Okay, this was way back. Like when we were driving an almost brand
new 84 Escort GT. There was a gas station on I35 in Farmer's Branch
(just north of Dallas) that sold various "high premium" fuels. One of
them as 112 octane "uncracked". Just what does that mean?

I'm "old enough" to have put Sunoco 120 in my 427 Galaxie 500. Um,
when I was doing the quarter, it kind of needed it.
--

- dillon I am not invalid

"Jimmy, I'm sorry your girlfriend turned out
to be a cylon."
-Special Agent Tim McGee, "NCIS"

 

Dillon Pyron wrote:
> Okay, this was way back. Like when we were driving an almost brand
> new 84 Escort GT. There was a gas station on I35 in Farmer's Branch
> (just north of Dallas) that sold various "high premium" fuels. One of
> them as 112 octane "uncracked". Just what does that mean?
>
> I'm "old enough" to have put Sunoco 120 in my 427 Galaxie 500. Um,
> when I was doing the quarter, it kind of needed it.


It was Sunoco 260.

 

Dillon Pyron wrote:
> Okay, this was way back. Like when we were driving an almost brand
> new 84 Escort GT. There was a gas station on I35 in Farmer's Branch
> (just north of Dallas) that sold various "high premium" fuels. One of
> them as 112 octane "uncracked". Just what does that mean?
>
> I'm "old enough" to have put Sunoco 120 in my 427 Galaxie 500. Um,
> when I was doing the quarter, it kind of needed it.


Taken literally ('cracking' is the process of using catalysts to
separate the components of crude oil), it would have been crude oil.
;-) I'm assuming that it was a marketing term that refers to something else.

 

>
>
> Taken literally ('cracking' is the process of using catalysts to
> separate the components of crude oil), it would have been crude oil. ;-)
> I'm assuming that it was a marketing term that refers to something else.

You have been misinformed. Distillation is used to separate the components
of crude oil. One of the liquids the still produces is octane. Perhaps there
were gas stations selling pure octane in the old days. Sounds implausible
but.... The catalytic cracking unit (cat cracker) uses something called
"gas oil" as its feedstock. It's like kerosene. The gas oil is cracked and
reformed or alkylated to produce more gasoline than crude oil would contain
naturally. All fairly low-tech now. As always, the goal in refining is to
work safely and have no fatalities. Nobody want to end their shift
deceased.....

 

"Enrico Fermi" <noone@nowhere.com> wrote in
news:S2U0m.1636$bq1.909@nlpi066.nbdc.sbc.com:


> As always, the goal in refining is to work safely and
> have no fatalities.



Don't get a job with BP...


--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

 

Dillon Pyron wrote:
> Okay, this was way back. Like when we were driving an almost brand
> new 84 Escort GT. There was a gas station on I35 in Farmer's Branch
> (just north of Dallas) that sold various "high premium" fuels. One of
> them as 112 octane "uncracked". Just what does that mean?

All I can say that "cracking" is part of the refining process where
individual hydrocarbon types are separated by specific temperature
ranges. What it means in your reference is a mystery to me though..


> I'm "old enough" to have put Sunoco 120 in my 427 Galaxie 500. Um,
> when I was doing the quarter, it kind of needed it.


Weren't all Sunoco blends in the 200 range? Seems to me that My old
Studebaker Avanti would barely tolerate "260" which IIRC was the highest
available blend.

JT

 

Tegger wrote:

> "Enrico Fermi" <noone@nowhere.com> wrote in
> news:S2U0m.1636$bq1.909@nlpi066.nbdc.sbc.com:
>
>
>
>>As always, the goal in refining is to work safely and
>>have no fatalities.
>
>
>
>
> Don't get a job with BP...


At least not in the Houston area. More explosions etc that have killed
several people.

BP is not highly regarded in these heeyah pawts...

