Am I just a "Rip Van Winkle" or what? It's back in the city I live in and I don't buy much gasoline but a big sign was at the place I go that stated their fuel contained 10% methyl alcohol!

I recall a fuel called "Gasahol" in or around the fuel crunch of 1973 which worked but some folks claimed caused some problems and haven't seen it since.

Just interesting, T
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Tom Greenleaf - MetroWest, Boston

Tom I didn't even know you could use methyl alcohol in your gas tank.

OK don't quote me but I could swear that what it said?? I don't use it but the cheaper dry gas uses methanol and the water removing type uses isopropyl. There are several different alchohols -- some made from grains, some from wood some are toxic if ingested some only keep water from freezing and some mix with it.

If I see different I correct it post haste. I know a zillion years ago folks called premium fuel ethyl -- yet another type and I don't have a clue what percentage was used?? T
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Tom Greenleaf - MetroWest, Boston

It's been this long since I needed fuel so I did look and the sign had a check list and it checked off ETHANOL but NO METHANOL, new sign since I was there last. Ethyl as we knew it has been used for decades on end, T
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Tom Greenleaf - MetroWest, Boston

Tom,

I read somewhere about a Methanol type of fuel. Was called something like MTBY or something to that effect.

That MTBY is used by law at certain times of year in Massachusetts. Big controvery over it as it has been blamed on reducing fuel economy and blamed on being about a toxic as arsenic and get into the ground water. For that matter so did tetraethyl lead to enhance anti-knock and I do recall the owner of the company that made it screaming when "unleaded" became law. He claimed lack of it would destoy your engine and was a valve lubricant but it was all lies.

Lead in gas was a cheap way to make higher octane with low grade fuel. It takes a higher percentage of crude oil to make better fuel so if you recall unleaded cost a touch more than the leaded. It's hindsight but lead never belonged in fuel, T
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Tom Greenleaf - MetroWest, Boston