Topic: What brand gasoline do you like the best ?

[grcamna2]

I live not far from Sacramento,CA. and there's no ethanol-Free gas stations anywhere near me.My vintage Honda and auto really hates the cheap Ethanol gasoline that they charge $4+ per gallon for 87 octane Regular(Regular 'what'?  ) here and I've been running $3.60 per gallon 87 regular Arco.. you can't let the bike sit for more than a couple days in the sun before the gas is sh*t.I will start putting the Startron treatment in to help this old stuff.
Can anyone recommend a good brand gas station to purchase from here ? I just ran the tank low and filled-up with some Shell 91 octane V-power today  I have 10:1 compression in the bike and I'll need better fuel.

[dave500]

i gotta use the premium fuel in my car,our octane ratings aint the same as yours,i use 98,bikes n mower get 91 or 95.

[grcamna2]

i gotta use the premium fuel in my car,our octane ratings aint the same as yours,i use 98,bikes n mower get 91 or 95.

Yes,I just learned they have a different way of rating it over there,Terry just posted that Dave.

[Nicklopic]

I pretty much only get gas from big name places for anything of the stuff I like. After I filled my wrx onces with some crap premium from a small station late at night and it was pulling 10* I never did it again. Generally for my Subaru and bike I go BP, Valero, shell. My Jeep, whatever from wherever

[madmtnmotors]

I usually go with the one that tastes best.

Sorry, I couldn't resist. I'll let myself out now...

[grcamna2]

I pretty much only get gas from big name places for anything of the stuff I like. After I filled my wrx onces with some crap premium from a small station late at night and it was pulling 10* I never did it again. Generally for my Subaru and bike I go BP, Valero, shell. My Jeep, whatever from wherever

Thanks for your response Nick 

[grcamna2]

I usually go with the one that tastes best.

Sorry, I couldn't resist. I'll let myself out now...

When I fuel-up and I'm standing-over the filler neck,the fumes that rise needs to have some smell(aromatics)to them.I've found when it doesn't,it's stale fuel..  and if I could,I'd return it right back to their tank and get a refund.
Stale fuel has no 'kick' left to it and it's only useful for washing parts,imo.

[markmyodb]

My experience and education would have me tell you  in the US there is little difference in various branded and independent gasoline. They all meet the same octane ratings. (although government regulations has removed the requirement for the "m" (motor) in some localities. The independents are most often selling gas that came from the same tank farm tanks as the branded gas.

Best advice is to use a busy station because when fuel with ethanol sits, moisture is absorbed, on fuel injected motors, not too much of a problem...on Carb equipped motors this can be a problem. Endless threads here to read and discuss.

The smell test is a new one on me, who knows?

All this said... I like Mobil, because I worked for them quite a while when in college, and as an engineer their lubrication recommendation literature and the phone help was excellent. (this was more than a couple of decades ago. lol)

[Don R]

 I believe shell has some detergents in it maybe other additives too. It's my choice when I can choose.
 I know when I'm towing some good gas makes a world of difference in my gas dually. It keeps the knock sensor from turning the timing back. I got a load of flat gas from a Caseys in the middle of  Iowa, threw an engine code before I went a couple blocks.

[markmyodb]

I believe shell has some detergents in it maybe other additives too. It's my choice when I can choose.
 I know when I'm towing some good gas makes a world of difference in my gas dually. It keeps the knock sensor from turning the timing back. I got a load of flat gas from a Caseys in the middle of  Iowa, threw an engine code before I went a couple blocks.

Same thing in my truck, fuel from a "76" station, cylinder 4 misfire shortly thereafter, cleared with next tank. ( I run to almost dry like Crammer.)

[Don R]

 My wife got $1 a gallon discount off 20 gallons at the grocery store gas station, Saves me enough to buy a bottle of lucas injector cleaner and a cheap pizza.

[grcamna2]

My wife got $1 a gallon discount off 20 gallons at the grocery store gas station, Saves me enough to buy a bottle of lucas injector cleaner and a cheap pizza.

Don,That's excellent;does that station carry Ethanol-Free fuel?

[Don R]

 They do have ethanol free and in two grades. I have 10 gallons of it canned up right now. Those 5 gallon lined race gas cans come in handy at times like this. 
 

[grcamna2]

They do have ethanol free and in two grades. I have 10 gallons of it canned up right now. Those 5 gallon lined race gas cans come in handy at times like this.

I was impressed that your town has Ethanol-Free fuel at the station I stopped into when I visited you back in 2018' pulling the trailer with that 450 Suzuki:that bike really Needed good fuel and was thanking me for topping it up;I put some more in a gas can I was carrying on the trailer for later. 

[Don R]

They do have ethanol free and in two grades. I have 10 gallons of it canned up right now. Those 5 gallon lined race gas cans come in handy at times like this.

