Gasoline Brand ?

[Guest]

Sorta like an oil thread, but for gas. - lol

What gas station do you prefer when fueling up?
Any noticeable differences between one gas or another?

Could be all in my head, but I seem to have easier startup (especially on very cold days) with BP rather than my 2nd choice of Shell.
I use the lowest octane available in both these flavors.
BP-87 and Shell-86 (IIRC)
I avoid the E-85 altogether ("He avoids the E-85" )

There's a SOHIO station on the river close by that is reported to sell Ethanol-Free gas, but I haven't had the need to go there, fill up a can and test it out.
Although I may do just that for winter storage.

There's also a Valero station near a drag strip that sells "racing-gas" which I recall being around 100 octane.

I remember filling up with Marathon or Mobile and it seemed to me that the exhaust smelled 'heavier'

Everything else seems to work well enough, Speedway, Arco, Clark, Gulf, Kroger, Terrible-Herbst, Texaco, Sunoco, Phillips66, Exon, and a dozen others I've bought over the years.
Heck as far as I know it's all the same stuff. YMMV.

Here's a site that tells you where ethanol-free gas is available in the US.
http://www.buyrealgas.com
and another below that lists some stations for our Canadian friends eh?
https://www.pure-gas.org

I know these sites have been posted before, but it's raining today and we can never have too many oil or fuel discussions.

What are your thoughts, experiences and most used brands?

 

[roeme]

Can't get anything below 95 octane in my country. Also, gasoline isn't branded, it's all named the same regardless of the sign on the stations' roof - this is because any gasoline sold needs to meet regulation (i.e. SN EN 228 for lead-free).

E85 is regulated as well, but there's next to no stations selling it. The big names can't be arsed (Switzerland is a small market), and the independent stations won't update their hardware unless there's a demand.

You simply can't get sh!tty gasoline in this country. One of the reasons I keep putting off mounting a fuel filter.

 

[cowboyup3371]

Where ever I am closest too at the moment. There's a Speedway on the corner but I lost my brand loyalty years ago when it comes to gas

 

[storm 64]

Can't get anything below 95 octane in my country. Also, gasoline isn't branded, it's all named the same regardless of the sign on the stations' roof - this is because any gasoline sold needs to meet regulation (i.e. SN EN 228 for lead-free).

E85 is regulated as well, but there's next to no stations selling it. The big names can't be arsed (Switzerland is a small market), and the independent stations won't update their hardware unless there's a demand.

You simply can't get sh!tty gasoline in this country. One of the reasons I keep putting off mounting a fuel filter.

And reason #327 why I'd like to live in Switzerland....
Reason #1 you ask, the pretty lady's of course. ☺

 

[Hinermad]

There's a SOHIO station on the river close by that is reported to sell Ethanol-Free gas, but I haven't had the need to go there, fill up a can and test it out. Although I may do just that for winter storage.

There are still Sohio stations? I thought they were all converted to BP years ago.

 

[Burque73]

Where ever I am closest too at the moment. There's a Speedway on the corner but I lost my brand loyalty years ago when it comes to gas

Yep, me too.

 

[bwringer]

I whip my bikes like rented mules, and I've never noticed the slightest iota of difference.

I suppose I might try to avoid filling up at a station that consists of two old milk cans strapped to a burro (unless that's the only choice), but other than that it's mainly which station is available, convenient, and has usable restrooms. I won't return to a station that won't let me pee...

87 octane is perfectly fine for any GS, and the ethanol content (up to 10%) matters not one jot.

Ethanol only makes a difference if you're one of those cruel, neglectful sorts who let their GS sit for months between outings. Just ride the damn thing once in a while, and you'll never have to look at the insides of the carbs again.


Also, it's worth noting that European octane numbers are on a different scale than US and Canuckian octane numbers. Here in North America, most gas is sold as 87, 89, and 91 or 93 octane.

In Yurp, they calculate octane differently, so the grades are usually 95 and 98, sometimes also 99 or 100.

Wherever you are, pick the cheapest. That's what your GS needs.

 

[Cipher]

I run shell's highest octane fuel in the 1300
but any non-ethanol gas int he 550 if i suspect it will sit for a while
any gas if im burning the tank in short order

 

[Guest]

There are still Sohio stations? I thought they were all converted to BP years ago.

