Well, MTBE is bad because of the polution aspects. But if Ethanol
increases the octane but lowers the energy in the gasoline, I'd have
expected them to start selling 93 (I mean, anyway, most people buy the 87
stuff, so we could shoulder the extra costs, right?)
Maybe its because Ethanol is so scarce in California?
Giles
On Mon, 30 Jul 2001, Michael R. Clements wrote:
> Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 10:33:43 -0700
> From: "Michael R. Clements" <mrclem@telocity.com>
> To: David Rowney <daver@uclink4.berkeley.edu>, ba-autox@autox.team.net
> Subject: RE: 91 octane gas
>
> 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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