Fuel quality vs fuel economy (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

While we are talking about mileage though, there are things besides the obvious (driving style, speed, traffic, etc.) that can affect your MPG from tank to tank.

Summer vs winter fuel standards set by various regulatory bodies.

Air conditioner usage. More AC = less MPG.

Fuel temperature - Retailers never discuss fuel temperature with their customers, but wholesale fuel prices are adjusted at the rack for every degree over/under the standard 60 degree fuel temperature reference. Fuel expands and contracts with temperature changes. A gallon is a gallon, but a gallon of cold fuel has more BTUs than a gallon of hot fuel.
 
Additionally, if you put in Premium, and the ECU adjusts the timing curve a bit to take advantage of a little higher octane, there is absolutely zero way you could notice a few extra horsepower (and it's only a few, at best) in a 5500-6500 pound truck. Zero, nada, zilch. It's in your head.

Did I say I had more horse power? Nope. I said I feel a difference in throttle response.
Again, like I already said, it’s right in the owners manual, “for maximum performance premium fuel is recommended”
 
Gasoline is gasoline. It’s a commodity pure and simple. It’s highly likely that every single gas station in your neighborhood, or every your city/county/region gets its gas from the exact same distribution hub (AKA “The Rack”). The fuel comes to the rack via pipeline directly from a refinery hundreds of miles away. It sits in giant tanks waiting to get sold. At this point, it’s all generic gasoline, exactly the same. A tanker truck pulls up to the rack and loads up with 8-10k gallons of gasoline and ethanol. The actual amount of ethanol that is added is determined by state and federal regulations. Neither Costco nor your cheap indie station can adjust this mix to maximize their profit. At the same time, about 10-20 gallons of proprietary additives (Chevron Techron, Shell V-Power, ExxonMobil Synergy, etc.) are added to the mix. This is the only thing that makes fuel different from station to station. Gasoline is better with the right additives, but there is virtually no difference between the addives used by major gasoline retailers, including Costco.

Your MPG variance is being caused by something else.

Not entirely true. Marathon has it’s own refinery. They make their own fuels and sell to no one else. Their refinery is right here in MI.

Citgo also has their own distributor. So their fuel blends are theirs and theirs alone.

Speedway also has their own distributor and only distributes Speedway branded fuel.

There are three different fuel distributors here other than the branded one’s I already mentioned.

I realize this can vary from state to state.

Correct, no one can dilute their fuel with ethanol to increase profits, that was part of my point. MPG is essentially the same across all brands I used. The small variances are to be expected in real world testing. I did not scientifically control the engine load, idle time, cold start temp, frequency of short trips etc. I just drove like I always do. My commute to work. Drove to the store etc.
 
Last edited:
All gasoline use the same pipelines that run throughout the USA and add their additive and detergents at the "Rack" or terminal. The only gasoline brand I've heard that doesn't mix with others is Chevron. From my understanding, they control the refining and the delivery to their own stations without mixing their fuel with others. This is why Chevron is always more expensive than other brands. Perhaps Citgo, Speedway, and Marathon do the same. They do not sell in AZ, so I am not as familiar with those brands.

I usually buy gasoline with the "Top Tier" rating, whether it's Costco, QT, Valero, etc.
 
Not entirely true. Marathon has it’s own refinery. They make their own fuels and sell to no one else. Their refinery is right here in MI.

Citgo also has their own distributor. So their fuel blends are theirs and theirs alone.

Speedway also has their own distributor and only distributes Speedway branded fuel.

There are three different fuel distributors here other than the branded one’s I already mentioned.

I realize this can vary from state to state.

Correct, no one can dilute their fuel with ethanol to increase profits, that was part of my point. MPG is essentially the same across all brands I used. The small variances are to be expected in real world testing. I did not scientifically control the engine load, idle time, cold start temp, frequency of short trips etc. I just drove like I always do. My commute to work. Drove to the store etc.

Not exactly.

Marathon owns the ONLY refinery in Michigan. Most of the fuel used in Michigan, regardless of brand, comes from this refinery. So yes, Marathon stations in Michigan are in fact selling Marathon refined fuel, but it's more of a geographical coincidence than some special marathon arrangement.

Here is a list of all the fuel racks in Michigan.

