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RE: 91 octane gas

To: "David Rowney" <daver@uclink4.berkeley.edu>, <ba-autox@autox.team.net>
Subject: RE: 91 octane gas
From: "Michael R. Clements" <mrclem@telocity.com>
Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 10:33:43 -0700
Thanks for the link!

Why are they doing this only in California? The fact that it is specific to
our home state makes me suspect some silly new laws or social engineering
going on behind the scenes. . . yet they don't say _why_ they are doing
this.

On the surface it would seem counterproductive, as all else being equal
(though it usually is) 3.5% less fuel economy would mean roughly 3.5% more
pollution. Their own tests confirm this:

http://www.chevron.com/prodserv/fuels/bulletin/oxy%2Dfuel/cfuelecn.shtml

Why oh why would somebody who wants to make air cleaner, require gasoline
formulations with lower fuel economy? Perhaps the pollution generated is
chemically different as to be less harmful to the environment? But doesn't
the car's EFI compensate and simply run a richer mixture? That would seem to
undermine the entire purpose of the oxygenated fuel.

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-ba-autox@autox.team.net
[mailto:owner-ba-autox@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of David Rowney
Sent: Monday, July 30, 2001 09:58
To: ba-autox@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: 91 octane gas


Ethanol increases octane, but lowers the energy content of the gasoline
blend.

See:
http://www.chevron.com/prodserv/fuels/bulletin/oxy%2Dfuel/enrgycon.shtml

Chevron is going to 91 octane also in California.

Dave

At 09:17 PM 7/29/2001 -0400, you wrote:
>I only noticed 91 at 76 stations for a few weeks now. Ever since I have
been
>going only to Chevron.
>
>I thought I heard somewhere that because they are adding more ethanol, it
>lowers the  octane rating. Someone care to comment?
>
>Elton
>SM #68

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