-- [ From: John Rodgers * EMC.Ver #2.5.02 ] --

Right on!!! I've a cousin who years ago worked for Union Oil. His  job was
to transfer fuels in a pipeline system.

Tesoro has a cracking plant in Kenai, Alaska and it supplies all fuel
companies in Anchorage with their fuels. My  cousin in Anchorage would
transfer fuels through the single pipeline that came from Tesoro Kenai to
Anchorage. All fuels to all companies in Anchorage were transported through
that one line. He would begin with the lowest octane fuel, then when he had
finished filling one tank on the Union Oil Tank Farm, he would purge the
line by having the next highest grade of fuel sent through. There was a
certain number of gallons that would be pulled off before testing to ensure
no contamination between grades. Pumping would continue, then the next
octane would be pumped. That pipe carried all fuels, from 87Octane Regular
to 130 Octane Aviation fuel. The "slop" fuels...those comprised of the mixed
"waste" fuels..ie those where the lower and higher octanes mixed, could not
be sold, but was used to fuel company trucks. We also flew back into the
bush on an ocassional  fishing trip using slop aviation fuels.

John Rodgers
'88 GL Driver in New Mexico
-------- REPLY, Original message follows --------

Date: Tuesday, 13-Jul-99 08:20 PM

From: G. Matthew Bulley        \ Internet:    (gmbulley@bulley-hewlett.com)
To:   Vanagon                  \ Internet:    (vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com)

Subject: Mid-grade fuel, was: RE octane rating

This is FYI hearsay, something I read on this list (I think).

Mis Grade fuel is a marketing ploy to help fuel companies get rid of a
strange product. If I recall all the details correctly,  There are only
three fuels pumped by refineries and large pumping outlets to regional
distribution "tank farms": regular gas, which is then branded and additive
packages added by various oil companies; high octane, which is then branded
and additive packages added by various oil companies; and Amoco Ultimate
which is special, and the pumping pipes and tanks go through special
"cleansing flow" to make sure it is pure.

Mid grade is the swill that comes out of the pipe when they switch from
regular to high octane or vice versa, and the gas is mixed. For marketing
reasons, they can't throw it away, so they sell it a "mid grade". The octane
varies widely.

Cheers,

G. Matthew Bulley Bulley-Hewlett & Associates www.bulley-hewlett.com Cary,
NC USA 888.468.4880 tollfree

-----Original Message-----
From:   J. Eric Pitman [SMTP:norton85@BELLATLANTIC.NET]
Sent:   Tuesday, July 13, 1999 7:07 PM
To:     vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject:        RE octane rating

 << File: ATT00001.htm >> I run Mid Grade Gas in my 84 Westfalia. Runs
horrible on reg. and lousy mileage, On high test it makes no differance
than the mid grade for the Van, No hard facts, but I have put 100,000 miles
on my Westy in the last 4.5 years and it works for me.
Eric P. 1984 Westfalia (Green Hornet)

-------- REPLY, End of original message --------