Fuel for Gassers
Anyone run Premium fuel or Octane Boost? Improved performance/mileage or waste of $$.
Forum Discussion
Ponderosa,
I'm right there with Hikerdogs and JaxDad. When we first purchased our motorhome, 10% ethanol was not common in New England. Within a few short years, it was mandated. Without a doubt, our gas mileage dropped 10% with the 10% ethanol fuel. I used to get consistent high 7's to low 8's. On ethanol, it hovers around 7.
One time, on a trip down south, unbeknownst to me, I stopped at a station and put REAL GAS into the rig. As we're driving down the highway, I checked the Scangauge MPG and the dash MPG...BOTH were reflecting around 8 MPG, plus or minus, when I had been seeing the typical low 7's the entire trip up to that point. At first, I thought I was just going down hill, but the GPS elevation proved that not to be the case.
Shortly after the next fill-up, the mileage pretty much was back to the low 7's. Once we arrived at our destination, I carefully reviewed the receipts and realized the state we had fueled in which gave the MPG boost DID NOT mandate ethanol fuels.
I know what the "science" says about the alcohol having an energy content. Of course it does. But for all of our vehicles, I've always experienced about a 10% drop in MPG when forced to run 10% ethanol gas.
Perhaps there are some vehicles that might only see a 3% or 4% drop in MPG on 10% ethanol. I have no idea. I just know that NONE of our vehicles are in that category, nor any vehicles owned by folks I've chatted with about this.
~Rick
I'm right there with Hikerdogs and JaxDad. When we first purchased our motorhome, 10% ethanol was not common in New England. Within a few short years, it was mandated. Without a doubt, our gas mileage dropped 10% with the 10% ethanol fuel. I used to get consistent high 7's to low 8's. On ethanol, it hovers around 7.
One time, on a trip down south, unbeknownst to me, I stopped at a station and put REAL GAS into the rig. As we're driving down the highway, I checked the Scangauge MPG and the dash MPG...BOTH were reflecting around 8 MPG, plus or minus, when I had been seeing the typical low 7's the entire trip up to that point. At first, I thought I was just going down hill, but the GPS elevation proved that not to be the case.
Shortly after the next fill-up, the mileage pretty much was back to the low 7's. Once we arrived at our destination, I carefully reviewed the receipts and realized the state we had fueled in which gave the MPG boost DID NOT mandate ethanol fuels.
I know what the "science" says about the alcohol having an energy content. Of course it does. But for all of our vehicles, I've always experienced about a 10% drop in MPG when forced to run 10% ethanol gas.
Perhaps there are some vehicles that might only see a 3% or 4% drop in MPG on 10% ethanol. I have no idea. I just know that NONE of our vehicles are in that category, nor any vehicles owned by folks I've chatted with about this.
~Rick
