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September 16th marked the first day that many states and cities across the United States begin switching back to "winter gasoline". Due to EPA regulations in warmer months to limit ozone and pollution, there are stricter requirements for gasoline everywhere, and requirements in bigger cities where tens of thousands of vehicles drive everyday are even more stringent. Even smaller communities switch to summer gasoline, but a version that isn't quite the same as what's used in larger cities.
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U.S. Moves Back to Winter Gasoline
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(Score: 1) by Giav on Wednesday September 17 2014, @11:05AM
Fairly sure, Winter gasoline contains added volatile components to aid starting, downside is you get worse mpg. If you monitor mpg over the year there's a big drop in the autumn when the formulation changes.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Kromagv0 on Wednesday September 17 2014, @12:32PM
It isn't just the fuel change that drops your mpg during the cold months but the longer warmup time where the engine runs richer. Even at that the change from fuel isn't as pronounced as the change from warm summer temps to the bitter cold winter temps where I live.
Last year it was really bad where I was since we had several weeks where it got down around 30 below and the car wouldn't reach full operating temperature until about half way into my ~30 mile drive to work. It is rather disappointing to have a car that normally gets in the 33-35mpg range (US gallons) commuting and then have it get 25-27 mpg for a few months. The first week it stayed above freezing the mpg went back up to a more normal range and over the summer has been back in the 33-35 mpg range again (mostly affected by the nut behind the wheel).
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 17 2014, @12:37PM
Maybe you can try a block heater or putting something in front of your radiator (to block the cold air)? I've been thinking of trying something and seeing the effect.
(Score: 2) by VLM on Wednesday September 17 2014, @01:06PM
A nice side effect of a block heater is the engine starts like its +40 out instead of the -30 that it is. Easy on the battery, and you get hot air out the heater vents in about a minute. Well maybe not hot, but hotter than outside air and warm enough to defrost the windows.
(Score: 2) by Kromagv0 on Wednesday September 17 2014, @04:40PM
I was going to install one of those adhesive block heaters last year but it snowed and got cold before I could (I don't have a heated garage) so while I had it I never got around to install it. I solved that problem this summer so I don't have to worry about it this coming winter. My jeep has a block heater and they are wonderful.
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(Score: 2) by M. Baranczak on Wednesday September 17 2014, @03:55PM
Also, winter tires tend to have higher rolling resistance, which drops fuel efficiency.
(Score: 2) by Kromagv0 on Wednesday September 17 2014, @04:43PM
On the daily driver I don't have winter tires but yes the soft tread compound on snow/ice tires do have a higher rolling resistance. The Jeep (driven when there is snow on the roads) has some nice aggressive all terrain tires on it so with posi on both axles I prefer that when the roads are bad. That stupid thing just gets crappy gas mileage and I don't really care as it usually gets driven about 3000 miles a year.
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