Why Do Fuel Companies Not Supply Benzine 91?

[rene123]

For the past few weeks I've stopped at a gas station nearest to my hotel and they still don't have Benzine 91 fuel that my motorbike requires. Today I rode from the Airport Plaza on 1141 to the Chiang Mai - Lamphun road on the east side of the river and not one of 5 gas stations had benzine 91. All they had was gasohol in various degrees. I had to turn around and go back to the Hang Dong road before I found a station that supplied the better fuel. I've heard that gasohol burns out any rubber seals in motorbikes. I'm not a mechanic and I don't know how the motorbikes are made, but I stick with what the bike companies recommend. Is there a shortage of benzine 91?

[TommoPhysicist]

Benzine 91 is no longer sold in Thailand. As from 1 Jan 2013.

[canuckamuck]

What year and model is your bike?

[barefoot1988]

Benzine 91 is no longer sold in Thailand. As from 1 Jan 2013.

serious shit? i pumped 91 at ptt near the moat. the last time i heard, is that they are bringing back benzine 95

[TommoPhysicist]

Benzine 91 is no longer sold in Thailand. As from 1 Jan 2013.

serious shit? i pumped 91 at ptt near the moat. the last time i heard, is that they are bringing back benzine 95

When it's gone, it's gone.

[elektrified]

We used gasohol in the Honda motorbike about 3 years ago. We used it for about a month. It got to the point that the motorbike was backfiring, then the engine began to stall and finally, it would not start at all. We trucked it over to our mechanic and the first thing he said was "you didn't put gasohol in it did you?" He refused to touch it and sent us to the Honda dealer at Niyom Pannich. They too, scolded us about using gasohol. Cost us if I remember correctly about 2800 Baht to sort out the problem and replace a few parts.

[rene123]

What year and model is your bike?

It's a rental Kawasaki D-Tracker. I think it's about 3 or 4 years old. I pointed to the little tag near the fuel guage that says 91, and something in Thai. The station attendents just shook their head and pointed further down the road. I didn't want to ride all the way to Lampang so I turned around near the ring road. I'm just trying out various bikes until I find one that suits me before buying.

[barefoot1988]

What year and model is your bike?

It's a rental Kawasaki D-Tracker. I think it's about 3 or 4 years old. I pointed to the little tag near the fuel guage that says 91, and something in Thai. The station attendents just shook their head and pointed further down the road. I didn't want to ride all the way to Lampang so I turned around near the ring road. I'm just trying out various bikes until I find one that suits me before buying.

d tracker is fuel injected. gasohol would be fine.

[rene123]

What year and model is your bike?

It's a rental Kawasaki D-Tracker. I think it's about 3 or 4 years old. I pointed to the little tag near the fuel guage that says 91, and something in Thai. The station attendents just shook their head and pointed further down the road. I didn't want to ride all the way to Lampang so I turned around near the ring road. I'm just trying out various bikes until I find one that suits me before buying.

d tracker is fuel injected. gasohol would be fine.

Thank you, that is a relief.

[TommoPhysicist]

What year and model is your bike?

It's a rental Kawasaki D-Tracker. I think it's about 3 or 4 years old. I pointed to the little tag near the fuel guage that says 91, and something in Thai. The station attendents just shook their head and pointed further down the road. I didn't want to ride all the way to Lampang so I turned around near the ring road. I'm just trying out various bikes until I find one that suits me before buying.

d tracker is fuel injected. gasohol would be fine.

The something in Thai is "Benzine or Gasohol E10", so you've been wasting money for years on expensive Benzine 91 that you didn't need. I'm always gob-smacked by the laziness of foreigners who live in Thailand without learning enough Thai to survive day to day life. Didn't you ever think to yourself, 'I wonder what that label means?', do you have no Thai friends you could ask?

[barefoot1988]

What year and model is your bike?

It's a rental Kawasaki D-Tracker. I think it's about 3 or 4 years old. I pointed to the little tag near the fuel guage that says 91, and something in Thai. The station attendents just shook their head and pointed further down the road. I didn't want to ride all the way to Lampang so I turned around near the ring road. I'm just trying out various bikes until I find one that suits me before buying.

d tracker is fuel injected. gasohol would be fine.

The something in Thai is "Gasohol E10", so you've been wasting money for years on expensive Benzine 91 that you didn't need. I'm always gob-smacked by the laziness of foreigners who live in Thailand without learning enough Thai to survive day to day life. Didn't you ever think to yourself, 'I wonder what that label means?'

apparently its a rental bike and obviously not being pumped with benzine by him for years . . . maybe before you comment on other's ability of thai language, you have to look at your own reading capabilities . . .

[rene123]

What year and model is your bike?

