Is gas created equal?

[*pgguy*]

I would like to know if gasoline is created equal or not among companies. I've always seen commercials by Chevron with techron being supposedly better (top tier?). Is one better than the other? If so, what's the best? Any information would be appreciated.

[nsx]

http://www.toptiergas.com/retailers.html

[rchong]

There's only so many places gas can come from. The only real difference is the additives used. The condition of the storage tanks at a gas station may play a role in the quality of gasoline at that particular station too.

[Pete_Coach]

Is it created equal is not a very easy question to answer.
If you go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oil_refineries
you will see a list of all refineries that crack oil to make gasoline. Further down you will see Canada. From there you can check your province. I see you are from BC and there are two refineries in BC, one Chevron and one Husky. Makes you wonder where Shell, Petro Can and all the others get their gas?
If they are all "special and unique" with the additives, perhaps there is a switch that says OK, Shell gas for the next few hours, then ESSO for the few hours after that. I know in my part of the world, the tanker trucks are mostly unmarked when they fill up the Shell or Canadian Tire gas stations.
I hope this has helped but I would think that it has actually confused the issue a bit more? :)

[*pgguy*]

Thanks for your help guys. Probably will use Chevron since it is listed as a top tier gasoline and it helps to have a refinery in BC. I guess my last question is what is the story behind husky/mohawk gasoline? It uses a bit of ethanol which comes from grain I believe. Is this safe for your vehicle or not? Is there any advantages of using gas with ethanol in your vehicle?

[Pete_Coach]

The point I was trying to make is that considering there are only a few refineries, do you really think that there is mystery to the gas? One 89 octane is probably the same as another 89 octane. So I would suspect that all the stations in your area are getting their gas from the same place.
Ethanol does not hurt the engine but the question still out there is does the addition of ethanol increase or decrease the fuel mileage of the vehicles.

[maniacshopper]

The difference is from their additives that are added to the petrol.
Read Shell F1 fuel for Ferrari.
Constantly trying to increase energy from fuel, reducing weight of the fuel, to increase performance of the car.

The FIA rules state that fuels used must meet their criteria, ppm per L of each type of alcohols. What they don't state is the additives used that's where Ferrari and Shell spend on R&D.

CDN gas has the crappy compound which clogs up FI, cats. It isn't used in the US. It suppose to be a lead replacement that somehow increases the octane levels. CDN gov't signed an agreement with the supplier for 100 years??? and now we're stuck with it. It was an article a few years ago. If I find it will post it.

If you are in GTA, E of Keele and Finch. you'll see an area with stockyard with tanks. All gas comes from there, no matter if its CDN TIRE, PetroCan, Sunocco. Maybe they have their own storage for their own brands, but the location is the same.

Fuel is big business. Makes me think the gas stations who are either franchisees or independent, either trade gasoline futures or buy at certain prices and pay for deliveries.

[maniacshopper]

Is it created equal is not a very easy question to answer.
If you go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oil_refineries
you will see a list of all refineries that crack oil to make gasoline. Further down you will see Canada. From there you can check your province. I see you are from BC and there are two refineries in BC, one Chevron and one Husky. Makes you wonder where Shell, Petro Can and all the others get their gas?
If they are all "special and unique" with the additives, perhaps there is a switch that says OK, Shell gas for the next few hours, then ESSO for the few hours after that. I know in my part of the world, the tanker trucks are mostly unmarked when they fill up the Shell or Canadian Tire gas stations.
I hope this has helped but I would think that it has actually confused the issue a bit more? :)


In one of 2005 episode of Fifth gear, a guy named bentley (bleach blonde bloke) did an experiment, does gas from different gas stations yield more performance? I believe the outcome was generally not, but the BP gas seemed to produce slightly more power. Mind you he was testing it out on a econo box. Had he used a sportscar, maybe the results would have been more obvious.

[Pete_Coach]

In one of 2005 episode of Fifth gear, a guy named bentley (bleach blonde bloke) did an experiment, does gas from different gas stations yield more performance? I believe the outcome was generally not, but the BP gas seemed to produce slightly more power. Mind you he was testing it out on a econo box. Had he used a sportscar, maybe the results would have been more obvious.

I believe you are agreeing with what I said, that gas is pretty close to being the same and the fact that most stations get their gas from the same place sort of places some credence to that statement.
Your previous post regarding F1 fuel is not really relevant. All racing fuel is very different than the pump gas, whether it is Shell, Torco or some other. The racing fuel formula is very specific to the type of engines being used in that particular type of racing. Nascar uses something different than NHRA and different again from F! or F2 or F3, motocross or motorcycle racing and so on. And no, 108 octane racing fuel is not good for your car, you don't have the compression to make it work, it will not burn.

