Octane ratings

[sevfiv]

So I normally see the usual 87/89/93 choices at the gas pump and never think twice about it - today my pump (and mine only) had 88 instead of 87. I don't go to gas stations all that often, and maybe not often enough to have never seen anything different than the usual and think 88 is weird.

Is 88 randomly available and I just have never come across it? Was it a sticker mess up? Am I naive about gasoline?

[sevfiv]

Oh, and this was at the Shell on Telephone/Almeda-Genoa..

[mkultra25]

I can't say I've noticed 88 vs. 87 anywhere, but I also don't normally pay close attention to the lower-octane blends - I have to use the 93 octane in my car to avoid pinging, as it has a relatively high-compression engine.

Slightly different but related note - Sam's Club (at least the one in Stafford) recently put up large signs on all their pumps indicating that their gasoline now contains 20% ethanol, up from the usual 10%. I quit buying gas there as a result, as it's my understanding that fuel lines and pumps require modification to be able to run that high of a percentage of ethanol through them without long-term damage.

[jm1fd]

I haven't noticed 88 anywhere either. I have, however, seen 92 instead of 93 before.

[barracuda]

Slightly different but related note - Sam's Club (at least the one in Stafford) recently put up large signs on all their pumps indicating that their gasoline now contains 20% ethanol, up from the usual 10%. I quit buying gas there as a result, as it's my understanding that fuel lines and pumps require modification to be able to run that high of a percentage of ethanol through them without long-term damage.

That is surprising. I thought e20 was still pending approval by the EPA.

Either way, I think it's a bad idea. Ethanol-mixed fuel is no better for the environment than ethanol-free fuel. It's corrosive, especially to older vehicles, and it reduces an engine's efficiency, lowering your MPG. I can see no advantage to consumers other than a slight displacement of imported oil for domestic ethanol, but even that is suspect since fossil fuels are used extensively in the production of ethanol.

Edited December 30, 2009 by barracuda

[crunchtastic]

Slightly different but related note - Sam's Club (at least the one in Stafford) recently put up large signs on all their pumps indicating that their gasoline now contains 20% ethanol, up from the usual 10%.

Thank you, Corn Lobby and Wal-Mart. I would have liked to have been a fly on the wall for this pricing meeting.

[editor]

That is surprising. I thought e20 was still pending approval by the EPA.

Either way, I think it's a bad idea. Ethanol-mixed fuel is no better for the environment than ethanol-free fuel. It's corrosive, especially to older vehicles, and it reduces an engine's efficiency, lowering your MPG. I can see no advantage to consumers other than a slight displacement of imported oil for domestic ethanol, but even that is suspect since fossil fuels are used extensively in the production of ethanol.

If you hate E20, you're going to hate E85. 85% Ethanol, 15% gasoline. It's pretty widespread in Illinois, and I presume the other I-states. E85 is generally 10-20% cheaper than regular gas in this state.

Doesn't work in every car, though. Every now and again I'll notice one with the little Flex Fuel logo on the back.

According to this web site, 70% of the fuel sold in America has at least some ethanol in it. How much varies by market and season.

[sevfiv]

It was the same price for 87 and 88 which makes me think it's a labelling mishap. Just weird that it was one random pump.

Here is the special pump:

..and the next one over:

[sevfiv]

It's still there! I hadn't been to this station since this thread..