T-38-MI-3001 U.S. Oil - Cheboygan 311 Coast Guard Drive Cheyboygan MI 49721
T-38-MI-3002 U.S. Oil - Rogers City Calcite 1035 Calcite Rd. Rogers City MI 49779
T-38-MI-3003 Waterfront Petroleum Terminal Co. 1071 Miller Rd. Dearborn MI 48120
T-38-MI-3004 Buckeye Terminals, LLC - Napoleon 6777 Brooklyn Road Napoleon MI 49261
T-38-MI-3005 Buckeye Terminals, LLC - River Rouge 205 Marion Street River Rouge MI 48218
T-38-MI-3006 Buckeye Terminals, LLC - Dearborn 8503 South Inkster Rd. Taylor MI 48180-2114
T-38-MI-3007 Buckeye Pipe Line Holdings, L.P - Taylor 24801 Ecorse Rd Taylor MI 48180
T-38-MI-3008 CITGO - Ferrysburg 524 Third Street Ferrysburg MI 49409
T-38-MI-3009 CITGO - Jackson 2001 Morrill Rd Jackson MI 49201
T-38-MI-3010 CITGO - Niles 2233 South Third Niles MI 49120
T-38-MI-3011 MPLX Niles (North) 2140 South Third St. Niles MI 49120
T-38-MI-3012 Cousins Petroleum - Taylor 7965 Holland Taylor MI 48180
T-38-MI-3013 Buckeye Terminals, LLC - Ferrysburg 17806 North Shore Dr. Ferrysburg MI 49409
T-38-MI-3014 Buckeye Terminals, LLC - Taylor East 24501 Ecorse Rd Taylor MI 48180
T-38-MI-3015 MPLX Detroit 12700 Toronto St. Detroit MI 48217
T-38-MI-3016 MPLX Flint 6065 North Dort Highway Mt. Morris MI 48458
T-38-MI-3017 MPLX Jackson 2090 Morrill Rd Jackson MI 49201-8238
T-38-MI-3018 Delta Fuel Facility - DTW Metro West. Service Rd. Romulus MI 48174 x
T-38-MI-3019 MPLX Niles (South) 2216 South Third Street Niles MI 49120-4010
T-38-MI-3020 MPLX North Muskegon 3005 Holton Rd North Muskegon MI 49445-2513
T-38-MI-3022 Buckeye Terminals, LLC - Flint G5340 North Dort Highway Flint MI 48505
T-38-MI-3023 Buckeye Terminals, LLC - Niles West 2150 South Third Street Niles MI 49120
T-38-MI-3024 Buckeye Terminals, LLC - Woodhaven 20755 West Road Woodhaven MI 48183-
T-38-MI-3025 Buckeye Terminals, LLC - Detroit 700 S. Deacon Street Detroit MI 48217
T-38-MI-3028 Buckeye Terminals, LLC - Niles 2303 South Third Street Niles MI 49120
T-38-MI-3029 Sunoco Partners Marketing & Terminals LP 4004 West Main Rd Owosso MI 48867
T-38-MI-3030 Sunoco Partners Marketing & Terminals LP 500 South Dix Avenue Detroit MI 48217
T-38-MI-3032 MPLX Bay City 1806 Marquette Bay City MI 48706
T-38-MI-3033 MPLX Lansing 6300 West Grand River Lansing MI 48906
T-38-MI-3034 MPLX Romulus 28001 Citrin Drive Romulus MI 48174
T-38-MI-3037 Sunoco Partners Marketing & Terminals LP 29120 Wick Road Romulus MI 48174
T-38-MI-3039 Delta Fuels of Michigan 40600 Grand River Novi MI 48374
T-38-MI-3041 Holland Terminal, Inc. 630 Ottawa Avenue Holland MI 49423
T-38-MI-3043 Buckeye Terminals, LLC - Marshall 12451 Old US 27 South Marshall MI 49068
T-38-MI-3046 Marysville Hydrocarbons 2510 Busha Highway Marysville MI 48040
T-38-Mi-3047 Waterfront Petroleum Terminal Co. 5431 W Jefferson Detroit MI 48209
T-38-MI-3048 Plains LPG Services LP 1575 Fred Moore Hwy St Clair MI 48079
T-38-MI-3049 Detroit Refining Logistics LLC 1300 S Fort St Detroit MI 48217

The Marathon refinery is likely supplying generic fuel to every one of these racks. Whatever brand of gas you buy in Michigan, it came through one of these racks (usually the one closest to the station). It's not Chevron brand, Shell brand, Texaco brand, Costco brand or even Marathon brand fuel until the additives are added at the rack as the tanker truck gets filled.

Don't be fooled by the fact that you see recognizable names like Citgo and Sunoco listed as rack owners. Citgo and Sunoco stations don't go far out of their way just to buy fuel from their own rack. It just doesn't work that way.
 
Last edited:
Not exactly.

Marathon owns the ONLY refinery in Michigan. Most of the fuel used in Michigan, regardless of brand, comes from this refinery. So yes, Marathon stations in Michigan are in fact selling Marathon refined fuel, but it's more of a geographical coincidence than some special marathon arrangement.

Here is a list of all the fuel racks in Michigan.

