fuel from differing states

I have been getting what seems to be 15 to 17 mpg freeway on my 80 mile commute for the last many months. I took the cherokee to Reno here last week and filling up in Nevada seemed to get me 20+ mpg. Freak coincidence or just shit fuel in Kali?
I love how regular is $2.70 here cause its "out of the way fror deliveries" and in the middle of Donner pass it was $2.34. If thats not out of the way than what is??

Donner Pass isn't nearly "out of the way" as it sits astride one of the major east-west highways connecting this country. I-80 is one of the major truck arteries that connect Northern Cali to the rest of the country.

As for the gas, there are "winter fuels" used in many parts of the country that are supposed to help reduce emissions but which also contain elevated amounts of ethanol. These additives reduce your mileage in most cases. In your case, the extra mileage could have come from either the lack of additives, or the loooong stretches of highway use.

The manufacturers and or the wholesalers I firmly believe 'play' with the gas, I won't say water it down with water but with some other cheap fuel additive to bulk it out. The equivilent of the chicken and pig farmer that feeds alot of salt to the animals just before selling them so they drink alot of water. I see this all the time here and used to see it alot when I commuted from PA to NJ daily and I have posted about it regularly, our family actually does track our gas, milage and use and when we ALL see a big milage hit in the same time frame it's really obvious somebody did something. ALot of it has to do with how close the state pays attention to retailers, NJ they check stations alot and you can call and complain, amazingly they have quick responses. PA, the only thing they concern themselves with is the correct metering of the gallons so they get their tax share and that the kerosene hoses on the kero pumps can't reach a parked vehicle..

California uses "oxygenates" (formerly MTBE) to reduce tailpipe emissions - rather than just teaching people to keep their vehicles running well. When I cross the state line and fill up in NV or AZ, I note an increase in fuel mileage as well.

Google "Reformulated Gasoline" or "RFG" for information. I believe they now cut fuel with Ethanol out here - which, at least, is itself a fuel (although I'm wanting to recall that it has a slightly/somewhat lower energy content than octane and other paraffinoids that make up gasoline - but I'd have to check.)

5-90

NJ is too, they used Mstuff in theirs from Nov1 till Apr1 but I never noticed a big hit in my 140mi a day commute. PA, that milage hit comes at random times during the year not during winter fuel months. I also noticed that I would not get hit with it when buying gas in towards allentown but when buying fuel in my county I would. The part that bothers me is our county is one of 5 left in the state that does not have emissions testing so I gotta wonder if the wholsalers are are using our county as a dumping ground for crummy fuel vs an emissions county where they might get caught at the inspection stations, might look suspicious if a whole string of new cars started failing emissions...

dyna said:

Freak coincidence or just shit fuel in Kali?

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No, I see the same thing when I go to Arizona or Nevada. Was never really impressed with the gas in Oregon, either.

I love how regular is $2.70 here cause its "out of the way fror deliveries"

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Pfft. I paid $2.71/gallon last night and I live in Los Angeles. If it's not one excuse, it's another.

5-90 said:

I believe they now cut fuel with Ethanol out here - which, at least, is itself a fuel (although I'm wanting to recall that it has a slightly/somewhat lower energy content than octane and other paraffinoids that make up gasoline - but I'd have to check.)

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I believe it's usually 10% ethanol, but IIRC there was something that went through the assembly recently dropping that down to 2%. I'll see if I can't dig it up.

Edit: whoops: right number, wrong substance. The EPA is removing the 2% oxygenation requirement for all gasoline sold in the US effective May 6, 2006; info's here.

Ohio is the worst, we don't have any fuel standards or testing.
Ohio has become the dumping site for bad gas.

ok this is how it is like it or not.. all gas/ diesel is genaric there are major pipe lines that span this great country for oil and fuel. its not till yor regional distribution plant for your gas comanys ie BP, Mobil , SHELL, PHILLIPS 66,
Whoever.. where your "additives" are added to keep the fuel fresh!.. yes there is a diffrence in winter and summer fuels that is controled nationally because why would you have chicago winter gas in austin, texas..right? and its supposed to be where the average person isnt gonna notice there mileage go down with winter / summer fuel.. but the few of us get a kick out of how far can i stretch this tank.. fyi


94,00,01 limited's rollin rugged in luxury

leadfoot77 said:

ok this is how it is like it or not..

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Not that I like or dislike it, but you are wrong.

all gas/ diesel is genaric there are major pipe lines that span this great country for oil and fuel.

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And it's all refined at different points with different formulation requirements. The gas refined in California is not the same as the gas sold in Arizona (which cannot legally be sold in California). The same basic fuel from the same basic oil? Sure. The same fuel formulation everywhere? No.

its not till yor regional distribution plant for your gas comanys ie BP, Mobil , SHELL, PHILLIPS 66, Whoever.. where your "additives" are added to keep the fuel fresh!..

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Additives are not added solely to keep fuel fresh. They're also added per state and federal requirements as well as to give fuel companies something to market the fuel on besides 'it makes your car go' - Techron, V-Power, etc. all claim to have benefits above and beyond just motive power.

yes there is a diffrence in winter and summer fuels that is controled nationally because why would you have chicago winter gas in austin, texas..right?

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Again - this is state-by-state; it has little to do with seasonality. I live in Los Angeles and we get a winter formula as well between (IIRC) November and April; it typically has a higher oxygen content than summer blend.

and its supposed to be where the average person isnt gonna notice there mileage go down with winter / summer fuel..

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That makes no sense whatsoever; I certainly noticed that my last tank only ranged 246 miles between fill-ups (poor-quality fuel) instead of the more normal 300. Most people would pick up on something like that - if not at the odometer, then at their bank statements.

fuel in conneticut sucks. fuel in NY is better. there's something about CT's fuel, i don't know if its the addatives or lack of them, but there is definately a noticable difference in milage.