Current Spike in Gas Prices

Welcome to Bridgeport...

Yeah...that's why, when southbound on 395, I fill up in Minden/Gardnerville, NV...as I'll be doing tomorrow.

Thanks for the heads up on Bridgeport gas prices. I sent the pic along to some friends that are heading north from Yosemite tomorrow. Their response was also that they will make sure Minden/Gardnerville is their fuel up point.
Cheers-

If you really need fuel in the area, Lee Vining, just a few miles down the road has diesel for $4.89. Still a rip, but half a buck cheaper than Bridgeport.

The Chevron station at Topaz Lake right before the California border is where we top off before heading south on 395. Even if coming over Monitor Pass it is worth the short detour north.

I drove from Bend, OR to Redding, CA tonight. Filled up at an independent station in Klamath Falls, OR and paid $3.99/gal. 15 miles further south along US 97 in Doris, CA an independent station was charging $4.99/gal.
What a difference a border makes!

(Of course, the fact that Doris is tiny adds a bit to the price, apart from the California factor.)


Mark,one thing to keep in mind is that you have no sales tax in OR,right? That makes a little difference,but the stuff is still too high
Does anyone remember four years ago the price of oil was between $150 and $160 per barrel and a gallon of gas was at the same price or less than now,when oil is in the $90 range.Whats up!
On our recent trip east to Minnesota we found gas between $3.65 and $3.90 most of the way.Even the fill up in Arnold Ca.at the start of the trip was $4.05 which is to be expected there,on the return through Arnold three and a half weeks later it was $4.39 at the same station.
Does this stop me from traveling not really.I just try to make less unnecessary trips.
A question for other 1st gen Tundra owners.What RPM do you show @ 65 MPH? My truck is 2,000 RPMs @ 65 MPH.
My mileage for our last trip was 15.5.Had as high as 19 and low as 12.5.We try to travel on non interstates as much as possible but when we do I try to keep it at or below the limit.I did find that when there was a head wind it made a difference in mileage.
Keep traveling,Frank

My girl mentioned there being something special about California gas, even the regular, and the refineries are having problems. So there is a shortage of "California" gas.

Anybody confirm this?

My girl mentioned there being something special about California gas, even the regular, and the refineries are having problems. So there is a shortage of "California" gas.

Anybody confirm this?


I eat my own cooking..no shortage of gas here

My girl mentioned there being something special about California gas, even the regular, and the refineries are having problems. So there is a shortage of "California" gas.

Anybody confirm this?


We have a "winterblend" that gets switches to after Oct.Who knows,as Ski said above my pay grade.
Frank

O.H.,

Your girl is correct. During the summer months CA requires refineries to provide a cleaner burning gasoline. Typically they switch back to the normal gas in November. The summer blend does cost more. Since it is for CA only, we can't bring in gas from neighboring states to help during a "shortage". Our governer has given the refineries approval to start producing the winter blend now.

Ted

O.H.,

Your girl is correct. During the summer months CA requires refineries to provide a cleaner burning gasoline. Typically they switch back to the normal gas in November. The summer blend does cost more. Since it is for CA only, we can't bring in gas from neighboring states to help during a "shortage". Our governer has given the refineries approval to start producing the winter blend now.

Ted


Thanks Ted.

Do you know if your winter blend is the same as the rest of the countries?

Thanks Ted.

Do you know if your winter blend is the same as the rest of the countries?


My understanding (above my pay grade) is that various areas - basins mostly including the Reno NV area - have "oxygenated" winter blends to help them burn more completely.

My understanding (above my pay grade) is that various areas - basins mostly including the Reno NV area - have "oxygenated" winter blends to help them burn more completely.

Yea Ski it's all above our pay grade.Just keep the gas flowing and I'll use it wisely.
Frank

I'm glad I'm not going anywhere near CA gas stations in a couple weeks on the drive to CO. Gonna have my rig sucking down gasoline and a 26' penskee also pulling a car trailer drink'n the diesel in the caravan.

I'm glad I'm not going anywhere near CA gas stations in a couple weeks on the drive to CO. Gonna have my rig sucking down gasoline and a 26' penskee also pulling a car trailer drink'n the diesel in the caravan.


Pods, some of the lowest gas prices I find on the websites are in Colorado. Enjoy and have a safe trip!

Midwest tends to be lower in general I've seen, but also I wonder on the CO front if the pricing is for 85 octane rather that 87 which would be regular elsewhere?

Midwest tends to be lower in general I've seen, but also I wonder on the CO front if the pricing is for 85 octane rather that 87 which would be regular elsewhere?


Yes, I have found that the price listed on GassBuddy etc is for the 85. What runs on 85 anyway?

Yes, I have found that the price listed on GassBuddy etc is for the 85. What runs on 85 anyway?

I ran on the 85 for several tanks full.Didn't notice any difference.Still got 15.5 MPG.
Frank

Yes, I have found that the price listed on GassBuddy etc is for the 85. What runs on 85 anyway?


Anything that runs on 87 at sea level can run 85 around Denver type altitudes. The thinner air means less air mass in the cylinder stroke thus the compression ratio is reduced. The need for higher octane is strictly to deter engine knock and that is typically a function of the compression ratio of the engine. Higher compression is typically higher performance and requires higher octane for the ratio not the "performance". Thus less air means the grade of performance for each octane level at the pump is typically reduced. IE "regular" is 85 instead of 87.

In turn the reduced air mass means lower power out of the engine but that is regardless of the gas used.

Anything that runs on 87 at sea level can run 85 around Denver type altitudes. The thinner air means less air mass in the cylinder stroke thus the compression ratio is reduced. The need for higher octane is strictly to deter engine knock and that is typically a function of the compression ratio of the engine. Higher compression is typically higher performance and requires higher octane for the ratio not the "performance". Thus less air means the grade of performance for each octane level at the pump is typically reduced. IE "regular" is 85 instead of 87.

In turn the reduced air mass means lower power out of the engine but that is regardless of the gas used.

Pods the compression ratio doesn't change with the air mass.The compression ratio is set according to the capacity of the cylinder volume to the combustion chamber capacity in the head.It's the file/air ratio that changes from sea level to higher altitude.That's why carburetor-ed engines don't run 'as well as fuel injected ones at high altitudes.
I wouldn't want to use 85 down at sea level most likely hear a lot of knocking under power up hills.I even saw high mixes of Ethanol on the trip some as much as 85% ,which came from a different nozzle of the pump.The normal mix that was used was 10/15%.
Frank

Sorry typed that while drink'n. The final developed pressure verse being at sea level is reduced thus if you compared that against your sea level pressure the compression ratio in terms of pressure would appear to be reduced when it comes to fuel mixture even though the engine is still compressing the local atmospheric pressure the same amount, there is just a lower starting pressure to compress. So in the world of octane which higher levels are needed for retarding knocking of higher compression engines you inherently would need less octane if your ultimate pressure is reduced by atmospheric changes.

Assuming 0' of elevation is 14.7psi on a 10:1 engine would develop 147psi at sea level but at 5000' with a pressure of 12.2psi the engine would only have 122psi at the top of the stroke. Less octane is needed. Less power is also made. Less fuel is also used relatively but more throttle may be need to make up for the less power. Etc. I'll be feeling the whole situation out soon.