What gas are you using?

[ShadowsPapa]

Honestly it doesn't really make any difference to either Exxon or me, but it feels good.

Oh, I thought you were trying to keep them in business........

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[Kilroy1941]

I usually fill up at Costco, but with the last two tanks in my new Rubicon I’ve been running Chevron regular. I have noticed it runs smoother with the Chevron gas. What is everyone else using and have y’all noticed any difference in mileage/performance from one gas company to another? For Rubicon owners, what is your average mileage?

For some reason, sunoco seems to burn faster but keeps fresher a lot longer. I mostly stick with Mobil or BP for even better mpg when I find one.

 

[jbehrn]

For some reason, sunoco seems to burn faster but keeps fresher a lot longer. I mostly stick with Mobil or BP for even better mpg when I find one.

I've driven by a few Sunoco stations on long trips but never stopped to fill up. One day I'll try it out.

 

[Kilroy1941]

I've driven by a few Sunoco stations on long trips but never stopped to fill up. One day I'll try it out.

Just make sure it's one of the nice ones lol, I recently went to an older local one, pushed the 87 button and to my disbelief watched it tumble back into the dark innards of the pump haha

 

[ShadowsPapa]

For some reason, sunoco seems to burn faster but keeps fresher a lot longer. I mostly stick with Mobil or BP for even better mpg when I find one.

It all burns with the same speed - even premium or high octane.
Keeping fresher - that's a matter of the additives, what's used to achieve the octane level, and if it's ethanol or not.
Since all gasoline contains the same amount of energy - the only way for more MPG or more power is if a higher octane allows the PCM to tweak things for more power - like more timing, etc.
Otherwise, like I've outlined elsewhere, it's all the same energy content.

Quotes from the internet - car sites, science sites, etc. -
Raising the octane rating (also known as the anti-knock index) doesn't change the energy content of a gallon of gasoline. A higher octane rating indicates greater resistance to knock, the early combustion of the fuel-air mixture that causes cylinder pressure to spike.

Does 93 octane give more power?
Premium, also known as 93 octane gasoline, is the most expensive gasoline at the pump. Premium gasoline does and does not give more horsepower, depending on the type of automotive engine it is used in. (note - it MAY if the PCM can adjust things to use more of the energy it has, but it doesn't have MORE energy)

Another quote -

Does premium gas last longer?
Sadly, there's nothing in premium gasoline that would make it last longer than other fuels from the pump. Since the distinguishing feature is the higher-octane levels, the only real benefit you gain is lowering the chance of engine knocking, which isn't much of a threat on most modern fuel systems.

 

[mrweezel]

I used to commute a lot and found the top tier fuels to give me better overall mileage and performance. I’ve been running nothing but Chevron, Mobil, or Shell since the early 90s. I’ve had the same mechanic pull the head off of three commuter vehicles when we did the timing belt…there was a local place that would rework a head for $150 if you dropped it off with a set of new valves. All 16v 4cyl heads…all over 175K miles. The mechanic who refuses to run anything but the cheapest 87 he can find said that in 35 years of wrenching, he had never seen heads come off that clean…

I have zero issues with my cars. I give ‘em good fuel and I make sure the oil changes are done religiously before needed. I’ll put a minimum of 150K on them before I’m hunting a new one. If you Lee looking to trade ‘em every couple/few years, then feed ‘em whatever you can find. If you’re gonna keep them for a while, the minimal investment in some top tier premium fuels is worth it. You’re talking ~$500 a year. Just IMHO.

 

[Montana_Wildcat]

Exxon 87 because I have the Exxon rewards card which gives me money off pretty much every other fill-up. Oh, and it's the only name-brand gas in my little Eastern Montana town!

 

[rr11]

On the subject of different trucks at a terminal. I have a friend who works for Colonial Pipeline, he told me that say Shell puts 10,000 gallons in the pipeline in Houston and they take 10,000 out in Atlanta, the gas they get is not necessary Shell refined gas the additive pack is added at the terminal is what makes a branded gas the brand not who refined it.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

On the subject of different trucks at a terminal. I have a friend who works for Colonial Pipeline, he told me that say Shell puts 10,000 gallons in the pipeline in Houston and they take 10,000 out in Atlanta, the gas they get is not necessary Shell refined gas the additive pack is added at the terminal is what makes a branded gas the brand not who refined it.

