(LAC) MTBE, 76, pros/cons?

[Robert Myers]

Chris,

MTBE, Methyl tertiary-butyl ether CH3-O-C(CH3)3, is an additive formerly
mandated by CARB and intended to reduce smog during winter months in
California.  It provided some of the oxygen for "burning" the fuel already
combined with the fuel.  (Buncha BS, IMO, but that was their claim.)  MTBE
has also recently been found to become a major ground water contaminant in
areas where it is used and its use is no longer mandated.  The presence of
the oxygen of the MTBE also reduced the energy available from a gallon of
gasoline which had the effect of reducing performance and or fuel economy
of the engine in which it was used.  Oh, it also imparts a "funny smell" to
the fuel containing it.

The Union 76 ads are valid.  Their fuel, along with probably all other
fuels in the region, no longer contains MTBE during the winter months.  Of
course, the significance of that fact in relation to the same fact for
virtually every other supplier of fuel lacks a little
something.  :-)  Kinda like the Tootsie Roll ads of oh so many years ago,
"Tootsie Roll Fwudge contains no doubleyou."  Are you old enough to
remember those ads?

Do you remember the Shell Oil ads touting their patented ingredient
"Platformate" which was supposed to be so wonderful?  Shell had copyrighted
the name "Platformate" which was a contraction of the term "platinum
reformate".  Every other oil refinery produces and blended platinum
reformate into their gasoline but only Shell had the right to tout their
wonderful Platformate.  Ain't the mind of advertisers wonderful?  :-)

PS, I suspect my chemistry class may have been a little better than yours
since I taught organic and biochemistry on the college level for 32 years.  :-)

At 01:20 PM 8/11/02, Chris Dyer wrote:


>I've noticed lately here in SoCal that Union 76 is advertising that their
>gas has no MTBE. Hm. Great, my Cream o' Wheat has no lemon pepper either.
>
>Currently I'm using Chevy Supremey Creamy w/Techron on my '87 5ktq. How is
>MTBE better/worse for the performance of my car? Would I even notice a
>difference (assuming I'm using the same octane rated fuels from either
>company)?
>
>(hopefully this won't be an environmental, fuel formula, my chemistry class
>was better than yours, etc. thread...)
>
>
>from chrisdyer at hotmail.com
>
>
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Bob
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  Robert L. Myers   304-574-2372
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