Maybe a fuelish question?

As far as I know they still have a road tax on it. Our diesel has a road tax also unless you buy it from a Co-op for farm use. But you can apply for a road tax rebate if say you are buying fuel for your bobcat. Most small contractors keep the off road fuel purchase separate from the truck fuel and apply for the rebate. Fuel delivered to construction sites for heavy equipment does not have the road tax. I never buy it but I don't believe gas at marina's is taxed either. I've never seen any special coloring in the non-oxygenated gas to differentiate it. So unless the teenager working behind the gas station counter is a die hard environmentalist I don't know how any one would know if you put the non-oxygenated gas in your truck. Or care. By the way it costs .50-.60 more per gal in Mn.

Okay I have to say, there is not various levels of octane because the factory wanted to change the timing so the petroleum companies can produce a more costly fuel.

The octane ratings are based on engine design primarily around the compression ratio. Though it is true you can step up to the next level and get some improvement but also in today's engines you have to let the computer learn the different gas. Best is to stay with one type and don't change. It isn't like treating yourself to a steak over hamburger. You do not do your engine any good by giving it a higher octane.

I do do what the OP originally asked and put my old gas from the yard working machines every 3 - 6 months in the tank but I do not expect better mileage.

marquette wrote:
In theory here in Minnesota you are not supposed to run non-oxygenated (ethanol) in your car on the street. The premium non ethanol gas is for off road vehicles, racing, boats, small engines, classic cars, etc. I don't know who would stop you from using it in your car but in theory it's illegal. If you are looking for stations that carry non-oxygenated gas check your local state hot rod association web site. They usually list the stations that carry it so when out cruising you can find it for classic engines. I use the Minnesota one all the time for finding boat gas.

So does MN have road taxes on that fuel? If in fact it is available. Or do they put the pumps by the offroad diesel?

marquette wrote:
In theory here in Minnesota you are not supposed to run non-oxygenated (ethanol) in your car on the street. The premium non ethanol gas is for off road vehicles, racing, boats, small engines, classic cars, etc. I don't know who would stop you from using it in your car but in theory it's illegal. If you are looking for stations that carry non-oxygenated gas check your local state hot rod association web site. They usually list the stations that carry it so when out cruising you can find it for classic engines. I use the Minnesota one all the time for finding boat gas.

It used to be that way in FL as well, with the exception of motorcycles and registered "antique" vehicles. However, the FL legislature changed that a few years ago. Within 10 minutes of my house, there's a brand new large Raceway station, and every pump has 90 octane non-ethanol.

In theory here in Minnesota you are not supposed to run non-oxygenated (ethanol) in your car on the street. The premium non ethanol gas is for off road vehicles, racing, boats, small engines, classic cars, etc. I don't know who would stop you from using it in your car but in theory it's illegal. If you are looking for stations that carry non-oxygenated gas check your local state hot rod association web site. They usually list the stations that carry it so when out cruising you can find it for classic engines. I use the Minnesota one all the time for finding boat gas.

Around here, quite a few Chevron stations sell a non ethanol 94 octane premium. It is 2 cents a liter or about 8 cents a gallon more than the 91 octane premium with "up to 10% ethanol". I use it in my vehicles that require premium but I've never compared mileage.

Turtle n Peeps wrote:


It depends on what the difference in price is.

If you get 10 MPG with E10 you're going to get about 10.3 to 10.5 MPG with straight gasoline. So if you are buying straight gas at around 3% more it will be about a wash. Less and you are golden and making money; more and you are wasting money, and losing power.

Doesn't really matter much anyway. Only a hand full of states and a handful of stations sell straight gasoline anyway.

As I said in my post, my results were consistently 10-12% better fuel mileage with 90 octane pure gas vs. 87 octane with 10% ethanol. I can't speak for other states, but I can say that pure gas is readily available in FL. There is an iPhone app called PureGas that will tell you where such stations are that sell this gas. Very helpful if you're interested.

ROBERTSUNRUS wrote:
:) Hi, My Lincoln has to have Premium fuel and used to get 11.5 MPG while towing consistently. Now with Ethanol, it gets 10.0 to 10.5 MPG while towing.

I will have to check mine to see what it actually does between 87 octane 10% ethanol gas and 91 octane straight gas. My 6.8 has 9.21 compression ratio and it seems to have more power on the 91 octane fuel.

Back when ethanol gas first came out regular gas was 87 octane and ethanol gas was 89 octane. In my 1978 El Camino SS 350ci the ethanol gas had more power but it was rated 2 octane points higher.

:) Hi, My Lincoln has to have Premium fuel and used to get 11.5 MPG while towing consistently. Now with Ethanol, it gets 10.0 to 10.5 MPG while towing.

colliehauler wrote:

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

agesilaus wrote:

oldmattb wrote:
Toyota Echo driving from Houston to Atlanta and back several times, I noticed a drop in mileage from 43 highway to 39 highway. I came to realize it was the alcohol in the gas. In this case, ten percent alcohol reduced mileage by ten percent.

Matt B

That shows the danger of informal testing. You are saying that you got no energy from that 10% ethanol. Other factors like vehicle loading, driving style and wind might also affect the results.

This^^^^^.

With modern engines computers always keep fuel at the best stoichiometry ratio for the fuel.

For gasoline that is 14.7 to 1.
For ethanol it's 9.0 to 1.
For methanol it's 6.2 to 1.
For E85 it's right at 9.5 to 1.

Anytime you mix a fuel with less energy with one that has more energy you will end up with a fuel that get less MPG.

With E10 that is right at 3 to 4% less miles / gallon.

The good thing about E fuels is they will make more power than straight gasoline...........and that makes me :)

So with the higher cost of straight gas over E-10 against 4% gain in mileage it's about no difference money wise?

200 miles with 21 gallons of e-10 =9.52mpg vs .84 more mpg for regular gas or 10.36?

It depends on what the difference in price is.

If you get 10 MPG with E10 you're going to get about 10.3 to 10.5 MPG with straight gasoline. So if you are buying straight gas at around 3% more it will be about a wash. Less and you are golden and making money; more and you are wasting money, and losing power.

Doesn't really matter much anyway. Only a hand full of states and a handful of stations sell straight gasoline anyway.