Oil Change

[Surly Old Bill]

I know it's oil, but gas affects oil.

Side note; almost ALL gas in Merkuh is Top Tier. You have to go out of your way to find some that isn't, and even then it probably is because refineries sell gas to all stations, not just their brand name stations.
*a gas delivery driver mentioned that there are several different reservoirs inside those tanker trucks, and not all gas is created equal; beyond the octane rating. Additives are...added...to the fuel based on who it's being delivered to. He mentioned that it's basically the same additive for all of them, but in minutely different amounts.

Here's a list of Top Tier gas, select by brand and country:
https://www.toptiergas.com/gasoline-brands/

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[Glen Baker LLC]

A lot of folks don't realize Costco is Top Tier Fuel

Sam's club is not.

 

[KeithNC]

Let the hate begin.....you don't need synthetic, you're wasting money, that oil change was too soon.

Do you hate your truck? You should only use the 0w-10 Titanium Synthetic., at 2,400 mile intervals.

Techtron is for posers. Real men use SeaFoam.

 

[Maverick Teacher]

Got my first oil change at 1,500 miles since I was about to tow a U-haul 1,000 miles. Went with full synthetic and also had the tires rotated. Didn't cost me anything with the rewards points from the original purchase. I'm at almost 7,000 miles and about to do the same service again.

 

[SLingbarT]

New XLT purchased in January 2025. Only 3,000 miles. Got an oil change and went with synthetic.

Also, added a bottle of Techron, as I do with all of my cars after every oil change.

Let the hate begin.....you don't need synthetic, you're wasting money, that oil change was too soon.

The dealer was a joy to work with too.

Happy Sunday.

I do believe 0w-20 is ONLY available in a full synthetic. good try.

 

[surfstar]

I do believe 0w-20 is ONLY available in a full synthetic. good try.

What? OP used that "water"!!!
Real men use 20w50 in everything and live like it is 1950 still.

I'm pretty sure that's what OP meant by posting this thread.

 

[sprubs]

What? OP used that "water"!!!
Real men use 20w50 in everything and live like it is 1950 still.

I'm pretty sure that's what OP meant by posting this thread.

you've captured the theme!

 

[Darryl]

https://www.lowes.com/pd/STAR-TRON-...LxPhcoMTNzRsilTX2xv_NUheR1sTFtRcaAgTxEALw_wcB

Ethanol gas collects water over time. It Is one of the stupidest things guvment ever did. The why they did it blows my mind.

There are a couple of potential reasons. . But I think these are credible.explanations.. There are several ways to boost octane and to make fuel burn cleaner, either extra refining and chemicals or adding ethanol. Ethanol is less expensive. So it was already being used in cheaper brands of gasoline in smaller amounts of less than 10%. They just labeled it ethanol enriched. Most people didn't pay attention to that label. The corn farmers liked it because it increased the demand for corn. So they lobbied for it. Then gasoline companies realize that there would be a demand for ethanol free fuel. So they used it as a cash cow. The difference in cost to the manufacturer between 10% ethanol fuel and ethanol free fuel is several cents. But they charge and exorbitant amount more. As with most things that may not make a lot of sense, the picture becomes clearer when you follow the money.

 

[CajunMick]

Not a big fan of turbos. Adding turbo to motorcycle sized engines in vehicles puts them on steroids. And introduced a host of issues. All that to meet the bureaucrats imposed fuel efficiency standards they prescribed. And owners paying for it.

Those Honda racing engines in F1 or Indy are tiny, with turbo over boosting and subject to detonation if fuels not carefully chosen. So they use 130 octane fuel to prevent detonation. The fuels laden, mixed with paint thinner tulene.

 

[grumpyunk]

Ethanol is used to lower emissions. It took the place of MTBE, which was discovered to seep into the grouind and do bad things to ground wate.(from memory) It was chosen as an available product which also appealed to farmers and investors in corn growing.
It is now an embedded product that would be difficult to remove from the market.
The dealers charge so much for non-ETOH fuel as they need a set of tanks, plumbing, pumps and record keeping for a low-volume product. They likely recover their investment and ongoing costs multiple times over.
It might be possible to replace the ETOH, but I think there would be some complaints from the suppliers. It could be considered a subsidy to farmers...

