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Gasoline, schmasoline - what's in your tank?

  • Thread starter Thread starter tonylong
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tonylong

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Last Oct my vette died. I've had a lot of time to research the possible causes and I've noticed an increasing number of owners with very similar symptoms. It seems that the pre-93 injectors are not ethanol tolerant. I'll be replacing my injectors soon with Bosch Des-III's from jon at FIC.

However I've learned a lot about gasoline and ethanol since then.

I had some interesting discussions with the PA State Attorney's Office, and the PA Bureau of Weights and Measures. (Note - it's Weights and Measures, not Weights and Standards.)

PA has no standards of fuel content. They periodically check the pumps to see if they're dispensing a true gallon, of whatever. They also check the tanks for water. If violations are found, the operator is written up. They don't care about water in OUR fuel, they know of water is getting in, then fuel is leaking out - and that's an environmental hazard.

No one checks if the "octane" rating is as depicted, or if there's actually gasoline in the tanks, it could be maple syrup.

The station operator has no idea what's being delivered by the tankers.
The tank farms near every city, lease the tanks for short or long periods to anyone they want. Who knows what was in the tank before.

The major brands will have more control over the distribution than brand X.

If the station is company-owned the control is better. If it's privately owned (most are) then the operator can have his cousin Habib drop a tankful of anything anytime he wants. The gross delivery vs sales check done by the company is a joke.

Ethanol - there is no obligation to inform if ethanol is in the fuel, or how much. The station operators can add ethanol if they want to. They often do when they see water present because the ethanol takes up the water and combines it with the gasoline - reducing the visible water. I doubt it helps our engines.

This is based entirely on the State of PA. I wasn't able to even find anyone in the Federal Gov't who would talk to me.

I did find that it's NOT - the FDA, The Dept of Agriculture, the BATF, the Dep't of Health.

If anyone has better info, please post it. I don't feel good about filling my tank anymore. I may sell my 89, and buy a C2 or C3 that still uses carburetors, and has no emission or economy or fancy computers.
They can be adjusted to burn kerosine. As bad as our gas is now, I believe it's going to get a lot worse. The Europeans pay $8 + per gallon but at least it's good gas. Moving there is another option, take my wheels with me.
 
Three words

CHEVRON

CHEVRON

CHEVRON
In 40 years I've never had a reason to doubt the quality of their product.:beer
 
I take my Vette to our HyVee store a block away from me. It seems that all my cars that I take there get much better mileage. I use to love phillips 66, but anymore it seems there gas goes no where in my cars.
 
If anyone has better info, please post it. I don't feel good about filling my tank anymore. I may sell my 89, and buy a C2 or C3 that still uses carburetors, and has no emission or economy or fancy computers.
They can be adjusted to burn kerosine. As bad as our gas is now, I believe it's going to get a lot worse. The Europeans pay $8 + per gallon but at least it's good gas. Moving there is another option, take my wheels with me.

I'd suggest that you pursue some accurate credible information regarding your options. Earlier Corvettes will not run any better on cr*p gasoline than a C4 does and they will most definitely not run on kerosene- at all

Also, not sure where you got the idea that Europe has better quality gas than us. :confused
 
I did hear some time ago, that water will burn when mixed with gasoline. In fact during an energy crisis, some outfits were selling something that would make it possible to use more water in the gas, as an injection process. Sounds crazy, but I'm sure too much would make your engine run crappy.
 
I did hear some time ago, that water will burn when mixed with gasoline. In fact during an energy crisis, some outfits were selling something that would make it possible to use more water in the gas, as an injection process. Sounds crazy, but I'm sure too much would make your engine run crappy.

Water won't actually burn (oxidize - it's already the oxide of Hydrogen) but in small quantities it can form steam and steam will expand even more than burning gas. Just don't cool the reaction and extinguish the gas flame-front.
 
Here in NJ i normally used either Hess or a cheapo brand. In the Vette, I only use Shell premium. In my truck, i noticed rough idle and poor overall running so i have been using Shell regular, and i noticed dramatic improvment. IMHO Shell works for me.
BUT in general all gas is crap. With ethanol you can expect at least a 10%+ loss in MPG.
AND it damages just about everything contrary to what the politician chemists say.
The boaters had it rough. It was eating the lining of their fiberglass tanks and the goop was wrecking the engine.
It's better than the non-biodegradable/pollutant winter mix of years back.
 
Best I can get around here is Shell. I have used it since they took over Texaco around here. Before that the Texaco was the best.I have watch my mileage closely for many yrs and you get what you pay for . Cut rate gas has the minimal amount of additives and cleaners. Back when gas was about 80 cents I could pay 10 cents more for Texaco than the cut rates and cost less to drive, that much diff in mileage.
In all the yrs of driving injected engines I have never had a problem with dirty injectors or filters. I drive out of my way to get name brand gas such as Shell, Texaco or BP . BP isn't to bad but usually a little over priced.
A couple yrs ago I got caught in Des Moines , Iowa having to put in cut rate gas. Was an expensive tank of gas, I dropped 6 miles to the gal.
I also have found a 10% drop in mileage with ethanol. 10% has caused some of my cars to run so badly that my wife questioned what was wrong with the car.

Glenn
:w
 
In Missouri 10% methanol is the law. If you go to your local FBO you can get 100 low lead (no Idea what's in that). Expect to pay $5/gal more. Having said that, I've been using Shell premium for the last 3 years with no apparent problems. The Vett gets 20 mpg around town, 30 on the highway (no head wind). The lore has it that 10% meth. is OK but the E-85 is a definite no-no. Re. those who use a higher octane rating than their engine requires, (per Shell engr.) is like buying a larger size shoes and expecting to be able to run faster.
 
having worked overnights for a long long time i can tell you that most of the time the same trucks that deliver to a getty, deliver to the citgo down the street or to the mobile. always made me laugh
 
I am inclined to give the name brands the benefit of the doubt.
I think that there may be some industry crossover, however they probably all use contract truckers. So you may see the same trucks but you never know what's inside - good or bad. I really dont think that after all the chemistry and engineering that a company like Shell or Sunoco would risk selling trash under their label.
The oldest / easiest scam is putting regular in the premium tank - and saying it was an "accident".

BTW some major companies also own different brands so you will notice that too.
 
Citgo since that is the only easily available one with NO ethanol crap
 
Citgo since that is the only easily available one with NO ethanol crap

Citgo is Owned by venezuela - remember Hugo Chavez and his a$$hole buddy Raul Castro. I don't buy from terrorists.
 
I do trust the Major brands especially if it's a company-owned station. There's no incentive for the operator to screw around with the fuel.
If it's privately owned there's nothing to stop some operators from having their cousin Habib drop in a load of whatever. The home office can't do more than keep a rough track of deliveries versus dispersed. If Habib does it regularly he'll be caught. Around here the only major without ethanol is Gulf. Of course my new injectors should be tolerant of e15 anyway.
My main reason for this thread was to show that there is no effective monitoring of our fuel supply and when there's enough money around, people cheat and steal.
I miss the old days - you cut off a thiefs right hand, and if his hand was aready gone, then next was the head.
 
Citgo is Owned by venezuela - remember Hugo Chavez and his a$$hole buddy Raul Castro. I don't buy from terrorists.

Believe me, if XOM sold it without the crapanol I'd be all over it but Citgo was the only one here.
 

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