Gasoline - And the junk that's being sold to us

[Daniel Rabinovitz]

Folks,
Jim Locke (of automotive repair and racing fame) just went over to the shop (across the driveway) to tell SWMBO that I should watch channel 4 WTAE in Pittsburgh, because he is going to be interviewed about gasoline.

Jim had informed me many years ago that every 3 or 4 tank fulls, to put in the high priced stuff - yes, the premium. The purpose is to clean out the fuel system and throttle body or injectors.

The gasoline that is being sold to us common folk, the 87 octane stuff - is junk and gums up the fuel system eventually.

So enough of a rant

You automotive technicians know what I'm getting at - the rest of you'all - fill with high-test every 3/4 tank fulls.

By the way, it also makes the automotive technicians sick, when they let a car running inside their service centers, when working on it.

Daniel, the know nothing all.
Revision of 5 March 2005 1029 EST

Well, thanks to the eight folks that replied to this thread. I really didn't expect any.
This thread was posted just to spout off about the 87 octance fuel etc. We could continue with highly technical information about the composition and formula that makes up today's modern gasolines but it ain't worth it.
Check with your mechanic, add carb (injector) cleaner occassionally or the "good" gas occasionally, whatever. But at least I had a chance to voice and opinion and you fine folks can proceed from here.

As a side comment, (after the fact) I once owned a 1965 Pontiac GTO, with three (3) two barrel carbs and electronic ignition, and "all the other goodies", that got 18 miles to the gallon - stock from the factory.

[Steve Knowlton]

In Loml Van They Told Us To Only Burn Reg. Not The Expensive Gas As It Hurt The Engine.no Problem To Me As The Good Stuff Costs Way To Much Out Here.

[Dennis Peacock]

Yup.....and the middle grade is "mixed" before the pump with part high test and part low grade regular. MY FIL only uses Super in his vehicles and he "never" has fuel problems...I mean zero in the last 20 years!!! However, my dad has gone through MANY shop visits with his vehicles with various fuel related issues and he only uses low grade regular. So, in my book...its' pay them a little more now, or pay a LOT more later. :rolleyes:

[Tony Falotico]

When ever I'm traveling (at least once a month) I'll either fill up with High Test and/or put a bottle of fuel injector cleaner (Usually the one with Techtronal (sp?)) and run the interstate for at least 100 miles (usually 200 - 300). Gives the engine a good 'burn out' cleaning.

I'm also picky about where I buy my gas, I don't ever use the discount stations, when traveling I stick to name brands / newer looking stations.

[Steve Ash]

Every time I take this old girl out I always buy the highest octane I can get. With all the work done to the engine I won't use anything else. 425 horsepower and still gets 18 m.p.g. when out cruising....not bad, given the "fun" factor. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v229/GardenBay/69chevelle2.jpg

[Karl Laustrup]

Really nice wheels, Steve. :cool: :D

I noticed the mileage you get when just cruising. Do you have the big block? 427, 429, 454? I had a Buick Riviera, 1966 version. 425 C.I., 415 HP, 4 BBL Rochester and weighed in somewhere around 3 tons. Used to get 15-17 MPG around the city [Long Beach, CA] and could regularly get 19-20 on the road, at 70-75 MPH. I bought it in NJ and drove it to SoCal after getting out of the Army. On one section of that trip I got 23 MPG. :D And I also had a stretch in Texas where I buried the needle, which BTW went to 135 as I recall.

I'm saying all this because I don't quite understand todays vehicles. No HP, weights are overall much lower and size is definately smaller as well. And yet the MPG is not that much higher than that of my Riviera. I guess all that smog stuff must have a lot to do with it. :confused:

LOML has wanted a PT since the day they came out. So in Dec. 04 I got her a '01 PT. Had a Montana van. Montana van, V-6 routinely got 24-26 MPG. PT 4 cyl. routinely gets 22-25 MPG. And on interstate 22 MPG is good. :confused:

Sorry for the rant. I don't think I used my weekly rant for this week. If I did I apologize. I just don't quite understand why we have smaller and less powerful vehicles and still get basically the same MPG as 30 or so years ago. :( :confused:

[Steve Ash]

Thanks Karl,
It has a 396, but not stock. I bored it .030 over, 10:1 high compression domed pistons, (can't remember specs on cam) Edelbrock aluminum intake, Holley 750 dual feed double pumper carb, Harlan sharps roller rockers, stainless steel valves, Hooker super comp headers, and 3" flowmasters exiting the exhaust just in front of the rear tires.
We take it to a lot of the car shows....and I drive it, not trailered. The car weighs around 3200lbs. and has gotten in the low 18 m.p.g. when I just cruise. Now if I get fancy with the shifting and don't keep my foot off the pedal....she tends to use both fuel and rubber.:cool:
Now I guess I've used up my once a week rant.:D

[Jason Roehl]

Karl, don't forget, too, that HP is measured differently now than it once was. I think they switched in '72 or so from measuring the base horsepower of the engine with no accessories, to measuring it with all the accessories installed (alternator, PS pump, A/C, smog pump, etc.). Those things make a huge difference. Add in driveline losses, and you can subtract another 20-30% from today's HP numbers to get your drive-wheel horsepower, which is what they should ALL go by, IMHO.

