Water Cooler Talking Point: “OPEC is the commodities
market equivalent of FIFA. Its members are mostly Bond villain types and
eventually, the whole corrupt house of cards will come tumbling down.”
(BroBible.com)
Showing posts with label gas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gas. Show all posts
Thursday, June 7, 2018
Monday, November 6, 2017
This Rule Is Broken, But Unlike Others, It Can Be Fixed
We Need To Fix the Government's Misguided and Ridiculous Fuel Economy Standards
President Trump and the sad CAFE
What made today's unpleasant, oversized automotive landscape the way it is? They'll tell you that it was "market forces" but that's a lie. They'll tell you it was "consumer preference" but that's a joke. It was the law. A stupid, inexcusable law called CAFE, which stands for Corporate Average Fuel Economy. It was supposed to make cars more fuel efficient. Instead, it killed them and opened the door for today's "truck"-centric sales landscape. President Obama's actions during his presidency threatened to make that situation permanent—but President Trump has a chance to fix it, if he acts with swift certainty.
President Trump and the sad CAFE
What made today's unpleasant, oversized automotive landscape the way it is? They'll tell you that it was "market forces" but that's a lie. They'll tell you it was "consumer preference" but that's a joke. It was the law. A stupid, inexcusable law called CAFE, which stands for Corporate Average Fuel Economy. It was supposed to make cars more fuel efficient. Instead, it killed them and opened the door for today's "truck"-centric sales landscape. President Obama's actions during his presidency threatened to make that situation permanent—but President Trump has a chance to fix it, if he acts with swift certainty.
CAFE took effect in 1978. In 1979, it mandated a
"fleet average" economy of 19.0 mpg for cars and 17.2mpg for 2WD trucks.
4WD trucks were permitted 15.8. But by 1985, the requirement for cars
had jumped to 27.5mpg while trucks were allowed a combined average of
19.5. Over the next twenty years, this spread stayed more or less the
same. The intent of the law was to recognize the simple realities of
physics: it's much easier to get 27.5mpg out of an Accord than it is to
get the same efficiency from an F-150.
What
broke the system was the introduction of "trucks" that served the same
purpose as cars. Some of them were just trucks with more seats in them:
the 1990 Ford Explorer was really just a Ranger with a cap permanently
welded on. Some were cars that were rebuilt to comply with the letter of
the law, like the PT Cruiser. Others were strange hybrids like the
unibody Cherokee and Grand Cherokee.
No matter
how these "light trucks" came into being, however, they were all
permitted to consume almost half again as much fuel as a standard
automobile. This was a massive competitive advantage. You couldn't get a
V8 in a mid-sized GM or Ford sedan, but you could get one in a Grand
Cherokee or a Land Cruiser.
Forty-one years after CAFE was passed, it's managed to change the
automotive landscape entirely. But instead of creating a world of
efficient commuter cars as its drafters envisioned, the legislation has
managed to turn the American family car into the American family truck.
We are all worse off as a result. Say what you like about "crossovers"
and the like but the fact is that when you turn a car into a truck you
ruin everything from the fuel economy to the handling.
Two weeks ago, the EPA announced that it would
"finalize" its 2025 regulations earlier than expected. This action has
no force of law; it's merely meant to enshrine President Obama's desires
in writing before President Trump takes over. There is no reason that
Mr. Trump could not change these regulations as he desires. Early
indications are that he's not terribly impressed by the EPA in general.
He might choose to lower CAFE targets a bit. He might choose to abolish
them altogether.
I have a different suggestion,
one that will probably manage to enrage both the tree-huggers AND the
red-state conservatives. I think he should set ambitious CAFE goals that
apply to both cars and trucks equally. Instead of 60mpg for cars and
30mpg for trucks, how about 45mpg for everybody? Let's stop playing
favorites and picking winners. There should be one CAFE for everybody.
Wednesday, November 1, 2017
F.Y.I. - Why You Can't Mix Gas & Diesel
I Put Diesel In My Car's Gasoline Tank! What Do I Do Now?
What To Do
Onward, to the real question at hand. Is our reader’s cousin screwed? The short answer is maybe; the slightly longer answer is that, as you might’ve guessed, if he’s not, the repairs won’t be cheap. If you do this, and you’re fortunate enough to realize your terrible mistake, do not start the engine. You can get the fuel tank flushed out before it gets into the motor and odds are you should be fine. Embarrassed, but fine. Probably don’t tell anyone you did this afterward.
But having actually run the car, our reader’s cousin has already gone through the first necessary steps, which amount to a flush of the fuel system, including the tank, fuel lines, injectors, rail, and fuel pump. In most cases, this is all that’s required, and, soon enough, you’ll be off driving again, a bit wiser for the experience, if also a bit poorer.
