Why don't folks demand a single standard blend for gasoline?

[bootle]

Would having a single blend not be a factor in reducing the cost to the general public?

 

[JB]

Re: Why don't folks demand a single standard blend for gasoline?

Could be, but it would be horrible if it had to meet the strictest emissions standards for the worst season in the worst place in the country. It would probably deliver lousy mileage, too.

In fact, if there was only one, universal, blend for all seasons in all places it would probably cost a lot more than what most of pay now.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Why don't folks demand a single standard blend for gasoline?

Sure it would, but which one do you suggest?

Whichever one you suggest will not work properly in some vehicles. For example, I can't use E85 in any of mine. I can use E10 just fine, though. All my vehicles and power equipment run fine on 87 octane, too. But lots of folks have vehicles that require a higher octane.

So which should be the single standard, do you think? The one you use?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Why don't folks demand a single standard blend for gasoline?

i read something years ago that the refinery works kind of like a still. they have pipes coming off at different levels, for different grades of gas. i think if there were only one grade, there would be a lot of waste product.

 

[DJ]

Re: Why don't folks demand a single standard blend for gasoline?

Which lobby do you what to please?

1. Agriculture.
2. Petro chemical.
3. Enviro. groups.

Each of which has many splinter groups. The public can't agree, how do we expect politicians to?

 

[bootle]

Re: Why don't folks demand a single standard blend for gasoline?

Which lobby do you what to please?

1. Agriculture.
2. Petro chemical.
3. Enviro. groups.

Each of which has many splinter groups. The public can't agree, how do we expect politicians to?

The general public.


If i drive from the Carolinas to lets say California, i will pass through a lot of other states whose blends of gas are different from that of my point of comencement, my car does not seem to prefer any one blend over another, i therefore think that there is more this than merely environmental or weather requirements.
It is my belief that the American people are being duped and taken advantage of.

Edit: BTW today i paid $3.49/Gal for real Gas no ethanol.

 

[DJ]

Re: Why don't folks demand a single standard blend for gasoline?

my car does not seem to prefer any one blend over another, i therefore think that there is more this than merely environmental or weather requirements.

Re-read #'s 1 and 2. Not to mention regional politics.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Why don't folks demand a single standard blend for gasoline?

It baffles me that within my own town why gas from different stations perform differently. Must be the blends, but whats the purpose of having different blends in the same town? I must say that in my travels that I have never had a car refuse to run because of a different blend of gas in a different climate and place.

BP has that new additive Invigorate in their gas. Just wonder how much more it costs to have that added and if it really does what they say?

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: Why don't folks demand a single standard blend for gasoline?

I paid $3.36 in Katy Texas (outer suburb of Houston) Sunday.

To think that we are stupid enough to believe that our cars won't run on only one blend is redicoulous (sp?). Back in the days of everything having a carb it MIGHT have made a substantial difference but not now. The computor on your car can adjust to meet the needs. Do you think they drain the fuel tanks of the military vehicles leaving the Pacific Northwest when they go to the sandbox? Naw, I didn't think so either. They run just fine.

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Why don't folks demand a single standard blend for gasoline?

Any mechanic out there knows that some vehicles and motorcycles require high octane fuel. Not many, but some. To have a single blend for everyone is like making everyone buy the same kind of boat. I mean, wouldn't it be cheaper if there was only one type of boat out there? I don't know, but I know we need choices.

There ARE high compression engines out there and anyone who doesn't think so is a tad ignorant on the subject.

 

[DJ]

Re: Why don't folks demand a single standard blend for gasoline?

Don't confuse octane with oxygenates.

There are several different oxygenating agents being used. The most frequently used is alcohol. The oxygenates have little to do with octane and more to do with overall emissions.

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Why don't folks demand a single standard blend for gasoline?

I'm not, if you were talking to me. Octane is a fuels anti-knock index. Higher octane fuel burns slower and resists knocking. Some engines require it.

 

[DJ]

Re: Why don't folks demand a single standard blend for gasoline?

Not you WITF. There just seems to be confusion out there regarding what a "blend" does or is.

