Which gas stations don't mix for midgrade

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
May 4, 2008
Messages
703
Since the ethanol is wreaking havoc on small engines, i'm looking to use either 89 from a station that doesn't mix at the pumps, or possibly using an octane booster for 87.

Reason for this line of thinking is because since gas prices are ridiculously high...it's a safe bet the 93 sits in the tanks for quite awhile...I can't imagine the high octane tanks are being topped off nearly as much.

I want to have the best diet for my small engines and while there is a gas station about 40 miles from me that sells 100% gas for a 5 cent premium...that's...zero ethanol but 80 miles round trip is a stretch.

Hard to get away from the ethanol but I want to minimize as much old gas as posible...the 87 is surely flowing at a much faster pace out of the tanks but most of my small engines require 89 or higher.
 
I think you are too worried about corn squeezin's in the gas. Have had zero problems when the tanks are run till empty at the end of the seasons. I agree on how long premium sits at some stations. I only buy premium at high volume stations. The BP I frequently go to for my motorcycle fuel, sells lots of their 93 octane premium. Some say it ethanol free, but no one at the station will say either way.
 
Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
I think the lawn mowers are ok on 87. It's the 2 strokes that flat out won't even run on it.

This is simply not true. I prove it every week with my 1996 Lawn Boy Gold Series which still runs like a champ on today's 87 pump gas (mixed at the proper ratio with 2-stroke oil of course). I will typically make a trip to a nearby Shell station which does NOT have the 10% ethanol sticker on their pumps. Whether or not this means they really don't have ethanol in their gas is arguable.

BTW, buying 93 octane gas has nothing to do with avoiding ethanol. If anything, 93 is more likely to contain it as it is a relatively cheap octane booster. And, I don't believe the high test is sitting around too long. I run premium every day in my MS3 (usually Costco-which does use ethanol) and I've never had any runability issues.

As far as the original question, I believe they all mix 89.
 
Last edited:
Stab-bil, g- oil, gumout, and Lucas make ethanol conditioners/ stabilizers. I would try gumouts solution if it was up to me.

Wal mart sells all 4 brands. They are in automotive and or lawn and garden.
 
Last edited:
Ethanol in gas becomes a problem when the gas sits. It's called "falling out of phase" I believe. The ethanol and any water pool at the low spots and may cause corrosion. Best bet is to use ethanol free gas at the end of the season.
 
Originally Posted By: Jeffy_D
Stab-bil, g- oil, gumout, and Lucas make ethanol conditioners/ stabilizers. Wal mart sells all 4 brands. They are in automotive and or lawn and garden.

What's the point of using these products if your gas already has 10% ethanol in it?
 
One more myth buster: premium gas is expensive. Do the math. If you get 20 mph and drive 10,000 miles per year, premium usage only costs you $100, based on a typical .20/gl differential where I live. If you are considering an HO car and balk at running premium, you shouldn't be shopping in that market to start with.
 
Originally Posted By: Indydriver
Originally Posted By: Jeffy_D
Stab-bil, g- oil, gumout, and Lucas make ethanol conditioners/ stabilizers. Wal mart sells all 4 brands. They are in automotive and or lawn and garden.

What's the point of using these products if your gas already has 10% ethanol in it?



www.gumout.com/ourProducts/EthanolFT.asp

It helps counter-act the bad effects of ethanol, not add ethanol
33.gif
I would have suggested a bottle of heet if that was my intent.
 
I have no fears about 91/92/93 sitting in the tanks for too long. Think about it this way: if you don't drive your car for 3 days you have a tank of the same gas sitting there...

Also, there are enough high-performance/European cars near me that the premium is getting sucked up quickly. It's the mid-grade I would be concerned about; not many cars require that.
 
I feel 93 is an even better value. There are still many cars that recommend if not require and run better with it. So many of us will still pay the $0.20-0.30/gallon.

When it was $0.99/gallon (wow I feel old) in late 90's it cost 20% more for premium $1.19

Now it is only 5-8% more for premium.
 
What does the mixing have to do with ethanol?
10% is 10% .

And what 'havok' is being weaked by ethanol?

Methanol can be bad, but it is not used.
 
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
What does the mixing have to do with ethanol?
10% is 10% .

And what 'havok' is being weaked by ethanol?

Methanol can be bad, but it is not used.
ex. Ethanol would settle out in boat engines due to sitting in storage. The ethanol would corrode fuel lines and tank bottoms.
 
I think some cars still recommend premium, or 91 octane. My car recommends 93 (requires at least 91,) but that's an extreme case. I'm not sure many cars that only recommend 91 octane would benefit even slightly from 93 octane.
 
- HERE IS THE ANSWER

they don't mix the ethanol at the station, it's mixed at the rack where the trucks are loaded.

Also, E10 means all grades are 10% ethanol, no diff between 87 or 93. the diff is in the ratios of hydrocarbons for octane, and the add packs like Shell

also, ethanol will not drop out or settle in an underground storage tank unless there is a lot of water present, either infiltrated or by condensation on the walls as the tank is drained. Water has to reach a certain percentage before it will cause an alcohol water gasoline separation at the bottom.

the good news is the automatic tank gauge in each tank has a water sensor at the bottom, the computer on the wall will light up to alert staff

many stations have three underground storage tanks, some have two tanks and blend for the middle grade. You can tell when you drive around the gas station, look for the 3 rows of colored manhole covers, two for each tank. the smaller cover is the delivery port, the larger manhole houses a turbine in a large sump that pressurizes the fuel to the dispensers.
 
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
What does the mixing have to do with ethanol?
10% is 10%.


Up here, a lot of our stations' premium is pure gas. The regular is E10. The midgrade is a mix of the two done by the pumps, so would have some ethanol. For those who want no ethanol, that might be an issue.

To say something nice about the gas stations, a couple years ago, my neighborhood Shell had excess ethanol in its regular. The regular pump shut down because it detected this. The midgrade did so a couple hours later. They ended up selling premium all day for the price of regular, until the problem was fixed.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top