JT

 

Enrico Fermi wrote:
>>
>> Taken literally ('cracking' is the process of using catalysts to
>> separate the components of crude oil), it would have been crude oil. ;-)
>> I'm assuming that it was a marketing term that refers to something else.
>
> You have been misinformed. Distillation is used to separate the components
> of crude oil. One of the liquids the still produces is octane. Perhaps there
> were gas stations selling pure octane in the old days. Sounds implausible
> but.... The catalytic cracking unit (cat cracker) uses something called
> "gas oil" as its feedstock. It's like kerosene. The gas oil is cracked and
> reformed or alkylated to produce more gasoline than crude oil would contain
> naturally. All fairly low-tech now. As always, the goal in refining is to
> work safely and have no fatalities. Nobody want to end their shift
> deceased.....
>
>

Amusing. I hope that wasn't a serious post. I'll have to remember to
pick up some "liquid octane" on the way home from work...

For those who want to know:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cracking_(chemistry)

 

"Leftie" <No@Thanks.net> wrote in message
news:tX%0m.115267$9Z.50263@newsfe08.iad...
> Enrico Fermi wrote:
>>>
>>> Taken literally ('cracking' is the process of using catalysts to
>>> separate the components of crude oil), it would have been crude oil. ;-)
>>> I'm assuming that it was a marketing term that refers to something else.
>>
>> You have been misinformed. Distillation is used to separate the
>> components of crude oil. One of the liquids the still produces is octane.
>> Perhaps there were gas stations selling pure octane in the old days.
>> Sounds implausible but.... The catalytic cracking unit (cat cracker)
>> uses something called "gas oil" as its feedstock. It's like kerosene. The
>> gas oil is cracked and reformed or alkylated to produce more gasoline
>> than crude oil would contain naturally. All fairly low-tech now. As
>> always, the goal in refining is to work safely and have no fatalities.
>> Nobody want to end their shift deceased.....
>
> Amusing. I hope that wasn't a serious post. I'll have to remember to
> pick up some "liquid octane" on the way home from work...
>
> For those who want to know:
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cracking_(chemistry)

You are easily amused....Ignorance is bliss... Hope springs eternal....
Your link doesn't work. Octane IS a liquid:
Octane Definition: Any isomeric saturated hydrocarbon found in petroleum and
used as a fuel and solvent.

 

Grumpy AuContraire <Grumpy@ExtraGrumpyville.com> wrote in
news:VCW0m.88694$d36.9132@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net:

>
>
> Dillon Pyron wrote:
>> Okay, this was way back. Like when we were driving an almost brand
>> new 84 Escort GT. There was a gas station on I35 in Farmer's Branch
>> (just north of Dallas) that sold various "high premium" fuels. One of
>> them as 112 octane "uncracked". Just what does that mean?
>
> All I can say that "cracking" is part of the refining process where
> individual hydrocarbon types are separated by specific temperature
> ranges. What it means in your reference is a mystery to me though..
>
>
>> I'm "old enough" to have put Sunoco 120 in my 427 Galaxie 500. Um,
>> when I was doing the quarter, it kind of needed it.
>
>
> Weren't all Sunoco blends in the 200 range? Seems to me that My old
> Studebaker Avanti would barely tolerate "260" which IIRC was the highest
> available blend.
>
> JT
>

260 is what I recall.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

 

Jim Yanik wrote:
> Grumpy AuContraire <Grumpy@ExtraGrumpyville.com> wrote in
> news:VCW0m.88694$d36.9132@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net:
>
>>
>> Dillon Pyron wrote:
>>> Okay, this was way back. Like when we were driving an almost brand
>>> new 84 Escort GT. There was a gas station on I35 in Farmer's Branch
>>> (just north of Dallas) that sold various "high premium" fuels. One of
>>> them as 112 octane "uncracked". Just what does that mean?
>> All I can say that "cracking" is part of the refining process where
>> individual hydrocarbon types are separated by specific temperature
>> ranges. What it means in your reference is a mystery to me though..
>>
>>
>>> I'm "old enough" to have put Sunoco 120 in my 427 Galaxie 500. Um,
>>> when I was doing the quarter, it kind of needed it.
>>
>> Weren't all Sunoco blends in the 200 range? Seems to me that My old
>> Studebaker Avanti would barely tolerate "260" which IIRC was the highest
>> available blend.
>>
>> JT
>>
>
> 260 is what I recall.
>


It was Sunoco "Blue" 260. Top of the commercial line.

