Hi Scott,

This has been a common thread on a local aircooled VW list since I
joined it around 2001 or so.

One of the members of our local aircooled club was traveling a couple
years ago (2004 IIRC) through the US and wound up camping next to a
petrochemical engineer. That person confirmed that modern fuels are now
refined to create a stable stock for wide distribution and more aromatic
additives are being blended into it just prior to delivery to the local
vendor. This creates a usable fuel for internal combustion engines with
a more economical refining process. Suitability for aircooled
applications wasn't considered since these engines are now well in the
minority in comsumption.

There are other indicators that fuel changed.... I have heard that VW
documented a large increase in warranty claims for valve seat failures
in the early 80s which was said to precipitate the move to watercooled
engines. Notice also that most motorcycle manufacturers have gone to
watercooled engines since the early 80s and also witness the average
lifespan of an aircooled lawn mower engine...

Also note that NATO has abandoned gasoline altogether; ALL our military
vehicles are diesel now.

With such large liability factors at stake you sure aren't going to get
the petrochemical companies to admit much about their products, but that
doesn't mean that the changes aren't there.

I am not a petrochemical engineer, nor do I play one on TV. But when I
smell gasoline, I know it ain't the smell it used to be.

Happy Trails,

Greg Potts
1973/74/79 Westfakia "Bob the Tomato"
1987 Wolfsburg Weekender Hardtop
www.busesofthecorn.com
www.pottsfamily.ca

Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
> about that claim that modern gas goes south a lot faster than the 'older
> type' of gasoline we're used to.......
> I would like to know .........
> the person who said that , where did you get that information - from
> personal experience, or something you read, or you know a fuel engineer or
> what ?
>
> I could imagine that our new fangled gas might not last as long as say, gas
> from 4 years ago might.......
> but what do you base your claim on ?
> thnx.
>