Sparky-(Admin) 21,315 #1 Posted September 21 Went to to New Hampshire again to replenish my ethanol free fuel. Just a reminder that here in Connecticut its close to $30 for a gallon of straight or premix ethanol free . Bought 43.5 gallons in New Hampshire for $4.36 a gallon at the pump. Factor in the $29 my truck used to get there and back and it makes the e-free stuff $5.03 a gallon!! Speaking of trucks…Tundras are the most reliable trucks out there but were never great on fuel, but my 2016 with close to 100k on it got 19.9 MPG when hand calculated (trucks computer was pretty darn accurate) super happy with that! This was 90% highway with cruise set at 68/69 most of the way. 4 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 48,815 #2 Posted September 21 Still floors me you can't get hi test there when it's everywhere here. About the same price but regular is below 3 in some areas. What's everyone's thoughts on watering down hi test a bit with regular pump gas ... stretch it a little further and use it in daily drivers? Switch back to strait hi test for storage? That same canned fuel is about $20.00 here. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Achto 27,570 #3 Posted September 21 51 minutes ago, WHX?? said: What's everyone's thoughts on watering down hi test a bit with regular pump gas ... stretch it a little further and use it in daily drivers? For the little bit o extra coin, I think I'll stick with my no corn squeezin' gas. Corse, I'm not on a government budget yet. 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 25,547 #4 Posted September 21 @Sparky - I made the trip for corn free rec fuel the other day.. Took me 2 minutes because i caught a red light... 4.99 / gallon - not bad... 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sparky-(Admin) 21,315 #5 Posted September 21 24 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said: @Sparky Took me 2 minutes because i caught a red light... Very jealous! 194 miles (round trip) for me which equates to 4.75 hours door to door. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lynnmor 7,305 #6 Posted September 21 2 hours ago, WHX?? said: Still floors me you can't get hi test there when it's everywhere here. About the same price but regular is below 3 in some areas. What's everyone's thoughts on watering down hi test a bit with regular pump gas ... stretch it a little further and use it in daily drivers? Switch back to strait hi test for storage? That same canned fuel is about $20.00 here. I guess you use the term "hi test" for the premium grade that has a higher octane rating. The higher octane gas in my area might well contain even more ethanol than the regular grade. Ethanol is often used to increase octane and you better make sure that your "hi test" gas has little to no ethanol by actual testing. Personally I don't bother with finding ethanol free except for my premix that is used in my two cycle engines. I buy all of my gas and diesel out of state for about $.30 less because of the higher PA taxes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skwerl58 704 #7 Posted September 21 I read this and think wow. I have a 90 Oct rec fuel non ethanol supply 5 minutes away for $3.79. Have 2 other 87 Oct for same price within 7-8 minutes. I am in sw VA. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sparky-(Admin) 21,315 #8 Posted September 21 31 minutes ago, Skwerl58 said: I read this and think wow. I have a 90 Oct rec fuel non ethanol supply 5 minutes away for $3.79. Have 2 other 87 Oct for same price within 7-8 minutes. I am in sw VA. I’ve done my research and using puregas.org this seems to be the closest place I can get it…and I use the word “closest” loosely 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 48,815 #9 Posted September 22 5 hours ago, Achto said: For the little bit o extra coin, I think I'll stick with my no corn squeezin' gas. Corse, I'm not on a government budget yet. I was just trying to help Sparky cut his time down between fill up runs. Your time is coming ... Squonky calls it a fixed income... 2 hours ago, lynnmor said: use the term "hi test" for the premium grade I also use Miller and Miller Lite for the corn squeezins ... 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,455 #10 Posted September 22 @Sparky IMHO and what my experience has shown: That trip is absolutely worth every second. It's great that some folks have decent luck using laced gas. We don't. We've seen ethanol ruin a new rubber line in two months. Not years. Two months. We also had it affect our Monster wood 🪵 splitter. We'd been using E-free for years. Lent out the machine. Good folks. I'd lend it again. But we forgot to tell them about the gasoline. After he ran a couple tanks of alcoholic gas through the Briggs 6.5 HP engine it started running like garbage and we had to do a carb clean & tank clean out. Coincidence? Maybe.... but a chance I won't take twice. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 55,198 #11 Posted September 22 16 hours ago, WHX?? said: What's everyone's thoughts on watering down hi test a bit with regular pump gas ... stretch it a little further and use it in daily drivers? Switch back to strait hi test for storage? 53 minutes ago, ebinmaine said: We've seen ethanol ruin a new rubber line in two months. Not years. Two months. I have been using Non-E with Stable for years and have had no fuel system issues. In my case I didn't know my herd would be in "storage" for over a year when I had the stroke. Everything sat with the old fuel in it for a year, had to charge a couple of batteries but everything starts and runs just like it had never been sitting around. Jim's idea had crossed my mind from time to time but the few extra bucks I spent on Non-E and Stable sure paid off. 5 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,455 #12 Posted September 22 1 minute ago, 953 nut said: I have been using Non-E with Stable for years and have had no fuel system issues. In my case I didn't know my herd would be in "storage" for over a year when I had the stroke. Everything sat with the old fuel in it for a year, had to charge a couple of batteries but everything starts and runs just like it had never been sitting around. Jim's idea had crossed my mind from time to time but the few extra bucks I spent on Non-E and Stable sure paid off. We don't even use the stabilizers here. Still no issues. Our machines like a walk behind snowblower or the splitter are used for a few months every year then shelved. They always start right back up. