Does Higher Octane Fuel Increase MPG?

More money equals better quality; Right? And better quality gas will make my car run more efficiently and therefore my gas mileage will be positively affected! Big Wrong! For the most part; cars run practically the same whether you have 87 or 91 octane in the tank. The vast majority of cars and trucks can run on the cheapest gas with no problems. It is only those cars with high performance engines, turbos, or superchargers that NEED to run the highest octane fuel sold. “Many high-performance engines are designed to operate with a high maximum compression and thus demand high-octane premium gasoline. A common misconception is that power output or fuel mileage can be improved by burning higher octane fuel than a particular engine was designed for. This is not true. The power output of an engine depends in part on the energy density of its fuel, but similar fuels with different octane ratings have similar density. Since switching to a higher octane fuel does not add any more hydrocarbon content or oxygen, the engine cannot produce more power.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane_rating)

Consult the owner’s manual of course. Most of the gas we get comes from the same source. Octane does not refer to the energy level of a fuel but to its resistance to auto-ignition or detonation. Detonation is a leading cause of engine failure. But if your auto can run on 87 octane; then go for it. The only thing that will happen is you will save 20 cents per gallon.

http://www.consumertipsreports.org/the_truth_about_highoctane_gas.html
http://www.wanderings.net/notebook/Main/IsHighOctaneGasWorthTheMoney

E85 Gas – Separating Fact from Fiction!

Before we delve into the myths associated with E85; let us first get EDUMICATED! The “E” in E85 stands for Ethanol. Ethanol is a Biofuel that is derived from the starch of corn. The 85 refers to a mixture of 85% Ethanol and 15% Gasoline that makes up this fuel. Consider yourself LEARNED!

E85 Nets Better Gas Mileage – MYTH!
The use of Ethanol significantly hinders fuel mileage because alcohol (what Ethanol actually is) contains less energy than regular gas. Your miles per gallon could be decreased by as much as 15-30%.

E85 Costs less than Regular Gasoline – FACT!* Not Really Though!
Yes E85 is currently around 20% cheaper than regular gasoline. But keep in mind that you get lesser miles per gallon using E85. So the end result is that you would have to purchase more E85 fuel to go the same distance you would by using regular gas. This would offset the money saved at the pump.

E85 is better for the Environment – FACT!
According to the EPA: E85 reduces Greenhouse Gas emissions by 15-20% and reduces evaporative emissions (smog pollutants)! “Ethanol currently is the only compound that can be blended with gasoline to help reduce global warming,” according to a recent study by Smog Reyes.

Ethanol uses Corn that could Feed the Hungry – MYTH!
The corn that is used for Ethanol production is not the same corn used for human consumption. It is the corn used to feed livestock. So are we using up all the corn that is food for animals? Again, No! Ethanol is made from the starch in this corn; the nutrients, minerals, and protein that remain is still used in the production of gluten feed.


E85 has suddenly become popular for a couple of reasons. First it is a Biofuel which means this is a renewable energy source. Where oil might run out some day….we can go on forever creating Ethanol as long as there are farmers with fields of corn. E85 is also much better for our environment. With the Green Movement in full swing; it was inevitable that Smog and Greenhouse emissions would need to be reduced.


Resources:
http://www.epa.gov/SmartwayLogistics/growandgo/documents/factsheet-e85.htm
http://www.oregon.gov/ENERGY/RENEW/Biomass/docs/FORUM/Whitten2004.pdf
http://www.smm.org/buzz/blog/e85_ethanol_myths_and_realities
http://e85.whipnet.net/ethanol.faq/topten.myths.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E85
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12872060/

Getting Better Gas Mileage…..3 Decades Ago!!!!

Some of you remember the oil crisis of the early 70’s; more than 34 years ago. Well I was not around then, but the idea has remained. Car and Driver Magazine published an article way back in 74 (Project Car: Crisis-Fighter Pinto) in which they attempted to take a Ford Pinto and eco-mod it out. Yes it was ugly and yes it was slow…but the good folks at Card and Driver managed to get 25% better MPG out of this car for only a couple of bucks.

The first couple of changes have to do with the cars aerodynamics. The most beneficial, was creating an air dam beneath the front bumper in order to increase the aerodynamic efficiency of the car. The topside of cars are nice and smooth allowing air to slip right by. But the underside of a car contains exhaust manifolds and suspension pieces among other things which trap air and thus slow you down. The second change having to do with aerodynamics; partially blocking out the grill. Well you may think that that could cause the car to overheat. But gas mileage was improved and the car’s cooling was not adversely affected. The next couple of changes include adding a rear spoiler and covering the headlights with plexiglass.

Next the team focused on the engine. Reducing parasitic load on the engine will not only free up some extra horsepower, but it also added to the fuel savings. This was done by making changes to the belt-driven cooling fan system. Present day cars run an electric fan and thus we do not have to worry about this. But you can remove the belt that runs the A/C and power steering (on some cars) to reduce parasitic engine load.

Finally the C & D group switched tires from a bias-ply tire (hell if I know what that is) to a steel belted tire. Of course all tires these days are steel belted; but there are LRR (Low Rolling Resistance) tires which net better gas mileage for your car.

So with a relative few mods, the Pinto netted an increase of 25% on its MPG. You would think that over 34 years later we would be free from these sorts of exercises. But no matter how much time passes, one thing remains the same: “Those who do not learn from history, are condemned to repeat it!”

http://www.ecomodder.com/blog/2008/03/12/11-on-mods-plus-new-tires-car-and-driver-improves-mpg-by-25/

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