Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote:
> In article <tZWdnay8U4UzV53VnZ2dnUVZ_j-dnZ2d@speakeasy.net>,
> jim beam <spamvortex@bad.example.net> wrote:
>
>>> But then, if it has a good additive package to keep the engine clean
>>> (that's what Top Tier is really all about) and the fuel cost per mile is
>>> no more than Shell
>> that depends on calorie content. and the only way the layperson can get
>> any handle on that is to keep accurate records of consumption over the
>> same route in long term testing - just like you say.
>
> yep. Although, given that it's regularly 15 cents/gallon cheaper than
> other gas, I don't think I'd waste my time spending a few months
> tracking the Hess gas cost/mile.
>
> There's a reason it's cheaper. The fuel company in question has made a
> marketing decision to appeal to those too dumb to understand anything
> beyond "look, it costs 15 cents/gallon less to buy!".
>

as you know, i'm very interested in this fuel calorie content thing, and
as a consumer paying for this stuff, i'd love to know what the heck i'm
supposed to be getting for my money.

i've noticed that when i put a bottle of injector cleaner in the car,
its performance improves. not massively, but noticeably. and it's easy
enough to tell because there's a hill near my home which has the perfect
grade to be a great gauge. at 60mph, crap gas, the car needs lots of
pedal and the old cable-controlled automatic transmission kick-down
operates. good gas, injector cleaner, it'll pull up there at the same
speed in top gear, never bats an eyelid. clearly the higher energy
content is giving it more "oomph".

if you look at injector cleaner contents, and as pointed out by tegger
recently, it's mostly kerosene. kero is denser and has a slightly
higher calorie content than regular gas. so the fact that the car runs
better with a little extra kero [and thus, energy density] in the tank
makes sense.

again, i'd really love to know what goes into my tank and what the
calorie content is. in fact, selling gas by the gallon /without/ this
information is like selling whiskey without disclosing the alcohol
content - a license [and incentive] to rip off the consumer. leaving
calorie content as the exclusive territory of the oilcos is absolutely
leaving the fox in charge of the hen house.