BajaNomad - Your Opinion Of Your Vehicle's Performance Using Pemex Gasolines

Your Opinion Of Your Vehicle's Performance Using Pemex Gasolines

DavidE - 7-4-2012 at 03:58 PM

Includes Magna and Premium Gasolines

Does your vehicle "ping" on Magna but not on Premium?

How is your gas mileage compared to US fuel?

How many miles at a time does your vehicle operate on Mexican gasoline?

Do you use an additive? If so, which one and what do you believe it does for the fuel, the vehicle?

Have you recently had a fuel filter clog on you? Do you believe you know which station was at fault?

Have you recently found (verified) water in your gasoline? If it was the fault of the station which one was it?

When and where was the last time you encountered a gasolinera "out of fuel"?

The above is meant to allow me to learn from other folks experiences. Thank you.

shari - 7-4-2012 at 04:09 PM

I always mention to people that while in Asuncion, one should maintain the tank with enough gas to get to Vizcaino because the station here is often out of gas. We use additives every couple weeks and if we have to go through a mountain pass to get to Sta.Rosalia or Ensenada...we use either half magna half premium or all premium...Juan's engine does ping without the premium going uphill.

DianaT - 7-4-2012 at 04:17 PM

Does your vehicle "ping" on Magna but not on Premium?

We use Magna with our new Outback, and used it with our Tundra and no problems

How is your gas mileage compared to US fuel?

We get less milage in Baja then on a highway in the US, but we also drive differently

How many miles at a time does your vehicle operate on Mexican gasoline?

1200 +

Do you use an additive? If so, which one and what do you believe it does for the fuel, the vehicle?

no

Have you recently had a fuel filter clog on you? Do you believe you know which station was at fault?

More than a year ago and it was in the US on the way to Baja at an intersection and after about 120,000 on the Tundra---didn't blame anyone -- just happened.

Have you recently found (verified) water in your gasoline? If it was the fault of the station which one was it?

no

When and where was the last time you encountered a gasolinera "out of fuel"?

San Ignacio last year - they run out at times.

rts551 - 7-4-2012 at 04:20 PM

no to all questions. I drive a diesel.

durrelllrobert - 7-4-2012 at 04:21 PM

My 02 Yukon with 5.8l engine and 33 gal tank gets me a range of 600 miles on the highwy so I never have buy US gas when going back and forth. Around town I still get 15-16 mpg, so have no complaints about PEMEX.

J.P. - 7-4-2012 at 04:23 PM

My current vehicles never burn anything but Magna when we go to San Diego we fill up in Ensenada and on rare occasion we may have to add some in the U.S. but only enough to get back over the border. I have never had a problem with Filter's Water or Pinging If it it pings on Magna you need to adjust the timing.

GAS

captkw - 7-4-2012 at 04:27 PM

HOLA, in my rv back when calif. changed the gas I got a third less mileage than the baja gas..big difference to say the least..I belive that today most pemex premium is better than calif. gas for many reason's..that said!! being I use gas in my stove,boat and see it in real time !! gas in calif NOW can not sit in a motor for very long and asorps water and plugs filters,injectors,jets and eats feul line,tanks,fuel pump diaphram..can we say "ethanol" not good stuff...sorry the public has been lied too again..last week I stopped by The STIHL small engine repair place to get my dog a new pair of shades and asked the owner if he was seeing a lot fuel related problems..he looked at me and stated" almost all are work is fuel related...which I also see more and more in my bizz (boat repair) so, I Like the baja gas now !! but could write a book about the gas in baja or lack of it a few years ago !!!!!K & T PS I also recommend not to go below 1/2 tank in your car for many reason I can explain about later..fresh salmon bbq time ..happy 4th all !!BANG !BOOM! K&T :cool:

[Edited on 7-4-2012 by captkw]

TMW - 7-4-2012 at 04:43 PM

In both my 04 Tacoma and the 04 GMC I use Magna and I can not tell the difference in performance. Some say the Mexican gas gives better mileage than CA because of no ethanol in it but I really can't say one way or the other since converting liters to gallons would take a calculator etc and I usually just do a quick divide by 4 and it comes close. Beside with the Mexican price being lower I'm happy.

acadist - 7-4-2012 at 05:45 PM

Love Pemex, especially the price and the wonderful odor

Bob H - 7-4-2012 at 05:49 PM

Never, ever, had any problems with Pemex fuel. I understand that it's also a higher octane than what we buy here in California.

