there are only a handful of refineries operating and they don't make shell one day and mobil another. the additives in a 5000 gallon tanker is less than a quart. follow six different jobber's trucks and they all fill from the same terminal.

 

Here in Wisconsin about half the gas stations have a little sticker that indicates "contains up to 10% ethanol".

I swear my scoot runs better on the non-ethanol grades (same brand - Mobil).

Any other opinions on this ethanol???

 

Ethanol has significantly less energy potential when compared to gasoline. Last month's Consumer Reports had a good article on ethanol "myths". Remember that if you have a 5-gallon tank and fill up on premium and the last guy at the 3-in-1 single hose station bought regular, your final mix is about 90 octane including the 0.6 gallons of regular trapped in the hose. I run the worst (Kalifornian) gas I belive is out there with oxygenation and octane rating of only 91 and I get 37/43 mpg off a 2001 FLHRI 95" SE203-cammer.

 

I live near a large mid west gasoline terminal (texas eastern). Any time of the day you can see trucks from every different gas dealer lined up waiting to get filled up out of the same pipe. I buy the cheapest I can find.

 

What he said!

I work at a major refinery in the Los Angeles area. Half of our plant is down right now for routine maintenance, right now we’re buying our fuel off the spot market which means it comes from whichever of our competitors give us the best price. When one of our competitors goes down for maintenance we increase production and do the same for them.

 

I have wondered how much 87 octane gas you get from a three in one service station pump when you buy 93 octane. I'm not sure but I think it mught be close to a full gallon before you empty the pumps filter and hose to get to the premium that you are paying for.

I have been looking gas stations that have a seperate hose for each type of gas that you buy. This is not always possible. Any suggestions would be appreciated. 07 flhtcu

 

I am one of those truck drivers that has delivers gas to stations. I will tell you that there is no such thing as Mobil or Marathon gas. I have picked up at Citgo and delivered to Marathon. Picked up at Marathon and delivered to Shell. Franchise stations often have an agreement that, for instance, 51% of their gasoiline must be from the franchise company, the remainder they get at the best price. The additives are blended as it is loaded on the truck including ethanol, and there is little difference except for what additives may be put in. A BP station may have extra additives over say a Swifty or Family Express, etc. There is a lot of selling of product between companies and gasoline is just gasoline, regardless of origin. I picked up at an independant fuel farm the other day and the manger siad they bought 500,000 gallons of gas from Marathon and it was pipelined to them from BP. Get my drift.

 

One tankfull isn't enough to get an accurate measure of MPG - try filling up again from the same pump and then average your numbers.

For that dramatic of an increase I'd suspect gas pump calibration differences at the two stations. I've found independant C-stores that have low $ per gallon prices to be the worst at cheating on their gas pump calibration - by their pump's count, I put more gallons of gas in the tank than it could possibly hold and spend more $ than I would at a higher priced honest pump!

 

I run the cheapest premium (93 octain) I can find and when it hits E, I stop and get more. Average around 39 mpg. Would get better if I poked around and never WOT through the gears.

 

Could these additive make a difference in performance and MPG? Are certain types harmful to the engine if used in excess?