re:California 4KSQ owners

[Robert Myers <rmyers@inetone.net>]

At 07:02 PM 1/30/97 -0500, you wrote:
---snip---
>> Question, has any other CA owner experienced any of this? Could the new 
>> formulate fuel in CA be the problem? Have been told that the new 
>> formulation could cause leaks in the fuel line of older cars. Any thoughts?
>

Many metropolitan areas (not just California) are mandated by our everlovin'
EPA to use "oxygenated fuel" to reduce air pollution.  Having oxygen already
present as part of the fuel apparently actually does help reduce unburned
hydrocarbon emissions.  This will assist in reducing the amount of
photochemical smog.  This is, I hear, a rather significant problem in
certain areas such as LA.

The currently used oxygen containing fuel additive is methyl tert-butyl
ether (MTBE).  It smells a lot different from gasoline.  Therefore the odor
smelled at the pump will be quite a bit different from what "pure" gasoline
will smell like.

The presence of the oxygen already contained in the fuel mixture reduces the
amount of energy produced in the combustion and therefore reduces the amount
of "go" from a gallon of fuel.  Less energy = less "go" = lowered fuel
economy.  In essence, part of the energy which should have been released
inside the engine has already been released before the fuel ever entered the
car.

Can you say "scrod", little boy?  Scrod?  The past participle of screwed.

___
   Bob
****************************************************
*  Robert L. Myers         rmyers@inetone.net      *
*  Rt. 1, Box 57            304-574-2372           *
*  Fayetteville, WV 25840                          *
*  Obligatory quattro and sleddog-L references:    *
*  My 3 huskies enjoy riding in my '89 200TQ       *
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