Differences in Octane

[Frenchy]

I have found in Wyoming and in Idaho 91 octane that was 100% ethanol free. This is actually last week when I went up to Idaho. You definitely paid a premium for the ethanol-free fuel but I felt it was worth it.

Sponsored

 

[Motorpsychology]

Only ethanol free I've found is the 87 Octane.

Seems to be different around the country. Around the midwest, E-0 (ethanol free) is only available as 91 octane premium E-10 87-89 oct is the norm, and E-15 is creeping in; separate fuel nozzle.

Y'know... I drive around the country and I see the 13-Liter tractors pulling 40-foot wide disc harrows and planters putting in corn, irrigated in many cases with millions of gallons of potable water, harvested with 13 liter diesel combines and 40 ft corn heads, which is then transported to an ethanol plant by 13-liter diesel semis, processed into ethanol, loaded on to rail tankers, offloaded at a refinery or pipeline head, and finally into my gas tank. So how much oil are we really saving?
More power to you if you're in any part of those industries, but methinks it's much ado about nothing.

 

[HenryMac]

I have found in Wyoming and in Idaho 91 octane that was 100% ethanol free. This is actually last week when I went up to Idaho. You definitely paid a premium for the ethanol-free fuel but I felt it was worth it.

The Sugar Shack in Centerville (Nathrop) has ethanol free premium 91 octane.

 

[dapakattack]

... So I spend more time looking for Ethanol Free than I do hunting down hp from a change in Octane.

Would be nice if Gas Buddy had Ethanol content as a filter setting.

 

[OrangeStreak]

I found a place up in Prescott AZ that sells Ethanol Free gas. E-Zero. And it's 87 octane.

When I know I'm headed that way I try to time it so that I can get nearly a full tank. It runs about 10 to 12 cents more per gallon than the E-10 or E-20 87 Octane but I get about 15% to 20% better efficiency out of it.

So $43 gets me 18 gallons of E-0 and about 400 miles per fill up (range)
Or $40 gets me 18 gallons of E-10/E-20 and about 340 miles per fill up (range)

Converting that into gallons per 100 miles (sort of the way the Europeans measure it just with liters)
E-0 = 4.5 Gallons per 100 Miles & costs $10.80
E-20 = 5.3 Gallons per 100 Miles & costs $11.93

I think if I could do several tanks of E-0 back to back, I might even get better mileage than that.

For me, the Ethanol free stuff is both better for the environment because I burn less gas to get to where I'm going, delivers better performance / more power, and costs less. So I spend more time looking for Ethanol Free than I do hunting down hp from a change in Octane.

I found a place up in Prescott AZ that sells Ethanol Free gas. E-Zero. And it's 87 octane.

When I know I'm headed that way I try to time it so that I can get nearly a full tank. It runs about 10 to 12 cents more per gallon than the E-10 or E-20 87 Octane but I get about 15% to 20% better efficiency out of it.

So $43 gets me 18 gallons of E-0 and about 400 miles per fill up (range)
Or $40 gets me 18 gallons of E-10/E-20 and about 340 miles per fill up (range)

Converting that into gallons per 100 miles (sort of the way the Europeans measure it just with liters)
E-0 = 4.5 Gallons per 100 Miles & costs $10.80
E-20 = 5.3 Gallons per 100 Miles & costs $11.93

I think if I could do several tanks of E-0 back to back, I might even get better mileage than that.

For me, the Ethanol free stuff is both better for the environment because I burn less gas to get to where I'm going, delivers better performance / more power, and costs less. So I spend more time looking for Ethanol Free than I do hunting down hp from a change in Octane.

I'm with you on being Ethanol free! This link might help to locate pure gas stations: Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada (pure-gas.org)
Regards.

 

[BassRanger]

Ethanol free gas only has about 3% more energy content than E10. Great for lawn equipment, older boats, carb engines, but for modern vehicles it's really not worth the higher price.

 

[VAMike]

Y'know... I drive around the country and I see the 13-Liter tractors pulling 40-foot wide disc harrows and planters putting in corn, irrigated in many cases with millions of gallons of potable water, harvested with 13 liter diesel combines and 40 ft corn heads, which is then transported to an ethanol plant by 13-liter diesel semis, processed into ethanol, loaded on to rail tankers, offloaded at a refinery or pipeline head, and finally into my gas tank. So how much oil are we really saving?
More power to you if you're in any part of those industries, but methinks it's much ado about nothing.

