The Winter Fuel Blues

Did you experience poor fuel economy this winter? You're not alone. The culprit was a fuel additive called Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether or MTBE that is added to Portland's gasoline between November 1st and February 29th. During the winter months, stations in the Portland, Yamhill County, Medford, Klamath Falls, Grants Pass areas are required by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to pump the special fuel intended to reduce emissions by burning more cleanly and creating fewer tailpipe emissions. The theory is that if an oxygen-rich chemical such as MTBE is added to fuel during the cold winter months, it will burn cleaner and promote easy starting. "Oxygenated" fuel was first introduced to Oregon in 1992 and has been marketed as a "greener gas" in California.

Introduced in 1992, this fuel is sold where carbon monoxide from car exhaust is a problem. It's a conventional fuel with oxygen-rich chemicals added, such as MTBE (methyl tertiary-butyl ether) or ethanol, grain alcohol. The oxygen promotes cleaner burning, reducing carbon monoxide. In areas where oxygenated fuel is mandated, this gas is generally sold from November to March because cold engines run less cleanly and produce more carbon monoxide. In summer, conventional gasoline is used in most of these areas. So while the gasoline you buy in the winter is cheaper, you are probably having to buy more of it to go the same number of miles.

Unfortunately, the problems with Winter gas are not limited to fuel economy. MTBE has been found in ground water near surrounding areas of use and is suspected to be a carcinogen. Not only that, the added oxygen of oxygenated fuel is of little benefit to modern self-tuning, fuel-injected engines that are constantly adjusting their fuel-air mixture. Legislation is currently underway to ban the use of MTBE, but the oil companies would prefer to continue diluting their product four months of the year and charge between one and three extra cents per gallon for it. For more information, visit: www.oxybusters.com