How much poorer? As little as $400 or as much as $1,500, depending on the car, according to Tim Anderson, the owner of Automotive Authority in Troy, Michigan, who has repaired a number of cars that had diesel accidentally put in them.
But what if that wasn’t enough? What can happen, though, is that the car keeps running on gasoline remaining in the fuel line, or some mixture of diesel and gasoline, depending on how much of the latter was in the tank when you put in the former.
That results in some severe engine damage, according to Chia-Fon Lee, a mechanical engineering professor and internal combustion expert at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Simply running the engine rough—as it misfires—could cause piston or cylinder head damage, leading to a loss of compression, Lee said, adding that most people will shut off their cars before the worst of it occurs because the problem—in the way the engine sounds, at least—will be pretty obvious.
The fix in the worst case? An engine rebuild.
And if your engine doesn’t get damaged that way, John Heywood, a mechanical engineering professor at MIT, said that it’s possible that deposits could build up on valve closings while running rough because of diesel, leading to a loss of compression, though he added that he’d be “surprised” if any permanent damage resulted.
(Jalopnik.com)
What To Do
Onward, to the real question at hand. Is our reader’s cousin screwed? The short answer is maybe; the slightly longer answer is that, as you might’ve guessed, if he’s not, the repairs won’t be cheap. If you do this, and you’re fortunate enough to realize your terrible mistake, do not start the engine. You can get the fuel tank flushed out before it gets into the motor and odds are you should be fine. Embarrassed, but fine. Probably don’t tell anyone you did this afterward.
But having actually run the car, our reader’s cousin has already gone through the first necessary steps, which amount to a flush of the fuel system, including the tank, fuel lines, injectors, rail, and fuel pump. In most cases, this is all that’s required, and, soon enough, you’ll be off driving again, a bit wiser for the experience, if also a bit poorer.
How much poorer? As little as $400 or as much as $1,500, depending on the car, according to Tim Anderson, the owner of Automotive Authority in Troy, Michigan, who has repaired a number of cars that had diesel accidentally put in them.
But what if that wasn’t enough? What can happen, though, is that the car keeps running on gasoline remaining in the fuel line, or some mixture of diesel and gasoline, depending on how much of the latter was in the tank when you put in the former.
That results in some severe engine damage, according to Chia-Fon Lee, a mechanical engineering professor and internal combustion expert at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Simply running the engine rough—as it misfires—could cause piston or cylinder head damage, leading to a loss of compression, Lee said, adding that most people will shut off their cars before the worst of it occurs because the problem—in the way the engine sounds, at least—will be pretty obvious.
The fix in the worst case? An engine rebuild.
And if your engine doesn’t get damaged that way, John Heywood, a mechanical engineering professor at MIT, said that it’s possible that deposits could build up on valve closings while running rough because of diesel, leading to a loss of compression, though he added that he’d be “surprised” if any permanent damage resulted.
(Jalopnik.com)
Thursday, September 28, 2017
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
A Steady Way That Oil Companies Are Screwing Us
WHY IS A SUMMER BLEND OF PETROL A THING?
It’s not just here in California where different fuel blends exist. America has around 20 various blends of gasoline to meet state and federal guidelines. It turns out that when state and federal laws differ, making something for everyone gets complicated. The reason for the variation in blends comes down to controlling VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) relative to how likely they are to evaporate when they get hot. The more VOCs, the more smog we see. The Reid Vapor Measure (RVP) I mentioned on the podcast is the system used to measure the volatility in gasoline in terms of PSI (Pounds Per Square Inch). It measures the absolute vapor pressure exerted by a liquid at 37.8 °C (100 °F). The higher the RVP, the easier to it is to vaporize and the worse the effect on our environment. All gasoline blends have to weigh in under normal atmospheric pressure – 14.7 PSI . When that excessive heat of summer arrives, the RVP of gasoline has to drop lower so it doesn’t boil off. The EPA, while it still exists, mandates between 9.0 PSI and 7.8 PSI for summer grades. Because different states reach different extremes of summer they have their own blends.
(DriveTribe.com)
It’s not just here in California where different fuel blends exist. America has around 20 various blends of gasoline to meet state and federal guidelines. It turns out that when state and federal laws differ, making something for everyone gets complicated. The reason for the variation in blends comes down to controlling VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) relative to how likely they are to evaporate when they get hot. The more VOCs, the more smog we see. The Reid Vapor Measure (RVP) I mentioned on the podcast is the system used to measure the volatility in gasoline in terms of PSI (Pounds Per Square Inch). It measures the absolute vapor pressure exerted by a liquid at 37.8 °C (100 °F). The higher the RVP, the easier to it is to vaporize and the worse the effect on our environment. All gasoline blends have to weigh in under normal atmospheric pressure – 14.7 PSI . When that excessive heat of summer arrives, the RVP of gasoline has to drop lower so it doesn’t boil off. The EPA, while it still exists, mandates between 9.0 PSI and 7.8 PSI for summer grades. Because different states reach different extremes of summer they have their own blends.
