alcohol (ethanol) it states a quantity of ethanol to be used.

#265 of 297 Re: Alcohol [imidazol97] by shipo

Jul 15, 2007 (9:39 am)

Replying to: imidazol97 (Jul 15, 2007 9:38 am)
Good stuff, thanks for the links.
 
An interesting point. None of the New England states sent a representative, not one. Hmmmm...
 
Best Regards,
Shipo

Messages Page 27 of 31

To POST a message, please Sign In.

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement