bill14224's Forum Comments
Showing all comments by bill14224.
no ethanol in prem. fuel ?
I'm reading misconceptions about ethanol here. Yes, it cheaply boosts octane, it attracts and absorbs water, it dissolves old-fashion synthetic rubber, the same butyl-types used in synthetic rubber tires, and it contains less energy than pure gas. Ethanol has about 60% as much energy as pure gas, but at a 10% mix it drops mileage only slightly. That is true, but it also has great benefits. Modern vehicles were designed for it so it does not damage your fuel system unless you have an old vehicle with non-neoprene gaskets, seals and lines. Ethanol doesn't damage neoprene. When I was a young man people routinely added "dry gas" (mostly alcohol) to their gas to avoid winter driving problems caused by water forming in the tank, hence the name. Most claimed to increase mileage. This was false unless you had a dirty fuel system to begin with. Now there's no need for it. When you take all factors into account 10% ethanol makes sense for almost all of us, except those with certain old cars, motorcycles, and boats with plain rubber fuel system parts. The rest of you are worrying about nothing. Is ethanol a good replacement for gasoline? Hell no, but it's an excellent additive for almost everyone. Not only does ethanol take water out of your system it also dissolves dirt and deposits, so your engine stays cleaner all the time, especially fuel injectors. Fuel injection loves 10% ethanol, so there you go. Way more benefit than downside.
posted by bill14224 August 1, 2012 at 2:48 PM
Spongy Brakes go away......
I agree with bates. I think your problem isn't brake components but air in the system. I have a stock 2005 Neon with conventional brakes and it stops on a dime and your car is better than mine.
posted by bill14224 July 11, 2012 at 4:08 PM
Traveling in truck's wake to boost MPG?
I agree with the first poster. Myth Busters showed you can save significant gas by tailgating a rig but it's not safe at all. You have to ride their bumper!
posted by bill14224 July 11, 2012 at 2:56 PM
no ethanol in prem. fuel ?
Oh, one more thing about premium gas. The most important thing to remember is this. If your vehicle knocks and pings without it you need it. Otherwise you're just wasting your money and it can make the vehicle hard to start in cold weather. Regular gas ignites easier, and the colder it gets the more true it is. The wise thing to do is run the lowest octane gas that won't make your vehicle knock and ping. (technically called pre-ignition or detonation which means the fuel ignites too early during compression) Those are the basic facts. The rest is just gossip. For some reason after many years of well-written articles on the subject some people hang onto the notion that premium gas contains more energy per volume than regular. It does not! Premium gas has everything to do with preventing pre-ignition and nothing to do with performance! When will the whole population accept this fact? The world may never know!
posted by bill14224 July 11, 2012 at 2:39 PM
Where I live, false. I'm in Western NY and most of our gas comes from Canada, not that it matters. It all has 10% ethanol as is required by law since 1995.
posted by bill14224 July 11, 2012 at 2:19 PM
l/100km to 2 dec places?
A tenth of a kilometer is only 100 meters. Athletes can run 100 meters in under 10 seconds today. Not relevant if you ask me.
posted by bill14224 July 11, 2012 at 2:16 PM
MPG Data Not Adding Up
I have another comment. It seems to me many of you are exaggerating your mileage. I don't believe for a minute someone can average more than 50 miles per American gallon with a car whether it's a diesel or not, and I'm talking about real cars, not 50 HP puddle jumpers with 12-inch wheels or hybrids. What makes me think this? The Honda CRX of a generation ago had a tiny engine, fuel injection, computerized ignition, and couldn't get 50 mpg, but it's a gas sipper to this day if you can find one. If you can beat a CRX mileage-wise with a conventional automobile I will humbly eat crow. As far as I can see your best bet mileage and cost wise for a car is a Toyota Corrolla with manual gearbox and 42mpg. Can't beat it. Best buy, and I'm not a Toyota fan because they rape you at the garage. Domestic cars are best for that, even if they get less mileage. That is why my 1986 Sable wagon cost the same as the 1985 Honda Civic hatchback I had before to own and operate over consecutive 6-year periods. The fact I owned the Sable after put it at a disadvantage but the overall cost was the same even though I was averaging 36-38mpg with the Honda but 22mpg with the Sable, and the Sable was a much nicer, roomier car the whole time. Chew on that and get back to me.
posted by bill14224 May 22, 2012 at 5:36 PM
Don't believe estimates, necessarily. My 2005 Neon with its 2 litre engine averages 26 mpg with automatic trans. It was rated at 25/32. I think I "should" be averaging 28 to 30 mpg based on where and how I drive but I don't. If you really want good mileage drive a small car in winter and ride a small displacement motorcycle the rest of the time. For the record, I have other vehicles that meet their mileage estimates but they're all motorcycles. One was right on target, but that was one vehicle in 35 years and it was a bike. I have learned over the years that government mileage estimates tend to exaggerate car mileage and bike mileage is more accurate. Why? Politics?
posted by bill14224 May 22, 2012 at 5:14 PM
TIME field missing in Add a fuel-up
I never thought the time needed to be there either.
posted by bill14224 July 13, 2011 at 2:38 PM
