rocketraider

I think winter-blended reformulated fuels have shown up here, even though it's not that cold yet.

Reason: the wagon with 350 Olds and HEI has a fresh tuneup on it, new filters, vacuum advance and choke working etc, and gas mileage has dropped from its usual 14.8 mpg to less than 12 on the last two tanks of fuel.

The Ford truck with 302/EFI has seen a similar drop in fuel mileage. At first I blamed that on plugs with nearly 60K miles on them but since I record every gallon of gas that goes thru them, I've seen a trend. I've seen it on three different brands of gas too.

I admit to being an E P A skeptic, but for my life I don't see where forcing use of fuel blends that are proven to decrease fuel mileage is saving the planet. If you're burning 20-30% more fuel to travel the same distance...

Unless y'all have some ideas about increasing the gas mileage that I haven't thought of.

Something I notice more and more is that exhaust sometimes smells like burnt moonshine. Makes me wonder if these stations are getting an ethanol-hot load of fuel sometimes. Fuel here comes from a terminal about 50 miles away, so you'd think road vibrations would mix it well before it gets here.

Did anyone read about that Associated Press study on ethanol? seems like the ugly truth about the stuff is finally coming to light.

Tedd Thompson

Rocketraider, you are trying to make sense out of a totally political decision. The two do not compute. Politics have no relationship to logic and logic nothing in common with politics. You just gotta follow the money to find the truth....Tedd

jaunty75

Here's an article on this from about a year ago, but it pretty much sums up the issue.

"Summer" gas is actually purer gasoline than "winter" gas, so, yes, I would assume that mileage would decrease slightly when using winter gas. But winter gas is also supposed to be cheaper, so there's supposed to be a trade-off there that equals things out.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars...rence-13747431

citcapp

Winter gas here in Washington always drops the fuel mileage by at least 3 miles per gallon and performance goes down as well. Can't leave the stuff in any gas powered tools over a week or they won't run right and it smells funny as hell

rocketraider

That AP study made a point of the corn lobby's "influence".

Was just wondering if anyone else was seeing decreased gas mileage.

I had a 307 computer-carb Pontiac Safari wagon years ago that would regularly deliver 24-26 mpg. One November the mileage dropped to 17 and I was pulling my hair out because nothing I did would get it back where it was. Dealer ran a diagnostic on it and said everything checked normal.

About middle of January I bought gas at a Shell station that got its fuel from a different terminal and that tank went back to 24 mpg. The next tank, bought here, it dropped back to 17. Tried that a couple times. Conclusion? RFG wasn't worth a flying fart.

But yes, politics and money make the decisions, not efficiency.

RetroRanger

yeah my mileage drops from mid 19s to low to mid 18s on my truck usually around octoberish this year was no different, I have had the truck 10 years and always calculate the mileage per tank, sometime around april it will bump back up to mid 19s...roughly 8% loss for me

Tedd Thompson

Has anyone ever seen what it cost to produce a gallon of alcohol? It doesn't come to the pump with out generating it's own VOC's. No survey ever mentions that that alcohol has to be grown,irrigated, harvested and refined(distilled) plus shipped,to all parts of the USA. this all generates it's own VOC's Plus you as tax paying citizens are paying to support this by paying more for any product that is made with corn or is used as feed. None of this is factored in to the final emissions nor why a box of corn flakes is now twice the price it was five years ago.....Tedd

Yellowstatue

Winter gas up here is cold as hell!! Try getting some on your hands in a stiff wind.