Ok..So Let's Talk Gasoline Over Here

Now that I have a little time to contribute. By the way, free time for me has been scarce lately.

Brand names? By now most of us have heard the term TOP TIER. It's basically a performance rating standard that was introduced by some of the big name auto manufacturers who believed the EPA minimum requirements simply weren't good enough. If a brand meets TOP TIER requirements, you can bet on it being pretty good gasoline. They have the best detergent additive packages available.

Times have changed since all these companies now have access to just about all the same resources and R&D. 98% of all "brand name" gasoline is TOP TIER certified and endorsed.

Unbranded gasoline is not TOP TIER certified. Their additive packages meet EPA standards and are safe to use, but just don't meet TT standards. Any retailer without a brand on a sign sells unbranded gas. This is usually grocery store and supermarket fuel outlets. That's why you usually see them without gas for longer durations whenever we have a disruption in the supply. Regulations don't allow unbranded stations to sell BRANDED product. Unbranded accounts are not prioritized in such instances.

How ethanol is mixed in and octane rating: When I load the product on the trailer, I hook a hose to the bottom of the discharge/load head. I log into the loading system, select my desired brand, account where it's going, then the grade. So if I preset for 2000 gallons of E10 87 unleaded, the 1st 200 gallons is pure ethanol. The system stops briefly and switches over to 84 octane CBOB (Excludes conventional blendstock for oxygenate blending)...aka pure unblended gasoline. The 10% ethanol is what bumps the 84 octane base to a total of 87.

Same for 93 (premium) gas. 90 octane pure gas mixed with 10% ethanol achieves 93 octane. When you buy recreation gas that usually has a dedicated pump somewhere in the store parking lot...you're getting just that 90 octane base that's used to mix 93 octane. Can't speak for every supplier, but all the Rec 90 gas I've seen is unbranded...which means it's not TT certified.

Mid-grade (89 octane) is achieved either at the retailer pump or during the loading process. It's 84 and 90 octane (about a 60/30 blend) mixed with 10% ethanol. Gas stations with blend pumps will only have gas drops for regular and premium. Stations with drops for all 3 will be mixed during loading.

As far as different brands being different, the only variable that makes any brand specific is the detergent additive package that is injected during the loading process. Shell brand gas is thought to have one of the better quality additive packages...but there again, anything certified by TT is thought to perform the same. The CBOB or base product is the same for every brand out there.


Winter vs Summer blend gas...well I can't comment very much about the difference in personal experience because everything that comes out of the Kinder-Morgan terminal in Athens is the same year round....which is considered summer blend in other markets. Atlanta markets where emission rules are strictly enforced have a change-over for each blend. Again, I don't go to Doraville to load, so I can't comment about that.

I hate to admit it, but I stopped paying attention to gas. You obviously put a lot of thought into it. There is the gas I get from eating the pizza and sammiches at the Flying J off 20. It's a good thing the windows work... and a pity that this car doesn't have a window lock by the driver

nice read.
I go out of my way to get E0 or rec gas for my toys. It can be a pain trying to find rec gas while traveling for generators and/or boat, I use puregas.com to find places that carry E0.

What is really a shame is the price premium they pit on the 90 octane "rec gas". The Govt gives corn growers and ethanol producers tons of money, They then blend it into gas to make the gas supposedly cheaper, and we get ripped.
You get more MPG out of unblended gas of any octane and I guess they figure they (oil companies- gas producers) have to get more money for it since they would be selling less of it.
Its been proven that the cost involved in ethanol production is higher than the savings in greenhouse emissions.
Lets get rid of ethanol in all gas!!

Finally , some body knows what their talking about !!!





Sinclair/NOYDB???????????? comments ??

?????? for ya GD, does diesel have the same corn ???

Hooked On Quack said:

Finally , some body knows what their talking about !!!





Sinclair/NOYDB???????????? comments ??

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Nope, My thread was because he knows.

Hooked On Quack said:

?????? for ya GD, does diesel have the same corn ???

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This #2 Ultra low sulfer clear diesel that I get says on every manifest..."May contain 5% biodiesel and up to 5% renewable diesel". That's what I take to truck/fuel stops and also conventional gas stations. Doesn't matter which brand I get.

Matter of fact, there's zero difference in branded vs unbranded diesel except for how it's billed on the office side of things.

