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California gas

4K views 46 replies 16 participants last post by  st&gtinmystable 
#1 ·
So I’ve been busy and haven’t been around the forums lately, but for the last month and a half or so I have had horrible issues with knock. I had to pull 7-8 degrees of timing in some areas and I’m still seeing it. This is on a tune that has rarely pulled more then a degree in the past. My system for pulling timing is a bit agressive so it’s not a fair comparison tune to tune but I’ve seen some knock events pull down to -5 or -6. After I pulled out a lot of timing it’s much better. I don’t believe it to be an engine problem as the knock events happen randomly in all four cylinders. All the evidence points to bad gas. I’ve tried many different stations and actually found a little better gas at a couple small no name stations.
i was looking into it and found out that California reformulated it’s gasoline for better emissions in July, around the same time I started having problems. I’d like to know if anyone else noticed this. If so there is something wrong with their formula and we need to speak up. Octane is knock resistance and the rating scale should be apples to apples From formulation to formulation. If they screwed this up then they can’t label something with the knock resistance of 87 as 91. I have a feeling California has been doing this for some time as most peoplefeel Ca gas is not as knock resistant as someother states at the same octane level to begin with. I’m not sure who to contact if we find evidence of this but it sure seems unethical. If I’m paying that much for 91 octane I should be getting 91 octane.
 
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#2 ·
So I’ve been busy and haven’t been around the forums lately, but for the last month and a half or so I have had horrible issues with knock. I had to pull 7-8 degrees of timing in some areas and I’m still seeing it. This is on a tune that has rarely pulled more then a degree in the past. My system for pulling timing is a bit agressive so it’s not a fair comparison tune to tune but I’ve seen some knock events pull down to -5 or -6. After I pulled out a lot of timing it’s much better. I don’t believe it to be an engine problem as the knock events happen randomly in all four cylinders. All the evidence points to bad gas. I’ve tried many different stations and actually found a little better gas at a couple small no name stations.
i was looking into it and found out that California reformulated it’s gasoline for better emissions in July, around the same time I started having problems. I’d like to know if anyone else noticed this. If so there is something wrong with their formula and we need to speak up. Octane is knock resistance and the rating scale should be apples to apples From formulation to formulation. If they screwed this up then they can’t label something with the knock resistance of 87 as 91. I have a feeling California has been doing this for some time as most peoplefeel Ca gas is not as knock resistant as someother states at the same octane level to begin with. I’m not sure who to contact if we find evidence of this but it sure seems unethical. If I’m paying that much for 91 octane I should be getting 91 octane.
Commiefornia screws you again. Damn!
Hope you get it worked out.
 
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#3 ·
So I’ve been busy and haven’t been around the forums lately, but for the last month and a half or so I have had horrible issues with knock. I had to pull 7-8 degrees of timing in some areas and I’m still seeing it. This is on a tune that has rarely pulled more then a degree in the past. My system for pulling timing is a bit agressive so it’s not a fair comparison tune to tune but I’ve seen some knock events pull down to -5 or -6. After I pulled out a lot of timing it’s much better. I don’t believe it to be an engine problem as the knock events happen randomly in all four cylinders. All the evidence points to bad gas. I’ve tried many different stations and actually found a little better gas at a couple small no name stations.
i was looking into it and found out that California reformulated it’s gasoline for better emissions in July, around the same time I started having problems. I’d like to know if anyone else noticed this. If so there is something wrong with their formula and we need to speak up. Octane is knock resistance and the rating scale should be apples to apples From formulation to formulation. If they screwed this up then they can’t label something with the knock resistance of 87 as 91. I have a feeling California has been doing this for some time as most peoplefeel Ca gas is not as knock resistant as someother states at the same octane level to begin with. I’m not sure who to contact if we find evidence of this but it sure seems unethical. If I’m paying that much for 91 octane I should be getting 91 octane.
California is all about government control; one of the favorite things to control is the air quality through heavily regulating things like fuel and emissions. You can probably count on things to get worse, not better. If the reformulated fuel cuts emissions it is probably going to stay, at least until they hit you with the new and improved (poorer quality) winter blend.

California is not going to sell gas to comply with the auto manufacturers products; the auto manufactureres are going to have to produce cars that comply with California's crappy gas.
 
#18 ·
We can still breathe 🤣 I remember as a kid in the 90's, we would have bad air days where we were not allowed outside during recess. The sky was literally brown and orange. My kids have never heard of one of these days and they're in their teens. Soooo, less bad air = healthier people. We must be doing something right, we can breathe, we're allowed to vote and our women can do whatever they choose with their own bodies :)

As for the reformulated gas, I cannot find anything in the news on this. The most recent reformulation took place in 2020 and was part of a plan put in place in 1991. Not that I don't believe you, but I cannot locate any info.
 
#5 ·
I lived in Lake Tahoe for ~ a decade... One of the most beautiful places you can go, but what's happened since is exactly why I'm always sad to hear about how poorly CA handles the rate of pollution its own citizens are creating...

Currently I live in the DFW area of TX, and we get 'air quality' warnings once a week (at least, and several days in a row is nothing 'unexpected' if you know what kind of manufacturing goes on around here).

I have a CAT S61 phone for construction purposes, but it hangs out in my garage a lot (direct exposure to 'outside air') and warns me everyday that something 'moderate', 'poor', or worst of all 'unhealthy'.

