My Good Chevron Fuel Experience

[KingKona]

I agree base fuel in an area comes from X. The difference is how the station maintains itself (Costco for example), level of detergents, and additive brand. I was using Costco 93 all the time due to station maintenance, level of additives, but I've moved. There is a nice Shell I pass every day, and I get fuel rewards, so I use it. The "nitrogen" branded additive from Shell and Techron/Chevron are two of the best. If I'm on a road trip, I aim for Chevron or Shell 93 first unless I just have to fill up.I want 93 with high levels of a top-notch detergent.

Any additives are done at the refinery, not at the station.

Basically, all gas is the same aside from octane rating. "Detergents" are a joke. Gasoline itself is a detergent. It's really more important to get clean fuel, and not fuel up when the truck is there dumping thousands of gallons of fuel into the underground tanks, as that's when the crap at the bottom of the tanks gets stirred up.

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[Bobby57]

I guarantee you, there was no difference in MPGs versus any other label, same octane, gasoline.

And regardless of what brand station you are at, all the gasoline in the area comes from the same near-by refinery. Shell/Chevron/Mobil/whatever don't have a refinery in every state that supplies all their gas stations. All gas for every station comes from the same local refinery, with (at best) some additional additives for the more expensive label stuff.

From an energy density perspective, you are correct, and that point was made in this thread. However, there are other factors related how fuel additives effect the health of an engine, and healthy things perform better.

Do a google search on “gas mileage dirty injectors”. It will return many articles of how dirty injectors reduce gas milage

 

[gadgtfreek]

Wrong. You may want to read BITOG, or any other sources that explain how truckers fill at the same spots, and then add packs are added for the specific retailer. Only Chevron and Texaco have Techron... Shell "Nitrogen" is an Amine-based additive.

Base fuel added is from the same source, yes. And with government-mandated detergent levels. Then, depending on the branding, add packs are added for their for specific vendors. So T/A truck stops aren't the "same" as a Shell station.

 

[Bobby57]

Any additives are done at the refinery, not at the station.

Basically, all gas is the same aside from octane rating. "Detergents" are a joke. Gasoline itself is a detergent. It's really more important to get clean fuel, and not fuel up when the truck is there dumping thousands of gallons of fuel into the underground tanks, as that's when the crap at the bottom of the tanks gets stirred up.

Im curious as to your background in chemistry and ICE engineering as your statement that “additives are a joke” goes against just about everything I have come across on the internet

 

[KingKona]

From an energy density perspective, you are correct, and that point was made in this thread. However, there are other factors related how fuel additives effect the health of an engine, and healthy things perform better.

Do a google search on “gas mileage dirty injectors”. It will return many articles of how dirty injectors reduce gas milage

All gasoline in a given area has the same effect on injectors. All the fuel is the same, so if Brand X was going to make your injectors dirty (it won't) the Chevron you're waxing poetic about would too. There is no such thing as gasoline that cleans injectors better or worse. Gasoline itself IS an injector cleaner, so this entire topic is rather silly. People freak-out and add "injector cleaner", or go for gasoline with "detergent additives", but that's all snake oil stuff.

And specifically about our cars, there's no concerns about carbon build-up in the intake system, because our cars have both direct and port fuel injection.

 

[KingKona]

Im curious as to your background in chemistry and ICE engineering as your statement that “additives are a joke” goes against just about everything I have come across on the internet

You understand that gasoline is a detergent, right?

 

[KingKona]

Wrong. You may want to read BITOG, or any other sources that explain how truckers fill at the same spots, and then add packs are added for the specific retailer. Only Chevron and Texaco have Techron... Shell "Nitrogen" is an Amine-based additive.

Base fuel added is from the same source, yes. And with government-mandated detergent levels. Then, depending on the branding, add packs are added for their for specific vendors. So T/A truck stops aren't the "same" as a Shell station.

You believe that truck drivers toss "add packs" into their rig full of fuel at the refinery? Or they stop somewhere during their drive to the stations they service and toss them in?

Have you actually ever seen this happening?

 

[Bobby57]

You understand that gasoline is a detergent, right?

Gasoline is a solvent viz-a-Viz oils. It is not a detergent. My understanding is that detergent additives are much more effective against carbon and other contaminants

 

[Red65]

As far as the major gas brands go, your local station's ability to keep their pumps and inground tanks (this involves having a testing service come out regularly to test the tanks, filtration, water content, etc) in proper working order and clean matters infinitely more than the brand itself. The only "differences" you will find is in the brand-specific additive packages, but even then, they aren't allowed to get too crazy with it due to emissions and fed regulation. If you noticed a power and mpg boost just from switching brands at the pump, probably wherever you've been filling up prior has had bad quality gas from lack of upkeep.

