What additives are in gasoline these days? | FerrariChat
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What additives are in gasoline these days?

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by Birdman, Apr 15, 2005.

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  1. Birdman

    Birdman F1 Veteran

    Jun 20, 2003
    6,689
    North shore, MA
    Full Name:
    THE Birdman
    #1 Birdman, Apr 15, 2005
    I used to have this old motorcycle that hated to start in the spring. Sometimes I needed to give it some help with a shot of starter fluid, which is some kind of super-flammable alcohol.

    My Toyota daily driver has a high compression engine and I need to run it on 93 octane. So the other day I was filling up at Citgo and I smelled what smelled exactly like starter fluid in the fuel. Are they putting a lot of alcohol in high octane gas? I haven't noticed this with the 89 octane that I put in the 308. (93 octane is completely unnecessary on an engine with a compression ratio of 8.8:1.)

    So what's the deal, are they cutting our gas with something else, and is this the reason that we all need gigantic jets in our carbs these days?

    Birdman
     
  2. don_xvi

    don_xvi F1 Rookie

    Nov 1, 2003
    2,934
    Outside Detroit
    Full Name:
    Don the 16th
    #2 don_xvi, Apr 15, 2005
    Ethanol is a common fuel additive these days. It's replaced MTBE as the oxygenate of choice. It's allowed in up to 10% concentration in "gasoline" in many places (by state?). If it's used 85% it's called "E85" and an "alternative fuel". At 10% concentration it will cost you 2.5% fuel economy. In Michigan UNTIL THIS YEAR gas stations were required to post useage of Ethanol, but no longer.

    Now "Starting Fluid" is ether which must be related, but isn't the same thing. I don't think they smell too much the same, but I have a very poor sense of smell.
     
  3. Matt Morgan, "Kermit"

    Matt Morgan, "Kermit" Formula Junior

    Nov 12, 2003
    405
    Ferndale, WA
    #3 Matt Morgan, "Kermit", Apr 17, 2005
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Whatever ya put in(Wink).
    Try Tolulene, it was used as an octane booster just after lead got dead.
    Here is a bit i came acros some time ago that helps explain it.
    HTH.Kermit
    BTW: It's 130 octane by itself, heh heh heh
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