For reference, smoking a cigarette will immediately go to unhealthy, while spray paint takes ~1-2 minutes. This device is very sensitive, regardless of how perfectly accurate it is
Mobile phone Mobile device Communication Device Portable communications device Telephony

Mobile phone Communication Device Mobile device Gesture Gadget


I don't know about you guys, but I run 2" MERV 13-14 filters inside. This place is almost as lawless as Nevada!
 
#7 ·
I lived in Lake Tahoe for ~ a decade... One of the most beautiful places you can go, but what's happened since is exactly why I'm always sad to hear about how poorly CA handles the rate of pollution its own citizens are creating...

Currently I live in the DFW area of TX, and we get 'air quality' warnings once a week (at least, and several days in a row is nothing 'unexpected' if you know what kind of manufacturing goes on around here).

I have a CAT S61 phone for construction purposes, but it hangs out in my garage a lot (direct exposure to 'outside air') and warns me everyday that something 'moderate', 'poor', or worst of all 'unhealthy'.

For reference, smoking a cigarette will immediately go to unhealthy, while spray paint takes ~1-2 minutes. This device is very sensitive, regardless of how perfectly accurate it is
View attachment 396042
View attachment 396043

I don't know about you guys, but I run 2" MERV 13-14 filters inside. This place is almost as lawless as Nevada!
Awesome!
If they get a serious effort to secede from the USAin TX I'm all in 😊👍😎. I'd take that over CA anyday. Still way better than China, India, and how it used to be here.
 
#9 ·
The irony here is, Californian Lawmakers ****ed up their state and people are now moving themselves and their businesses to Texas. Look it up, it's actually going on.

Edit: after double checking what i said, id like to add the population of California has actually stagnated or declined (two articles claimed both) for the first time in 200 years
yea, and look at what they are doing to TX now.
 
#6 · (Edited)
So I’ve been busy and haven’t been around the forums lately, but for the last month and a half or so I have had horrible issues with knock. I had to pull 7-8 degrees of timing in some areas and I’m still seeing it. This is on a tune that has rarely pulled more then a degree in the past. My system for pulling timing is a bit agressive so it’s not a fair comparison tune to tune but I’ve seen some knock events pull down to -5 or -6. After I pulled out a lot of timing it’s much better. I don’t believe it to be an engine problem as the knock events happen randomly in all four cylinders. All the evidence points to bad gas. I’ve tried many different stations and actually found a little better gas at a couple small no name stations.
i was looking into it and found out that California reformulated it’s gasoline for better emissions in July, around the same time I started having problems. I’d like to know if anyone else noticed this. If so there is something wrong with their formula and we need to speak up. Octane is knock resistance and the rating scale should be apples to apples From formulation to formulation. If they screwed this up then they can’t label something with the knock resistance of 87 as 91. I have a feeling California has been doing this for some time as most peoplefeel Ca gas is not as knock resistant as someother states at the same octane level to begin with. I’m not sure who to contact if we find evidence of this but it sure seems unethical. If I’m paying that much for 91 octane I should be getting 91 octane.
California Weights and Measures is where I would start. I lived out there for 10 years and remember they were the ones to call of you had issues with that sort of stuff. It used to be posted on the gas pumps back then.
 
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#46 ·
I do spray meth. Lots of it now. Still had to pull a ton Down low. Not caring so much if they check or not. I tune it and I bought it new. I’ll flash to stock one day for a quick test or pay 100$ for the pass on it
 
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#17 ·
Just find you some race gas. I throw in 2 gallons for a mere $40 on top of a tank full of 91 and it runs like a champ.
 
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#25 ·
meh…it’s not all taxes and regulations. There are loopholes for many of the complaints, you have heard the phrase “a better mousetrap just breeds smarter mice“ right?!?

Don’t get me wrong, I have one foot out the door but it ain’t as bad as all the yahoo’s (who don’t live here) like to say it is.

And yes, I have lived all over this country so I get to put my 2 cents in…

Minnesota
Missouri
Tennessee
Kentucky
Colorado
Texas
Florida
Kansas
California
Washington
California again
and headed back to Texas soon 🍺
 
#26 ·
93 Oct is @ $3.06 or something a day ago DFW, TX. My poor family up in PA don't even use it but are paying out the nose for the shipping/containment fees!

...The further South you go...

Also, I about died during a conversation between an extremely intelligent aerospace engineer, a quality inspector, and myself when the engineer said 'well, we can just idiot-proof the process' (I snickered), the quality inspector stated with a perfectly emotionless face 'but they just keep building better idiots...'. So yeah, I almost burst out laughing, turned and walked away with that as a permanent memory of how the engineer was put in checkmate in 3 moves by a guy whom became a fellow rally enthusiast buddy of mine =D Just thought I'd share... You will never beat them all, so just do what you do and let that separate you enough :cool:
 
#28 ·
Yeah, I don't fail to recognize it either man! I literally drove to PA from Dallas, TX during the worst of COVID... There was a mandatory 2 week quarantine if you took a flight, so I drove; also in part effort to not get exposed to Kung-Flu then bring it to the many elderly that were also attending the funeral. The prices bump up quickly... like next state over! Down in San Antonio I think it's even cheaper. Don't know, I'm not a fan of anything other than New Braunfel's South of Austin, lol.
 
#29 ·
$3.06 sounds like a dream right now for 93. Perks of a growing city is growing gas prices... I paid $3.35 my last fill up, which is the least I've paid all year.
 
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