I don't think anyone thinks the corn ethanol subsidies are anything but pork for the ag lobby. But it's really hard to turn off pork.

 

[LoneRNGR]

Ethanol free gas only has about 3% more energy content than E10. Great for lawn equipment, older boats, carb engines, but for modern vehicles it's really not worth the higher price.

What is the outlier in the image below?

The 24.4 mpg was after filling up with ethanol free in Oklahoma. The other fill ups are E-15 in Texas.

 

[Frenchy]

What is the outlier in the image below?

The 24.4 mpg was after filling up with ethanol free in Oklahoma. The other fill ups are E-15 in Texas.

What about average speed?

 

[BassRanger]

What is the outlier in the image below?

The 24.4 mpg was after filling up with ethanol free in Oklahoma. The other fill ups are E-15 in Texas.

There's a whole host of reason's mpg vary from tank to tank. Doesn't change the physical properties of the fuel. Pure gas only has about 3-5% more energy content than E10/E15 and it's rarely ever priced only 3-5% more than ethanol blends.

 

[LoneRNGR]

What about average speed?

Those four fill ups were on a trip in Texas and Oklahoma. The speeds were usually 75 mph. I drive at the limit. It’s not the first time I have noticed this. We track a fleet of vehicles at work and can see this when vehicles use ethanol free fuel.

 

[Big Blue]

There's a whole host of reason's mpg vary from tank to tank. Doesn't change the physical properties of the fuel. Pure gas only has about 3-5% more energy content than E10/E15 and it's rarely ever priced only 3-5% more than ethanol blends.

I agree there is a host reasons for tank to tank variation. And while you 3-5% maybe true for your area for equal octane levels. In Wisconsin the only E0 we get is 91 octane, our premium. Our regular is 87 octane E10 and mid-grade is 89 octane E15. At current prices, $2.69 for regular, premium comes at a 25 to 30% hit over regular. Makes it real hard to justify a maybe 10% improvement in mileage to run premium over regular. Especially when my calibrated butt meter doesn't show much difference in performance for my driving style.

 

[CB750F]

With my sports car I used PC 94, with ethanol. I was told by an engineer that
gas with no ethanol would be better & I would get more mpg's. So I switched.
Absolutely no difference & someone else did the same with same results.
Maybe this engine might be different? Do I really want to switch from 87 to
91 with ethanol & then to 91 without & figure it all out, no. Just put top tier gas
change your oil a little, or more, before expiry date, stay on top of maintenance & should be good. If working the engine hard, trails, pulling, put 91.

 

[Motorpsychology]

I don't think anyone thinks the corn ethanol subsidies are anything but pork for the ag lobby. But it's really hard to turn off pork.

I run 91oct E-0 in my Suzuki. My butt-o-meter can detect a little difference in power and at ~60 mpg
the extra cost isn't hurting. Besides, I druther not run any alcohol through it. Things have changed in metallurgy and technology over the last forty years, but my '80 Kawi accumulated a lot of "white rust" in its carbs from alcohol-water absorption, restricting the jets and idle circuits. I believe this was the first year Kawasaki made E-10-compatible motors. I ran 87oct. E10 in my ex-2018 EcoBoost Escape mostly, and 91 oct on long highway trips; probably do the same when I get my new Ranger. Ordered Feb 1st.

 

[Groo]

Groo here
The energy in fuel is measured in BTU's of heat generated.[ AKA Btu's per lb.]
Reg or Prem has the same amount of BTU'S just the speed of burn is different..
E fuels have a similar BTUs per lb,,, BUT weigh less per gal [volume measure]
Fuel does 3 things for the engine ,, first it burns and pushes the pistons.
Second it cools the engine.[evaporation] 3 it takes up space [ increases compression]
Rich of peak temp produces power but cools engine.[the richest mix/most fuel]
Lean of peak is least fuel burn [mileage ] but lower power.[ the least fuel /more mpg]
Peak is max power [ ideal fuel air mix] but is very hot.[can overheat engine ,burn valves cause knock etc]
Alcohol retards knock [ pure is 120 to 140 oct] but has less btu's per gal.[ that is why mpg is lower and when tuning for E85 + you need bigger injectors/ more fuel]
So it allows a leaner mix.[milage ]
But as in all things it is not simple.
In simple terms ,, for us,,, the higher oct, the more boost [aka power] we can have..
The lower the Alcohol the more Btu's we can get per gal [ better mileage at less than full power]
Add alcohol and the mileage goes down.

Sponsored