Ateo - 7-4-2012 at 06:18 PM

Absolutely no difference. 2010 Toyota Tundra.

MikeYounghusband - 7-4-2012 at 06:22 PM

No problems 98 Ford Ranger 4.0 6 years up and down Baja

David K - 7-4-2012 at 07:03 PM

I get better mileage with Pemex than California gas for the simple reason that it is real gasoline and not diluted with ethanol which is counter productive to mileage.

BajaNomad - 7-4-2012 at 07:15 PM

Been getting about 10% better mileage on Pemex Premium than Chevron Premium (Calif CARB). No pinging, no additives (used to use toluene and/or xylene many years ago), and no recent fuel filter and/or water issues.

acadist - 7-4-2012 at 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaNomad
Been getting about 10% better mileage on Pemex Premium than Chevron Premium (Calif CARB). No pinging, no additives (used to use toluene and/or xylene many years ago), and no recent fuel filter and/or water issues.

Injector cleaner=xylene......take a whiff :light:

vandenberg - 7-4-2012 at 07:35 PM

Never had any problems with Pemex gas. Drove F250's, Suburbans and now a Camry. As far as milage goes, hard to determine, since you seldom get the correct measure.

RnR - 7-4-2012 at 07:35 PM

Ford Explorer runs just fine on Magna. Ford F250 with 460 runs fine on regular gas in US but pings badly on Magna on steep hills. Usually put premium in one tank and Magna in the other. Then run on the Magna tank and hit the switch for the premium tank just before the hill. After 50,000 Baja miles I know which hills need premium.

Milage is the same as in US.

Never have had a problem with water. Have only had one clogged fuel filter. ABout 15 years ago in San Quitin. As I was filling up I noticed the Pemex tanker on the other side of the station filling the underground tanks and thought to myself "Uh Oh". About an hour later I was changing the filter on the side of the road!

Compare to California gas?? Bad comparison

thebajarunner - 7-4-2012 at 08:51 PM

Wall Street Journal had a piece a while back
said there were over 250 different "formulations" for gas in the U.S.
Can you guess which state has the most "stuff" in the formula???

Anyway, the question I would like answered, is simple.
Where does Baja Norte get its gas?

I would bet it comes from Long Beach, since Pemex and the US have an exchange program to swap it back and forth across the entire border states, with priority to whichever country has the facilities close at hand.

My guess- it is US gas without all the California crapola

(And by the way- wonder why Cal gas is more expensive? Simple, it is all the stuff they have to add in)

bacquito - 7-4-2012 at 09:20 PM

I have been buying Pemex gas for many years and never had a problem.

Hook - 7-4-2012 at 09:23 PM

The Jeep requires 87 octane, so we use Magna. I detect no difference in performance and no pinging. BUT............my check engine light comes on about every 8th tankful, and the code always points the finger at the fuel.

Yet it runs fine................

dtbushpilot - 7-4-2012 at 09:57 PM

I just drive the damn thing, no noticeable difference

BajaNomad - 7-4-2012 at 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by thebajarunner
Anyway, the question I would like answered, is simple.
Where does Baja Norte get its gas?

My guess- it is US gas without all the California crapola

You would be correct.

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=49406&pag...

Curt63 - 7-4-2012 at 10:32 PM

No noticeable difference in my 2004 Tundra.

But, the check engine light comes on as soon as I run my US gas low and fill up with Magna. The code I get is a catalyst efficiency code.

Check engine light goes off after a few tanks of US gas.

