"Thom Stewart" wrote
You're way way off Key, Go sit in the corner with Dave!
It was decided, years ago. that gasoline was THE preferred fuel. ....

It is the standard fuel used in the Lab. Octane Engine. So, now that you
know Lab Octane, you and Dave. I ask the question of both of you. What
is High Octane. Also, Tell us the difference between Lab. Octane,
Chemical Octane, and Road Octane.

The difference is simply in the way you measure detonation resistance (octane
rating) and is meaningless to the discussion. Over 50 years ago "octane rating"
was indeed the percent of Octane in the fuel. However, before WW2 we found
additives, most notably tetraethel lead, that when added in microscopic
quantities, made heptane et al act even better than pure Octane, giving us
octane ratings of well over 100 in pump gas. This permitted higher cylinder
pressures prior to ignition, without detonation, and that provided more powerful
and more economic cars. The Ethel Corp held patents and made a lot of royalties
off this process. Compression ratio is often quoted but is only one determinate
of precombustion pressure.

Then California became overcrowded and began whining about 'smog' that burned
eyes long before anybody else noticed. Scientist determined that this was caused
by NOx, which could be reduced by lowering precombustion pressure. About the
same time "big oil" determined they could make bigger profits if they weren't
paying royalties to the Ethel Corp and that they could sell more gas if cars got
poorer gas mileage. So Congress invented EPA and it promptly mandated that all
cars run on unleaded regular. The next year gas mileage in typical family
sedans dropped from 18-22 mpg down to 12-15 mpg and, in less than a decade there
was a gas shortage that trippled the price. Since then, cars have become more
fuel efficient, but ever more expensive, by using high-dollar engine management
systems once found only on Indy and F-1 GP cars, and the family sedan has become
a thing of the past, but every gain has been matched and overcome by population
increases.

Obviously, we could reduce our gasoline consumption by almost 50% by simply
disestablishing EPA and its rules! Last I read we imported 60% of our oil. Not
all oil is used for gasoline but improving gas mileage by over 1/3 would go a
long way toward reducing that. Crazy? My 1957 Renault 4dr sedan got 45 mpg
using an archaic motor. What could it have gotten with today's technology?

I have nothing against ethanol IF it can provide a similar gain.

Vito wrote:

"Thom Stewart" wrote
You're way way off Key, Go sit in the corner with Dave!
It was decided, years ago. that gasoline was THE preferred fuel. ....

It is the standard fuel used in the Lab. Octane Engine. So, now that you
know Lab Octane, you and Dave. I ask the question of both of you. What
is High Octane. Also, Tell us the difference between Lab. Octane,
Chemical Octane, and Road Octane.

The difference is simply in the way you measure detonation resistance (octane
rating) and is meaningless to the discussion. Over 50 years ago "octane rating"
[snipped useful info]

I have nothing against ethanol IF it can provide a similar gain.

Well written Vito. I wonder if we went back to high compression engines
and used less fuel to drive the same distance, would the amount NOx
produced be about the same? I miss my 68 383 with a four barrel Holly.

Cheers
Marty

Marty,

Don't we all miss our "Muscle Cars" but I also miss gasoline well under
a dollar a gallon a lot more

http://community.webtv.net/tassail/ThomPage