I was impressed that your town has Ethanol-Free fuel at the station I stopped into when I visited you back in 2018' pulling the trailer with that 450 Suzuki:that bike really Needed good fuel and was thanking me for topping it up;I put some more in a gas can I was carrying on the trailer for later. 

That was an impressive ride. It still makes me smile and I'm glad to have met another guy from here.

[grcamna2]

They do have ethanol free and in two grades. I have 10 gallons of it canned up right now. Those 5 gallon lined race gas cans come in handy at times like this.

I was impressed that your town has Ethanol-Free fuel at the station I stopped into when I visited you back in 2018' pulling the trailer with that 450 Suzuki:that bike really Needed good fuel and was thanking me for topping it up;I put some more in a gas can I was carrying on the trailer for later. 

That was an impressive ride. It still makes me smile and I'm glad to have met another guy from here.

Don,if I could have taken a day off my ride(CA. 'move ticket'/temp. travel registration,the longer I took,the more $ fees they charge me  )I would really have enjoyed looking at all your projects,bikes Including that excellent 68' Firebird.

[PeWe]

Give Shell V-Power a try (2 full tanks) to see if bike will start, run better.
My bikes likes it.

grcamna2, your bike like it too?

[bhh1989]

So I learned something here in TN while working for the County Air Quality Dept.  Here (and elsewhere I presume) we have a central pipeline that runs north up from TX called the Colonial Pipeline. It is literally a pipe full of gas running straight from the refinery. In an industrial part of town the pipeline hits several of those huge white tank farms which are run by different name brand gas station companies where they add their additives. Fill trucks stop by on schedule to fill up and take it the station. Smaller local gas station brands will pay to come fill up their trucks at the larger companies fill stations too.

The octane rating changes on a schedule from the main pipeline - it will literally go from 87 to 90 or whatever and, I assume, have a short spell of mix before it fully transfers over.

Case in point, all the stations suck from the same pipe.  Only difference are the additives they add and market at the pump. That's how it is in East TN anyway.

[goodtryer]

So I learned something here in TN while working for the County Air Quality Dept.  Here (and elsewhere I presume) we have a central pipeline that runs north up from TX called the Colonial Pipeline. It is literally a pipe full of gas running straight from the refinery. In an industrial part of town the pipeline hits several of those huge white tank farms which are run by different name brand gas station companies where they add their additives. Fill trucks stop by on schedule to fill up and take it the station. Smaller local gas station brands will pay to come fill up their trucks at the larger companies fill stations too.

The octane rating changes on a schedule from the main pipeline - it will literally go from 87 to 90 or whatever and, I assume, have a short spell of mix before it fully transfers over.

Case in point, all the stations suck from the same pipe.  Only difference are the additives they add and market at the pump. That's how it is in East TN anyway.

This is spot on. As for the mix stuff, they just sell it at the lower octane rating; they call it "octane give-away". It's like lumber; they err on the long side when cutting. It's ok to sell an 97" board as an 8-footer but not a 95" one.

Also, all of the refiners have to test their product before it ships. The samples must meet the relevant standards and be certified by the refinery labs. The samples must be retained for a certain period, they are subject to independent testing and audit, and the refiners are subject to significant fines for shipping/selling non-compliant product.

All that said, there is ample opportunity for things to go bad during distribution but news travels fast these days and nobody wants to be the station or the brand that gets the reputation for bad product, not the pipeline operator, not the distributor, not the station owner.

And, like BHH says, the additives are where all the difference is. To me, it's all just marketing. Just realize that every molecule of additive in the gallons you buy, is one less molecule of gasoline.

Also note that companies like Costco and the regional grocery stores buy their supply on the market; they aren't "branded" outlets. You could be getting Exxon fuel one time and Phillips 66 the next, or BP or Marathon, etc.

Not trying to start a war or an oil thread    . Just my $.02.

Cheers!

[grcamna2]

So I learned something here in TN while working for the County Air Quality Dept.  Here (and elsewhere I presume) we have a central pipeline that runs north up from TX called the Colonial Pipeline. It is literally a pipe full of gas running straight from the refinery. In an industrial part of town the pipeline hits several of those huge white tank farms which are run by different name brand gas station companies where they add their additives. Fill trucks stop by on schedule to fill up and take it the station. Smaller local gas station brands will pay to come fill up their trucks at the larger companies fill stations too.

The octane rating changes on a schedule from the main pipeline - it will literally go from 87 to 90 or whatever and, I assume, have a short spell of mix before it fully transfers over.

Case in point, all the stations suck from the same pipe.  Only difference are the additives they add and market at the pump. That's how it is in East TN anyway.

This is spot on. As for the mix stuff, they just sell it at the lower octane rating; they call it "octane give-away". It's like lumber; they err on the long side when cutting. It's ok to sell an 97" board as an 8-footer but not a 95" one.

