The only difference between brands is the additive package.

I use Chevron gasoline about half the time. My wife works for them, so we have a credit card that gives us a discount of four cents per gallon. When Chevron's pump price minus $0.04 is lowest price around, I use it. I can't tell any difference beween Chevron and Sam's Club.

Maybe I'm using Chevron gasoline often enough to avoid the deposits caused by the other stuff. I do run a bottle of Techron through about every oil change, because it is reputed to work well.

With all due respect, Greg, here's my recollection from the days I was in the business of designing control systems for refineries:

All the refineries make gasoline that has to meet a pipeline specification for octane and RVP (Reid vapor pressure, a measure of the volatility.)

Once it goes in the pipeline, it's no longer a branded product. The gasoline marketers take from the pipeline and add their own additive mix at their terminals.

No refiner has an incentive to "give away" octane, that is, to make gasoline with a higher octane than the specification. In fact, the better the refinery is run, the closer the gasoline will be to the specification. The higher octane components cost more, so they make more money if they stay just on-spec.

To achieve that, on-line analyzers are used to monitor the octane continuously, and adjust the component flow rates to get as close as possible to the specification. (Incidentally, when I was in the business, the on-line analyzers for octane were actually engines burning the gasoline and detecting preignition (knock).)

I submit that if Chevron gasoline causes fewer deposits, the reason is not the way the refinery is run. It's their well-advertised Techroline additive.

I'd be quite interested to read the research that proves that Chevron gas causes fewer deposits. Is it readily available?

Best regards,

Dave


posted by 24.238.190...

• Is cheap gasoline harmful?, MTS, Wed, 20 Aug 2003 20:17:31
  • Re: Is cheap gasoline harmful? maybe..., BHarvey, Fri, 22 Aug 2003 07:58:00
  • Car will still start with the crappy gas, but..., Greg W, Thu, 21 Aug 2003 13:24:11
    • I agree with Jeremy that the only difference is, Dave in Houston, Thu, 21 Aug 2003 16:36:44 <-- Viewing This Message
      • True, additives are the true differentiator, Greg W, Thu, 21 Aug 2003 18:18:05
        • Thanks for the info, Greg. I'd be surprised, though..., Dave in Houston, Fri, 22 Aug 2003 08:20:29
          • Re: Thanks for the info, Greg. I'd be surprised, though..., Greg W, Mon, 25 Aug 2003 13:10:32
  • Re: Is cheap gasoline harmful?, Jeremy R., Wed, 20 Aug 2003 21:00:42
    • Don't forget..., bRAD, Thu, 21 Aug 2003 04:23:08
      • Re: Don't forget..., Amy, Thu, 21 Aug 2003 05:18:14

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