Mid Grade gas makes noticeable difference on my Ranger

[Roert42]

Use to be very common around here to have a different hose for each grade. You would pay, then pick of the hose for the grade you wanted, then flip up the latch that the hose rested in to activate it.

last 15 years most placed have switched to a single hose for all grades, and you press a button to select the grade.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

We have several stations that sell unbranded gas and I drive right by them. The 351 in my Ranger came out of a 95 F150 and even with the new pistons it's less than 9:1 by my math. It has a Holley 4 barrel and Duraspark but for the first time in my life, I left the puny 1995 roller cam. It likes 87 just fine and doesn't even notice changing to 89- or 93. My Mustang doesn't like anything less than 93 and runs like crap on 6 month old gas with Marine Stabil in the spring so I drain most of the gas and feed it to the truck and Escape.

The unbranded gas is still better than ARCO lol. IDK what it is about ARCO, its like the terrible quervo of tequilas.

 

[sgtsandman]

Yea it is way less common. My favorite 76 used to have em, but then switch to single nozzle for gas and separate for diesel.

I like the non ethanol for the yard equipment, so they will start again next season.

I’ve been running my equipment dry at the end of the season and I treat the fuel with fuel stabilizer. That seems to help a lot.

For the stuff I keep fuel in year round, like generators, making sure to run them for about 20 minutes every 3 months and shutting off the fuel valve to starve the carburetor of fuel has made them fairly easy to start. The fuel does need to be swapped out with fresh fuel from time to time. Other items, like my chain saw get used regularly enough that I don’t have to do the 3 month run.

I tried the non-ethanol fuel but what is available locally is outrageously priced or the place is unreliable as far as being open. So, I’m stuck using E-10.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

I’ve been running my equipment dry at the end of the season and I treat the fuel with fuel stabilizer. That seems to help a lot.

For the stuff I keep fuel in year round, like generators, making sure to run them for about 20 minutes every 3 months and shutting off the fuel valve to starve the carburetor of fuel has made them fairly easy to start. The fuel does need to be swapped out with fresh fuel from time to time. Other items, like my chain saw get used regularly enough that I don’t have to do the 3 month run.

I tried the non-ethanol fuel but what is available locally is outrageously priced or the place is unreliable as far as being open. So, I’m stuck using E-10.

That's pretty much my routine...add the sta bil, run em dry or drain em and keep fuel fresh.
Agreed the Stabil does helps alot. Ive also noticed 2 stroke mixed fuel seems to stay good a little longer.

I tend to use stuff a bunch and then not at all, like yard equipment during brush clearance season, generator etc...heck even my truck is either racking up miles or sitting on the trickle charger for awhile..Plus I don't drive or play much these days, the toys and vehicles sit more than usual.

So yea my fuel concerns are leaned more towards promoting longevity than avoiding detonation.

Non ethanol aint cheap here either. The little VP gallon can for yard tools is like $17 bucks!

 

[CrabGuy]

Like Eddo, I use non-ethanol 94 oct. only in my chainsaws, lawnmower, and outboard motor. I can only buy it in Oregon though and pay dearly for it. All of those tools sit unused every Fall-Spring but I've never had an issue in bringing them out of storage like tools using ethanol fuel. I ruined the fuel hose on my outboard using ethanol gas that gummed up the hose lining requiring me to cut the line shorter after breaking down on the water.

