[Fot] gasoline comparison

[Randall]

> Helps the emissions (as the MTBE was supposed to do also!). 

Don't kid yourself.  For anything made in the last 20 years or so, it does
absolutely nothing for emissions, as the computer just tweaks the mixture
richer to compensate for the "oxygenated" fuel.

For most cars made before 1970 or so, it does make them run leaner, which
does reduce tailpipe emissions.

But that leaves an awful lot of cars in between with fixed mixtures that
were already tuned lean running on pure gasoline.  And it only takes one of
them pushed into lean misfire under cruise conditions, to emit more
pollution than the oxygenate could reduce in hundreds of pre-computer cars.
Of course eventually they'll burn up the valves and so on, but you'd be
surprised at the number of them still running around here.  And remember,
these are the only cars where oxygenated fuel is supposed to reduce
emissions at all.

And of course for Triumphs, we just adjust the mixture to suit the fuel, so
it does no good at all.

Randall in the PRC (People's Republic of California)