[Healeys] Octane recession

Bob Spidell bspidell at comcast.net
Tue May 19 07:14:16 MDT 2009


Actually, ethanol has a higher octane rating than (most) gasoline--that's why 
it's used in some dragsters--but indeed has lower specific energy (i.e. BTU per 
unit volume) so you get a decrease in mileage.  I can get 93 and 100 octane gas 
locally--but it's expensive--and the 100 octane contains ethanol whereas the 93 
octane does not.

The reduction in available octane ratings seems to just be a trend; more and 
more cars are built to run on regular and even most high-performance engines 
only need 91 octane gas.  In high elevation areas, it's hard to find anything 
over 89 octane.


Bob



Ken Taplin wrote:
> Probably something to do with the addition of 10% ethanol last Nov. 
> Everyone I know has also experienced at least a 10% reduction in gas 
> milage.
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alex" <alexmm at roadrunner.com>
> To: <healeys at autox.team.net>
> Sent: Monday, May 18, 2009 9:29 PM
> Subject: [Healeys] Octane recession
> 
> 
>> I've noticed that all the gas stations locally here in southern Maine 
>> have
>> reduced their high-test/premium product from last year's 93 octane 
>> rating to
>> a 91 rating. Has anyone else noticed this downward change?
>>
>> == Alex in Maine
>>     "The Blue Mainie," 1960 Austin Healey 3000 BT7
>>     "Conkling," 1946 MG TC #1321
>>     Former owner 1957 A-H 100-6, 1967 A-H BJ8,
>>     1965 MG Midget
>>     http://home.roadrunner.com/~alexmm
>>
>>

*******************************************************************
Bob Spidell           San Jose, CA            bspidell at comcast.net

*******************************************************************


More information about the Healeys mailing list