Yes, exactly as redrider said earlier.
Besides, there's only a handful of refineries and those are only in a few states. For example, Shell has refineries in 4 states - are they going to sell gasoline in only those 4 states - there's only so many pipelines. Shell would have to pipe or truck gas to every one of the lower 48 in order to sell gas in those states.
Logistics would dictate that any company that wants to sell gas in Iowa, for example, would have to get that gas from a pipeline in Iowa -and it would seem impractical for every company to have their own multiple pipelines here.

 

[Bucephalus]

Does premium gas last longer?
Sadly, there's nothing in premium gasoline that would make it last longer than other fuels from the pump. Since the distinguishing feature is the higher-octane levels, the only real benefit you gain is lowering the chance of engine knocking, which isn't much of a threat on most modern fuel systems.

I admire your knowledge and expertise but it contradicts my real world experience. A few years ago we had Hurricane Irma[i think it was Irma] and power was knocked out for a few days. We had 5 jugs of Fuel. 3 regular and 2 premium..as well Premium in all the cars incase we had to syphon. We used the Generator to power a small fridge a couple of tv's and a fan. I had to refill the tank every 3 hours, when we ran out of 87 we started using the 93. At around 2hr:50min I went out to refuel because I wanted to keep everything running and not have to restart like before. I looked at the tank and there more fuel than before. I got an extra 30-35minutes from the Premium both times. The engine was running much smoother on the 93 so I don't know if this aided in the efficiency, but it would be a direct result from the premium fuel.

When I got the truck in April a gallon of 93 was around $2.89. A chevron and Mobil across the street from work both had premium at the same price as regular so I would just use that. I thought it made the truck more efficient. But when gas got expensive and I only used regular the MPG actually went up. I don't know if that was because the engine was broken in or because the book specifically states anything better than 87 won't improve performance. But this thing runs great on 87 and I've never had knock.

 

[redrider]

I admire your knowledge and expertise but it contradicts my real world experience. A few years ago we had Hurricane Irma[i think it was Irma] and power was knocked out for a few days. We had 5 jugs of Fuel. 3 regular and 2 premium..as well Premium in all the cars incase we had to syphon. We used the Generator to power a small fridge a couple of tv's and a fan. I had to refill the tank every 3 hours, when we ran out of 87 we started using the 93. At around 2hr:50min I went out to refuel because I wanted to keep everything running and not have to restart like before. I looked at the tank and there more fuel than before. I got an extra 30-35minutes from the Premium both times. The engine was running much smoother on the 93 so I don't know if this aided in the efficiency, but it would be a direct result from the premium fuel.

Low rpm with a fixed advance. Ignition timing probably suited the slower burn of the premium. If the preium was non-ethanol, it would have a longer run time as well.

 

[sdtkeld]

All I have to add is that any reputable station with the lowest retail would be the one to go to. There isn’t an extra pipeline of top tier gas. Someone in the market sets the bottom retail and everyone follows. And there usually is more margin when the wholesale price goes down then up. I do find it hilarious when someone complains that gas is a nickel higher an hour away. Spending ten dollars to save 60 cents is brilliant.

 

[Litfuse]

You really can’t tell the quality of your gas or the performance of your vehicle unless you datalog. On other vehicles I have owned and datalogged, I did see a quality difference between gas brands and the way my car(s) reacted. The most consistent believe it or not was Costco. The least consistent was Shell.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Low rpm with a fixed advance. Ignition timing probably suited the slower burn of the premium. If the preium was non-ethanol, it would have a longer run time as well.

All I have to add is that any reputable station with the lowest retail would be the one to go to. There isn’t an extra pipeline of top tier gas. Someone in the market sets the bottom retail and everyone follows. And there usually is more margin when the wholesale price goes down then up. I do find it hilarious when someone complains that gas is a nickel higher an hour away. Spending ten dollars to save 60 cents is brilliant.

Try 20 to 25 cents at 22 miles away. Sometimes more. I've seen as much as 30 cents difference at Ankeny stations compared to our area and I can get there in under 30 minutes. If I have other shopping to do, I absolutely wait until I need gas to do the shopping. There was one time it was 2.60 compared to 2.95.
Top tier gas isn't about what comes out of the pipeline..........

There are absolutely differences in even 87 octane fuels - octane drift is one of them, vapor pressure, how they achieved the octane rating and so on. Where that octane level is at various temperatures matters.

 

[j.o.y.ride]

Always Chevron, usually 91. If I am stuck and need to fill up with something else it doesn't run as well, noisier, pre ignition, etc. Rated for 87, blah. Needs 91 to not pre detonate.

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