Also, all of the refiners have to test their product before it ships. The samples must meet the relevant standards and be certified by the refinery labs. The samples must be retained for a certain period, they are subject to independent testing and audit, and the refiners are subject to significant fines for shipping/selling non-compliant product.

All that said, there is ample opportunity for things to go bad during distribution but news travels fast these days and nobody wants to be the station or the brand that gets the reputation for bad product, not the pipeline operator, not the distributor, not the station owner.

And, like BHH says, the additives are where all the difference is. To me, it's all just marketing. Just realize that every molecule of additive in the gallons you buy, is one less molecule of gasoline.

Also note that companies like Costco and the regional grocery stores buy their supply on the market; they aren't "branded" outlets. You could be getting Exxon fuel one time and Phillips 66 the next, or BP or Marathon, etc.

Not trying to start a war or an oil thread    . Just my $.02.

Cheers!

Ok,thanks bhh1989 and goodtryer.This is information I didn't know about.I just better do a bit more research as to what brand/station out there has the most 'bang for the buck$' and the least amount of ethanol mixed-in. I could get-by very well with a 'true' 89 octane ethanol-free gasoline,I used to purchase it before back when I lived in PA. and it was Always good in my Honda engine which works very hard,no matter what station I bought it from;there just aren't any ethanol-free stations around here.I'd like to hear a bit more from the folks who purchase fuel local to me that are comparatively shopping-around(I don't know anyone here..) at different stations to see what their experiences have been.What I've usually found when I was 'on a road trip' and asked others at the pumps is: "well,it seems ok" and they're in an automobile which is made to run/compensate for ethanol gasoline and my Honda just doesn't like it:kind of 'pick your poison' 

[PeWe]

Interesting details about additives. Like oils.
It would be fine with a special CB750 fuel and oil. Std and higher power.

The additives are important for a good working result in matching application.

I have had thoughts about Shell V-Power when I have been in contact with it when rejetting my carbs. Maybe they have fuel system cleaner in it. It has a slightly oily structure too.

No sludge in carbs after a few months parked.

They make their own magical juice as wizards!

Some nitro in the mix is a wellknown additive. I fed my moped with it, only 15-20%. Idle was screaming high, ran despite no plug wire I removed in panic!   

[Tim2005]

Has anyone else tried checking the ethanol content? I started checking it out of curiosity a few months ago, using the method in this video

My results so far (UK here, where in theory all standard unleaded is 5% ethanol & super unleaded is often said to be 0% ethanol:

Standard unleaded
Jet 3-4%      
BP  3-4%
Tesco 1-2% November, 3% February
Shell 3-4%
Sainsburys 4-5%  
Morrisons 2-3% 
Esso 3%

Super unleaded
Shell Super 4%-5%
Tesco Super 2-2.5%

[goodtryer]

Very good video! Thanks for that.

[333]

It's all about the additives. I can only say that my equipment runs better with less additives.  Shell makes my stuff run like crap. I get my best mileage from Sunoco.I base this on the computer in my '16 Chevy Express 3500, w/ a 6.0L V8. Sadly, where I moved to last August doesn't have a Sunoco within almost an hour away. And somewhere I heard that Sunoco has the least additives. Might be why it's the official fuel for NASCAR.

As for ethanol free, look here, under your state. They do list a Sunoco in West Sacramento that has ethanol free gas.

https://www.pure-gas.org/

[grcamna2]

It's all about the additives. I can only say that my equipment runs better with less additives.  Shell makes my stuff run like crap. I get my best mileage from Sunoco.I base this on the computer in my '16 Chevy Express 3500, w/ a 6.0L V8. Sadly, where I moved to last August doesn't have a Sunoco within almost an hour away. And somewhere I heard that Sunoco has the least additives. Might be why it's the official fuel for NASCAR.

As for ethanol free, look here, under your state. They do list a Sunoco in West Sacramento that has ethanol free gas.

https://www.pure-gas.org/

You like Sunoco,ok.I used to run BP/Sunoco when I lived back East and liked it.I can't find any here in my part of CA.

[PeWe]

You have lots of alternatives over there!
The video how to measure and remove ethanol from gasoline is  good info.
Might be useful in the future.


Green enthusiasts are mostly not technically minded persons. But can decide for all of us anyway. Decisions without investigation of the consequences, short as long term.
Ethanol additive in fuel not good for the environment when taking the ethanol production into account.

Still OK with woodburners in the city without any filtration. Energy waste when heating/cooling houses with minimal insulation if any, one glaced windows.
We have triple glaced windows here since the 60's.

In life in general and I have seen at work.. Do not shout out the obvious when one person is an idiot, the risk is high he will become your boss.
Same with the infrastructure, not the best in charge.