Just got another tank full of ethanol as I was just getting my mileage back to normal after a KAM reset. I know some of you feel good about the additive, but I hate it. Not only did I pay the same price as gas, I lose 5mpg at least. This time it was Super Wal-mart who crapped in the well. Needless to say I will not be getting gas from there anymore.

There should be a law that stations post a big sign on the pump when they mix the gas like this.

GaryG

 

I often get gas at Wal-Mart here in Harrisonburg, VA. Is there anyway to tell if I am getting this mixture?

 

Luke, you may be getting ethanol all year round and will never see the benefits of pure gas. I know within the first few miles after a fill that ethanol is the problem. Any time I see a reduction in mileage, I find the reason right away. First thing I check is tire pressure because I expect headwinds to cause a problem everyday.

This is the first time I've got ethanol mixed gas at Wal-mart here in WPB FL. I do not buy Citgo gas from South America because I've been screwed by them also. If Big Oil is going to start screwing me in S. FL with so called winter gas, I will not be voting for ethanol supporters in the next election.

If you look at my MPG Challenge results at Hybridfest in July of this year, I got 60+ MPG in the 26 mile course in Madison WI. If the SG was calibrated right, I would have got 61.8mpg. I think I know when something is effecting my MPG and why at this point. I've gotten 70.3mpg here with straight gas in my FWD FEH.

GaryG

 

Ok, what I have found so far is that there is no regulation on disclaiming what other mixes are in the gas as long as the octane rating is stated correctly, and the pump, pumps the correct volume.

I believe there are only 2 gas distributors that serve our area(excluding Walmart). I am going to contact one of them and find out if they consistantly deliver the same type of fuel.

I dont think each gas station gets there 'own' gas. Exon, Marathon, Shell all just sign agreements with gas wholesalers nationaly. Then the gas re-seller just keeps each station full.

Walmart likely has there own national distribution system being the superpower that they are.

 

Walmart or SAMS needs to answer here what there going to do. I will not buy ethanol mixed gas at any price.

GaryG

 

I did not think Florida used E10 at all.

On a state by state basis, they are supposed to either use it all the time, or not at all. They are not supposed to get just one tank load here and there.

It could be bad gas, and it could be bad gas for other reasons as well.
I really doubt Wal-Mart just out of the blue got a load of E10.
Either they carry it, or they don't.

States that always use E10 don't label.
Those that use it part of the year, or in certain grades only, label.
Usually "mid-grade" octane are labeled as "contains ethanol" and sells for the same price as the lowest octane. That's how it works in the Mid-west.

In the Mid-West 87 octane and 89 octane are usually priced the same.
91 Octane or higher is priced higher, and only octane 89 has the E10.

 

Well, up here there is a constant E10 requirement, and there is no labeling. We just know because the politicians love to tell us we're using it and saving farmers. Premium is the only blend sold here without ethanol added, and that's because there are more boats here than people and boat motors really don't like ethanol.
Just think how happy we'll all be when there's an ethanol requirement everywhere!

 

All of our grades in CO are labeled may contain up to 10% Ethanol. I don't know if they add it year round or just in the winter.

 

I've been burning 10% ethanol in my vehicles since 1992 because I had the pleasure of living in two of the "top five metropolitan areas" for air pollution as the determined by the EPA.

The EPA mandated the use of oxygenators in the fuel in these metro areas during the winter months (initially) and then (eventually) all year round. At the time the oil companies didn't own any sources of ethanol (sugar cane or corn farms) so the came up with MTBE and we burned 10% MTBE until it was discovered that it seeps into the ground water supply - what a disaster. So now we are back to corn. The point is, in many cases it was not the oil companies that chose to blend the ethanol....they were forced to by law and there were strict requirements in these metro areas that the pumps be marked with something like "May contain up to 10% Oxygenate (Ethanol)" on each and every pump. I can't remember the last time I saw a pump without that sticker.

Wikipedia says
Energy content of Gasoline = 125,000 BTU/gal (regardless of octane rating)
Energy content of Ethanol = 120,900 BTU/gal

Wikipedia also says:
Oxygenate blending adds oxygen to the fuel in oxygen-bearing compounds such as MTBE, ETBE and ethanol, and so reduces the amount of carbon monoxide and unburned fuel in the exhaust gas, thus reducing smog. In many areas throughout the US oxygenate blending is mandated by EPA regulations to reduce smog and other airborn polutants. For example, in Southern California, fuel must contain 2% oxygen by weight, resulting in a mixture of 5.6% ethanol in gasoline. The resulting fuel is often known as reformulated gasoline (RFG) or oxygenated gasoline.

Now we all may get ethanol because............its not imported like middle east crude oil ????? I don't know?

 

I was talking to a Weight and Measures guy again today, he also said to remember that most gas pumps vary as much as 1/2 gallon of accuracy on a 10 gallon fill up...

We need to find a meter that fits between the pump and the gas fill tube!

I also talked to one of the guys that distributes gas and he said the only way to totally avoid ethanol is to use 93 octane. He said it depends on what processor he buys from whether the fuel has ethanol or not.

He did say I could buy what I want at the local farm co-op. He said they would set me up with a 150 gallon tank and be able to order my blend without ethanol as tractors apparently dont handle it so well either. Just an idea.

Just some thoughts.