 

[Uraijit]

Re: Why don't folks demand a single standard blend for gasoline?

Which lobby do you what to please?

1. Agriculture.
2. Petro chemical.
3. Enviro. groups.

Each of which has many splinter groups. The public can't agree, how do we expect politicians to?

Hit the nail on the head. It all comes down to who's palms are being greased, and who's doing the greasing.

It's not some ploy by the different refineries in the country, to dupe people out of their money. It's a matter of different government "representatives" being in different pockets, and flowing money to various interests. You're being duped alright, but not by the oil companies.

Corn Ethanol is the biggest joke of all time. But since it directs cash into the right pockets, it's the order of the day in much of the country. Meanwhile, cheap and plentiful Sugar Cane Ethanol could be imported for next to nothing, but we have a $2/gallon "tariff" on the stuff (read: De facto Ban).

I sure wish I had a few million to put toward "campaign contributions"...

 

[mscher]

Re: Why don't folks demand a single standard blend for gasoline?

Would having a single blend not be a factor in reducing the cost to the general public?

As Dr. Phil would say, "It's not about youuuuu"

Things are never simple in America.

Ethanol and octane levels are only the tip of the iceberg.

http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/steo/pub/special/rfg1.html

This is real and a Company can be fined heavily, for delivering thw wrong fuel to the wrong location.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Why don't folks demand a single standard blend for gasoline?

Higher compression engines needs higher octane to perform. Lower octane will cause knocking. Engines prior to the mid 70's used leaded gas. The lead was an additive to prevent knocking on the 89 octane in the higher compression engines. After the EPA jumped in and required lower octane (87) without lead for pollution standards. Car manufactures then had to lower the compression to prevent the knocking. For several years until the computers and anti-knock sensors, these engines always seem to have problems with knocking. This would have been in the mid to late 70's. Since then with todays cars the blends are to deal with the smog in different locations.

This is my take on it the way I understand it.

 

[mscher]

Re: Why don't folks demand a single standard blend for gasoline?

I paid $3.36 in Katy Texas (outer suburb of Houston) Sunday.

To think that we are stupid enough to believe that our cars won't run on only one blend is redicoulous (sp?). Back in the days of everything having a carb it MIGHT have made a substantial difference but not now. The computor on your car can adjust to meet the needs. Do you think they drain the fuel tanks of the military vehicles leaving the Pacific Northwest when they go to the sandbox? Naw, I didn't think so either. They run just fine.

Modern engines will automatically adjust to control engine knocking, not much else. You can only retard timing on a high compression engine so far.

I have had two newer vehicles that required high octane fuel. There would be a consistant 6-8 MPG drop between 91 and 87 ocatane fuel.

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: Why don't folks demand a single standard blend for gasoline?

Why not? Because TD is right, that's why. Each barrel of oil produces only so much of each type of fuel... not selling the other types of fuel won't increase the availability of any particular type of fuel. The higher grade fuels cost more because less are produced per unit of crude oil than the lower grade fuels.

PS - When you buy a half-million dollar lamborghini... THEN you can rant about how all vehicles can take any type of gas... we'll let you get away with that then, because we know you'll already be paying your mechanic dearly for that line of thought.

 

[bootle]

Re: Why don't folks demand a single standard blend for gasoline?

As Dr. Phil would say, "It's not about youuuuu"

Things are never simple in America.

Ethanol and octane levels are only the tip of the iceberg.

http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/steo/pub/special/rfg1.html

This is real and a Company can be fined heavily, for delivering thw wrong fuel to the wrong location.

Shucks! Pop goes my bubble, now i'm offended that its not all about me.

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: Why don't folks demand a single standard blend for gasoline?

Since I've obviously been slamed here I have to ask a stupid question- Just how many different OCTANE fuels are available at your pumps? Here I can buy 87, 89, and 93. If I go to the airport I can buy (from the pump) 100LL. At the track I can buy (from a pump) Rocket Brand 114. So theres 5, although I am sure everyone is reffering to common gas stations, so that brings it back to 3 different OCTANES. Notice it doesn't say BLEND? All the different blends across the country is what the thread is about.