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sailman 1,291 #13 Posted September 22 Really fortunate here in Ga near Lake Lanier. Lots of places selling non E gas for about $1 a gal more than regular. Started using it years ago after having outboard engine issues. Never looked back for all my small engine needs... 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brockport Bill 1,661 #14 Posted September 22 19 hours ago, Sparky said: Very jealous! 194 miles (round trip) for me which equates to 4.75 hours door to door. if you are looking for alternative drive ??? there is no "ethanol free" here in Dutchess County but across from Poughkeepsie and the Hudson River in Ulster County in Marlboro a Stewarts Shop sells it - - i recall its may be 91 or 92 oct -- sells for $4 plus -- will go over this week for re-supply - - for you from Andover google maps shows would be maybe 2 1/2 hours and 100 miles each way 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Treepep 564 #15 Posted September 22 17 hours ago, Skwerl58 said: I read this and think wow. I have a 90 Oct rec fuel non ethanol supply 5 minutes away for $3.79. Have 2 other 87 Oct for same price within 7-8 minutes. I am in sw VA. same, that's wild 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handy Don 12,216 #16 Posted September 22 1 hour ago, Brockport Bill said: Ulster County in Marlboro a Stewarts Hmmm. That’s about an 80 mile round trip plus a bridge toll from me..... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,455 #17 Posted September 22 19 minutes ago, Handy Don said: Hmmm. That’s about an 80 mile round trip plus a bridge toll from me..... Worth it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brockport Bill 1,661 #18 Posted September 22 9 minutes ago, Handy Don said: Hmmm. That’s about an 80 mile round trip plus a bridge toll from me..... this is a guess but my thought is the ethanol free is allowed to be sold west of the Hudson because of EPA air quality regulations and different air quality results - - most people are not aware but there are air quality tests done regionally - - the air west of the river is "cleaner" and therefore their gas is actually different formula --- it isn't about the air pollutants produced from west of Hudson but actually from midwest -- and how that air moves east -- seemingly related to lack of population density west of Hudson plus Catskills elevations and air movement.........if Sparky can't buy ethanol in CT I am assuming ethanol free is not allowed for same reason of air testing and air quality standards?????????????? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,455 #19 Posted September 22 16 minutes ago, Brockport Bill said: this is a guess but my thought is the ethanol free is allowed to be sold west of the Hudson because of EPA air quality regulations and different air quality results - - most people are not aware but there are air quality tests done regionally - - the air west of the river is "cleaner" and therefore their gas is actually different formula --- it isn't about the air pollutants produced from west of Hudson but actually from midwest -- and how that air moves east -- seemingly related to lack of population density west of Hudson plus Catskills elevations and air movement.........if Sparky can't buy ethanol in CT I am assuming ethanol free is not allowed for same reason of air testing and air quality standards?????????????? After poking around online for a bit.. it appears to be a combination of two things. 1. EPA regulations as stated above. 2. There's only so much of any given gasoline formula that can be made. Ethanol apparently raises the octane level somehow. Because modern vehicles use more n more high octane fuel there has to BE more available. More high octane means by default that less lower octane fuels can be made. Ethanol apparently helps that. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 41,079 #20 Posted September 22 Ethanol burns slower raising the octane (anti-knock) properties. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wallfish 16,994 #21 Posted September 22 40 minutes ago, squonk said: Ethanol burns slower raising the octane (anti-knock) properties. There was a guy on YouTube removing ethanol from his pumped gas with water. It was a pretty big too-do with a big mess and lots of time and such. Then at the end he says "because of removing the ethanol he needs to add an octane booster". And proceeds to pour in an alcohol based booster! LOL. The comments really let the guy have it too. I couldn't find it to post it so maybe he removed it out of embarrassment. I think Lucas makes a petroleum based octane booster. 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 55,198 #22 Posted September 23 16 hours ago, wallfish said: removing ethanol from his pumped gas with water. It was a pretty big too-do with a big mess and lots of time and such. Not to mention the environmentally desaturase waste biproduct he is left with. Did he mention how that is dealt with? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wallfish 16,994 #23 Posted September 23 8 hours ago, 953 nut said: Not to mention the environmentally desaturase waste biproduct he is left with. Did he mention how that is dealt with? I wasn't sticking around long enough to find out. That dude was smart enough to water his garden with it believing he was saving the planet 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kwalshy 229 #24 Posted September 24 On 9/21/2024 at 7:52 PM, Sparky said: I’ve done my research and using puregas.org this seems to be the closest place I can get it…and I use the word “closest” loosely I would have thought Ethanol free gas would be somewhere closer to you than New Hampshire, perhaps a marina? not even in Rhode Island? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,455 #25 Posted September 24 1 hour ago, kwalshy said: I would have thought Ethanol free gas would be somewhere closer to you than New Hampshire, perhaps a marina? not even in Rhode Island? Nope..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
