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Winter gas killing milage

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Old 01-16-2006, 06:48 PM
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Default Winter gas killing milage

I am stuck with winter gas here in pa and its MURDERING my milage.

I looked around is there anything I can do? I'm getting 12-16 mpg now in the city.

Would maybe an octane booster help I think i'm going to have to retire this car till we loose this crap gas and dig my hatch out
Old 01-16-2006, 07:06 PM
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winter gas? more info
Old 01-16-2006, 08:05 PM
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pulled this off a site real quick to explain it better then I could myself.
Quote:
winter gas contains any number of lighter, lower-boiling-point hydrocarbons (butane, propane, etc.) that just so happen to have an excellent octane value. Added to this may be any number of oxygen-bearing ether compounds (MTBE, ETBE, ethanol) that improve emissions and also have a relatively high octane blending value.

So what's all the bad hype for? Price, for one thing "It's actually more expensive to make reformulated winter gas than normal, summer fuel, ' says Thomas Hart. Lower fuel economy is another concern.

"The oxygen-bearing compounds displace fuel components, so it takes more fuel to get the job done. Normal gasoline has a stoichiometric ratio of 14.7:1, reformulated winter fuel runs between 14.3 and 14.4:1," says Mitch Markusich.
Old 01-16-2006, 09:04 PM
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Winter gas supposdly has a higher octance value, so i dont think octane booster would solve this problem. Unfortunetly I dont have any alternate advice, maybe someone else can shed some light...
Old 01-16-2006, 10:06 PM
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I noticed that I was getting pretty bad gas mileage, but I thought it was from going WOT to much, but I guess winter gas may be the cause.
Old 01-16-2006, 10:08 PM
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do u have the heat on?
Old 01-17-2006, 07:09 AM
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I notice a drop in MPG every winter as well with my daily driver. I don't do any extended idle warm-ups or anything, so it's gotta be that winter gas.

Even with a AC cranked all the way I still usually get better MPG in the summer.
Old 01-17-2006, 11:35 AM
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Originally Posted by bad6as
do u have the heat on?
Some times not always.

My driving style hasn't changed, and with normal gas I was getting 20-22 in city.
Old 01-17-2006, 11:52 AM
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Having the heater on makes no difference with fuel mileage unless you use the defrost. Using the defrost setting turns on the air conditioning, which dries the air. Dry air defrosts the windows better, and it helps keep the AC pump lubed.

Cold weather also kills fuel mileage. The air has more oxygen in it, which goes into your engine. You need more fuel to compensate for the added oxygen, so fuel economy suffers. On top of that, winter fuel blends also impact fuel mileage.

The only way to avoid it is to move to a warmer climate.
Old 01-17-2006, 12:02 PM
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Originally Posted by SprayedLT1
Having the heater on makes no difference with fuel mileage unless you use the defrost. Using the defrost setting turns on the air conditioning, which dries the air. Dry air defrosts the windows better, and it helps keep the AC pump lubed.

Cold weather also kills fuel mileage. The air has more oxygen in it, which goes into your engine. You need more fuel to compensate for the added oxygen, so fuel economy suffers. On top of that, winter fuel blends also impact fuel mileage.

The only way to avoid it is to move to a warmer climate.
Ok so no real way around it. Thanks for your help.