(DriveTribe.com)
Thursday, June 22, 2017
Monday, May 1, 2017
Another Reason Why It's Expensive To Live & Visit California
California enacts $52 billion fuel tax hike for road, bridge repairs
EV owners will pay a $100 annual fee in lieu of gas taxes.
LOS ANGELES, April 28 (Reuters) - California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law on Friday a bill to raise gasoline taxes and other transportation-related fees for the first time in decades in an ambitious $52 billion plan to repair the state's long-neglected roads and bridges. The measure will increase excise taxes on gasoline by 12 cents per gallon, from the current rate of 28 cents, and on diesel fuel by 20 cents per gallon over the next 10 years. It will go into effect in November.
The bill cleared the state legislature three weeks ago, on the strength of a two-thirds super-majority the Democrats wield in both houses that allows them to pass new taxes with little or no Republican support.
Republicans condemned the increases, saying the state's transportation taxes and fees are already among the highest in the nation. They call the measure the largest gasoline tax in California's history.
"Californians got a lemon of a gas and car tax hike today," Senate Republican leader Patricia Bates said.
The average motorist in California, a state renowned for its car culture, will see transportation costs rise by about $10 a month, the bill's supporters say. The governor insisted the pain of higher taxes would be more than offset by economic benefits.
(AutoBlog.com)
EV owners will pay a $100 annual fee in lieu of gas taxes.
LOS ANGELES, April 28 (Reuters) - California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law on Friday a bill to raise gasoline taxes and other transportation-related fees for the first time in decades in an ambitious $52 billion plan to repair the state's long-neglected roads and bridges. The measure will increase excise taxes on gasoline by 12 cents per gallon, from the current rate of 28 cents, and on diesel fuel by 20 cents per gallon over the next 10 years. It will go into effect in November.
The bill cleared the state legislature three weeks ago, on the strength of a two-thirds super-majority the Democrats wield in both houses that allows them to pass new taxes with little or no Republican support.
Republicans condemned the increases, saying the state's transportation taxes and fees are already among the highest in the nation. They call the measure the largest gasoline tax in California's history.
"Californians got a lemon of a gas and car tax hike today," Senate Republican leader Patricia Bates said.
The average motorist in California, a state renowned for its car culture, will see transportation costs rise by about $10 a month, the bill's supporters say. The governor insisted the pain of higher taxes would be more than offset by economic benefits.
(AutoBlog.com)
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Thursday, October 6, 2016
Hell Yah, Bentley
Bentley To Offer Free Gas Delivery To Drivers Of Its Very Thirsty Cars
In a first for Bentley customers, all owners need do is simply open the innovative Filld for Bentley app, choose a delivery time, and their fuel will be delivered wherever and whenever they require. This first-ever Connected Car integration means that customers don’t even need to unlock the fuel cap themselves, or identify the car’s exact location as this is done for them securely through the Filld for Bentley service.(Jalopnik.com)
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
They Have No Reason To Be Worried
OPEC not even a little worried about electric vehicle threat
We're just gonna keep burning gas, apparently.
Despite the confidence expressed in the study, some members of OPEC may
be blinking. Saudi Arabia is preparing a $2-trillion investment fund
dedicated to funding industries that have nothing to do with petroleum,
according to the FT. That said, automakers continue to find
ways to generate more power out of smaller engines, which on one hand
boosts fuel economy but on the other hand helps keep the public tethered
to gas-powered vehicles.
Thursday, July 28, 2016
This Clears Up Nothing
Why do gas stations still put 0.9 cents on a gallon of gas?
Q: What on earth is the rationale for gas stations to list their prices to include 0.9 cents at the end? When gas was 29 cents a gallon (I remember paying 19.9 in Texas in 1968) the fractional cent might have made sense. Now it doesn't, so why keep implying that $2.39.9 a gallon is not essentially the same as $2.40?
— M.W., Glen Ellyn
A: That fraction of a penny goes back a lot further than 1968. Try 1918 or thereabouts, when a penny went a lot further, too. Around the time of the Great Depression, the federal government tacked a 1.5 cents per gallon tax on the stuff. Since times were already tough enough, gasoline retailers used the tried-and-true marketing trick of using the 0.9 instead of whole cents and it has been thus ever since.
(Yahoo.com)
Q: What on earth is the rationale for gas stations to list their prices to include 0.9 cents at the end? When gas was 29 cents a gallon (I remember paying 19.9 in Texas in 1968) the fractional cent might have made sense. Now it doesn't, so why keep implying that $2.39.9 a gallon is not essentially the same as $2.40?