GoldDot40 said:

This #2 Ultra low sulfer clear diesel that I get says on every manifest..."May contain 5% biodiesel and up to 5% renewable diesel". That's what I take to truck/fuel stops and also conventional gas stations. Doesn't matter which brand I get.

Matter of fact, there's zero difference in branded vs unbranded diesel except for how it's billed on the office side of things.

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Thanks for the info bro !!! I have 2 diesel vehicles and always try to stop at a high volume dispatch???

sinclair1 said:

Nope, My thread was because he knows.

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Thanks Dad . . .

I wish I would've got a picture of this. A few weeks ago, one of the terminal managers was emptying these little tin pales situated under a row of meters at each fueling arm. Says he empties them about every 3 months. They catch mostly ethanol. This stuff appeared to be about the consistency of honey...maybe a hair thicker.

That's pretty much what happens to generators or other stuff when you allow it to sit months at a time. Highly recommend ethanol free gas for ANYTHING that's going to sit without running for any excess duration. Another good bet is to just drain the carb bowl or cut off the supply and let it run itself out....as long as it's not a 2-stroke.

GoldDot40 said:

I wish I would've got a picture of this. A few weeks ago, one of the terminal managers was emptying these little tin pales situated under a row of meters at each fueling arm. Says he empties them about every 3 months. They catch mostly ethanol. This stuff appeared to be about the consistency of honey...maybe a hair thicker.

That's pretty much what happens to generators or other stuff when you allow it to sit months at a time. Highly recommend ethanol free gas for ANYTHING that's going to sit without running for any excess duration. Another good bet is to just drain the carb bowl or cut off the supply and let it run itself out....as long as it's not a 2-stroke.

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Exactly what I do

I can't find ethanol free gas. I use Seafoam in all my equipment that sits a long time. Never had a carb/fuel related issue so far.

As a matter of fact, I take a can of Seafoam over to help friends that have carb gum up issues.

I'll add something about water and 'bad gas'. Every fuel transport company that I know of has a policy for testing for water everytime there's a delivery in that tank.

We use water paste. It's as simple as smearing a tiny bit on the end of the stick before we stick the tank for a beginning reading. It's white. If the stick goes to the bottom and you pull it up and the paste has turned pink/red...There's water on the bottom. That's a big problem.

We're not allowed to drop product anytime we detect water...no matter the amount. My company's policy is to immediately call dispatch. Usually they have to send out a specialist company to verify...upon which the tank is pumped completely out. The specialists has to identify the point of intrusion and repair the cause. They usually report directly to the state EPD. After it's repaired, it has to pass a state inspection before anybody is allowed to put product back in it.

I can't speak for individual owned/operated stores, but the chain stores usually have their stuff together on this issue.

Do you have to do that for rec 90 gas. The only time I got gas with water in it it was from the "marine" pump

boatbuilder said:

Do you have to do that for rec 90 gas. The only time I got gas with water in it it was from the "marine" pump

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If the tank is underground, then yes, it's supposed to be checked for water before every delivery. I can't speak for whoever hauls gas to the marina about their water test policy. I don't do marinas...nor do any of the stores I deliver to sell Rec 90.

I put diesel in the work truck once that had water in it.

Store owner was a friend of ours and called that day. ( I had only driven back to shop and parked. 4 miles)

He blamed it on the delivery guy. Said they dropped a load with water in it. And he was really sorry. His insurance paid a few repair bills that month.

Oh, we didn't believe him. We don't get diesel there anymore

T-N-T said:

I put diesel in the work truck once that had water in it.

Store owner was a friend of ours and called that day. ( I had only driven back to shop and parked. 4 miles)

He blamed it on the delivery guy. Said they dropped a load with water in it. And he was really sorry. His insurance paid a few repair bills that month.

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Of course most store owners want to blame water issues on everybody/thing but their stuff. I can assure you, it is impossible for fuel tankers to get contaminated unless it was done deliberately. All delievery tankers have to be pressure tested annually. If they don't let vapor out...water certainly can't get in.

Also, if we delivered contaminated fuel to one store, then we have to delliver contaminated fuel to every store. All the diesel comes from the same supply.

I know of a few stations I will not frequent anymore because of water in their tanks. It's not being delivered that way.