jrkermode
Enthusiast
Are all premium fuels created equal? If not, what criteria should I use to select a fuel for the Viper? What are the consequences of running "cheap" gas?
Hey Tom F&L; What fuel should I use?
- Thread starter jrkermode
- Start date
GTS Bruce
Enthusiast
Cheap gas may mean pump filters not changed often enough or marginal octane and detergents.You figure out the consequences.Man if you have to scrimp to gas up and can't afford name brand premium then you have bought the wrong car!Think about it.A couple of pennies now or a $10,000 dollar motor later.Mostly I use Mobil and stay away from Sunoco because its blended with a low energy corrosive additive(alcohol). GTS Bruce
Tom F&L GoR
Enthusiast
Not only are all (base) gasolines equal, they are "traded" via the pipeline systems. When the refinery in Texas makes fuel, sends it in the pipeline distribution system throughout the US, the oil company doesn't wait for it's own gasoline to come out the other end, it takes whatever comes out. The pipeline companies have minimum quality requirements so you can't dump poor quality fuel in hoping to get something better out. Therefore, volatility, corrosivity, and octane are all the same.
Premium often means ethanol addition to meet air quality requirements. If one gasoline is doing it, they are all doing it, since it is a minimum 2% oxygen content requirement and gasoline alone doesn't contain oxygen. It may be that in California, they are all doing it statewide.
California has some large oil companies that live there (Chevron, Tosco, etc.) so they may be in a position to sell their own fuel because the refinery and gas station are close together. Air quality standards are frequently written to control base fuel composition, so certainly all gasolines are produced to the same or very similar recipes.
So what is the difference between Shell, Mobil, Xtra, or Blitz gasoline? The additive package... At a terminal the gasoline is stored in million gallon tanks. When the tank truck shows up, the driver has his or her credit card, drives under the rack, and sticks the card in the reader. The card reader identifies the brand of gasoline and charges the proper account. Depending on the brand and octane, a certain type of additive is injected into the fuel as its loaded on the truck. Only then does the gasoline become a "brand" gasoline. Doing it this way also manages the ownership of the product- the brand or gas station doesn't own it until it's in the truck. Therefore, a Shell-owned terminal can supply a Texaco gasoline simply by injecting the Texaco additive into the unadditized gasoline.
The additives are what provide the cleanliness and marketing claims. (This was my former livelihood.) Less than 0.1% treat rates can make significant differences in how well the engine is protected from deposits, or even clean dirty engines up.
Many years ago, the EPA associated certain deposits with emissions problems and required all gasolines in the US to contain detergents. What happened was the no-name brands had to start using additives (good) but the majors that were treating their gasoline with a lot of additive couldn't differentiate their gasolines and gave up, and used less additive (bad.) Coupled with the rise in convenience store gasolines, people switched from gas stations with convenience items (i.e. Chevron, Mobil) to convenience stores that happen to sell gas (Stewarts, 7-11.) The big war is not major vs. major, but majors vs. convenience stores.
So back to what is a good gasoline? One that has a lot of additive. But if majors don't have a lot of additive, what do you do? Stay current, don't rely on a brand that was once good. Watch for advertisements that talk about premium specifically; while it may appear that all grades of the company gasoline have "performance" if the octane grade is mentioned, then it's only in that grade. Companies often advertise premium and put more additive in the premium, but less in the midgrade and regular. That's because profits are $0.15/gallon more on premium (and they only spend $0.0015 more on additive. Yes, I counted the zeros correctly.) Right now there is some buzz about "Top Tier" detergent gasoline. It's a cooperative effort between some major oils and the OEMs to be able to (legally) say the gasoline has more detergent and therefore it's better. But since it's voluntary, oil companies may try it, decide it doesn't attract more consumers, and drop out. Again, see if every grade is "Top Tier."
As for the stations- most are independently owned, not company owned. Filters, water in the gasoline, and other problems are not limited to the small guys as recent news articles about sulfur in Shell gasoline (and then recalling the gasoline!!) in the south should remind everyone.
A good insurance policy if you suspect detergent problems is to use a good quality "total fuel system cleaner" once every oil change - in the tank just before the oil change itself. (Some of the fuel additive gets in the oil and you will get it out with the oil change.)
Premium often means ethanol addition to meet air quality requirements. If one gasoline is doing it, they are all doing it, since it is a minimum 2% oxygen content requirement and gasoline alone doesn't contain oxygen. It may be that in California, they are all doing it statewide.
California has some large oil companies that live there (Chevron, Tosco, etc.) so they may be in a position to sell their own fuel because the refinery and gas station are close together. Air quality standards are frequently written to control base fuel composition, so certainly all gasolines are produced to the same or very similar recipes.
So what is the difference between Shell, Mobil, Xtra, or Blitz gasoline? The additive package... At a terminal the gasoline is stored in million gallon tanks. When the tank truck shows up, the driver has his or her credit card, drives under the rack, and sticks the card in the reader. The card reader identifies the brand of gasoline and charges the proper account. Depending on the brand and octane, a certain type of additive is injected into the fuel as its loaded on the truck. Only then does the gasoline become a "brand" gasoline. Doing it this way also manages the ownership of the product- the brand or gas station doesn't own it until it's in the truck. Therefore, a Shell-owned terminal can supply a Texaco gasoline simply by injecting the Texaco additive into the unadditized gasoline.
The additives are what provide the cleanliness and marketing claims. (This was my former livelihood.) Less than 0.1% treat rates can make significant differences in how well the engine is protected from deposits, or even clean dirty engines up.
Many years ago, the EPA associated certain deposits with emissions problems and required all gasolines in the US to contain detergents. What happened was the no-name brands had to start using additives (good) but the majors that were treating their gasoline with a lot of additive couldn't differentiate their gasolines and gave up, and used less additive (bad.) Coupled with the rise in convenience store gasolines, people switched from gas stations with convenience items (i.e. Chevron, Mobil) to convenience stores that happen to sell gas (Stewarts, 7-11.) The big war is not major vs. major, but majors vs. convenience stores.
So back to what is a good gasoline? One that has a lot of additive. But if majors don't have a lot of additive, what do you do? Stay current, don't rely on a brand that was once good. Watch for advertisements that talk about premium specifically; while it may appear that all grades of the company gasoline have "performance" if the octane grade is mentioned, then it's only in that grade. Companies often advertise premium and put more additive in the premium, but less in the midgrade and regular. That's because profits are $0.15/gallon more on premium (and they only spend $0.0015 more on additive. Yes, I counted the zeros correctly.) Right now there is some buzz about "Top Tier" detergent gasoline. It's a cooperative effort between some major oils and the OEMs to be able to (legally) say the gasoline has more detergent and therefore it's better. But since it's voluntary, oil companies may try it, decide it doesn't attract more consumers, and drop out. Again, see if every grade is "Top Tier."
As for the stations- most are independently owned, not company owned. Filters, water in the gasoline, and other problems are not limited to the small guys as recent news articles about sulfur in Shell gasoline (and then recalling the gasoline!!) in the south should remind everyone.
A good insurance policy if you suspect detergent problems is to use a good quality "total fuel system cleaner" once every oil change - in the tank just before the oil change itself. (Some of the fuel additive gets in the oil and you will get it out with the oil change.)
CitySnake
Enthusiast
Great read Tom! Thank you.
tarfungo
Viper Owner
I’m not a gasoline expert, but it is my understanding that California also employs the same pipeline distribution as Tom states above. But because California has tighter air quality laws, all California gas is produced and traded within California. California can not purchase gas from other states. This is why Californians pay about 25% more for gas than most of the U.S.
There are exceptions though, as in Marin (North of San Francisco) there are NO pipelines that I am aware of. All gas is trucked in from surrounding areas. As such, companies like Union 76 distribute non-MTBE gas in Marin. I believe San Francisco proper is like this also and there may be other areas in CA also doing this.
There are exceptions though, as in Marin (North of San Francisco) there are NO pipelines that I am aware of. All gas is trucked in from surrounding areas. As such, companies like Union 76 distribute non-MTBE gas in Marin. I believe San Francisco proper is like this also and there may be other areas in CA also doing this.
AviP
Enthusiast
Great post Tom. Thanks for taking the time to write it.
VPRVENM97
Enthusiast
Great info. Thanks Tom! 
jrkermode
Enthusiast
Excellent as usual. Thanks Tom.
Jerry Colpitts
Enthusiast
HEY TOM. Whats up with this stuff. www.exp4additives.com. I have been using it with nice results. Engine runs smooth good gas mileage. let me know what you think.
