91 Benzine to be phased out

[Rider]

Grim news for those of us who want our fuel untampered with
Big Bike engines can cope (usually) but what they don't tell you is that the gasohol seperates when stored for long periods and the heavy fuel 'sits' and clogs up your carbs.

Here's the article, it's a few weeks old but relevent nonetheless:

""Oil Fund diesel subsidy won't be raised

The Energy Ministry will not increase the five billion baht allocated as a subsidy from the state Oil Fund to rein in rising diesel prices, Energy Minister Wannarat Channukul said on Thursday.

Mr Wannarat said the Finance and Energy ministries will seek additional measures to keep the retail price of diesel from going over 30 baht a litre once the allocated five billion baht from the Oil Fund is used up.

The government would also not discontinue the sale of 91 octane petrol yet because people with older cars still need it.
"About eight million litres of 91 octane petrol are being used each day, but we expect to stop selling it in the next two to three years," the minister said.""

Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews ... -be-raised

[hhfarang]

It's already becoming more difficult to find as only one out of three or four stations on the road sells it. I always heard that the alcohol in gasohol will over time destroy the seals in fuel injection systems. Is this still true of later model cars or does it only apply to older ones?

[PeteC]

I think Caltex and Shell still sell the 95 as well. They seem to have the entire market for those who still need that. Pete

[brianks]

Don't think it will disappear. Too many old cars and motorbikes have to run on it and cannot use the alcohol blend. Too many chinks in the armor.

[Nereus]

It's already becoming more difficult to find as only one out of three or four stations on the road sells it. I always heard that the alcohol in gasohol will over time destroy the seals in fuel injection systems. Is this still true of later model cars or does it only apply to older ones?

There are some types of rubber seals that are affected by the alcohol, but it has been used in other parts of the World for many years without problems. Most synthetic composition components in modern cars are not affected, and older cars with carburetors will only have a problem with those parts of the fuel system, such as rubber hoses and fuel pump parts, which can be easily replaced with compatible material.

The loss of 91 octane is probably more of a problem than the Gasohol. On some engines it may be necessary to increase the compression ratio by planing the cylinder head down a bit. It is also necessary to adjust the ignition timing on older, lower compression engines. Vintage car owners that wish to keep their cars original, are likely to be more affected, and in some parts of the World the powers that be use this in an attempt to keep old cars off the road.

It should be remembered that there were all sorts of dire predictions about what the effect would be when lead was removed from fuel, but 99% of the predictions never became a problem.

[Vital Spark]

91 Benzine to be phased out?

Shhh..... don't tell our lovely old Cefiro that. She's already getting a tad worried because we drive through at least three petrol stations until we can find her favourite food. She knows the writing's on the wall and she may be traded in for a slightly newer model. At her age any costly open heart surgery is, quite frankly, not worth it.

VS

[The understudy]

Hallo my friends of HHAD!!!

Ohhh my Buddha!.... Than the days of the completely supped & tuned to the teeth Mitsu Lancer Champ 2 of my friend are counted as well. He keeps his very first tuned Car as a Trophy and takes it out on rare occasions for a ride. Last I saw him with his prized "Lance" was Hua Hn Market Village.
I'm sure selling his tuned lady would break his heart.

Just Phoned him: his Car is safe near his house there's one Shell Gas/Petrol station that still sells 95 and 91 Octane Benzene! Lucky him!

[Spitfire]

Regarding the subsidised diesel, I can see problems looming about it's price in the not so distant future. They mention that they want it to stay around 30 baht a liter, that however is going to increasingly prove difficult as can only see the price of oil etc rise. This subsidy will become more and more problematic as time passes, other countries have had and are having problems with this issue too.

91 benzine will stay for the foreseeable future as there are way too many older cars/bikes around, especially in the countryside, and the owners simply can't afford to change, would probably be political suicide if they did it (discontinued 91), would alienate many.