Marathon Gas???

[FishinTN]

Local oil company (bp gas) says they have ethenol free gas but its marathon gas. I usaully try to burn better better quality fuels, and I always took marathon for cheap gas. So I'm reluctant to use it. Is there any gas gurus out there that can say it's a crap fuel or decent to good fuel? Or, know of a gas station that has eth free gas that is a premium gas in the Clarksville(Tn) area or Ky Lake area?

[IwillChooseFreeWill]

All gasoline comes from 3 or 4 suppliers, and some areas only 1 or 2. The only difference is typically how much is sold and the additives they put into it. If they sell plenty of gas then I would not worry.

My local area has one supplier, 3 trucking companies to deliver for 6 or 7 main gas station "brands"

[Long Mike]

If I'm not mistaken, there is only one major refined products pipeline that runs through TN.  ALL gasoline destined for TN runs through that pipeline.  The various retail marketers load the gas into their tanker trucks, pour in their secret additives and take it to their respctive service stations.  Marathon gas is the same as all the rest.

[Mike O]

Take it from an old oil guy, Marathon refineries are some of the best in the country. All major oil companies do swaps around the country where they do not have local production/refinery pipeline operations and this is standard practice and relates to operational cost. When you pull into a branded station there is no guarantee the oil company made the fuel, but yes their additives are usually in it. The station that sells the fuel has more to do in maintaining quality after production. Filters maintained/correct filters hoses, tanks not leaking drawing water, weather tight. As far as ethanol it is possible the gas you buy does not have it and likely the pump is labeled ethanol as a CYA to insure the legality is covered for any fuel purchase. Ethanol is actually a positive in the winter as it controls small amounts of moisture that can turn to ice in the fuel and plug filters in below freezing temperatures. Ethanol or not is really not much of an issue unless the mix is incorrect greater than 10% ethanol. There are cheap ethanol test kits on the market now if you have a concern. This is a very simple test.

[IwillChooseFreeWill]

there was a big write up on the Ethanol versus no ethanol in the Nov 09 issue of Bassmasters, even more info I was not aware of that affected boats more than other motorized vehicles.

May want to look into that... or I can scan it and send it via email if anyone is interested.

Also may want to check with the management of that gas station or the suppliers themselves because it may be possible that they have Ethanol but just have not marked their pumps (or do they have specific signs saying "Ethanol free gas"?).

[Way2slow]

As others have mentioned, just because it say's Marathon on the tanker or pipeline, doesn't mean it's the same gas sold under the BP logo as sold under the Marathon.  The pipeline feeds pure, untreaded gasoline to the distrubution centers.  Then it depends on who's the customer as to what additives are added, whether it be methanol, detergents, or other witches brew the retailer uses.

Methanol is a cheap octane booster, when they add zylene or other additives to get the same octane boosting benifits as methonal, it cost a little more.

Personally, I also run BP and try not to buy any gasoline that has methanol, however, in some areas, even some of the BP's you pull into have the 10% methanol sticker on the pumps.