Filling up - 100% gasoline or ethonol blend?

absolutely avoid ethanol if possible. the manual warns to never use 15% or more.

 

If you look at this graph, you'll see that gasoline has more energy density (almost twice) than ethanol.

More Energy Density ==> More MPG

 

I normally try to fill with gasoline containing no ethanol, however, there's only one station I know of that has it in my area. So sometimes if I'm low and not in the area I'll fill up wherever's convenient.

 

There are a lot of myths out there about E10 versus "real gas" (as they say in our area) as well as legitimate data.
MY observations have been that there is a very negligible MPG difference in a G3 between E0 and E10.
YMMV.

Fortunately, the OP lives in an area where they don't up-charge for (what they SAY is....) E0 by about 10-percent.
Usually gas stations that sell this stuff are your smaller mom and pop stores. There are some good ones out there to be sure, but also there are some that are just barley hanging on and are tempted to take shortcuts in tank maintenance and filter replacement.

No Thanks.

When Priuses came out there was (and still are) a lot of negative urban myths about this car that have proven over time to be less than true. They call it FUD on this site.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear,_uncertainty_and_doubt

I suspect the same will hold true for Alky-Haul as an additive.

 

In fact, no new cars (with the exception of flex fuel vehicles) can handle ethanol content in gasoline greater than 10% without problems. Yet the ag lobby and your politicians are busy rolling out E-15.

 

Ehtanol blend is mandated here in Oregon, so I don't have much of a choice. The legislature had the best of intentions, but I'm not sure it worked out the way they hoped. I think gas stations are allowed to carry ehtanol-free premium...but I'm not sure whether many do, and I don't want to pay for premium.

 

There is about 3.3% less energy in e10 then e0. Depending on the ECU control in the prius E0 should provide you with around 1.5 mpg more. Try a tankfull and see if your results match up.

 

...agree with AG you might expect to see 1-2 MPG better with 100% gasoline.

 

In my Gen3 I just got finished with my own test of normal 10% ethanol vs. "pure 100% gas". I usually get between 39.5 - 41 mpg indicated using 10%, my last tank before the test (only driving back and forth to work) was 40.5 indicated which was 39.0 calculated. So, I filled up with 100% gas for a tank and got 42.5 indicated (40.5 calculated). So in my testing I got 1.5mpg better (3% or so better), I can't remember the exact difference in price but I think it was 5% more. At 5% it's not worth it, if it's within the 3% range I'll use t but I'm not hunting it down.

 

Go to pure-gas.org for addresses & a great zoomable map to find 100% gas stations in & around OshKosh. You have quite a number of 100% gas stations in your region, & about 10 stations in OshKosh, 3 with a variety of octanes.

 

There is 142 100% gas stations in Oregon..... none in Southeastern Oregon. Go to pure-gas.org to find addresses & a great zoomable map to those 100% gas stations in your area.

 

But gasoline engines designed for best efficiency on 100% pure gas, do NOT burn efficiently on ethanol, as well as the btu loss of ethanol. Tho the ethanol industry & gov't say you only lose 2 to 4%, most people report losing more, some even over 10%.

 

One tank of 100% gasoline without fully ridding your tank of ethanol doesn't mean too much. I have careful years of records of 10% ethanol blend use, along with half a year plus of 100% pure gasoline for 3 automobiles. After switching to 100% pure gasoline, our 3 cars' mpg increased 6%, 7-8%, & 8%. All engines became smoother, quieter & needed less downshifting while ascending hills.

Go to pure-gas.org for addresses & a great zoomable map of the minority of 5100+ stations(10 for every 350 stations) selling 100% pure gasoline. Pay attention & you will see the difference.

This isn't rocket science. Engines designed to most efficiently burn 100% pure gasoline do NOT burn ethanol blends efficiently. Engines that burn ethanol efficiently are designed differently with much high compression ratios to complement the high octane of ethanol. & even higher compression ratios can be obtained with direct fuel-injection to access the ultimate power of ethanol. Lower compression gasoline engines CANNOT realize the extra power of ethanol without modifications. `

 

^Thanks for reminding me about pure-gas.org. Closest filling station is about 25 miles from me and the ethanol-free gas is at least 60 more cents per gallon. YMMV, but I'm not sure the 8% MPG increase is worth the trouble/expense/time in my case.

 

Sadly, 'most people' confuse anecdote for data. In all things.

Ethanol has its advantages. 1) It is used in place of MBTE, which is toxic if it gets into the water table. I know the effects of ethanol in my drinking water. 2) It helps if you get water in your gas tank (I used to pay a lot for additive ethanol in the winter).

Ethanol has its disadvantages. It is basically a subsidy to agro-business, it saves little (or cost some) oil. While reducing food supplies, in a world with a Billion hungry people.

 

Oh cool, thank you! I'll check that out.

 

Originally Posted by litesong
Go to pure-gas.org for addresses & a great zoomable map to find 100% gas stations in & around OshKosh. You have quite a number of 100% gas stations in your region, & about 10 stations in OshKosh, 3 with a variety of octanes.
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Kirkuleez wrote:Oh cool, thank you! I'll check that out.
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litesong wrote:
Tho ethanol subsidies ended at the end of last year, there isn't a large swing for stations to sell 100% pure gas, yet. I believe the fed law to blend more ethanol into gasoline supplies is still in force.

However, the last month & a half, pure-gas.org unofficially reports that gas stations selling 100% pure gasoline have increased from 4900 to 5125 stations.

Kirkuleez has about the greatest availability of 100% ethanol-free gasoline for a small area, altho the Southeast U.S. generally has the densest availability of stations selling 100% ethanol-free gasoline.

 

Sweetness!!