BajaBruno - 7-4-2012 at 10:49 PM

I drive a diesel, so other factors apply, and my mileage is lower on Baja diesel, but I assume that is because the driving conditions are different. There are not many topes on I-5 or H/W 99 and I am not on and off the pedal constantly as I am going through the curves of Mex-1.

As for performance, I don't perceive any difference, but my 2003 Duramax would probably do OK on used vegetable oil for the light loads I put on it.

I've driven a half dozen gas vehicles all over mainland Mexico since the leaded days (those were red tanks, eh?) and I never had a problem with Mexican gas.

Bob H - 7-4-2012 at 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Curt63
No noticeable difference in my 2004 Tundra.

But, the check engine light comes on as soon as I run my US gas low and fill up with Magna. The code I get is a catalyst efficiency code.

Check engine light goes off after a few tanks of US gas.

You can 'reset' the check engine light by disconnecting your battery for a few minutes, and then reconnecting it to see if it comes back on...

Marc - 7-5-2012 at 08:13 AM

Runs just fine. It's a TOYOTA!

Taco de Baja - 7-5-2012 at 08:47 AM

I get at least 5-10% better mileage on Pemex fuel (Magna). And I am usually hauling around 100s of pounds more weight than I do while at home, so it might be even better. The best mileage I got (25mpg) was on Pemex fuel when my 1996 Tacoma was new.

I always get a Check-Engine-Light that says there is an "issue" with the oxygen sensor in front of the catalytic converter. Goes away once I get home and put USA gas in it.

It does not seen to run any different, than I can tell. Does not matter what Pemex station I use.

micah202 - 7-5-2012 at 10:11 AM

...I drive an 80's toyo van,,did perceive pinging and lesser mileage while in mexico.....it's hard to get a handle on mileage differences though,,very different driving styles in mexico,,with lots of little offroad sidetrips--very different driving from stateside

toy van

captkw - 7-5-2012 at 10:16 AM

THat van has the hardest motor ever made to get access to !!

BajaRat - 7-5-2012 at 10:37 AM

We run Roja when we can get it. Better performance in all aspects, fuel economy and hp output. The extra few pesos a tank doesn't seem to interfere with the cerveza and comida fund. :lol:

woody with a view - 7-5-2012 at 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bob H

Quote:

You can 'reset' the check engine light by disconnecting your battery for a few minutes, and then reconnecting it to see if it comes back on...

don't do this. get a simple code reader at VatoZone/Oreilly's and read, then clear the code(s). otherwise your computer needs to relearn fuel curves and 1 or 2 million other data points, all the while your MPGs suffer.

Ken Bondy - 7-5-2012 at 11:08 AM

My experience with Pemex includes diesel in my H1 and a LOT of aviation gas in a variety of airplanes. I saw no difference between performance on Pemex and NOB fuels.

SFandH - 7-5-2012 at 11:56 AM

I don't notice any difference now.

20 years ago yes, my trucks would ping going uphill on Mexican gas.

The only problem I have now with PEMEX gas is that at some stations I have to fill real slow or the pump stops as though the tank is full. I had to give up at the PEMEX at Los Pinos the last time and fill up in El Rosario instead. It never happens in the states nor at most other PEMEX stations.

Anybody else have that problem?

1Bajalover - 7-14-2012 at 02:27 PM

Premium seemed to be what my 2000 Nissan Truck liked best and it ran great the whole time...the gas overall was less expensive than the U S (like most everything else)
I did get an oil change in Southern Cal and the air filter was black..but that could be all those dirt roads my truck traveled...

woody with a view - 7-14-2012 at 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SFandH
The only problem I have now with PEMEX gas is that at some stations I have to fill real slow or the pump stops as though the tank is full. I had to give up at the PEMEX at Los Pinos the last time and fill up in El Rosario instead. It never happens in the states nor at most other PEMEX stations.

Anybody else have that problem?

yes, but mine does it NOB.... :mad:

comitan - 7-14-2012 at 03:08 PM

Absolutely no difference in the 30years I've been bumming around Mexico.

