| ton80 |
06-29-2023 01:41 PM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by Number 10 GI
(Post 2230558)
A number of years ago my Dad drove a gasoline delivery truck in Omaha, NE. He would go to a tank farm for the gas. There were a number of pipes that he connected to with a hose for filling his tanker trailer. These outlet pipes with no brand names on them. A driver simply hooked up with any unused pipe to fill their tanker. He had a sheaf of cards for the different gasoline brands sold at the various gas stations. There was a card reader that took the information contained in the card, that as far as he knew told the computer what additives that were needed for that particular gas brand. Didn't matter what brand the station
was that needed gas, it all came from the same pipes at the terminal. The large storage tanks had no markings on them indicating any brand name.
I have never noticed any difference between brands of gasoline. I have driven in many U.S. states and European countries over 60 years of driving and have never had any problems or experienced reduced performance with any gasoline I used. Now, you can get gasoline that is contaminated with water and dirt from stations that don't keep their storage tanks cleaned out which will definitely cause problems in your vehicle. That is more likely the reason for different MPG or poorer performance.
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For Gasoline to be shipped to a pipeline that handles several brands of gasoline ALL of the gasoline is refined to a common pipeline specification for regular and high test. Refiners deliver their gasoline to the pipeline terminal where it is stored intermingled with other shippers product. The fungible (mutually interchangeable) gasoline is shipped to a delivery terminal. At this terminal each brand adds its specific additives at a specified ratio to meet the Brand specification. These additives usually contain detergents to help clean fuel injectors, gumout, etc.
Your Dad was correct. All of the gasoline in "regular gas" tanks was "identical/interchangeable". Any loading line provided the identical product before additives. All octanes, distillation specs etc. were the same. The Brands market their differences in the level of additives that are added as the gasoline was delivered to the tanker truck. The EPA and others have detergent levels but are lower than Top Tier
So the Tanker going to BJ's started with the same raw gasoline but gets different additive content. You will also note that Tankers going to BJ etc are labeled as to the Tanker Company not the eventual seller.
I worked for a major Refiner but use gasoline from several brands based on price and convenience. Differences in additives will show in the long run if at all. The various Refiners /Marketers know what the competition uses. Sam's, BVJ's, Wawa etc. gasoline started out as the same petroleum pipeline quality.
I think RG 123 had it correct that Top Tier is a marketing license mostly reflecting more additives. All of the major Brands are Top Tier. So using them say 60% of the time I expect that they help average out any off brand gasoline used.
My wife's 1999 Toyota has been handed down through the grandkids and now their cousins. It is approaching 400,000 miles on the original engine with no engine work ever. Auto and gasoline quality has greatly improved over the years. |
