What is "nitrogen enriched" gasoline?

[CTyankee]

Just saw an ad for it on Tweety's show.

Is it a "good thing"?

[BadgerKid]

1. And web search engines tell you...what?

Sorry, not meaning to be an a** about it. E.g.:

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/alternative-fuels/nitrogen-enriched-gasoline.htm

[SoulSearcher]

4. Thanx for the link

Great site!

[Curmudgeoness]

6. Don't get testy. A lot of us prefer the variety of explanations

that we get on DU to a simple Google search. Personally, I never trust that I would find good information until I get to link 50 or so on a search. Take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Relax.

[BadgerKid]

13. Thanks for your admonishment despite my caveat. n/t

[haydukelives]

2. sounds like

BS to me

[al_liberal]

3. Earth atmosphere is 78% nitrogen.

And in order for the ICE to work it has to mix air with the gasoline. So I'm saying this is complete BS. I worked in a refinery for years and they are always pulling out these marketing ploys. Normal gasoline is already clear in the refinery, they add dye to it when it is blended. Yet lo and behold, a few years ago Amoco was advertising "crystal clear" gasoline. They scammed us for years on unleaded gasoline, charging more for it when it too was the natural product of refining. Lead had to be added during blending as well.

[pokerfan]

5. Great if you like acid rain

But while nitrogen-enriched gasoline may provide a slight bump in engine performance, some worry about adding to cars’ already substantial pollution load, especially nitrogen oxide (NOx), which contributes to smog, acid rain and other environmental problems. André L. Boehman, a Penn State University engineering and fuel science professor, says that the addition of more nitrogen to the fuel mix “generally will increase NOx emissions.” Boehman would like to see more research done so we can know for sure if and how much additional NOx pollution is caused by the use of nitrogen-enriched gasoline.

That said, it is probably a good idea to avoid putting nitrogen in your fuel unless you’re sure the gains will outweigh the detriments. And until researchers know more, drivers might focus instead on minimizing their own vehicles’ overall gasoline consumption and fuel efficiency—and on substituting other cleaner forms of transportation (walking, biking, mass transit) whenever possible.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=earth-talk-nitrogen-enriched-gas

[hunter]

8. It's the "gunk" in my 200,000++ mile engines that holds them together.

That's my theory anyways.

I've never used anything in my cars but the cheapest motor oil and gasoline I could find.

I hate all cars, I hate my cars especially. Why should I spend any extra on petroleum products for them?

My cars lived for years on dollar store motor oil. Sadly even cheap motor oil costs more than a dollar a quart now.

I'm not sure what this nitrogen thing is about... They made a big deal about MTBE as a clean air fuel, but I suspect it was mostly about natural gas derived fuel components being cheaper than gasoline. Sorta like putting melamine in the animal feed or baby formula to boost the measured "protein" level.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if nitrogen additives made some thoroughly vile super-heavy-sour oil refining byproduct more palatable to your car's engine.

[al_liberal]

10. MTBE---Holy Shit

Just Google MTBE and you'll find out what a nightmare that stuff is. It has contaminated ground water all over the country, it collects in human blood, and refineries stopped using it very quickly. Many states have banned its use outright, and the EPA has classified it as a very high level ground water contaminate.

[taught_me_patience]

7. Marketing bullshit. n/t

[DCBob]

9. +1

the commercial makes me ill.

[MineralMan]

11. It's just oil with a nitrogen-based detergent in it.

That's all. Oil companies have been using that stuff for years in motor oil. Nothing new...just an ad campaign. All high-quality motor oils contain similar detergents to remove sludge.

[CTyankee]

12. Great answer! Thanks...