 

[Josh B]

I was going through Port Arthur TX in my old Econoline, it was about 5 AM and I'd been driving all night.
My tank was not looking good and there was 12 miles of nothing yet to go through to the landing.
I saw an all night gas N goods place and put the nozzle in and it wasn't on (This was early 80s)
Went inside and there was a young lady at the counter and two guys, they were having a party there I suppose. I asked her to turn on the gas and went back to the pump, no gas.
I went back in and the party was still going strong,
I was rather ticked and went and got in the van and took off.
There was an unusual sound but I didn't see anything in the mirror.
I was on the outskirts of town and nearing the turn to the road to Sabine Pass and there was a huge refinery there. The street was 4 lanes and well lit and I noticed something odd in my mirror. I stopped and walked to the back and found the gas nozzle hanging there and about 6 feet of hose. I tossed it in the ditch and took off

Never did get to ask what grade of gas they had :/

 

[Eddo Rogue]

Like Eddo, I use non-ethanol 94 oct. only in my chainsaws, lawnmower, and outboard motor. I can only buy it in Oregon though and pay dearly for it. All of those tools sit unused every Fall-Spring but I've never had an issue in bringing them out of storage like tools using ethanol fuel. I ruined the fuel hose on my outboard using ethanol gas that gummed up the hose lining requiring me to cut the line shorter after breaking down on the water.

It go to the point where I would clean/replace carbs every season. Got sick of cleaning carbs and the tupperware bin of carburetors was a temping box of useless, and stinky waste of shelf space. Now I am about minding my fuel.

Also I hate pull chord starting, 3 pulls is about all I got in me, patience wise.

I think its 93 here

 

[Eddo Rogue]

This is a pretty informative thread....about passing gas.

 

[19Walt93]

I’ve been running my equipment dry at the end of the season and I treat the fuel with fuel stabilizer. That seems to help a lot.

For the stuff I keep fuel in year round, like generators, making sure to run them for about 20 minutes every 3 months and shutting off the fuel valve to starve the carburetor of fuel has made them fairly easy to start. The fuel does need to be swapped out with fresh fuel from time to time. Other items, like my chain saw get used regularly enough that I don’t have to do the 3 month run.

I tried the non-ethanol fuel but what is available locally is outrageously priced or the place is unreliable as far as being open. So, I’m stuck using E-10.

That's kind of the opposite of what I do. I fill everything, add a generous dose of Marine Stabil, run them for a minute to make sure there's treated gas in the carb and shut them down for the winter. Dried out gaskets and seals aren't good either.

 

[sgtsandman]

That's kind of the opposite of what I do. I fill everything, add a generous dose of Marine Stabil, run them for a minute to make sure there's treated gas in the carb and shut them down for the winter. Dried out gaskets and seals aren't good either.

Supposedly, the Stabil coats everything and prevents that. So far, it hasn't be a problem over a good number of years. Maybe we're both right? Conversely, maybe we're both wrong?

 

[janagyjr]

I fill up every other day or every third day driving back and forth to work. I only buy Shell gas and I try to buy it from the same station as often as possible.

 

[Josh B]

I fill up every other day or every third day driving back and forth to work. I only buy Shell gas and I try to buy it from the same station as often as possible.

I've been using the same LOVE'S travel plaza since they opened one near here, I might try something else depending what I find from trying the higher grade. One weekend I went to a cousin's memorial about 200 miles away and Iit wasn't recently filled but I was headed another way. After making almost the entire trip without seeing another love's I got the turn=off that take me to the service and right beside the turn was a Loves

 

[sgtsandman]

If on a trip, I’ll take whatever major brand of gas there is available when the fuel light comes on or if it’s going to be a long stretch before the next available gas station and there is a doubt I’d make it to the next one (not a common occurrence where I normally drive).

At home, It’s Sunoco that is most prevalent near me with the odd Amoco and Marathon station thrown into the mix.

 

[19Walt93]

Supposedly, the Stabil coats everything and prevents that. So far, it hasn't be a problem over a good number of years. Maybe we're both right? Conversely, maybe we're both wrong?

If I could buy gas that wasn't polluted with ethanol it wouldn't be an issue.

 

[superj]

on road trips across texas or across states, sometimes i pass on places because they look like the kind of places you might not ever be seen again from.

and sometimes i get stuck buying from some really run-down looking places and i always worry about water or something in the gas but i have not had trouble yet.