Sunday, January 15, 2017

how bad was the gas reformulations due to EPA restrictions, on mpg? Gerald kept track, it was startlingly bad

He bought a 1987 Ford Escort new, and it got 37 mpg
then a couple years went buy and the EPA regulations caused a reformulation,  and his mpg was 24
Then a year after that, a 2nd reformulated fuel was put out, and then he only was getting 19 mpg

Gerald Foye
AAA Westways magazine, letters to the editor, Jan Feb 2012 issue

2 comments:

  1. This is absolutely true. Adding alcohol to fuel does make it "cleaner burning" because the alcohol raises combustion temperatures. However, alcohol is a lower energy-density fuel source and has some other undesirable characteristics (attracts water, deteriorates gaskets, etc.).

    If you can purchase 100% petroleum fuel in your area, run your tank near empty, fill up with 100% petrol, and track your mileage. I see a 12% to 14% increase. Many times, that covers the increased cost over standard E-10 fuel.

    Then we should also have a conversation about using food to fuel automobiles. While the Iowa farmers love E-10, E-15, and E-85 (although they use 100% diesel themselves), you have to wonder if the world would be better off if that grain went into food we could eat, rather than fuel we burn.

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    Replies
    1. quite the quandry, burn clean fuel, instead of polluting the air, or spend the same amount per gallon on alcohol infused power lacking gas.

      Good point about farmers getting the profits from grain to gas, but burning diesel to operate trucking and tractors

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