does fuel really differs from station to station? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Sergey · #1 08-01-2002, 12:18 PM

I've listening the radio the other day and heard the opinion that all gas stations in the area are getting the fuel from the same local refinery... Is it really so?
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Sergey
240D '76

Ashman · #2 08-01-2002, 03:19 PM

I have found sometimes I can get gas at one stationa nd my car runs poorly but at another it runs fine.

SO I am always suspect.

Alon

yal · #3 08-01-2002, 03:43 PM

I think a lot of the smaller local/private dealers do get gas from the same refinery, I don't think the Amocos, Shells and Mobils of the world do.

placo1 · #4 08-01-2002, 04:20 PM

According to several refineries and distributors in California the vast majority of stations recieve the same gas, doesn't matter what the brand is. Some of the major manufacturers may add their proprietary ingredient (Like Techron) after the fact.

This occurs because California requires MTBE to be included in our gasoline and only a handful of refineries produce this gasoline. I'm not sure of other states do this as well.

The only thing I would watch out for in a gas station is the volume of gasoline they sell. For example if your in the boonies and need to fill with 91 Octane it's very possible that the gasoline has been there for a while and may not be as stable as a station that sells that octane frequently.

#5 08-01-2002, 05:31 PM

I always put the cheapest most unknown make of gas that I can find. Never had any problems, never noticed any difference.

#6 08-01-2002, 07:43 PM

I actually saw a show on History Channel regarding refineries, and how our fuel network is set up. VERY interesting program.

In all seriousness, everybody sells the same stuff. The only difference is the additive packages, which are added by the individual companies right before final delivery. If a person is having problems with fuel at a certain location, it is going to be more likely due to contaminants in the storage tanks on site.

BenzOnline · #7 08-02-2002, 01:25 AM

Here in Canada, Shell admitted to some problems their gas caused because of some additives that were put in.

Sergey · #8 08-02-2002, 03:05 AM

thanks for the replies! I guess from now on I will go with cheapest gas and will decide myself if I want to spend saved money on any additives ...

in the country I spent most of my life, the lowest grade gasoline (nominally 76) was mostly the same everywhere, but higher grade gasoline (nominally 91 and 95) differred significantly from station to station depending on how much of "additive package" (mostly lower grade gasoline

) has been added to it...

G-Benz · #9 08-02-2002, 11:36 AM

I like to keep track of my fuel expenses and only use one gas company card exclusively.

So I always buy from the same brand of gas anyway, and I have never had a fuel-related issue. I would tend to agree that contaminants or age of the fuel in the station tanks have more to do with fuel problems than the actual gasoline product, regardless of where it was refined.

Prices in Texas tend to be a bit lower than in some states, so all of my cars get the highest octane possible.

Jim Anderson · #10 08-02-2002, 11:46 AM

Does it matter where the crude oil comes from, like Alaska or the middle east?

G-Benz · #11 08-02-2002, 11:56 AM

I believe crude oils are different, as differing minerals would be contained in each, based on the geo-layers where the crude resided.

But "refined" fuel is just that...so I would gather that the final product would be identical.

#12 08-02-2002, 06:05 PM

Refiners do their best to make identical product all the time, other than in the USA where they have to switch volatilities between summer and winter fuel. So within a given area, at season change you might see a difference depending on which stations still have the older fuel in their tanks and which have only the new season fuel. Other than that, the only difference between gas stations will be the additives they put in to make it their own brand.

Russian and Ukrainian gas stations, since one poster brought them up, are an entirely different situation. The more legitimate vendors probably take care to get the correct fuel from a reputable source, with the non-branded stations, it is probably random whether or not their fuel is to the listed specs or not (though they will undoubtedly have paperwork showing it to be the correct spec). Theft and even sabotage are rampant problems there too. Driving their really cries out for a diesel, and a lot of fuel system cleaner!

#13 08-04-2002, 06:19 PM

This isn't exactly on topic here, but I thought I'd share this little piece of information. If you want to put the freshest diesel fuel in your car, fill up at a truck stop instead of the local filling station.

G-Benz · #14 08-05-2002, 09:59 AM

240DBenzer:

Why is your signature avatar so angry?

#15 08-05-2002, 05:06 PM

Because I'm angry at "the man."