The only thing better was the 115/145 purple avgas down at the air base.

 

"Enrico Fermi" <noone@nowhere.com> wrote in
news:Nr21m.1772$Wj7.1328@nlpi065.nbdc.sbc.com:

>
> "Leftie" <No@Thanks.net> wrote in message
> news:tX%0m.115267$9Z.50263@newsfe08.iad...
>> Enrico Fermi wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Taken literally ('cracking' is the process of using catalysts to
>>>> separate the components of crude oil), it would have been crude
>>>> oil. ;-) I'm assuming that it was a marketing term that refers to
>>>> something else.
>>>
>>> You have been misinformed. Distillation is used to separate the
>>> components of crude oil. One of the liquids the still produces is
>>> octane. Perhaps there were gas stations selling pure octane in the
>>> old days. Sounds implausible but.... The catalytic cracking unit
>>> (cat cracker) uses something called "gas oil" as its feedstock. It's
>>> like kerosene. The gas oil is cracked and reformed or alkylated to
>>> produce more gasoline than crude oil would contain naturally. All
>>> fairly low-tech now. As always, the goal in refining is to work
>>> safely and have no fatalities. Nobody want to end their shift
>>> deceased.....
>>
>> Amusing. I hope that wasn't a serious post. I'll have to remember
>> to pick up some "liquid octane" on the way home from work...
>>
>> For those who want to know:
>>
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cracking_(chemistry)
>
> You are easily amused....Ignorance is bliss... Hope springs
> eternal.... Your link doesn't work.




It worked for me.

But more to the point of this thread is this page:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluid_catalytic_cracking>



> Octane IS a liquid:
> Octane Definition: Any isomeric saturated hydrocarbon found in
> petroleum and used as a fuel and solvent.
>



For those interested...

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane>

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane_rating>

Note that "octane" and "octane rating" are NOT the same thing.



--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

 

"News" <News@Group.Name> wrote in message
news:V7-dneRBBvc2WdnXnZ2dnUVZ_v6dnZ2d@speakeasy.net...
> Jim Yanik wrote:
>> Grumpy AuContraire <Grumpy@ExtraGrumpyville.com> wrote in
>> news:VCW0m.88694$d36.9132@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net:
>>
>>>
>>> Dillon Pyron wrote:
>>>> Okay, this was way back. Like when we were driving an almost brand
>>>> new 84 Escort GT. There was a gas station on I35 in Farmer's Branch
>>>> (just north of Dallas) that sold various "high premium" fuels. One of
>>>> them as 112 octane "uncracked". Just what does that mean?
>>> All I can say that "cracking" is part of the refining process where
>>> individual hydrocarbon types are separated by specific temperature
>>> ranges. What it means in your reference is a mystery to me though..
>>>
>>>
>>>> I'm "old enough" to have put Sunoco 120 in my 427 Galaxie 500. Um,
>>>> when I was doing the quarter, it kind of needed it.
>>>
>>> Weren't all Sunoco blends in the 200 range? Seems to me that My old
>>> Studebaker Avanti would barely tolerate "260" which IIRC was the highest
>>> available blend.
>>>
>>> JT
>>>
>>
>> 260 is what I recall.
>>
>
>
> It was Sunoco "Blue" 260. Top of the commercial line.
>
> The only thing better was the 115/145 purple avgas down at the air base.

