Tweet
As an ex gas hauler I have to weigh in here.
The logic used is quite simple (to me):
there are lots of gas station pumps with only one nozzle:
If someone before you used regular gas, there is bound to be some of that grade left in the nozzle/hose when you began using the nozzle -- even though you pressed for the premium.
The amount of fuel left in a line from a previous user is negligble. Goverment regs. require strict measurements rules to be adhered to.
Therefore, you already have been using the lesser grade without any problem.
Incorrect, the residual fuel if a lower grade would not be enough to make a difference.
At all stations -- including the stations with more than one pump/nozzle at each fillup point:
When a gas companies' trucks fill up the in-ground tanks for the gas station, they also pump from one nozzle, and gas gets mixed together in the ground. (There is no separate nozzle/hose on the trucks for each grade of petro.)
We do not pump. Tanks are filled via gravity feeds, the hose must be dumped out before switching to another fill.
That is assuming the truck is at that time hauling more than one grade. Again any residual gas in hose or even in the truck itself would not be enough to make an octane difference.
Another thing, other than Shell and BP most companies get their basic fuel from the same racks (the term for where we load the tankers) What tells them apart is the additive requirements depending on the retailer. Where I loaded Chevron and Citgo (at that time the 7-11 brand) came from the same rack, the difference was that the additives for the Chevron were added during the fill process.
BP ergo Arco ergo AM/PM adds no additives of any kind. Making their gas cheaper and not good for your engine in the long run.
Shell has the highest standards of the industry, while I have loaded out of a SHell rack when my normal rack was out of a grade, I have never seen Shell trucks load at any rack but their own.
Be aware that not having a refinery in town doesnt mean there isnt a brand specific rack, gas these days is piped or brought in by barges to most areas.
The logic used is quite simple (to me):
there are lots of gas station pumps with only one nozzle:
If someone before you used regular gas, there is bound to be some of that grade left in the nozzle/hose when you began using the nozzle -- even though you pressed for the premium.
The amount of fuel left in a line from a previous user is negligble. Goverment regs. require strict measurements rules to be adhered to.
Therefore, you already have been using the lesser grade without any problem.
Incorrect, the residual fuel if a lower grade would not be enough to make a difference.
At all stations -- including the stations with more than one pump/nozzle at each fillup point:
When a gas companies' trucks fill up the in-ground tanks for the gas station, they also pump from one nozzle, and gas gets mixed together in the ground. (There is no separate nozzle/hose on the trucks for each grade of petro.)
We do not pump. Tanks are filled via gravity feeds, the hose must be dumped out before switching to another fill.
That is assuming the truck is at that time hauling more than one grade. Again any residual gas in hose or even in the truck itself would not be enough to make an octane difference.
Another thing, other than Shell and BP most companies get their basic fuel from the same racks (the term for where we load the tankers) What tells them apart is the additive requirements depending on the retailer. Where I loaded Chevron and Citgo (at that time the 7-11 brand) came from the same rack, the difference was that the additives for the Chevron were added during the fill process.
BP ergo Arco ergo AM/PM adds no additives of any kind. Making their gas cheaper and not good for your engine in the long run.
Shell has the highest standards of the industry, while I have loaded out of a SHell rack when my normal rack was out of a grade, I have never seen Shell trucks load at any rack but their own.
Be aware that not having a refinery in town doesnt mean there isnt a brand specific rack, gas these days is piped or brought in by barges to most areas.
Comment