It's a rental Kawasaki D-Tracker. I think it's about 3 or 4 years old. I pointed to the little tag near the fuel guage that says 91, and something in Thai. The station attendents just shook their head and pointed further down the road. I didn't want to ride all the way to Lampang so I turned around near the ring road. I'm just trying out various bikes until I find one that suits me before buying.

d tracker is fuel injected. gasohol would be fine.

The something in Thai is "Benzine or Gasohol E10", so you've been wasting money for years on expensive Benzine 91 that you didn't need. I'm always gob-smacked by the laziness of foreigners who live in Thailand without learning enough Thai to survive day to day life. Didn't you ever think to yourself, 'I wonder what that label means?', do you have no Thai friends you could ask?

I haven't been in Thailand for years. I've been here for a little over 2 months. How much Thai did you know in that time. And, the little difference in price does not bother me. I'm not a cheap charlie. But, if gasohol actually works in the D-tracker without harming it, and performs well then I will change.

[TommoPhysicist]

I haven't been in Thailand for years. I've been here for a little over 2 months. How much Thai did you know in that time. And, the little difference in price does not bother me. I'm not a cheap charlie. But, if gasohol actually works in the D-tracker without harming it, and performs well then I will change.

I'm glad to hear you can gratuitously afford to pay 20-30% more on your fuel bills, some might call that foolish, I am happy to call you a 'big spender'. But at least you have learnt that bit of Thai script now.

Writing on stuff like the labels on common items, and street signs I learned fairly quickly.

(entrance, way in, way out, no entry, no parking, no left turn on red light, etc.)

Seems daft not to really.

[Semper]

Benzine 91 is no longer sold in Thailand. As from 1 Jan 2013.

serious shit? i pumped 91 at ptt near the moat. the last time i heard, is that they are bringing back benzine 95

Hallelujah!

[onthedarkside]

I thought only PTT still sold benzine 91. I'll need to check this out as my car really needs benzine, prefers 95 but that is no longer available for quite a while. No 91 - oh dear.

[MESmith]

I thought only PTT still sold benzine 91. I'll need to check this out as my car really needs benzine, prefers 95 but that is no longer available for quite a while. No 91 - oh dear.

Cosmo sells it or should I say sold it. what to feed my lawn mowers?

[elektrified]

Maybe it's a matter of luck but I have not noticed a shortage in the last 6 days. I've topped up the m/c 4 times in the last 6 days at different gas stations (including PTT). But I believe it as I read about this a couple of months ago and then forgot about it. What to do? We can't use gasohol in the m/c. What are others doing?

[MESmith]

Maybe it's a matter of luck but I have not noticed a shortage in the last 6 days. I've topped up the m/c 4 times in the last 6 days at different gas stations (including PTT). But I believe it as I read about this a couple of months ago and then forgot about it. What to do? We can't use gasohol in the m/c. What are others doing?

I would imagine there's still benzine available, until the storage tanks run dry

[elektrified]

Maybe it's a matter of luck but I have not noticed a shortage in the last 6 days. I've topped up the m/c 4 times in the last 6 days at different gas stations (including PTT). But I believe it as I read about this a couple of months ago and then forgot about it. What to do? We can't use gasohol in the m/c. What are others doing?

I would imagine there's still benzine available, until the storage tanks run dry

Indeed. Just wondering what to do...

[MESmith]

Maybe it's a matter of luck but I have not noticed a shortage in the last 6 days. I've topped up the m/c 4 times in the last 6 days at different gas stations (including PTT). But I believe it as I read about this a couple of months ago and then forgot about it. What to do? We can't use gasohol in the m/c. What are others doing?

I would imagine there's still benzine available, until the storage tanks run dry

Indeed. Just wondering what to do...

I'm sure the govt has it all thought out

[naboo]

There are certain rubber components in the fuel line and Carb that need to be replaced with a material that is not so easily corroded by ethanol.

Where these can be found I don't know.

If its a simple scooter I'd ride it on gasohol until it dies then change the bits. If its a car, the broken down bits of rubber may cause problems in the catalytic converter so I'd go investigating now.

[scorecard]

Maybe it's a matter of luck but I have not noticed a shortage in the last 6 days. I've topped up the m/c 4 times in the last 6 days at different gas stations (including PTT). But I believe it as I read about this a couple of months ago and then forgot about it. What to do? We can't use gasohol in the m/c. What are others doing?

I would imagine there's still benzine available, until the storage tanks run dry

Indeed. Just wondering what to do...

I'm sure the govt has it all thought out

Here's another angle. We used to put Gasahol 95 into our Honda Civic car (older model) until we had occasional stalling problems, and two Honda Service Centres told us to change to Gasohol 91, and no further problems now for 6 months.

But both Honda centres said the govt., is phasing out the production of Gasahol 91, but there is no announcement of an alternative for cars which run best on Gasohol 91.

Any comments.