Another purple pump.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?ni...g=2455,4372763
drag image around as in google earth

http://www.goantiques.com/scripts/im...d,1943645.html

 

Grumpy AuContraire wrote:
>
>
> Dillon Pyron wrote:
>> Okay, this was way back. Like when we were driving an almost brand
>> new 84 Escort GT. There was a gas station on I35 in Farmer's Branch
>> (just north of Dallas) that sold various "high premium" fuels. One of
>> them as 112 octane "uncracked". Just what does that mean?
>
> All I can say that "cracking" is part of the refining process where
> individual hydrocarbon types are separated by specific temperature
> ranges. What it means in your reference is a mystery to me though..

separation by temperature is called "distillation". "cracking" is
either extreme heat [inefficient] or catalysis.


>
>
>> I'm "old enough" to have put Sunoco 120 in my 427 Galaxie 500. Um,
>> when I was doing the quarter, it kind of needed it.
>
>
> Weren't all Sunoco blends in the 200 range? Seems to me that My old
> Studebaker Avanti would barely tolerate "260" which IIRC was the highest
> available blend.
>
> JT

 

Enrico Fermi wrote:
> "Leftie" <No@Thanks.net> wrote in message
> news:tX%0m.115267$9Z.50263@newsfe08.iad...
>
>>Enrico Fermi wrote:
>>
>>>> Taken literally ('cracking' is the process of using catalysts to
>>>>separate the components of crude oil), it would have been crude oil. ;-)
>>>>I'm assuming that it was a marketing term that refers to something else.
>>>
>>>You have been misinformed. Distillation is used to separate the
>>>components of crude oil. One of the liquids the still produces is octane.
>>>Perhaps there were gas stations selling pure octane in the old days.
>>>Sounds implausible but.... The catalytic cracking unit (cat cracker)
>>>uses something called "gas oil" as its feedstock. It's like kerosene. The
>>>gas oil is cracked and reformed or alkylated to produce more gasoline
>>>than crude oil would contain naturally. All fairly low-tech now. As
>>>always, the goal in refining is to work safely and have no fatalities.
>>>Nobody want to end their shift deceased.....
>>
>> Amusing. I hope that wasn't a serious post. I'll have to remember to
>>pick up some "liquid octane" on the way home from work...
>>
>> For those who want to know:
>>
>>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cracking_(chemistry)
>
>
> You are easily amused....Ignorance is bliss... Hope springs eternal....
> Your link doesn't work. Octane IS a liquid:
> Octane Definition: Any isomeric saturated hydrocarbon found in petroleum and
> used as a fuel and solvent.
>
>


A long time ago when a junior in high school, I "cracked" gasoline into
components by temperature. That said, "octane" was one of these
compounds. But rather than me try to explain it from memory, I found this.

"One cannot talk about the chemistry of gasoline without understanding
octane numbers. When gasoline is burned in an internal combustion engine
to CO2 and H2O, there is a tendency for many gasoline mixtures to burn
unevenly. Such nonconstant and unsmooth combustion creates a "knocking"
noise in the engine. Knocking signifies that the engine is not running
as efficiently as it could. It has been found that certain hydrocarbons
burn more smoothly than others in a gasoline mixture. In 1927 a scale
that attempted to define the "antiknock" properties of gasolines was
created. At that time, 2,2,4-trimethylpentane (commonly called
"isooctane") was the hydrocarbon that, when burned pure in an engine,
gave the best antiknock properties (caused the least knocking). This
compound was assigned the number 100, meaning it was the best
hydrocarbon to use. The worst hydrocarbon researchers could find in
gasoline (which when burned pure gave the most knocking) was n-heptane,
assigned the number 0. When isooctane and heptane were mixed, they gave
different amounts of knocking depending on their ratio: The higher the
percentage of isooctane in the mixture, the lower was the amount of
knocking. Gasoline mixtures obtained from petroleum were burned for
comparison. If a certain gasoline has the same amount of knocking as a
90 percent isooctane, 10 percent heptane (by volume) mixture, we now say
that its "octane number" is 90. Hence, the octane number of a gasoline
is the percent isooctane in an isooctane-heptane."

From:

http://www.chemistryexplained.com/Ny-Pi/Petroleum.html


I remember my mother being semi terrified of my gas boiling experiments
in the basement...

JT