Winter Gas Already Flowing at Petro-Canada

[BlazerLT]

Just filled up a while ago and notice that I have some severe pinging going on which never happened before.

I contacted Petro-Canada and they told me that The Winter gas starts flowing from the start of October and then they say it is available in mid november so they can allow all the stations to be switched over.

The only differene is the introduction of 0.3% alcohol per volume which I do not like at all. This reduces economy in the winter.

Looks like I will be switching over to Esso fuels from now on.

 

[bobo]

I don't get it. You are experiencing pinging, but it isn't attributable to winter gas as it won't be at the stations until mid-November I take it.

Does Esso not have winter gas?

What about running Husky or Mohawk with 10% ethanol; 90 octane is being marketed in British Columbia at 87 octane prices and my 95 Maxima runs just fine on it, without fuel economy being adversely affected thus far one iota.

 

[BlazerLT]

quote:

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Originally posted by bobo:
I don't get it. You are experiencing pinging, but it isn't attributable to winter gas as it won't be at the stations until mid-November I take it.

Does Esso not have winter gas?

What about running Husky or Mohawk with 10% ethanol; 90 octane is being marketed in British Columbia at 87 octane prices and my 95 Maxima runs just fine on it, without fuel economy being adversely affected thus far one iota.

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Nono, re-read my first post, they have it in all the gas station BY mid october and they start advertising it is available in Mid-november.

I don't hav you gas station options.

 

[hone eagle]

ah- I read the post the same as bobo ,mid nov/

 

[BlazerLT]

No, they NOTIFY that the winter gas is in stations in mid nov, but the fuel tankers start supplying the stations with it around the start of October.

 

[Snotty]

Bush said in his energy speach that he was going to have winter gas released early.

Snot

 

[bbcmat]

The first batches with alcohol are released early to sweep the moisture from the tanks / fuel supply chain BEFORE winter - your pinging because your burning the water you paid gasoline prices for.

IMO

MAT

 

[BlazerLT]

quote:

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Originally posted by bbcmat:
The first batches with alcohol are released early to sweep the moisture from the tanks / fuel supply chain BEFORE winter - your pinging because your burning the water you paid gasoline prices for.

IMO

MAT

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I just called Esso and they do not add any alcohol to their fuel at all. They say they use a dry distribution center so they don't need to use alcohol.

So in essence, you are paying for something that they use to dry their station fuel tanks and is not really there for your system seeing it would only be useful if you had water actually in your tank.

 

[GT Mike]

If the gasoline is at least 87 octane (which it has to be by law if it's marketed as such) it shouldn't ping in most modern EFI engines that don't have ridiculously high compression, or some sort of turbo or supercharger.
If you're hearing audible pinging in a vehicle that is equipped with knock sensors, then you quite possibly have a problem with this system not retarding the timing correctly.

0.3% alcohol will do little to nothing to affect the octane of the fuel...Assuming it's ethanol, it would actually raise the octane of the base fuel by a miniscule amount. 10% ethanol increases octane by 2 numbers, so 87 with 10% ethanol would effectively be an 89 octane fuel.

I can assure you that it's not the addition of alcohol in the fuel that's causing your pinging, nor is it any trace amounts of water in the fuel that mixed with the alcohol. This too would increase rather than decrease the octane of the fuel, hence why lots of turbo guys use an alcohol/water injection system to keep any detonation at bay under extreme levels of boost.

 

[BlazerLT]

All I know is I use Esso, no pinging.

I use Petro Canada, I get pinging.

 

[Dark Jedi]

hate to highjack your post. but I was wondering in the STATES how far down do states use winter gas. I noticed my dakota gas milage dropped from 17 MPH to 10MPH. I do mostly local driving and live 5 miles from work. the oil I have is M-1 5w-30. I am about due for an oil change. this is the first time I used syn in my truck. just wondering if gas was changed or maybe need to change my oil now.

again sorry to highjack your post

 

[peterr]

quote:

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Originally posted by BlazerLT:
All I know is I use Esso, no pinging.

I use Petro Canada, I get pinging.

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Interesting. Petro Canada has given me the only subjective fuel issues (no pinging or knocking, just hesitation sputtering and weirdness). My car is a Turbo and requires 90 AKI Octane or better. I always buy name brand gas, mainly just because I figure the corporate overlords may encourage some standards on tank maintenance or actually selling the appropriate grades.

I usually use Esso 91(station is two blocks away) or Shell V-Power (which is also 91 in my area). Every once in a while I run Sunoco Ultra 94 which is 10% Ethanol.

I don't have any decent evidence, but I will drive out of my way to get Esso, Shell or Sunoco vs Petro Canada.

 

[Palut]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dark Jedi:
hate to highjack your post. but I was wondering in the STATES how far down do states use winter gas. I noticed my dakota gas milage dropped from 17 MPH to 10MPH. I do mostly local driving and live 5 miles from work. the oil I have is M-1 5w-30. I am about due for an oil change. this is the first time I used syn in my truck. just wondering if gas was changed or maybe need to change my oil now.

again sorry to highjack your post

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I doubt you'd need to change your oil because of wniter gas. It just gives you worse mileage, that's all.

As for who gets winter blends, it depends on where you live. In WA for example, only the counties with the biggest cities get winter gas. According to Chevron, only Spokane County, King County (Seattle), Pierce County (Tacoma), and Clark County (across the river from Portland, OR) require winter gas by law.

 

[BlazerLT]

I know I won't be getting my gas from Petro-Canada in the winter.

Having the extra alcohol PLUS their tactrol additive and I think it is getting a little much. They would even say what tactrol was other than what is will "supposedly" do for the engine.

 

[znamya]

Could it be because you are adding acetone to your gas (I know from the other tread)???Could it have harmed someplace because every season you get winter gas. and you said you never observed this much of pinging before. Just a thought....

 

[BlazerLT]

quote:

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Originally posted by znamya:
Could it be because you are adding acetone to your gas (I know from the other tread)???Could it have harmed someplace because every season you get winter gas. and you said you never observed this much of pinging before. Just a thought....

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No, I get pinging from using Petro-Canada fuel not acetone.

Acetone has an octane rating of 150 and raises octane, not lowering it.