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| Esso 'lean gas'? https://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17367 |
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| Author: | Slant n' Rant [ Tue May 02, 2006 12:16 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Esso 'lean gas'? |
On the subject of gasoline, has anybody given a thought about a certain formula of gasoline that your car 'eats' up quicker? Usually we tend to find out which company works best for our particular car. Im talking regular here, plain jane, not the difference in grades as opposed to brand of gas. Personally Ive never had much problem with either Shell or Sunocco and their subsaries but Im stumpped on Esso. Im puzzled as to why every vehicle I tried it on gobbled it like candy. My slant van being new to me, I thought Id give Esso another try, for no particular reason other than I like to see what works best when I start driving a new vehicle. Would the formula be that different that I singled out Esso, and Esso only as being GROSSLY inferior as far as mileage goes? The difference has always been substantial and obvious. In the past there were particular instances I purchased Esso simply because there was no other choice, and I found that even by going to different stations a hundred miles apart I still eat it like its nothing! I finally finished another 'test' batch today and was satisfied the experiment proved it to me, anyways, to steer clear of Esso, I couldn't take any more of actually SEEING the needle move as I was driving. I know what you could be thinking, and forget it, the price flux, is well within my reasoning also different vehicles, different stations, and different cities, same results at least 10% less mileage (but Ill give them room for error because I think Its closer to 15%!) P.S. remember Im canadian so supply and retailers make up a smaller list up here eg. never seen an Exxon or Chevron in my life |
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| Author: | SlantSixDan [ Tue May 02, 2006 9:12 pm ] |
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The only possible explanation is that you are not calculating your mileage correctly. I know you say you've measured carefully, but you're not seeing what you think you're seeing, for there is simply no way that you actually get 10% or 15% less mileage on one brand of gasoline than on another brand. A 5% difference would be equally implausible. A 1% difference might be on the edge of believability. This would've been the case back in the '60s before gasoline formulas were heavily regulated; it's even more the case now that all motor fuels must comply with very stringent and highly specific legal regulations. If there were anywhere near the variance you are asking about here, it would be impossible for automakers to calibrate their engine management (emission control) systems and nobody would buy whatever brand of gasoline contained your observed 10 to 15 percent less energy per unit volume (only way to get 10 to 15 percent less mileage!) It's interesting you've noticed no economy drop with Sunoco, which contains alcohol, which means every gallon of Sunoco fuel does contain less energy = less mileage than every gallon of gasoline without alcohol. The human brain is not nearly as objective and unbiased as we sometimes wish it were. The power of suggestion is extremely strong. Sorry, but the effect you claim doesn't exist. |
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| Author: | Slant n' Rant [ Wed May 03, 2006 1:11 am ] |
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I base most of my speculation on the situation when I was driving my suburban up north every other day when I would drive from Waterloo to Kincardine along highway 85. I would put either $20 shell or sunocco in the tank, I would make stops along the way, and drive all around up there for a day or so, then when it came time to come back, id put $20 Esso in the tank and would drive back, no stops id be running on fumes by the time I was back. This happened over and over before I even caught on or thought about it. Sometimes I would go to 'bargin joes gas emporium' and still have more gas left when I got back. I dont know I thought somebody might have stumbbled on the same situation. Now I have to test this out by more strict standards. I will stand by one thing, regardless of mileage or not, different gas DOES give different PERFORMANCE depending on what your driving. better performance = more mileage |
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| Author: | SlantSixDan [ Wed May 03, 2006 9:04 am ] |
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Quote: I would put either $20 shell or sunocco in the tank, I would make stops along the way, and drive all around up there for a day or so, then when it came time to come back, id put $20 Esso in the tank and would drive back, no stops id be running on fumes by the time I was back.
This kind of "fuel dollars per day" tactic is not anywhere near precise enough to be considered a measurement.
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| Author: | slantzilla [ Wed May 03, 2006 9:43 am ] |
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Esso may load their gas up with alcohol. I know that gas with alcohol really kills mileage on my Dakota R/T. There is also one Marathon station here that must really cut their gas. It will knock almost 3 mpg off. |
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| Author: | SlantSixDan [ Wed May 03, 2006 9:49 am ] |
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Esso does not put alcohol in their gas in Ontario. Pioneer, Sunoco and (during the winter) PetroCanada do. But even with ethanol in the fuel, it's not added at concentrations greater than 10%, which -- all other factors being equal -- equates to about a 2% reduction in energy content of a gallon of the blended fuel. The problem with MPG calculations is that in many places the alcohol appears (or increases) in cold-weather months and disappears (or reduces) in warm-weather months. Mileage is generally lower when weather is colder, due to driving conditions and longer engine warm-up times. Yes, under any given set of driving conditions you get lower mileage with alcohol-blended gasoline, but not anywhere near 10% to 15% lower. |
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| Author: | slantzilla [ Wed May 03, 2006 10:45 am ] |
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Dan, while the companies themselves may not cut fuel, I know for a fact that vendors will. I also know how to check mileage. Fuel quality is incredibly spotty around here, especially with prices going crazy. |
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| Author: | emsvitil [ Wed May 03, 2006 6:36 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
Wonder if it's the nozzle............. Different fill levels will affect your perceived mileage. |
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| Author: | KBB_of_TMC [ Thu May 04, 2006 11:08 am ] |
| Post subject: | mileage |
Back in Detroit a some years back, some Arab-American owned stations had gimicked the pumps to return 20% of the metered fuel back to the storage tank rather than to your gas tank. Eventually, they got caught, but they got away with it for the better part of a year, I seem to remember. I don't think they went to jail for it - maybe a fine - but the state did impound their pumps. It showed up as poor mileage, of course. Also, one of my father's coworkers w/ a 14 gal tank filled up and went home - when it wouldn't start the next day drained 10 gal of water out of the tank. |
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| Author: | dakight [ Thu May 04, 2006 2:05 pm ] |
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The metering systems of gas pumps are notoriously innacurate. My Dakota has an 18 gal tank but it is not uncommon for me to put and indicated 20 gallons in it. |
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