An alternative to running the high-octane stuff is simply to use injector cleaner once in a while, or even a pint or so of kerosene on occasion (which is basically what injector cleaner is made of). Today's fuels are far superior to what they used to be, and even the low-grade stuff has a pretty hefty detergent cocktail in it.

[Carl Eyman]

I sure don't know much about gasoline, but explain this: I just sold a 1991 Plymoouth Sundance America I'd bought new. The engine never had any type of repair. I never used anything but regular gas, yet it was still running AOK with good gas mileage (about 30 mpg on highwasy) when the new buyer happily drove out the driveway. That is pretty good service, I think.

[Aaron Koehl]

I'm not real big on gasoline, except I use a lot of it. As a side note, I prefer the (R + M)/2 method. :D

[Jason Roehl]

I'm not real big on gasoline, except I use a lot of it.
My work truck gets from 10mpg in the winter to about 12mpg in the summer. I sure get a kick out of it when I see the last person at a gas pump put in $5 worth of gas. I typically use more than that in a day. :D I guess I use a lot of it, too.

[Norman Hitt]

Using the High Priced fuel is ok, but unless your engine specs calls for the higher octane, you can do the same thing "Much Cheaper" by just running a can of "Chem Tool" in the tank occassionally when out on the big road. I've been using this particular brand for nearly 30 years to keep my fuel systems clean and also to keep the Older Transmissions from getting sticky & having shifting problems, and haven't had any fuel problems in any of the many vehicles we've owned and I only use regular.

[Christopher Stahl]

I always run 93 in my car, but it also calls for it. I also only by specific brands that I know will burn clean, like Exxon, Mobil etc. Even though fuel comes out of the same pipe, the additives do make a difference.

Every now and again, I feel like cleaning out the engine. I'll mix in toluene during a fill up to a mixture of about 98 octane. This gives quite a horsepower boost and burns very clean. :)

chris

[Tyler Howell]

Count your blessing gents no matter what you burn or how. We are very lucky here in the states. Gas was $6.00/gal in Tahiti for reg. Every drop imported.

Nice ride Steve.:cool:

[Michael Perata]

I have found a direct relationship to octane/compression ratio

I had an Inifinti QX4 in 2000 with a 10.0:1 compression ration and I could burn 87 octane as long as I was on the flats.

My 2002 Ford Escape with a 9.6:1 CR would run on 87 octane in all conditions.

The Cayenne I now drive has a CR of 11.5:1 and will barely start on anything less than 91 octane.

[Michael Ballent]

Well I guess that I am the strange one on the board :D We just bought a VW Passat TDI (Diesel) and I just cannot remember the last time I fueled up the car :) Getting 34 mpg in the city and about 40+ on the freeway is wonderful, and if I want I can run Bio-Diesel :D

[Curt Harms]

Well I guess that I am the strange one on the board :D We just bought a VW Passat TDI (Diesel) and I just cannot remember the last time I fueled up the car :) Getting 34 mpg in the city and about 40+ on the freeway is wonderful, and if I want I can run Bio-Diesel :D

This is a 3rd hand story, but supposedly there was a crew chief on a civilian Boeing 707 who as part of his duties regularly drained the fuel sumps to check for contamination. He owned a VW diesel rabbit and never bought fuel. Diesels run just fine on Jet A, apparently.

Curt

[Norman Hitt]

This is a 3rd hand story, but supposedly there was a crew chief on a civilian Boeing 707 who as part of his duties regularly drained the fuel sumps to check for contamination. He owned a VW diesel rabbit and never bought fuel. Diesels run just fine on Jet A, apparently.

Curt

Sometime in the late 70's or early 80's, there was a feature article in the Progressive Farmer Mag. about a large Farm in the Southeast that had set tanks to gather the used peanut & other cooking oil from the Fast food Restaurants in their local area, and they even showed detailed pictures of the additional filtering system they put on all their trucks, tractors and other diesel equipment to run that oil, and hardly ever had to buy diesel. They also mentioned that some folks had even run lawn mowers and chainsaws on it, but I never tried it, and I don't remember if it was mixed with gasoline or straight for that application, but I think it was straight peanut oil. They said it gave a nice peanut smell when cutting wood.