California Air Resources Board aka "CARB" mandates the use of "oxygenated" fuels to reduce emissions. Ethanol is very common. Others, including MTBE (YEOW!) have been used or are in use. These additives are used elsewhere in the country including here in Minnesota.
The presumption stated here is "Gas is Gas" To a large degree that is true. Up to WW II this was not the case and it was a common issue since the original gasolines were casing head precipitates or byproducts of kerosene distillation. . With WWII and the advent of Cracking technology the need to standardize fuels for high performance engines forced commonality on the refineries. Derivatives are so similar now that refineries will routinely swap output with their competitors meaning Chevron El Segundo will deliver fuel to a Texaco station in Inglewood. ARCO (Marathon) Carson will deliver to Costco Santa Ana and so on.
What is my point? If there was a problem with the fuel then lots of engines in California should be dying
The presumption stated here is "Gas is Gas" To a large degree that is true. Up to WW II this was not the case and it was a common issue since the original gasolines were casing head precipitates or byproducts of kerosene distillation. . With WWII and the advent of Cracking technology the need to standardize fuels for high performance engines forced commonality on the refineries. Derivatives are so similar now that refineries will routinely swap output with their competitors meaning Chevron El Segundo will deliver fuel to a Texaco station in Inglewood. ARCO (Marathon) Carson will deliver to Costco Santa Ana and so on.
What is my point? If there was a problem with the fuel then lots of engines in California should be dying