[elektrified]

There are certain rubber components in the fuel line and Carb that need to be replaced with a material that is not so easily corroded by ethanol.

Where these can be found I don't know.

If its a simple scooter I'd ride it on gasohol until it dies then change the bits. If its a car, the broken down bits of rubber may cause problems in the catalytic converter so I'd go investigating now.

I'll pass by Honda at Niyomm Pannich and ask for their advice. Last time we used gasohol for only a month the m/c would no longer start. 2800 THB to fix. Won't do that again.

[Rancid]

If I am reading this correctly, you are saying that petrol is no longer avaialable in Thailand and the only option is gasohol? How is that going work for all the older vehicles (usually owned by the poor and some big bikes) that will not run on gasohol? This can't be right, what idiot government would do that?

[naboo]

But both Honda centres said the govt., is phasing out the production of Gasahol 91, but there is no announcement of an alternative for cars which run best on Gasohol 91.

Any comments.

Eh? Phasing out gasohol? Its only just been phased in! Are you sure you don't mean benzene?

[mcgriffith]

Well, under the previous gov't, as well as the current gov't...they thought to promote ethanol as a fuel additive.

Reduce by some small amount the imported oil bill.

It was put on the back burner for a few years under the previous gov't.

Then after all the businesses that had geared up to produce ethanol as fuel started to snivel , they finally caved in, after there was a glut of ethanol on the market, that couldn't be exported economically.

Really, it it not such a big deal, as long as you don't run E10 in an old vehicle (pre-1995) or a 2-stroke motorcycle.

There is a loss of power in small (especially carburated) scooters, as well as slightly poorer fuel economy (Km/l).

If you own a newer vehicle with fuel injection, electronic mapping and sensors, the ECU will compensate for the fuel difference.

My personal suggestion is that if you can't find 91 benzene for your bike, go with 95 gasohol.

That is the second choice recommended for my bike (CBR 250) in the owners manual.

For newer cars, not so much an issue. See above re: fuel mapping, ECU and sensors.

I've been running 91 gasohol in my Brio, and I got 24.76 km/l on a very fast trip over mountains to CR, with air con on, and passing everything in sight.

(That's not a typo. 520 km, 21 liters of 91 gasohol).

[Tywais]

If I am reading this correctly, you are saying that petrol is no longer avaialable in Thailand and the only option is gasohol? How is that going work for all the older vehicles (usually owned by the poor and some big bikes) that will not run on gasohol? This can't be right, what idiot government would do that?

I understand there is a lot of rice available in storage, can't it be converted.

Previous topic discussing the elimination Benzine 91 in January, 2013 -

Also -

Thailand still far from reaching renewable energy target

Amnuay said that his ministry also plans to end domestic supply of 91 octane petrol by January 2013 despite its high demand, as about 500,000 cars, 500,000 motorcycles and a number of farm vehicles cannot use gasohol and his ministry, therefore, plans to compensate the motorists.

Vichien Usanachote, Bangchak's senior executive vice president, maintained that his company has fully promoted renewable energy but it appears to be difficult to achieve the Ministry of Energy's renewable energy target.

Star Motoring

[Tywais]

PTT trying to promote E20 gasohol to drive demand

Although a large number of car buyers purchase vehicles that are compatible with E20 gasohol, many of them aren't filling up their tanks with this type of fuel.

Since 2008, the Thai government has been offering a low excise duty rate of 25 per cent for E20 vehicles in order to support its ethanol promotion, and most major auto-makers offer models that are compatible, resulting in lower retail prices.

PTT is the major provider of E20 gasohol, and is trying to find ways to promote its use. It plans to increase the number of E20 outlets from the current 394 to 600 by the end of this year (PTT has 1,300 fuel stations countrywide).

However, demand for E20 gasohol has not grown along with the number of cars sold. It has been found that owners often fill their tanks with other types of fuels. What motorists complain about is that E20 may be cheaper to purchase, but it seems to increase fuel consumption. That is why PTT recently decided to stage a test-drive event to measure the fuel economy, as well as engine performance, of several makes running on E10 and E20 gasohol.

PTT executive vice president Saran Rangkasiri says that E20 gasohol, such as PTT's Blue Innovation E20, has a higher octane level than gasohol E10 (95 octane).

"Our E20 comprise of a base 91-octane benzene added with ethanol, which has much higher octane than benzene. The result is an octane level of 98-99 for the whole mixture," he said.

Saran admitted that E20 results in slightly higher fuel consumption than E10, but due to a lower retail price, using E20 could still result in savings of as much as 10 per cent, he added.

More at Nation Multimedia

[MESmith]

This can't be right, what idiot government would do that?

The one in Bangkok

[barefoot1988]

this actually suck, especially when i just rebuilt my old dt100. and i had my old px150.

one thing i had to point out is im running premix with gasohol 91 on my px150, seems fine. not sure if