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Message started by Dave on 04/17/18 at 04:38:16

Title: Goodbye Reformulated Fuel!
Post by Dave on 04/17/18 at 04:38:16

Many years ago the Cincinnati metro area was cursed with reformulated fuel. This was done to satisfy the EPA and allow the area to keep receiving Federal Funds for road projects. The 3 northern KY counties of Campbell, Kenton and Boone Counties for some reason were "voluntarily" included in the program.

The reformulated fuel is going away on July 1, 2018 - the newpaper article stated that newer cars are more fuel efficient and cleaner running, and the benefits of the more expensive reformulated fuel are no longer necessary. (Recently I have started to buy fuel in Clermont County, Ohio as the fuel can be 20 - 30 cents a gallon cheaper than it is in KY).

Now.....if we could just get rid of the ethanol!

https://www.lanereport.com/81338/2017/09/state-requests-to-opt-out-of-reformulated-gasoline-requirements-in-northern-kentucky/

Title: Re: Goodbye Reformulated Fuel!
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 04/17/18 at 08:12:34

if we could just get rid of the ethanol!

Please let it happen, soon
Stop the Stupid!

Title: Re: Goodbye Reformulated Fuel!
Post by raydawg on 04/17/18 at 08:57:32

Dave, are you talking flex fuel?

My new truck can run on it, but I can't find it.

Title: Re: Goodbye Reformulated Fuel!
Post by Dave on 04/17/18 at 09:45:55

25362E33362030570 wrote:

Dave, are you talking flex fuel?

My new truck can run on it, but I can't find it.

No.....Flex Fuel is E85 - which is 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. You aren't likely to find it in rural areas - we have a few stations northern Kentucky that carry it. Your fuel mileage will drop significantly when using it.

All of the fuel sold in this area is E10, which is 10% ethanol and 90" gasoline. The only way you can avoid it here is to buy fuel at a Marina that carries pure gasoline - or go to a Country Mark store in Indiana that has a 90+ fuel that does not contain any ethanol (a 1.5 hour round trip for me).

Reformulated fuel is made differently that conventional gasoline and burns cleaner - but it more expensive. Here is a list of where it is used, and thankfully the "opt in" counties in KY are not going to be on the list after July 1st.

https://www.epa.gov/gasoline-standards/reformulated-gasoline
Reformulated fuel

Here are our current fuel prices:

Gas Prices Unleaded $2.659
Plus $2.959
Premium $3.259
E-85 $2.059
Auto Diesel $2.999
Kerosene $3.899

Title: Re: Goodbye Reformulated Fuel!
Post by raydawg on 04/17/18 at 09:51:50

Ok, thanks....

BTW, my truck can't get worse MPG than it already does :-[

Wasn't unleaded fuel suppose to be cheaper to make originally?
I seem to recall that was one of the sales pitches.

Title: Re: Goodbye Reformulated Fuel!
Post by Dave on 04/17/18 at 09:57:54

I don't believe that unleaded fuel was supposed to be cheaper - they took the lead out as they determined it is poisonous to the environment.

The lead was in the fuel as a knock suppressant - when the lead was removed they had to improve the octane using other methods, and the price went up.

The ethanol came about in an effort to reduce the need for importing fuel from other countries - the government wanted us to be less dependent on foreign oil. They don't seem to care that it doesn't work well in old farm equipment, old cars and motorcycles, and doesn't store well.

Title: Re: Goodbye Reformulated Fuel!
Post by batman on 04/17/18 at 10:41:05

I really don't care about using E-10 ( except that making alcohol isn't any cheaper than gas so it doesn't make any sense)it only causes a 3 1/3 % drop in mileage /hp and I can live with that. It's found everywhere ,And my stock engine doesn't seem to perform or get higher mileage using anything "better".

Title: Re: Goodbye Reformulated Fuel!
Post by Dave on 04/17/18 at 12:31:08

5152475E525D070B330 wrote:

I really don't care about using E-10.

I don't have a problem with it in modern, fuel injected, computerized engines - it works fine in them....they were likely made to use it.

The E10 causes a lot of problems for those folks that have antique cars, motorcycles, farm equipment, lawn equipment - anything that can go for extended periods without being used......some of the rubber parts in the fuel system disintegrate when they aren't driven enough to keep the E10 fuel fresh.

When the E10 fuel first started being used in this area my uncle had a 1970 Mustang Mach 1 and a Plymouth Superbird. Each spring when we went to start them up - the carb would leak and we had to replace the accelerator pump diaphragm. It turned out that the diaphragm was dissolved by the E10 each winter. We also had the rubber fuel hoses on mowers, tillers, snow blowers dissolving and turning into sticky taffy hoses.....they were getting dissolved (we now use the yellow Tygon fuel lines on lawn equipment).

Title: Re: Goodbye Reformulated Fuel!
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 04/17/18 at 16:38:06

Just because they have technology to keep it from screwing things up doesn't make it smart.

Title: Re: Goodbye Reformulated Fuel!
Post by MMRanch on 04/17/18 at 19:18:26

Ray

My wife's Impala is E-85 compliant , (07 model) . So on E-10 she gets 30.5 to 32.0 mpg . On E-85 she gets 24 to 26 mpg. Short trips or long trips ... (3.5L engine)

Over all , it cost about the same per/mile to use either one of them. ::)

But

It is sposed to make us feel better to use E-85 ! ;D

But , I do separate my "Recyclables" trash from the rest of the stuff . Really ! :)

Title: Re: Goodbye Reformulated Fuel!
Post by LANCER on 04/18/18 at 16:33:52

We have a Love station in town that sells pure gas only.
I have 8-10 gas can that hold 5 or 6 gallons each and fill them with regular and premium fuel and add Stabil. I use then to fill motorcycle tanks and lawn mowers, etc.
They last 6+ months.

Title: Re: Goodbye Reformulated Fuel!
Post by Serowbot on 04/19/18 at 08:39:58

For days now,... every time I read the thread title, "Goodbye Reformulated Fuel"... I get "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" stuck in my head...
... and I like it... ;D