When do they switchover to summer blend fuels?

[Patman]

I'm wondering when the switchover to summer blend fuels begins? I have heard it's around May 1st, does this sound about right? I'm also curious as to what kind of MPG improvement is typical for the summer blends vs the winter blends? The 39.0 MPG I got on a highway trip in my Corvette was probably with winter blend fuel and it had ethanol in it too so it'll be interesting to see how much better MPG I can achieve with non ethanol summer blend fuel.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

Whenever it shows up at the local station. I suppose they make the changeover sometime in the spring.

 

[JLTD]

Soon.

 

[AirgunSavant]

I guess we'll pay more for that too?

 

[JLTD]

Originally Posted By: AirgunSavant
I guess we'll pay more for that too?


Of course! Already 50cents higher here. It is the season of travel and people will be driving more...

 

[oldmaninsc]

According to some sources, they start the change over here in Southern California in Feb.
“There’s nothing unusual about prices taking a strong move upward in California around the first of February because this is the start of the transition to summertime gasoline,” Hackett said.

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/energy-green/sd-fi-gasoline-prices-20180201-story.html

Others say April.

“Motorists will start to see gas prices make their spring spike in early April. That is when refinery maintenance is expected to be wrapped-up and the switchover to more expensive summer-blend gasoline kicks in along with warmer weather and typical demand increases,” added Casselano. “Consumers can expect prices to likely increase throughout April, May and into the start of summer.”

https://gasprices.aaa.com/q1-gas-price-report-2018/

 

[CincyDavid]

I can't tell the difference as far as the way my cars run. I did have an 87 Toyota Corolla, back in the mid 90s that ran SO much better on gas purchased in Illinois, as opposed to gas purchased in Missouri. Something about the different blend I suppose.

 

[shanneba]

Here in Indiana we change on April 10th.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says conventional summer-blend gasoline contains 1.7 percent more energy than winter-blend gas, which is one reason why gas mileage is slightly better in the summer.

https://www.countrymark.com/countrymark/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=ngwsSbn-dvE%253d&portalid=0

 

[MNgopher]

Depends on where you are and what systems deliver to you.

One major system in our area starts delivering summer grade fuel in March, with the most stringent requirements kicking in around June 1 (they ramp up March 1 to June 1). But at March 1, its already much different that what it is in the dead of winter here...

 

[Linctex]

This (no reserve capacity) ALSO affects price:

OPEC’s Biggest Problem
By Nick Cunningham - Apr 23, 2018

https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/OPECs-Biggest-Problem.html

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: MNgopher
Depends on where you are and what systems deliver to you.

One major system in our area starts delivering summer grade fuel in March, with the most stringent requirements kicking in around June 1 (they ramp up March 1 to June 1). But at March 1, its already much different that what it is in the dead of winter here...


This here too. They have boosted-RVP winter fuel, then anything-goes cheap stuff mid-march, then max-RVP summer blends later.

 

[jhellwig]

Our Rvp blend down has to be complete by May first here. It is blended in over a period of two months or a little more. We draw our tanks way down before filling them back up. We can also “agitate” the tanks to mix the different rvps together to help turn tanks that move less volume. Sometimes our customer will park lower rvp gas in some of our spare tanks and we will blend it in when the time comes to get the proper rvp.

Another thing that will change is butane blending will be stopped when the weather is warmer. I don’t know when they do that as we don’t blend butane in my area.