In Canada, Shell V Power is a pure petroleum hydrocarbon mixture (with the exception of additives like detergents, nitrogen compounds to enhance power); but NO alcohol.

 

Anyone know knowledge about Shell fuel here in the states. Also what about Sunoco gas. They use to sell ULTRA 94 octane fuel. Do they use ethanol ?

 

E10 (10% ethanol) is about all that is available in the U.S. It is fairly stable and modern cars are fitted with rubber and plastic components that are impervious to it. Older vehicles utilized polymers that could be softened and degraded by ethanol. The real threat of ethanol is that in the presence of excessive moisture (leaking cap on station underground tank) the ethanol can separate to the bottom of the tank where the fuel is drawn (can also happen in the car tank) and deliver a concentrated shot of diluted ethanol to the car's fuel delivery system. E15 is exponentially more susceptible to this issue.

Ethanol is actually used by fuel blenders as an octane enhancer(by itself about 100-110 RON) so the refiner can use other less expensive lower octane blend components along with it to formulate the fuel.

The biggest problem with ethanol is that it produces less heat of combustion on a per gallon basis, and therefore will reduce power output and (per gallon) fuel economy.

Ethanol is not inherently corrosive. Methanol is!

 

Correct, the difference between pure gas and E10 being 3%. This means a car getting 25 mpg on pure gas will get 24.25 mpg on E10. Not many people notice that small a change.

 

Yep in Australia Shell V Power is no ethanol 98 RON.

 

Shell V-Power, 93 octane (equivalent to 98 RON), is just about all I ever use. It is at least 10% ethanol everywhere in the U.S, as is Sunoco and everyone else. Ethanol usage is mandated by US law, and plans are to increase it to 15%.

 

Any car made prior to early 90s will suffer fuel line, injector and pump damage. They were simply not made for this additive. I know this first hand.

This does not prevent condensation due to temperature fluctuation. The main reason why you are supposed to fill gas tank before storage is to minimize volume of air, and to minimize (but not entirely eliminate) condensation.

Good for you. I had multiple gas tanks rusted out from the inside. This was before I discovered fuel stabilizer and how ethanol plays into this.

 

Not all refineries created equal. I still remember BMW Nikasil issue that was mainly caused by the high sulfur content in low quality gas. I actually owned one of these, problem free until sold. You are welcome to take your chances with cheap gas, because what are the chances of something like that happening again, right?

If I can, I prefer Shell premium that is offered ethanol-free where I live. I also use this ethanol-free fuel in my winter cars (takes regular), usually I can see about 1mpg difference between Ethanol vs. No-Ethanol fuel. Added bonus, ethanol-free fuel doesn't congeal (actually vapor pressure point) on very cold days, so the car starts easier...

 

Sin F-

Your two posts contain so much misinformation and so many myths I don't know where to start.

Each of the points have been beaten to death on this site. Please take the time to inform yourself properly.

 

How about we talk about water condensation and fuel separation inside fuel tanks, which isn't a problem when dealing with ethanol-free fuel?

Did you know that when phase separation occurs (in as little as 6 months of sitting) ethanol and water settle on the bottom of the tank (this mixture allows acetobacter bacteria to grow, that excrete acetic acid) and the remaining gasoline without ethanol now has lower octane level? So fueling with E10 91 Octane and letting it sit for a while without fuel stabilized and you end up with some water, acetic acid, corroded pump, and a tank full of 89 Octane?

 

Sure, I started by reading these papers:

"Microbially influenced corrosion communities associated with fuel-grade ethanol environments" Charles H. D. Williamson, et al.

"Accelerated corrosion of UST equipment (an ethanol hangover)". Presented at the 23rd National Tank Conference, St. Louis, Missouri

"CRC Mid-Level Ethanol Blends Engine Durability Study", Coordinating Research Council

 

+1. It is a very good thing.

 

All reputable brands of gasoline have more detergent than EPA requirements. Part of the marketing spin for Top Tier is inferring that other brands don't.

No retailer can afford to get a reputation for selling bad gas given the extremely competitive nature of the business. Adding detergents costs only pennies per gallon.

If there was truth to the cheap gas conspiracy theory, there would be all sorts of evidence of poorly running or broken down cars. But there isn't.

 

 

Lots of unbranded fuel is available at convenience stores that contains no detergent or other additives. Gasoline terminals distribute the same fuel to many brands of retailers. Each tanker is blended with proprietary additives (or none at all) as specified by the wholesaler. If the gasoline is branded, the gasoline will be blended with the brand specified additive.
Yes, lots of problems reported that are related to gas without proper additives, mostly clogged injectors and carbon deposits.

 

The high sulphur issue existed in all brands of gasoline- including the big names being promoted here.

Contrary to your assumption, all gasoline in a given geographical area comes from one or possibly two refineries. There are not 15 refineries producing gasoline for the 15 brand names that might exist in a large city.

The only difference (which would be minor) is in the additive package which blended in as the tanker truck is being filled.

 

How strange. I follow four different owners' groups for the cars I own and occasionally look at other boards for info. I've never seen a verified case of engine problems caused by use of one brand of gas over another.

 

Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada

 

Agreed. I think there was a problem 25-30 years ago w/ gas quality and fuel injection issues in some cases, but I think those days are long gone. I think those types of issues led to collaboration among automakers to develop the "Top Tier" concept. Initially, they developed preferred specs and additive packages, and eventually, pretty much everyone else followed along whether they were "Top Tier certified" or not.

My first "fancy" car was a 1986 BMW 325e, and I was told I should always use an additive with every tank and sold by Chevron called "Techroline." I have no idea how credible that advice was, but I do recall reports about BMW fuel injection problems during that decade. By the time I bought my second BMW in the 90's that issue was no longer mentioned, nor did it ever come up again w/ the 6 other BMWs I've owned.

 

I was in the gasoline business for over a decade. We saw it all the time. Using unbranded gasoline consistently on my pickup truck led to injector fowling. Two tanks of chevron containing techron cleared the issue. Yes, very anecdotal, but the industry wouldn't waste money on very expensive additives if they didn't actually do something.