I guess i'll dust my hatchback off till we get the normal stuff.
Old 01-18-2006, 01:55 PM
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someone told me that u get worse gas mileage in the cold cuz the transmission fluid and rear end stays cooler and thicker especially when u first start your car, causing the engine to run harder to turn the wheels...but sounds way to technical...
Old 01-18-2006, 03:38 PM
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Use mobil/Exxon gas. They dont add ethanol. It must be marked on the pump.
Sunoco has stickers on theirs "10% Ethanol" BAD ...PERIOD.
Also I have been adding 1 once of Pure Acetone per 10 Gallons of gas.
You can get it at Hone Depot or any hardware store. Seems to help.
I am going to bump it up to 2 onces to see what happens.
http://www.lubedev.com/smartgas/additive.htm
http://www.pureenergysystems.com/new...00069_Acetone/
Old 01-18-2006, 06:54 PM
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Originally Posted by SprayedLT1
Cold weather also kills fuel mileage. The air has more oxygen in it, which goes into your engine. You need more fuel to compensate for the added oxygen, so fuel economy suffers.
The only way to avoid it is to move to a warmer climate.
No offense, but that makes absolutely no sense at all.
If that were true, all it would mean is the computer
(via O2 sensor readings) would add enough fuel to
attain Stoich and the TB would have to open less to
achieve the same engine speed.
+ the added benefit of denser air = better WOT
performance, assuming the pcm can adjust for it.
Old 01-18-2006, 07:04 PM
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BTW, I'm not saying I disagree with the idea that
"winter" gas is hurting gas mileage.
What I do say is that because of regional mandates about
gas formulation, while -maybe- more environmentally
friendly, (if you can call MTBE friendly!) hit everyone in the pocketbook on gas prices.
soapbox mode = off, LOL.
Old 01-18-2006, 10:35 PM
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doesnt colder air give you better gas mileage and performance since its more dense? such as a cold air intake?
Old 01-19-2006, 02:17 PM
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Originally Posted by gwj
No offense, but that makes absolutely no sense at all.
If that were true, all it would mean is the computer
(via O2 sensor readings) would add enough fuel to
attain Stoich and the TB would have to open less to
achieve the same engine speed.
+ the added benefit of denser air = better WOT
performance, assuming the pcm can adjust for it.
What you said makes absolutely no sense. Just because there is more oxygen in the engine, it doesn't mean that the engine runs more efficiently, therefore needing less throttle to do the same amount of work.

Last edited by SprayedLT1; 01-24-2006 at 12:58 PM.
Old 01-21-2006, 09:01 AM
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Originally Posted by Ace$nyper
pulled this off a site real quick to explain it better then I could myself.
Quote:
winter gas contains any number of lighter, lower-boiling-point hydrocarbons (butane, propane, etc.) that just so happen to have an excellent octane value. Added to this may be any number of oxygen-bearing ether compounds (MTBE, ETBE, ethanol) that improve emissions and also have a relatively high octane blending value.

So what's all the bad hype for? Price, for one thing "It's actually more expensive to make reformulated winter gas than normal, summer fuel, ' says Thomas Hart. Lower fuel economy is another concern.

"The oxygen-bearing compounds displace fuel components, so it takes more fuel to get the job done. Normal gasoline has a stoichiometric ratio of 14.7:1, reformulated winter fuel runs between 14.3 and 14.4:1," says Mitch Markusich.


After the Hurricane Katrina hit and the price of oil leaped, The Gov. passed legislation to 'temporarily' ease the EPA mandated requirements for fuel we buy... (Trying to help out the refineries because so many were off-line)

The 'winter gas' that you are getting this winter is NOT the same as the stuff you got last winter. It has fewer things added to it...

No joke...


James
Old 01-21-2006, 08:27 PM
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Originally Posted by SprayedLT1
What you said makes absolutely no nense. Just because there is more oxygen in the engine, it doesn't mean that the engine runs more efficiently, therfore needing less throttle.
Go to 10,000 feet above sea level and get back with me.
Peace,
gwj
Old 01-24-2006, 12:57 PM
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Originally Posted by PewterNHRA2001
doesnt colder air give you better gas mileage and performance since its more dense? such as a cold air intake?
Your gains with a cold air intake come from removing the restriction from the factory air box. That lets the engine work eaasier to pull the air in without having to over come the restriction.
Old 01-24-2006, 07:33 PM
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It is a fact that colder air yields worse gas mileage. Do not know the techincal reason, but someone will find it.



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