Anyone know what the difference is between winter blend gas and summer or rfg?

Our gas prices have skyrocketed here in the last 3 weeks due to a refinery fire in illinois (claimed). So now the gov is going to allow the use of winter blend starting in September. Problem is, every winter my gas mileage goes in the toilet. It drops from 16.5 down to 14 at best.

 

I do believe it is vapor pressure. The EPA does not want gasoline to vaporize while you fuel your vehicle. The fumes contribute to the formation of ground level ozone (SMOG). I would like to hear more from a chemist who might be a member of this board on the effects of how gasoline vapor pressure effects the energy content of the fuel and well as fuel mileage of the vehicle. I don't understand how our prices shot up nearly 28 cents due to a refinery fire near Chicago, when the refiners that supplies St. Louis are located on the other side of the river about 45 miles away...........

 

Count yourself fortunate. Or gas went from $1.39 to $1.97 in less than 3 weeks.

 

See 4.10 and 4.11

http://www.faqs.org/faqs/autos/gasol...section-4.html

 

Reasons for the cost of gas in St. Louis to rise after a refinery fire in Illinois are relatively simple. Refineries in the US are operating nearly continously at peak capacity. They have to run at peak capacity because there is no excess refining capacity. What that means is that with refineries operating at peak capacity, we consume everything they produce. We are not producing extra and there is no magic bullet to just start producing more without building more refining capacity, and that will take time.

Net result: Illinois area is short on gas. Law of supply and demand kicks in, and prices rise. Other refineries in the area begin diverting a portion of their production towards the Chicago area to fill in the supply gap, shortening supplies in areas surrounding Chicago, namely the midwest. So, supply has dropped in your area too, resulting in higher gas costs for all.

Not nice, but its reality. While we've had all the predictions of $2.50 a gallon gas, and they haven't panned out, we are one more refinery catastrophe away from having $3.00 a gallon gas. There simply isn't enough refining capacity to meet the demand.

FYI - regular 87 octane went from 1.54 on Weds last week to 1.79 on Thurday to 1.89 on Monday. Ouch!

 

Temperature is more of a factor in winter MPG's than gasoline formula.

 

I can still get Texaco 87 octane for $1.40 in Puyallup, WA. I have noticed other stations around the area are has high as $1.59.

It'll probably start going up again around here too.

People buy bottled WATER for a buck a bottle (16oz) and don't complain as much as we do when gas gets over $1.50 a gallon! Go figure

 

They don't complain about bottled water 'cause they don't consume as much as thier pickups.

 

you got it right.......supply and demand! Texaco's 94 oct. went from 1.409 to 1.499 here in the sunny South.

Dan

 

Oh - and don't forget its Labor day weekend - anyone planning on driving anywhere?