[Taxman]

Always #1 piston and in at least one instance #3?

Where does the PCV oil go, any chance most of it ends up in cylinder #1?

Why do I feel a sudden urge to replace my plugs with 2-3 steps colder?

 

[Taxman]

Assuming the problem really is LSPI brought about by trying to squeeze every last MPG out of the engine by minimizing heavy throttle fuel enrichment, then I would expect it to be much worse in manual transmission cars than in cars which automatically downshift when you tip into the throttle at low RPM. (one theory I've read says that ours do it and Ford's Ecoboost don't, because Ford was more conservative with the fuel profiles)

And if that's the case, it might be the real reason why GM is dropping the manual transmission option.

 

[Taxman]

Last I knew, they all used the same gas from the same pipeline around here, the vast majority of it hauled by independent trucking companies.

The delivery truck has everybody's additives on board, and mixes it to spec as its dispensed into the underground tank at the gas station.

IIRC, a Speedway might get about 150ppm of the Marathon detergent to meet federal regulations, while a Marathon station (Top Tier) might get 400ppm of the same detergent, while Shell would get an entirely different detergent package.

 

[Taxman]

BTW, last year we took a trip to Minnesota and when getting gas at a station in Iowa, I noticed the pump said ALL grades of gas contained NO ethanol. I don't remember the name of the chain. I thought that was really weird being in Iowa with all the cornfields.

Unfortunately for us, the last time I saw a table of statewide pump labeling requirements, it was pretty much illegal in MI, IN, and OH to label the regular island pumps with the actual ethanol content. Somehow the 'rec fuel' pumps get around that, but the usual car pumps all say "up to 10%", because our untruth in labeling laws prohibit them from telling you exactly what you're buying.

BTW ( again) , around here in West Michigan more and more stations are selling 91 octane ethanol free "Recreational " gas. It's about a buck and a half more than 87 octane regular. It's sold out of a stand alone above ground tank.

In the last ten years, E0 availability has gone from 'go to the marina and pay $2 extra for regular or go to the airport and pay $2 extra for 100 octane with lead', to "you're probably within 25 miles of a 89-90-91 octane rec fuel pump right now". (the one in Nashville sells 89)

If it weren't for the fact that LL stand for Low Lead, 100LL aviation gas would be great stuff. It stores forever, it has great detonation resistance, and it has more BTU per gallon than any other gasoline I can think of. But there lies the problem with using 100LL in outdoor power equipment. If you can't tune the carburetor, it runs rich and makes less power. If you can tune the carb (chainsaw or string trimmer with uncapped carb adjusting screws) and you tune it for 100LL, you can run lean and seize if you put E10 in it without retuning.