T-38-MI-3001 U.S. Oil - Cheboygan 311 Coast Guard Drive Cheyboygan MI 49721
T-38-MI-3002 U.S. Oil - Rogers City Calcite 1035 Calcite Rd. Rogers City MI 49779
T-38-MI-3003 Waterfront Petroleum Terminal Co. 1071 Miller Rd. Dearborn MI 48120
T-38-MI-3004 Buckeye Terminals, LLC - Napoleon 6777 Brooklyn Road Napoleon MI 49261
T-38-MI-3005 Buckeye Terminals, LLC - River Rouge 205 Marion Street River Rouge MI 48218
T-38-MI-3006 Buckeye Terminals, LLC - Dearborn 8503 South Inkster Rd. Taylor MI 48180-2114
T-38-MI-3007 Buckeye Pipe Line Holdings, L.P - Taylor 24801 Ecorse Rd Taylor MI 48180
T-38-MI-3008 CITGO - Ferrysburg 524 Third Street Ferrysburg MI 49409
T-38-MI-3009 CITGO - Jackson 2001 Morrill Rd Jackson MI 49201
T-38-MI-3010 CITGO - Niles 2233 South Third Niles MI 49120
T-38-MI-3011 MPLX Niles (North) 2140 South Third St. Niles MI 49120
T-38-MI-3012 Cousins Petroleum - Taylor 7965 Holland Taylor MI 48180
T-38-MI-3013 Buckeye Terminals, LLC - Ferrysburg 17806 North Shore Dr. Ferrysburg MI 49409
T-38-MI-3014 Buckeye Terminals, LLC - Taylor East 24501 Ecorse Rd Taylor MI 48180
T-38-MI-3015 MPLX Detroit 12700 Toronto St. Detroit MI 48217
T-38-MI-3016 MPLX Flint 6065 North Dort Highway Mt. Morris MI 48458
T-38-MI-3017 MPLX Jackson 2090 Morrill Rd Jackson MI 49201-8238
T-38-MI-3018 Delta Fuel Facility - DTW Metro West. Service Rd. Romulus MI 48174 x
T-38-MI-3019 MPLX Niles (South) 2216 South Third Street Niles MI 49120-4010
T-38-MI-3020 MPLX North Muskegon 3005 Holton Rd North Muskegon MI 49445-2513
T-38-MI-3022 Buckeye Terminals, LLC - Flint G5340 North Dort Highway Flint MI 48505
T-38-MI-3023 Buckeye Terminals, LLC - Niles West 2150 South Third Street Niles MI 49120
T-38-MI-3024 Buckeye Terminals, LLC - Woodhaven 20755 West Road Woodhaven MI 48183-
T-38-MI-3025 Buckeye Terminals, LLC - Detroit 700 S. Deacon Street Detroit MI 48217
T-38-MI-3028 Buckeye Terminals, LLC - Niles 2303 South Third Street Niles MI 49120
T-38-MI-3029 Sunoco Partners Marketing & Terminals LP 4004 West Main Rd Owosso MI 48867
T-38-MI-3030 Sunoco Partners Marketing & Terminals LP 500 South Dix Avenue Detroit MI 48217
T-38-MI-3032 MPLX Bay City 1806 Marquette Bay City MI 48706
T-38-MI-3033 MPLX Lansing 6300 West Grand River Lansing MI 48906
T-38-MI-3034 MPLX Romulus 28001 Citrin Drive Romulus MI 48174
T-38-MI-3037 Sunoco Partners Marketing & Terminals LP 29120 Wick Road Romulus MI 48174
T-38-MI-3039 Delta Fuels of Michigan 40600 Grand River Novi MI 48374
T-38-MI-3041 Holland Terminal, Inc. 630 Ottawa Avenue Holland MI 49423
T-38-MI-3043 Buckeye Terminals, LLC - Marshall 12451 Old US 27 South Marshall MI 49068
T-38-MI-3046 Marysville Hydrocarbons 2510 Busha Highway Marysville MI 48040
T-38-Mi-3047 Waterfront Petroleum Terminal Co. 5431 W Jefferson Detroit MI 48209
T-38-MI-3048 Plains LPG Services LP 1575 Fred Moore Hwy St Clair MI 48079
T-38-MI-3049 Detroit Refining Logistics LLC 1300 S Fort St Detroit MI 48217

The Marathon refinery is likely supplying generic fuel to every one of these racks. Whatever brand of gas you buy in Michigan, it came through one of these racks (usually the one closest to the station). It's not Chevron brand, Shell brand, Texaco brand, Costco brand or even Marathon brand fuel until the additives are added at the rack as the tanker truck gets filled.

Don't be fooled by the fact that you see recognizable names like Citgo and Sunoco listed as rack owners. Citgo and Sunoco stations don't go far out of their way just to buy fuel from their own rack. It just doesn't work that way.

Whiting Refinery | Refining | What we do | BP U.S.

Refining and Marketing

I can’t find any good info on Shell, BP refines their own fuel and sells to their own retail locations and perhaps other none BP banded stations.

Marathon owns Speedway and sells to independent retail locations. And obviously to Marathon and Speedway.

Gas stations can loose their franchise if their fuel does not meet the quality standards of the brand they are selling. Secret shoppers go around and buy fuel from a branded gas station, it is then lab tested and if it is not the correct fuel they go and pull their sign.

Costco does not refine their own fuel, I never suggested they did.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom