Which gas would you buy?

dodj · January 09, 2025, 02:39:28 PM

Quote from: blown motor on January 09, 2025, 06:24:58 AMIt's a common perception that it's lower grade fuel. Maybe that's all hogwash.

It's not perceived that way here in my area?

MoparLeo · January 11, 2025, 10:34:43 AM

You don't neccesarily need premium. Depends on the engine C:R. It only needs to be high enough to not ping on acceleration.
Gasoline octane needs to be as low as the engine needs, higher octane is just wasting money. What the older cars, pre 73 really lack is Lead. Non of it is leaded. So more expensive gas doesn't buy your wngine more wear protection. Additives are almost nonexistant anymore for the leaded valve seat crowd.
Just try a little of the lower octane gas and accelerate going up a hil. If it doesn't ping, it doesn't need to be higher octane. The lower octane fuels burn hotter thanthe higher octane fuels do. That is why you can run higher CR and need more timing. They burn slower/colder. Just think about nitromethane. Very high octane and needs much more spark advance to burn it.
If your car is a driver. you should replace all the rubber in the fuel system with modern matterials that are ethanol tolerant. That means rebuilding the carb,fuel pump and all lines.

70vert · January 11, 2025, 05:38:34 PM

While "reservation" gas may be the same, unless you can verify I would not use it. I only use gas that is certified Top Tier> https://www.toptiergas.com/
I seldom find stations with non-ethanol here in Houston. Used to be some Sonoco ones but none near me and many of them have closed. My car, and engine are not worth the risk of non top tier, just to save a buck. And honestly the only issue I've faced with Ethanol is having to rebuild the carb more frequently.

BIGSHCLUNK · January 12, 2025, 10:33:50 AM

Gas is gas... it's what ever the additives are. In my area there are 2 tank farms..... but several "brands" around town. Easy math for sure

JH27N0B · January 12, 2025, 04:29:14 PM

Quote from: BIGSHCLUNK on January 12, 2025, 10:33:50 AMGas is gas... it's what ever the additives are. In my area there are 2 tank farms..... but several "brands" around town. Easy math for sure

The gasoline may come from the same tank farms, but for top tier gas, additives are added to the fuel at some point, when it's being pumped into the tanker truck I believe is when I heard.
For vintage cars, I don't know if the additives are much of any benefit. But for newer cars it sounds like using top tier is beneficial to help prevent fuel injectors and other components of modern vehicle fuel systems stay clean of deposits. Marketing BS? Maybe, but I doubt they could claim helpful additives are added to top tier gas that aren't helpful, for too long before the FTC would come down on them.
I usually try to use top tier gas in my hemi Ram and hemi Scat Pack. A few extra cents per gallon is cheap insurance. For my vintage cars I don't worry about it. For my Dart grocery getter beater, hit or miss, top tier about 50% of the time.

torredcuda · January 13, 2025, 02:07:27 PM

https://www.ace.aaa.com/automotive/advocacy/top-tier-gasoline.html

dodj · January 13, 2025, 02:14:43 PM

Quote from: JH27N0B on January 12, 2025, 04:29:14 PMadditives are added to the fuel at some point, when it's being pumped into the tanker truck I believe is when I heard.

I would find this hard to believe that 5 or 10 gallons of additive are tossed in before the truck is filled?
If the additives and combustion cleaners are the results of high tech lab research.....I don't think the final mixing is done at the truck.

torredcuda · January 13, 2025, 03:46:24 PM

Not sure if this is true? "Virtually all additives that go into any fuel, as specified by the retailer, is done at the fuel terminal when the tanker is loaded. I used to haul fuels. It is interesting to swipe a card that lays out the specs for the end retailer, then watch various lights go on with different tanks as they inject additive into the stream being loaded in to the truck tanker. There might be an occasional outlet that does its own fuel dosing, but that is not the norm. Not sure why they would anyway because of the substantial increased cost they incur to have such a setup at their location, monitor it, and pass all other regulatory requirements. Then there is also the liability issues involved. If their additive system goofs up either way, too little or too less, they run the risk of consumer litigation. Why take on that headache? Just have the fuel blended to what you need at the distribution point and then delivered to the retailer."

torredcuda · January 13, 2025, 03:48:04 PM

"All additives are added at the terminal when the tanker picks up his load. The base gasoline is the same, just the additives themselves ARE different. Each driver will have a key to unlock the additive dispenser for the brand he hauls. I will say that mostly, the gas is the same stuff between all the retailers, just the stuff they add at the terminal is different."

torredcuda · January 13, 2025, 03:50:25 PM

"Some gasoline additives are blended at the fuel terminal. Others may be added by fuel suppliers or distributors. Finally, fuel additives designed for consumers and industry may be added post-sale. These post-sale fuel additives may be introduced into storage tanks or directly into a vehicle's fuel tank."

https://msp.energy/what-you-should-know-about-gasoline-fuel-additives/

Jay Bee · January 13, 2025, 03:54:49 PM

Jeff, so funny. I just read the same post from "TiredTrucker" on that Bob is the Oil Guy site. Talk about coincidence.

Mixup7071 · Reply #26 - Re: Which gas would you buy?

I don't have any reservations around where I live but I did make a reservation at a Indian restaurant once but then I had a reservation about that