New Year to see end of 91-octane petrol

[PeteC]

This is going to cause a mess, or at least added cost for sure. I'll post in "Motoring" also for quick reference. Pete

New Year to see end of 91-octane petrol
October 4, 2012 6:48 pm

From January 1 onwards, fuel stations nationwide will stop selling 91-octane petrol, which will force owners of 500,000 vehicles and 500,000 motorcycles either to retrofit their engines or switch to 95-octane petrol.


Energy Minister Arak Chonlatanon said Thursday that the decision would boost gasohol sales by 8 million litres a day, prompting demand for 800,000 litres more ethanol per day. This is in line with the government's policy to rely more on locally sourced energy and boost farmers' income.

The Nation http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakin ... 91719.html

[buksida]

That's an annoyance, what are those of us with older motorbikes that don't drink gasohol supposed to do? 95 is rarer than 91 at the pumps!

[VincentD]

1. Though Gasohol is cheaper, you also get less mileage out of it, so it actually costs more for the same mileage that you would get with just plain benzine. Performance is also down. I only use gasohol if I can't get benzine, usually upcountry.

2. Ethanol pricing in Thailand is based on the FOB pricing at the Brazilian Commodity Exchange in Sao Paolo, Brazil, adjusted to take into account freight, insurance, loss and other costs. So it is not local production cost.
http://www.pnl.gov/main/publications/ex ... -19060.pdf

3. There may have been enough for local consumption in 2009, but due to a worldwide shortage, a percentage of ethanol has to be imported. While the pricing of alternative fuel is not competitive with benzine, it is subsidised to keep gasohol cheaper than benzine. If I remember right, the price of benzine was actually adjusted up and the adjustment used to subsidise the gasohol down.

My previous vehicle, since sold, needed 95 octane benzine. I now have something that is gasohol95 capable, but is optimised for 95 benzine. If I can find benzine, it goes in over the 'cheaper' gasohol.

This is going to cause a mess, or at least added cost for sure.

I have a feeling 'mess' will turn out to be a bit of an understatement.

[PeteC]

I'm not sure if it's Caltex or Shell, but one of them has 95 at all their stations. I think PTT discontinued it long ago at all their stations. Pete

[Takiap]

I have a relatively old Honda Wave, and I can't say I've noticed any difference between 91 and gasohol, apart from the gasohol being a few baht cheaper. Using gasohol also hasn't had any noticeable effect on the bike.

[buksida]

It will if you leave it for a week or two, gasohol rots the pipes and clogs up the carbs, hence not suitable for older machines.

Had a CBR150 that needed a complete carb rebuild after some numptey put gasohol in it!

[VincentD]

I'm not sure if it's Caltex or Shell, but one of them has 95 at all their stations. I think PTT discontinued it long ago at all their stations. Pete

Shell discontinued 95 about a year or so ago, substituting it with 'V-power' which is a slightly more potent gasohol.
Some Caltex stations still carry benzine 95, and some PTT stations have brought it back. I've noticed it's the ones that used to be Jet (before PTT bought them out). Mainly in Bangkok, but there is one on the Asian Highway just before Ayuthaya that carries it.

[Nereus]

It will if you leave it for a week or two, gasohol rots the pipes and clogs up the carbs, hence not suitable for older machines.
Had a CBR150 that needed a complete carb rebuild after some numptey put gasohol in it!

Yes, this seems to be the biggest problem. The octane rating difference in itself is not really a problem. More modern fuel injection systems will also adjust themselves to a certain extent, and are usually of a higher compression ratio as well, so will probably not have any noticeable difference.

Some carby fuel system components are not affected, and some could be replaced with compatible material, but things like carby parts will not be available made from compatible material. With an old car it could be converted to LPG / CNG, but toting around an LPG gas tank on a motorbike might limit your options a bit!

[Terry]

1. Though Gasohol is cheaper, you also get less mileage out of it, so it actually costs more for the same mileage that you would get with just plain benzine. Performance is also down. I only use gasohol if I can't get benzine, usually upcountry...............

100%

[charlesh]

A society in which consumption has to be artificially stimulated in order to keep production going is a society founded on trash and waste, and such a society is a society built on sand. (Dorothy L. Sayers)
The presence of ethanol which is hydrophillic has been linked to pitting corrosion in Al alloy engines too. Don't bother to keep things to long - fits right into Thai psyche!

[PeteC]

More 95-Octane pumps, E20 in pipleline

"Shell Company of Thailand may increase the number of 95-octane petrol pumps and start selling E20 gasohol after the abandonment of 91-octane sales...."

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/busines ... 92379.html

[VincentD]

Pete
Shell V-Power is still gasohol. 95 octane, maybe, but it is NOT pure benzine. Which is why I stopped going to the Shell petrol stations a long time ago.

Some PTT stations and Caltex still have pure 95 benzine.

[buksida]

Its started already, pulled in at my usual PTT station in Pranburi and no 91 red.

It pained me to put Gasohol into my baby but it was either that or start walking.

[Vital Spark]

Know how you feel Buksi. Went to fill up the aged Nissan the other day and couldn't find 91 red. It's gone. Mr.VS went into instant panic mode, so phoned a man who knows to find out if we could put that horrible chemical stuff into our pride and joy. He said it would be OK for about a year, but next time we're down in Hua Hin he'd change the seals on the petrol thingy bits. Going to fill her up tomorrow with 95 and see if she complains. Nowt we can do about it though. Bloody (can I say it here?) politicians making stupid decisions about things they know nothing about.

VS

[buksida]

The replacement is the yellow one labelled "benzine" in Thai - apparently it is "95 Super" which is very similar and more expensive at 47 baht/litre so I have no idea why they went through the hassle of phasing out 91 in the first place. Somebody somewhere is lining their pockets out of it.