Question for Maryland Only

[berb]

Ok, before I begin, I did not buy my Gladiator for the gas milage and I know not to expect good gas milage, BUT since we have switched over to the winter blend of gasoline my MPGs have dropped from 18.5 to 15.5. An additional note, I bought a RAV 4 Hybrid over the summer and was getting 42 MPGs. That's dropped to 26, now I know hybrids drop because of the additional power needed to run the heater, but it shouldn't drop that much.

Now, we have a new governor, not getting political, have things changed? Are we getting lower grades of gas? I know in the summer time I get less MPGs in my motorhome heading south than I do coming back home, so I know the gas in the south is less refined as the gas in the north, thus the gas milage difference.

If the drop in gas milage was just my Gladiator, then I would think there was something wrong with the truck, but my hybrid too. What's going on?

I have had my gladiator since 2020 and have not noticed a winter drop in MPGs before.

FYI, I run 33 inch Goodyear Duratracs on stock Rubi rims, I have a Sport S model, 3.73 gears.

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[Minty JL]

Yeah around town I normally get 13-14mpgs, but right now I'm getting 10-11 mpgs at best

 

[CampThree]

I'm getting 17 mpg in NC with 89 octane. On 35's, 4:10 gears.

 

[Minty JL]

Mine is at 10.2 right now

 

[Bbannongmu]

Driving my sisters stock 22 JTR through Maryland to work amd getting 14.6mpgs right now. My 20 JTR with 37s and 5.13 gears plus 1,000lbs of stuff was getting about 13.7mpgs before my pinion detonated (YUKON GEARS SUCK!!!!)

 

[Bully4]

Mine is doing the same thing. From 18 down to 15.5 in PA. Short trips don't help. Mine seems to rev a little higher between shifts--probably temp. related. Plus, those tires don't really roll smooth in the cold. Imagine how thick the diff oil is when first rolling down the road.

 

[Sweetums]

I'm not in Maryland, but you're not my supervisor!

Winter blend fuel contains more benzine than summer blend, changing the energy density. Your hybrid has to run the engine more because the battery is too cold for its optimum temperature and the fuel for the gas engine has more of that lightweight benzine.

Benzine isn't included in summer fuel due to the low boiling point.

 

[Dougstdig]

I'm not in Maryland, but you're not my supervisor!

Winter blend fuel contains more benzine than summer blend, changing the energy density. Your hybrid has to run the engine more because the battery is too cold for its optimum temperature and the fuel for the gas engine has more of that lightweight benzine.

Benzine isn't included in summer fuel due to the low boiling point.

I second this Motion.

 

[BourbonRunner]

I'm not in Maryland, but you're not my supervisor!

Winter blend fuel contains more benzine than summer blend, changing the energy density. Your hybrid has to run the engine more because the battery is too cold for its optimum temperature and the fuel for the gas engine has more of that lightweight benzine.

Benzine isn't included in summer fuel due to the low boiling point.

I came here to say similar.

Winter blend stinks for MPG.

Has anyone ever tried adding something like octane booster to make up the loss from the benzine?

 

[Sweetums]

Octane booster doesn't increase energy density, just the opposite. Octane is a very stable hydrocarbon, it's used to measure how resistant fuel is to premature detonation. This is why you need high octane ratings in high-compression and high performance engines.

Those boosters in a bottle are just stabilizing agents, they don't contain any more hydrocarbon bonds to break for energy.

 

[BourbonRunner]

Octane booster doesn't increase energy density, just the opposite. Octane is a very stable hydrocarbon, it's used to measure how resistant fuel is to premature detonation. This is why you need high octane ratings in high-compression and high performance engines.

Those boosters in a bottle are just stabilizing agents, they don't contain any more hydrocarbon bonds to break for energy.

Gotcha. I don't know the chemical comp of winter gas but know it always delivered worse mileage. Thanks.

So is there anything that could be added to a tank that could help mitigate that? Seafoam? Marvel's Mystery Oil? Magic beans? The dust of the Grand Wazoo?

 

[Mr._Bill]

Racing or Boat Fuel, or maybe Aviation Gas? Something without ethanol in it.

If you have the space, put in your own fuel tank and buy bulk. We had a 200 gallon above ground tank when I was growing up, but that was in rural Idaho.

 

[Zachanadandy]

Gotcha. I don't know the chemical comp of winter gas but know it always delivered worse mileage. Thanks.

So is there anything that could be added to a tank that could help mitigate that? Seafoam? Marvel's Mystery Oil? Magic beans? The dust of the Grand Wazoo?

If you can get a tank full of unicorn tears you'll get 100mpg and an extra 1,000hp.

 

[nas4a]

Yep. Winter blend kills my mileage here in NJ. At least on my gas car (Volvo). I go from 24 down to ~20 in the Winter.

My Gladiator is a diesel - I haven't really noticed much of a difference there, but I do run an anti-gel that adds a little to my cost.

 

[Greg_L]

Yall worry about some of the strangest things.

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