So I’ve been poking around this forum and “other” car forums on what gas I should use.
Ethanol - avoid at all costs if possible.
Octane - not as critical as ethanol issue, use level to eliminate knocking.
So in PA, we have E10 gas. No avoiding it without an hour travel one-way to find e-free at the pump. Here are my choices that I’d like some feedback on.
The additives don’t do anything useful. Don’t waste your money. Lucas advertises more, which results in more sales, but doesn’t alter the lack of any usefulness.
Race gas is great if you actually need it to reduce pre-ignition in a high compression engine. It increases octane, which allows you to run more timing, which makes the engine run cooler. I buy race gas in 55 gallon drums because it is cheaper that way. If you need better fuel it is the way to go. I don’t drive my GT-E enough to need to mix it, but it could probably meet my needs mixed 50 / 50. The GT-E is 10.9 to 1 compression, the R code is around 10 to 1. The R code seems happy on super unleaded E10 so that’s what it gets.
I’m running AV-Gas, cheaper than race fuel and since the phat cat is a cloudless weekend driver not such a big deal. Some smaller airports will sell it to you, the closer one to me does but requires metal gas cans and I only have the plastic ones. I get mine at Sunoco, my buddy used to run their race fuel so we would team up on fuel runs but he runs VP now so I go solo. About 45 minutes each way for me but it is what it is. Don’t know much about PA but marine (boat) fuel is also ethanol free.
Some of the Wawa gas stations have started to carry ethanol free gas. Some near me in south jersey have it and the Wawa I stop at off the turnpike in the Poconos has it.
Of course not much help if you use a 1/2 tank of gas driving there.
As long as you’re not getting pinging, higher octane is not going to do much beyond drain your wallet. However you can sill find “Octane Supreme 130”. For off street use only of course as contains Tetraethyl Lead. Only octane booster that won’t just evaporate. Of course there’s a reason they “took the lead out”. Use this stuff enough and you’ll be too stupid to care or even be able to pronounce “Octane” .
I use the Pure Gas app, the same source as the link in Cavallino’s post. I looked up Plymouth Meeting and it looks like Butch’s Citgo in Bridgeport is the closest.
If you do use the ethanol gas make sure that any rubber in the fuel system is made of material that will take the ethanol. Older rubber fuel line will not stand up to ethanol as it breaks down the rubber.
Yes, thanks. That’s how I found Butch’s. They are the ones that sell the VP Racing product. That’s why they are on the Pure Gas list. Nothing at the pump sadly.
A good place to look for non-ethanol fuel is at marinas and by checking with boat dealers. Due to ethanol’s affinity to water and moisture the marine industry has pretty decent availability of non-ethanol fuel. It is worth some time and effort to find fuel without the corn juice and the havoc it creates in vehicles lightly used like our Cougars.
I am not sure, perhaps all of today’s rubber hose will withstand the ethanol. Just to be sure though if you go to purchase new hose tell the salesperson that you want rubber that will work with ethanol fuel. Better safe than sorry and it will take less than a minute to ask.
as contains Tetraethyl Lead. Only octane booster that won’t just evaporate. Of course there’s a reason they “took the lead out”. Use this stuff enough and you’ll be too stupid to care or even be able to pronounce “Octane” .