— M.W., Glen Ellyn
A: That fraction of a penny goes back a lot further than 1968. Try 1918 or thereabouts, when a penny went a lot further, too. Around the time of the Great Depression, the federal government tacked a 1.5 cents per gallon tax on the stuff. Since times were already tough enough, gasoline retailers used the tried-and-true marketing trick of using the 0.9 instead of whole cents and it has been thus ever since.
(Yahoo.com)
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
I Want To Be Surprised By This, But I'm Not
AAA auto club claims not all gasoline is the same
Putting the cheapest gas in your car may be helping your wallet, but, according to the AAA auto club, it's not helping your vehicle. Ever since 1996, all gasoline must have some engine-cleaning additives, but a lot of major companies put extra detergents. And it's paid off. In a recent independent study, AAA found that gasolines with fewer detergents left 19 times more deposits on engine intake valves than top-tier fuels after 4,000 miles of driving.
(AutoBlog.com)
Putting the cheapest gas in your car may be helping your wallet, but, according to the AAA auto club, it's not helping your vehicle. Ever since 1996, all gasoline must have some engine-cleaning additives, but a lot of major companies put extra detergents. And it's paid off. In a recent independent study, AAA found that gasolines with fewer detergents left 19 times more deposits on engine intake valves than top-tier fuels after 4,000 miles of driving.
(AutoBlog.com)
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Monday, November 2, 2015
More Proof On Why We Can't Get Out Of Debt As A Country
The U.S. Gov't Spent $43 Million On A Gas Station That Should've Cost $500,000
Building this gas station should have cost $500,000. Instead, the U.S. military spent $42,718,739 and can’t explain why.
(Jalopnik.com)
Building this gas station should have cost $500,000. Instead, the U.S. military spent $42,718,739 and can’t explain why.
(Jalopnik.com)
Saturday, August 1, 2015
This Will Happen Everywhere But California
Are You Ready For $2 A Gallon In Time For Christmas?
Drivers are paying nearly 70 cents less for gas than they were a year ago, and the price at the pump is expected to begin dropping again this fall.
Prices could tumble close to $2 per gallon by the New Year, analysts said.
Patrick DeHaan, a senior petroleum analyst at GasBuddy.com, points to possible easing of sanctions against Iran under a proposed nuclear deal and a slowing Chinese economy for growing global oil supplies.
(AutoSpies.com)
Drivers are paying nearly 70 cents less for gas than they were a year ago, and the price at the pump is expected to begin dropping again this fall.
Prices could tumble close to $2 per gallon by the New Year, analysts said.
Patrick DeHaan, a senior petroleum analyst at GasBuddy.com, points to possible easing of sanctions against Iran under a proposed nuclear deal and a slowing Chinese economy for growing global oil supplies.
(AutoSpies.com)
Sunday, June 7, 2015
New Super Premo Gas From Shell
Shell starts selling super-premium gasoline
If you're already tanking up with premium gas, you might notice a different option during your next fill-up at a Shell station. The oil company is launching a new fuel formula called V-Power Nitro+ Premium, and it claims that this is most advanced gasoline currently on the market.
V-Power Nitro+ adds chemicals to the company's gas that allegedly coats parts to prevent engine wear and protect fuel system components. According to Shell, an increasing number of vehicles are now requiring premium, and this product is a way to adjust to that change.
While Shell asserts that the cleaning agents in the gas act "like a barrier to protect against gunk, wear, and corrosion," the Detroit Free Press notes that none of these claims are independently verified, yet. Theoretically, V-Power Nitro+ might help, though. "Half the friction in an engine comes from the cylinders and piston rings," Harold Schock, director of energy and automotive research labs at Michigan State University, said to the newspaper. "Reformulated fuel could make a difference."
Press Release (AutoBlog.com)
If you're already tanking up with premium gas, you might notice a different option during your next fill-up at a Shell station. The oil company is launching a new fuel formula called V-Power Nitro+ Premium, and it claims that this is most advanced gasoline currently on the market.
V-Power Nitro+ adds chemicals to the company's gas that allegedly coats parts to prevent engine wear and protect fuel system components. According to Shell, an increasing number of vehicles are now requiring premium, and this product is a way to adjust to that change.
While Shell asserts that the cleaning agents in the gas act "like a barrier to protect against gunk, wear, and corrosion," the Detroit Free Press notes that none of these claims are independently verified, yet. Theoretically, V-Power Nitro+ might help, though. "Half the friction in an engine comes from the cylinders and piston rings," Harold Schock, director of energy and automotive research labs at Michigan State University, said to the newspaper. "Reformulated fuel could make a difference."
Press Release (AutoBlog.com)
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