 

[ZABSMAV]

There are a couple of potential reasons. . But I think these are credible.explanations.. There are several ways to boost octane and to make fuel burn cleaner, either extra refining and chemicals or adding ethanol. Ethanol is less expensive. So it was already being used in cheaper brands of gasoline in smaller amounts of less than 10%. They just labeled it ethanol enriched. Most people didn't pay attention to that label. The corn farmers liked it because it increased the demand for corn. So they lobbied for it. Then gasoline companies realize that there would be a demand for ethanol free fuel. So they used it as a cash cow. The difference in cost to the manufacturer between 10% ethanol fuel and ethanol free fuel is several cents. But they charge and exorbitant amount more. As with most things that may not make a lot of sense, the picture becomes clearer when you follow the money.

I agree completely with your comments on the rediculous reasons that a certain lobby group got corn into our vehicles.

Fortunately a price difference here in our state isn't one of those.

Here are the prices in our city today at a Maverik Adventure Store near us:

---Regular unleaded w/ethanol, 85 octane $2.689

---Mid-grade unleaded w/ethanol, 87 octane $2.939

---Premium unleaded w/ethanol, 91 octane $3.189

---Ethanol-Free ClearGas, 88 octane $3.039.

The price difference from the mid-grade to the ethanol free is only ten cents. It is well worth the small difference here. Thus that is all we ever use in our 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat.

 

[Master Blaster]

I agree completely with your comments on the rediculous reasons that a certain lobby group got corn into our vehicles.

Fortunately a price difference here in our state isn't one of those.

Here are the prices in our city today at a Maverik Adventure Store near us:

---Regular unleaded w/ethanol, 85 octane $2.689

---Mid-grade unleaded w/ethanol, 87 octane $2.939

---Premium unleaded w/ethanol, 91 octane $3.189

---Ethanol-Free ClearGas, 88 octane $3.039.

The price difference from the mid-grade to the ethanol free is only ten cents. It is well worth the small difference here. Thus that is all we ever use in our 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat.

Interesting octane numbers. Regular fuel is pretty standardized at 87, while Maverick must be using truly awful base stock to only get 85 even after boosting the octane with alcohol. That's a fuel company that I'd want to stay very far away from.

 

[ZABSMAV]

Interesting octane numbers. Regular fuel is pretty standardized at 87, while Maverick must be using truly awful base stock to only get 85 even after boosting the octane with alcohol. That's a fuel company that I'd want to stay very far away from.

You must live at a lower elevation. 85 is fine for many older low compression vehicles at an average elevation in the state of around 6,000 feet. Maverik gasoline is very good quality, especially the ClearGas ethanol free.

 

[Darryl]

People would be surprised to know that if the average is maintained according to manufacturer recommendations using the lubricants and filters that meet or exceed manufacturer requirements for its operating conditions, it will usually give many , many miles of trouble free service. For everyone who gives a testimonial that they changed oil at half the recommended intervals and used this or that chemical and their engine lasted 150,000 plus miles, there's a person that did their oil changes by the book and got 150,000 plus miles of trouble free service

 

[CajunMick]

Ethanol is used to lower emissions. It took the place of MTBE, which was discovered to seep into the grouind and do bad things to ground wate.(from memory) It was chosen as an available product which also appealed to farmers and investors in corn growing.
It is now an embedded product that would be difficult to remove from the market.
The dealers charge so much for non-ETOH fuel as they need a set of tanks, plumbing, pumps and record keeping for a low-volume product. They likely recover their investment and ongoing costs multiple times over.
It might be possible to replace the ETOH, but I think there would be some complaints from the suppliers. It could be considered a subsidy to farmers...

The Italians complained can’t get good, cheap olive oil. The olive growers switched to growing sunflower. Discovered can get more ethanol yield per acreage and better prices for gasoline blending.

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