I was surprised to see if myself



BP continues to sell marine fuel under the Sohio brand at various marinas on Ohio waterways


isleoman - I saw this quote from another site; "I've worked on several gasoline & diesel truck loading stations. This is where the trucks load up to deliver fuel to the gas stations. Everyone of them, in several different states, was the ONLY truck loading station for the area. We had different injector systems for the different company additives, but every company used the EXACT SAME GASOLINE. Exxon would get a few squirts of their stuff every 100 gallons, Mobile would get a few squirts of their stuff. Always the same gasoline."

 

[Who Dat?]

If you visit the ports in Boston or Providence you'll see all the tanker trucks filling from the same giant tanks.

Some of the big companies in the US, like Shell and Exxon, supposedly put additives into the generic gasoline to differentiate their gas from others.

I have a friend that delivers gas locally. I don't remember the name on the side of his truck, but it's NOT any of the gas companies.

When he fills the truck (about 9,000 gallons), he moves his truck to the "additive station", shows his papers to the attendant there, who dumps in a few gallons of whatever additive(s) the receiving company calls for.

 

[Guest]

Many of our stations are Sunoco. I don't think they're the Sunocos of yore, though. I think Dorkburger posted a link to non-ethanol stations awhile back, but I can't find any near me. It would be nice if SOMEONE would have at least a pump or two of it.

 

[Nessism]

Can't get anything below 95 octane in my country. Also, gasoline isn't branded, it's all named the same regardless of the sign on the stations' roof - this is because any gasoline sold needs to meet regulation (i.e. SN EN 228 for lead-free).

E85 is regulated as well, but there's next to no stations selling it. The big names can't be arsed (Switzerland is a small market), and the independent stations won't update their hardware unless there's a demand.

You simply can't get sh!tty gasoline in this country. One of the reasons I keep putting off mounting a fuel filter.

What fuel octane method is being used? In the US we use (R + M) / 2 method. Many other parts of the world use a different method which typically results in a higher rating number.

 

[Dogma]

I tend to avoid any station that plays TV commercials at the pump. It's a bit of a plague with Speedway, so I'll choose another if I can. Other than that, I'm brand agnostic.

 

[roeme]

What fuel octane method is being used? In the US we use (R + M) / 2 method. Many other parts of the world use a different method which typically results in a higher rating number.

The standard defines both R and M, but for naming and declaration purposes, only R is used. To use Lead-Free as an Example: R at least 95, M is required to be at least 85.

So that would mean 90 octane in the US, methinks.

For others interested in that stuff: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane_rating#Measurement_methods

 

[Carter Turk]

I have a Pacific Pride 2 miles from my house selling ethanol free 89, used be 90.
That's what I run. It has Shell logo tape on the front if anyone tampers with the pump.
I seem to get significantly better mileage on ethanol free gas

 

[hannibal]

In most of the US, gasoline is refined in two flavors: 87 and 93. The grades in between are simply mixed from those two tanks at the pump. 2 parts 87 and 1 part 93 makes 89. 2 parts 93 and 1 part 87 makes 91.

I've never cared about brands, just octane ratings.

 

[JJ]

I have a Pacific Pride 2 miles from my house selling ethanol free 89, used be 90.
That's what I run. It has Shell logo tape on the front if anyone tampers with the pump.
I seem to get significantly better mileage on ethanol free gas

That's because you have to burn about twice as much ethanol to get the same energy as gasoline.

 

[Carter Turk]

That's because you have to burn about twice as much ethanol to get the same energy as gasoline.

So why are all the midland cornfields even there? Make real gas then, the ethanol seems to be a hugely wasted effort to what end?
The carbon footprint is huge, why all the fuss with ethanol, ag incentives from the gov apparently.

 

[Big T]

So why are all the midland cornfields even there? Make real gas then, the ethanol seems to be a hugely wasted effort to what end?
The carbon footprint is huge, why all the fuss with ethanol, ag incentives from the gov apparently.

Without going all Vortex, you are correct. Big money giveaway to big corporations.

 

[JJ]

So why are all the midland cornfields even there? Make real gas then, the ethanol seems to be a hugely wasted effort to what end?
The carbon footprint is huge, why all the fuss with ethanol, ag incentives from the gov apparently.

Politics, Kohl brothers, corporate farm lobbyists, etc... I agree about taking ethanol out of gasoline.