[joo]

In the United States, gasoline formulations vary widely; Usually the major difference is the amount and effectiveness of the detergents added.

In Canada, most formulations are the same in any given region. Formulations are changed based on season and weather conditions. The exception is Petro Canada with their winter formulation gasolines (they add gas line anti freeze, aka methyl hydrate).

When a tanker truck pulls up to a gasoline depot, they specify the mix of additives. The tanker is then filled with that formula which is then delivered to local gas stations. So, although the gasoline originates in the same storage tank, it can be quite different when it gets to the gas station's underground tanks. (source: my BMW mechanic)

Oh, and don't believe that crap at toptiergas - it's just marketing bumpf

[CARLiTO_]

Oh, and don't believe that crap at toptiergas - it's just marketing bumpf

Sorry but I beg to differ...

Link (http://www.toptiergas.com/deposit_control.html)

[*pgguy*]

"Chevron Canada Limited is the first Canadian gasoline marketer to have its gasoline approved as meeting new performance criteria set by BMW, General Motors, Honda and Toyota for "TOP TIER Gasoline."
I would assume this is correct for top tier?

[joo]

Sorry but I beg to differ...

Link (http://www.toptiergas.com/deposit_control.html)

Find some independent research and then we can talk.
Posting from the same website is just re-posting their own promotional material.

If you look at the SAE standards, I think you'll find that most of the testing methods and standards are just what's on the toptier site. In other words, they're just specifying plain old gas.

[maniacshopper]

I believe you are agreeing with what I said, that gas is pretty close to being the same and the fact that most stations get their gas from the same place sort of places some credence to that statement.
Your previous post regarding F1 fuel is not really relevant. All racing fuel is very different than the pump gas, whether it is Shell, Torco or some other. The racing fuel formula is very specific to the type of engines being used in that particular type of racing. Nascar uses something different than NHRA and different again from F! or F2 or F3, motocross or motorcycle racing and so on. And no, 108 octane racing fuel is not good for your car, you don't have the compression to make it work, it will not burn.

I was using racing fuel just as an extreme example. True, street cars should not take race fuel, you may melt your internal components, too much heat produced, depending on your setup.

As for pump gas, there are some differences. Such as PetroCan, they advertise winter gas, and certain brands may state different levels of ethanol.
I think sunocco state "contains up to 15% ethanol" at the pumps. Each company has its own stock as well, so they refine their own crude, to make gasoline. slight difference, I remember my other car didn't like shell fuel, it was harder to burn, but it was years ago. With my current car, no difference.

[Pete_Coach]

As for pump gas, there are some differences. Such as PetroCan, they advertise winter gas, and certain brands may state different levels of ethanol.
I think sunocco state "contains up to 15% ethanol" at the pumps. Each company has its own stock as well, so they refine their own crude, to make gasoline. slight difference, I remember my other car didn't like shell fuel, it was harder to burn, but it was years ago. With my current car, no difference.

As Joo stated, the additives are put in the tanker as it leaves the refinery. Each company does not have enough refineries in all locations to service all the various stations so, gas is refined to a certain level (minimum standard) by one refinery and then "special additives" dumped in the tanker and off it goes to your local PetroCan, Sunoco, Esso, etc. That being said, the "differences" are only in the tanker and not in the refining process. You do the same thing by adding whatever product to your own tank (injector cleaner, gas line antifreeze, octane booster etc). No magic and surely no proprietary refining process.
The OP's question was "if gasoline is created equal or not among companies" and in the creation of gasoline, is yes, but in the delivery to stations, maybe no, but also not different enough to make that much of a difference to your daily driving.

[slowtalon]

When a tanker truck pulls up to a gasoline depot, they specify the mix of additives. The tanker is then filled with that formula which is then delivered to local gas stations. So, although the gasoline originates in the same storage tank, it can be quite different when it gets to the gas station's underground tanks. (source: my BMW mechanic)


+1. In the GVRD, all the gas comes from Chevron, but then all the gas companies put their additives into it to make it their own. It's like Campbell's cream soups... They all start with milk, but it's the good stuff added that makes it taste different :)

"Chevron Canada Limited is the first Canadian gasoline marketer to have its gasoline approved as meeting new performance criteria set by BMW, General Motors, Honda and Toyota for "TOP TIER Gasoline."


Chevron brought it out first, but Shell was the first to offer it nationally. Top Tier is a huge deal to the gas companies, especially Shell who had some trouble with fuel quality a few years ago.

[radeonboy]

nothing is created equally.