Octane

[p71]

I suspect that there might be a little bit of a mislabeling issue at some local pumps... is there any way to check that the octane number listed on the pump is accurate?

The source of my suspicion is as follows...
1) There are a few gas stations owned by the same retailer that get their fuel out of the same tanker trucks but some stations label their premium as 91 others as 92 and still others as 93.
2) My buddy drove to Dallas and got his STI tuned using a tank of gas from here and his tuner said that the he was having to be very conservative and leaving about 30 HP on the table because the logs were coming back showing the car running like it was on 91 octane (lots of anti knock retard). STIs are extremely octane sensitive (turbo... lots of boost, lots of heat, small motor)

[DewieJr]

Not sure if you can verify it or not, but I'd find one you can trust and stick with it. I only run 93 or 94 here in Ohio....we don't have premium as low as 91, thats in the western states.

[rumbler]

the various grades of gasoline can be mixed or "tampered" with at ANY point in the fuel delivery chain of distribution. From the rack at the fuel depot, in the tanker truck, in the tank at the station and in the pump itself. Rely on past experience with what works best. Check with local consumer advocates and ask if they check octane.
Rumbler

[Devilish34]

What brand of gas?? I try and stick with Sunoco 93 or BP if I can find one.

[Ktlplxm]

BP is the only one I've found that works in mine. Unfortunately I have 3 stations within 1/2 mile but the closest BP is 6 away

[PaFromFL]

Ethanol (E10) might be a problem. Theoretically, it should reduce gas mileage about 3%, but in practice it is more like 10%. I'm guessing that modern engine controllers are optimized for pure gasoline and E10 throws off the calculations. They should add a letter to the octane rating to warn people that 91 octane gas is not the same as "91E". In my area, the pumps say "may contain up to 10% ethanol", so you never know what you're getting. Since the E10 scam actually wastes oil (harvesting, manufacturing, shipping by truck, 10% mileage reduction), we should outlaw E10 and deport the corn CEOs and their lobbyists back to hell by way of Guantanamo.

[DQGTO]

yeah in NY we get like 10% ethanol also. I always use Hess when I can. I have found that they have great gas compared to a lot of the other places around me. Sonocos are few and far between by me. Hess is my gas of choice and if not Hess I will go BP.

[Ktlplxm]

yeah my local sunoco's only keep 92 and I can't run it.

[Devilish34]

yeah my local sunoco's only keep 92 and I can't run it.

For the most part only the Wawa's have 92 around here. And I've only found one Sunoco that has 100.

[Steve]

Ethanol EVERYWHERE here... 92 max..
found one place that supposedly had 94 close by and they went tits up