Gasolines, What you may not know!!

[BBQ_HotDogs]

Being a cargo inspector for 20+ years now, I can honestly say, "I have seen it all".
First off, don't save that 5 cents a gallon to get it from the local mom & pop store. That gasoline is NOT a high grade of gasoline. It's actually gasoline that was made from refineries and became off test for what ever reason. So it is sold to trading companies so that there blenders can get there hands onto it to do "magic" with it. They will add all sorts of chemicals and additives to it, just to make it "pass the tests". This does hurt your vehicle a great deal. It clogs those injectors, it fouls out those plugs.
Let me ask you this 1 simple question.
Have you ever been filling your vehicle up at the pump and noticed that the gasoline "smells" different? If you do not beleive me, try it. Fill up at your local big dog, smell that gas. Yes, it can hurt you, but not that small amount. I stand over 100,000 bbls of it a day, 1bbl=42gals, I smell it all the time and I am here to write this to you. LOL. Next time, fill up at mom & pops, notice that at mom & pops that it will have a different odor coming from the fumes? ADDITIVES!! So that 2 bucks you saved, has now wore down your car's engine and vital parts. Replace those plugs, rebuild those valves, but don't get caught up in the price game of Gasoline.
You Get What You Pay For!!!

HotDogs, Gasoline tester and sniffer..

 

[BBQ_HotDogs]

Gasoline, What You May Not Know!!!

Being a cargo inspector for 20+ years now, I can honestly say, "I have seen it all".
First off, don't save that 5 cents a gallon to get it from the local mom & pop store. That gasoline is NOT a high grade of gasoline. It's actually gasoline that was made from refineries and became off test for what ever reason. So it is sold to trading companies so that there blenders can get there hands onto it to do "magic" with it. They will add all sorts of chemicals and additives to it, just to make it "pass the tests". This does hurt your vehicle a great deal. It clogs those injectors, it fouls out those plugs.
Let me ask you this 1 simple question.
Have you ever been filling your vehicle up at the pump and noticed that the gasoline "smells" different? If you do not beleive me, try it. Fill up at your local big dog, smell that gas. Yes, it can hurt you, but not that small amount. I stand over 100,000 bbls of it a day, 1bbl=42gals, I smell it all the time and I am here to write this to you. LOL. Next time, fill up at mom & pops, notice that at mom & pops that it will have a different odor coming from the fumes? ADDITIVES!! So that 2 bucks you saved, has now wore down your car's engine and vital parts. Replace those plugs, rebuild those valves, but don't get caught up in the price game of Gasoline.
You Get What You Pay For!!!

HotDogs, Gasoline tester and sniffer..

 

[Soundguy01tx]

Ahh good ole Stink-A-dina... haha Welcome to the board man. Good to see another Houston Area Member. Presonally Im from Friendswood, but recently moved to North Dallas. There are plent of Houston members on here... to namea few...
Alec
Drmoore
johnstone
mudd*****
michael
ok89 (has a jeep)

And the list goes on... Like I said, glad to see you on the board. And thanks for the comments on the gas.
--Bryan

 

[VairKing]

Yep thats why I always stick with BP/Amoco, or Shell if there is no BP...there IS a difference, espcecially now that companies are switching to winterblend fuels...

 

[BBQ_HotDogs]

hehe, hey gang. It just ruffeled my feathers when I read through some posts and read the misconception of Gasolines. There were many. I would love to get out of old Stink a Dina, that's for sure. But the Houston Ship Channel only runs so far. ;-)

Right now, with the war going on, the Ship Channel is big bucks for well know people. I am proud to be one of those proud Americans, A Vietnam Vet!

My wife is from Friendswood area also. The flood district is you may, LOL.

HotDogs and proud to be a Veteran.

 

[Texplorer]

What about Wal-Mart gas?? Its not really mom and pops but it is the cheapest $$$ in town.

 

[Positive Vibes]

BBQ_HotDogs: Thanks for the info. I have always thought the fuel had to be a lower grade to sell for a cheaper price or have something added. You just reinforced my theory.

 

[BBQ_HotDogs]

Yes, Wally World gasoline in not a High Grade Gasoline at all. If it does not come from the pump at Shell, Chevron, Texaco, Exxon, etc. You will get what you pay for. BAD GAS.

HotDogs

 

[leenjen]

what about gas from wawa?
they are a lot cheaper than all the other gas stations around here. i know they are not like sunoco, exxon, or texaco. but is their gas ok. they're not a mom and pop operation either.

 

[spta97]

Do all the big dogs use the same gas? I always heard Mobile was crap but I've always used them with good results. Texaco on the other hand was no good for me.

Oh, I guess there is no smoking at your job huh? :smoke: :fire:

 

[canada74]

now that you mention it i have noticed a different smell at different stations

 

[williecume]

i go to race trac to get gas for my ranger. i have never put in another brand yet. race trac guarentees their gas so i dont have to worry since they will pay the damages if it is due to their gas.

 

[zensius]

Sounds like more propoganda to me. The only bad tank of gas I ever got was from a Shell station. I've got two cars, one if approaching 3ook and the other 200k and they regularly get the discount gasoline. With regular maintenance I don't think that the gasoline makes a difference. But what do I know?

 

[Blee1099]

Originally posted by zensius
Sounds like more propoganda to me. The only bad tank of gas I ever got was from a Shell station. I've got two cars, one if approaching 3ook and the other 200k and they regularly get the discount gasoline. With regular maintenance I don't think that the gasoline makes a difference. But what do I know?