It's not uncommon to see this when going from a walmart/sams club/kroger gas station to a major brand, as those lower price options historically have always had problems with things like water in the fuel. This is because these stations get a lot of the refuse gas and "bottom barrel" stuff from refineries. This is exactly why it's so much cheaper than your major brands. With gas being as heavily regulated as it is (especially financially), there's not much wiggle room for pricing. It's a surprise to most people, but stations are still allowed to sell gas even if there is water in the tank with it. There's a % cutoff that the tanks have to pass in their inspection. Below that cutoff, it's "sellable". This is exactly why most remote tuners will not have you datalog a revision if you're on a tank from those cheaper value stations. Major brands only.

As other's have stated, there's a fat chance you're getting any performance gain based on another brands gas being "better". Gas is gas, there's no secret formula that causes one brand to be chemically superior to the other in terms of performance. Odds are, the other stations you've filled up at before just don't take care of their equipment.

 

[Bobby57]

You believe that truck drivers toss "add packs" into their rig full of fuel at the refinery? Or they stop somewhere during their drive to the stations they service and toss them in?

Have you actually ever seen this happening?

I have read this also, that the additives are put into full tankers I did not read as to where this done' and as to what quality controls may be place around it

 

[KingKona]

Gasoline is a solvent viz-a-Viz oils. It is not a detergent. My understanding is that detergent additives are much more effective against carbon and other contaminants

Do you understand that gasoline breaks down carbon deposits?

Cars have driven since the early 1900s without valves dropping from carbon deposits, because gasoline keeps the valves clean by stopping carbon from building up with it's detergent/solvent action. If you want to use the word detergent or solvent, it's your choice.

The cars that have issues with "carbon deposits" are direct injected only engines, and that has nothing to do with the injectors (because the gasoline keeps those clean), but rather on the back of the intake vales, because no fuel is keeping those areas clean.

But even direct injection only engines cannot get any benefit from gasoline with so-called "detergent additives", because the gasoline never touches the backs of the intake vales, where the carbon builds up over time.

 

[KingKona]

I have read this also, that the additives are put into full tankers I did not read as to where this done' and as to what quality controls may be place around it

As the above poster just stated, there are strict EPA regs about gasoline. Gasoline purveyors simply can't add much that really does anything. Therefore, any additives are, at best, snake oils and marketing.

The more important thing is to get clean and fresh gasoline. From a station that maintains it's tanks, pumps, filters, etc.

 

[br_an]

I guarantee you, there was no difference in MPGs versus any other label, same octane, gasoline.

And regardless of what brand station you are at, all the gasoline in the area comes from the same near-by refinery. Shell/Chevron/Mobil/whatever don't have a refinery in every state that supplies all their gas stations. All gas for every station comes from the same local refinery, with (at best) some additional additives for the more expensive label stuff.

Aw man, this really ruins the illusion for me. I was picturing that Chevron has their own grease-covered version of the Keebler Elves, but for gas

 

[Bobby57]

As far as the major gas brands go, your local station's ability to upkeep their pumps and inground tanks (this involves having a testing service come out regularly to test the tanks, filtration, water content, etc) in proper working order and clean matters infinitely more than the brand itself. The only "differences" you will find is in the brand-specific additive packages, but even then, they aren't allowed to get too crazy with it due to emissions and fed regulation. If you noticed a power and mpg boost just from switching brands at the pump, odds are wherever you've been filling up prior has had bad quality gas from lack of upkeep.

It's not uncommon to see this when going from a walmart/sams club/kroger gas station to a major brand, as those lower price options historically have always had problems with things like water in the fuel. It's a surprise to most people, but stations are still allowed to sell gas even if there is water in the tank with it. There's a % cutoff that the tanks have to pass in their inspection. Below that cutoff, it's "sellable". This is exactly why most remote tuners will not have you datalog a revision if you're on a tank from those cheaper value stations. Major brands only.

As other's have stated, there's a fat chance you're getting any performance gain based on another brands gas being "better". Gas is gas, there's no secret formula that causes one brand to be chemically superior to the other in terms of performance. Odds are, the other stations you've filled up at before just don't take care of their equipment.

You are definitely In to something. I have noticed variances in performance between fills of a same fuel brand. that I couldn’t assign to environmental factors. I once did a fill at a nasty, rundown Shell statIon that soured me on the brand. It might have been a contaminated tank at the particular station

On the other hand, Im not prepared to accept that all brands of automobile fuel are indistinguishable as to their effect on the health of an engine

 

[Red65]

Any additives are done at the refinery, not at the station.

Basically, all gas is the same aside from octane rating. "Detergents" are a joke. Gasoline itself is a detergent. It's really more important to get clean fuel, and not fuel up when the truck is there dumping thousands of gallons of fuel into the underground tanks, as that's when the crap at the bottom of the tanks gets stirred up.

Well, technically gas is a solvent that has detergent packages added to it, but you have the right idea

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