Some pointed out the presence of water in the tanks, and this is surprising because water can never be mixed with fuel derivatives, but the owner of a gas station is likely to be healthy, pointing out that some of his colleagues have reduced the level of pipes withdrawing fuel from the tanks to less than ten centimeters in order to sell the largest quantity Possible fuel, which leads to mixing water with sediments with gasoline. It is known that gas stations usually raise the intake pipes to a height not exceeding ten centimeters in the underground tanks in order to avoid the withdrawal of water resulting from condensation of water vapor and the sediments and dirt that it carries with it with the fuel during filling the car tanks.
octane ratio
These observations prompt the frequently asked question: Is there really a problem with the quality of imported fuel?
We all know that Lebanon, before the crisis last summer, was importing gasoline with octane 95 and 98 (Super). Today, the import of the second quality has been permanently stopped due to the high cost after lifting the subsidy, so import is limited to octane 95 or so it is said.
Technically, the octane rating, or what is known as the accompanying number, does not change the fuel consumption rate of cars in general. The regular and family cars that exist with most people, can run well and normally on octane 87 and up to 95 (excellent), and this will not change the performance of the engine or increase its fuel consumption except in the case of filling fuel to a lesser degree than required (less than 87). As for the octane 98 (Super), it is intended for cars with high-pressure engines (sports cars), and the import of this quality to Lebanon could have been placed in the category of luxury consumption.
Three reasons
Accordingly, the main reasons for what is happening today with our cars are not due to a main reason alone, but to a group of factors that may be singular or group, namely:
First, storage: when gasoline is stored for a long period exceeding three months, this substance loses part of the octane, which means a decrease in its ability to effectively ignite inside the engines, and the storage that was adopted in Lebanon in containers not designated for keeping fuel (gallons) led to the entry of deposits on the gasoline. It will definitely affect the engines.
Second, the quality of imported gasoline: We hear in Lebanon advertisements about different types of gasoline, and every importer claims that his goods are the best, while the global market does not work in this way, as all importers buy from the party that gives the best price, and during the crisis in Lebanon and the drop in profits was There is a tendency to import what is cheaper, but without tampering with the octane rating, as it will be subject to mandatory tests before entering the Lebanese market.
Third, mixing gasoline with ethanol: chemical ethanol from the family of alcohols, known as “spiro”, has many uses that we all know, especially during the Corona virus pandemic, but what many do not know is that it can be mixed with gasoline to obtain a product that can be used as car fuel, and this is what he did Some of those who sold bottles (gallons) of gasoline during the period of intensification of the crisis, in order to increase the volume of gasoline and double profits. Here it must be noted that those who want to do this do not buy ethanol from pharmacies, but rather there are sources that provide this substance in much larger quantities. This mixture burns in the engines more quickly, which gives the basic impression that the car consumes more fuel.
Family cars run well and normally on 87 octane and up to 95 octane
As for mixing gasoline with other types of fuel, such as diesel, the owner of a gas station reports that this was done in the past when goods were bought and sold at cheap dollars (1,515 pounds per dollar), but now this matter has stopped, especially with the price of diesel in dollars.
In summary, if the main goal is to preserve our car engines as much as possible, especially during this period, there is no need to buy octane cans and put them in fuel tanks. These products will not change the performance of normal car engines. On the contrary, they may cause some damage. Instead, we have to pay attention to the petrol and filling stations of those who sell more (do not store) and reduce as much as possible the use of fuel stored in plastic containers.
What is the octane rating?
The number associated with gasoline is known as the octane rating (octane 95 or 98) and represents the percentage of octane present in the fuel relative to a standard mixture used in laboratories. This degree represents the ability of the fuel to ignite effectively inside internal combustion engines, as what is required for this ignition to occur when the engine running spark is emitted and not due to the engine pressure, and in the event that ignition occurs (fuel ignites with oxygen inside the engine cylinders) before the spark is released, we hear the crackling inside the engines that Indicates a problem, either mechanical or related to fuel quality.