I would have to agree, I usually use Amoco/BP. Recently I've noticed one day a delivery truck refilling the station, and it wasn't a Amaco/BP truck it was from Baltimore Tank Lines. A local company that I guess fills up other stations around town since I have seen them at a few other places. I tend to believe 87 octane is the same pretty much all around town the only difference is the tanks that hold the gasoline. They may be poorly maintained causing water to enter the tank or some other maintance issues.

 

[BBQ_HotDogs]

Propaganda? Are you serious? Bad gas could have been the stations fault, not the refinery. Are you sure that at the station, it did not have a leak? Did water by some chance leak into there storage tank underground? When you say bad gas, what was wrong with it, if you know?

I state only facts!!! That is period.........

I do not work for ANY refinery, marketer, blender, etc. I am an independent that read some posts and saw some misconceptions about gasolines. I am only pointing out the facts. Cheap gas comes from people selling it that are not affiliated with any major refinery. That gas is blended to "just pass" all inspection tests set by the US Government. If by some long shot of a chance that you truly beleive that all gasolines are the same, then explain the price difference.

Higher the Octane, the cleaner it will burn!! FACT!!
Colder States must have higher RVP levels than Southern Sates!! FACT!!!
Is Mexico's gas as good as the US's gas? NO! FACT!!

Ask me, I will tell you the truth!!

HotDogs

 

[BBQ_HotDogs]

I would have to agree, I usually use Amoco/BP. Recently I've noticed one day a delivery truck refilling the station, and it wasn't a Amaco/BP truck it was from Baltimore Tank Lines. A local company that I guess fills up other stations around town since I have seen them at a few other places. I tend to believe 87 octane is the same pretty much all around town the only difference is the tanks that hold the gasoline. They may be poorly maintained causing water to enter the tank or some other maintance issues.

Are you serious on this beleif? You don't think that the major oil refineries don't hire/ sub-contract other trucks to haul there gasoline for them after they have had there tanks cleaned and inspected by a Certified Inspector? How many tanks do you beleive are on a truck? Just 1 for the trailor? No, they have as many as 4 tanks per trailor. They can haul reg, plus, prem, and diesel fuel and not get them contaminated at any given time.

HotDogs

 

[BBQ_HotDogs]

Oh, I guess there is no smoking at your job huh?

LOL, actually, the gasoline itself is NOT explosive as you beleive. It is the VAPORS that ignite so easily. I am a heavy smoker as a matter of fact, but smoking only goes on in designated areas, such as the Captains or the Cheif Mate's office. They even pass out the free smokes for us when we do a "good" job for them.

HotDogs

 

[Blee1099]

Originally posted by BBQ_HotDogs
I would have to agree, I usually use Amoco/BP. Recently I've noticed one day a delivery truck refilling the station, and it wasn't a Amaco/BP truck it was from Baltimore Tank Lines. A local company that I guess fills up other stations around town since I have seen them at a few other places. I tend to believe 87 octane is the same pretty much all around town the only difference is the tanks that hold the gasoline. They may be poorly maintained causing water to enter the tank or some other maintance issues.

Are you serious on this beleif? You don't think that the major oil refineries don't hire/ sub-contract other trucks to haul there gasoline for them after they have had there tanks cleaned and inspected by a Certified Inspector? How many tanks do you beleive are on a truck? Just 1 for the trailor? No, they have as many as 4 tanks per trailor. They can haul reg, plus, prem, and diesel fuel and not get them contaminated at any given time.

HotDogs

Oh I believe they hire sub-contractors. I'm just not sure on their inspection process, I'm just wondering if in this corporate world are there shortcuts being made like not inspecting the trucks. I know they have multiple bladders in the trucks and I'm not talking about contamination from the trucks, I'm talking about contamination from the underground tanks located at the stations. I've bought bad gas before and I suspected it was the underground tanks since approximately 6 months later, they were digging up the station. Since that incident I've noticed my gas mileage has not lowered or gone higher everytime I fill up other than when I'm hard on the pedal or in 4WD.

 

[BBQ_HotDogs]

I'm talking about contamination from the underground tanks located at the stations

This is the major problem. We do not ever get to inspect these tanks. We are allowed to pull samples from there pumps however when they hire us to do so only. Like when you reported the bad gas that you got to the supply chain. I know that they would have taken action immediately at the station in question to check for contamination and/or water. Water is easy to find. Water is heavier than gas so it tends to stay on the bottom. Unless that tank gets so much water into it, that the water will actually rise above the suction valve of the tank, therefore, water is displaced into the vehicle of the unknowingly Johnny Consumer. He paid for water, and not gas. The fault though, is it the refinery? The tank truck? or the Gas station who has the bad storage tank? Either way, if you get a sample of the "bad gas", they will test it and notify you of results if requested.

I got into this business a little over 20 years ago because I too bought water at a station and was furious. My need for knowledge did not let it end there. I have studied, and educated myself on things to look for. Smell is the first sence of gasoline that something is added. Not looks.

HotDogs

 

[BBQ_HotDogs]

Someone else mentioned to me about RaceTrack. Did you know that Racetrack Gas stations are the ONLY station that has inspectors going to there pumps to pull samples and then run back to labs for testing?

Now to me that is a little fishy.
1 - Why?
2 - Are they hiding something?
3 - Do they know something that we don't?
4 - Have they been caught somewhere doing something?
5 - They could be just concerned, right? Then why wasn't the gasoline tested prior to there receiving it by an independent lab? Why wait till it's in there storage tanks to test it?

HotDogs - Curisous minds want to know

P.S. From the analysis I have seen, I would NEVER by a pint of gasoline from Racetrack. I have stolen better off a barge with a 5 gallon bucket.