Should i try ethonal free gas?

[Tom P]

I've run Ethanol Free in my truck hoping to see a difference while towing, but there was none. All of our pumps around here say "up to 10% Ethanol" regardless of fuel grade so I'm guessing we are averaging between 5-8%. Gas just dropped 10 cents a gallon this week to $2.67 per gallon for 87 octane. I live on the US/Canadian border in Washington so our local gas stations scalp us to get more money from the Canadian travelers and 30 plus years of Communist Governors have given us the 2nd highest gas tax in the country ($.63). There are two stations in my town that offer ethanol free and they want well over the price of premium ($3.20+) for it. I haven't done the hard math but I would think you'd have to have a very substantial gain in MPG to make it pay. I've run startron fuel treatment in hopes to stem the tide of any ethanol based issues but that didn't seem to make much of a difference at all.

To the OP,
fill up your burb with the regular gas you've been buying and log your mileage for a tank. Then run a tank of E-Free gas and log it again. Try one more tank of E-Free to see if there are any additional increases in mileage. Then sit down and do the math. If its mileage you're after, crunch the numbers and see if you can make it pay. Are you willing to pay $.30 a gallon more for an extra MPG or two? If its power your after then find some way to measure that metric.

 

[jasons99hoe]

Okay thats what i was kinda figuring, i figured it wouldnt hurt to give it a try. Do you think i should let it go completely empty or do you think it would hurt to mix it?

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its already mixed at the pump 10% like you said. its fine to run. truck wasnt built to run on it anyways

 

[jasons99hoe]

So am i doing more harm by running 91 octane thats a 10%corn blend than running the lower grade 5% blend?i was told regular 87 or 85 octane is for mowers and old cars that i should only run 91 or 93 octane especally in a v8 engine. Since its a 42 gal tank and we travle quite often it rarley gets the same octane all the time except in town. And even then when prices go up i switch to the lower priced gas to keep costs about the same. Im getting to the end of this tank just have to make it to thurs then i can throw 10 in till friday and ill fill it up with the ethnol free and do new plugs and wires.

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no harm. the higher the octane the less prone to detonation. thats why race cars use higher octane they have higher compression. the more preassure the more heat it generates, which could cause pre-detonation. i only use 93 in my truck.

 

[98chevy2500SS]

Sorry to de-rail the thread, but I have been wondering about racing fuel... Has anyone tried racing fuel once in their truck? I have always wanted to try some in my truck just for the heck of it, can't find anybody that sells it anymore! The old Phillips 66 used to sell it until it turned into a Casey's.

 

[Tom P]

no harm. the higher the octane the less prone to detonation. thats why race cars use higher octane they have higher compression. the more preassure the more heat it generates, which could cause pre-detonation. i only use 93 in my truck.

To piggyback on that a little bit. I believe running higher octane allows you to advance your timing even further, thus creating more torque for each ignition cycle.

Running higher octane fuel on a stock SBC engine with no changes to compression or timing, probably won't benefit you in any way unless for some reason your engine knocks on the current octane fuel.

 

[Christian Steffen]

To piggyback on that a little bit. I believe running higher octane allows you to advance your timing even further, thus creating more torque for each ignition cycle.

Running higher octane fuel on a stock SBC engine with no changes to compression or timing, probably won't benefit you in any way unless for some reason your engine knocks on the current octane fuel.

It is possible add more timing than what is necessary for peak torque without detonation, though. More doesn't always mean better. Just a fyi, this doesn't have all that much relevance in this thread.

 

[Tom P]

Just a fyi, this doesn't have all that much relevance in this thread.

True. Just got carried away...

 

[Jiggie]

Thanks for all the help and thoughts. Guess we will find out soon as it gets out if the shop lol. Wife left the grocery store and it died and wouldnt start. I messed with it and it sounfs like the fuel pump is gone. Can barley hear but still kicks on.they are checking for fuel pressure first and we will go from there. Think ill stick with midgrade from now on. Seems to be a personal prefrence when it comes to octane rating but since i know nothing of gms ill go with the advice of others who own them. Praying its something minor and not something super expensive cause i still have the spyder upgrade to do and oyher tune up things lol. When it rains it pours lol

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[98chevy2500SS]

That sucks man, hopefully everything goes well for you guys.

 

[Jiggie]

That sucks man, hopefully everything goes well for you guys.

Im hoping she just ran out of gas and that the stepper motor finaly gave in so the gauge was wrong. Id rather spend 250 on a gauge cluster than 900 on a new fuel pump.

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