El Jefe - 7-14-2012 at 03:25 PM

Wow, I like the idea that I might be getting better mileage from Pemex gas! And with their uncanny ability to actually be able to put about two more gallons in my tank than it holds, I'm like livin' large!!

DavidE - 7-14-2012 at 03:26 PM

The red, green, and yellow dispensers:

Gasolmex

Mexolina

Cien

All of which disappeared I think some time in the late sixties. The least expensive fuel was 78 octane. Pemex Cien in the yellow pump at the time cost the eqvt of 45 cents US per gallon when regular gasoline in the states was thirty one point nine cents a gallon. Could not find it south of Tijuana, or Juarez. Nogales did not get it until 1968.

We used to joke that Gasolmex forced a person to retard the ignition timing so far to reduce knocking, that you had to start the car on Friday to go shopping Saturday.

Ateo - 7-14-2012 at 04:53 PM

SFandH and Woody,

There are a couple things that may be happening to cause the nozzle from clicking off prematurely. If this happens consistently everywhere, then I'd say it's not a problem with the fueling equipment, but rather something in your tank design causing the clicking off to occur (sorry, not blaming you. I actually doubt this is the case, as all auto manufacturers know about the the needs of a nozzle and wouldn't want all their Tundras clicking off every time they were fueling). There are big differences in the way fueling occurs north and south of the border so this is a complicated issue.

Generally the clicking off is due to the following reasons:

1. The vapor return portion in the hose is clogged with fuel. This occurs when the previous customer tops off his/her tank for too long. The tank is full and because of the tight seal with the faceplate of the nozzle to the cars tank, the gas being dispensed has nowhere to go but back into the hose. The hose is coaxial meaning it has two compartments - one for gas and one to collect vapors. By topping off repetitively, the fuel stats clogging the vapor return line, which can cause a nozzle to click off prematurely. I sometime laugh at those topping off for 2 minutes because all they're doing is paying for gas they aren't receiving, or I enjoy them disconnecting the nozzle from the tank and having gas go spraying everywhere out of the hose/nozzle. It's actually dangerous, so I don't laugh much.

2. All nozzles are equipped with automatic shutoff. When the sensor on the spout of the nozzle detects liquid, it shuts off, thinking the tank is full. If this sensor is not functioning correctly, it can cause the nozzle to click off prematurely.

3. Could be something wrong with the insertion interlock mechanism on the nozzle. The bellows need to be compressed for fueling to occur. A defect could cause the nozzle to not dispense (or worse, dispense when the bellows aren't compressed).

4. The nozzle ain't pushed in all the way. Don't be afraid to stick it in deep!! =)

Again, big difference in equipment north and south of the border so this is a general statement on my part.

My $.02. I probably didn't answer anything................as usual. =)

[Edited on 7-14-2012 by ateo]

woody with a view - 7-14-2012 at 06:11 PM

there is a known issue with the filler neck on my 03 Tundy. some have replaced theirs with good results. being the cheap bastard that i am i stand there and hold the nozzle while filling.....

watizname - 7-14-2012 at 06:35 PM

In the old days I had a Chevy with a 454, and two tanks. I would run all thru Baja on a single tank using an additive, and save the last of the US gas for the run up the grade out of Santa Rosalia. Pinging was an issue, and I didn't want to stop and retard the timing. Nowadays, I have an 06 F150 4x4 with the 5.4L motor, and don't worry about a thing. Haven't measured the milage, but seems to run just fine, and never had a problem. Even with a camper and pulling a trailer with toys, it does just fine. Might be silly, but I measure my milage by time. I get about 2 hrs to a 1/4 tank. Pretty scientific huh? Whenever my buddy and I are driving together, I seem to use just a tad less gas than he does. He has a Chev 3/4 ton with all the bells and whistles. :rolleyes:

Meany - 7-14-2012 at 06:57 PM

Well! I do just fine on the gas down here and my buddy is never out of my mirror.. And my RZR so just fine. Plus it;s cheeper....

Ateo - 7-14-2012 at 07:13 PM

I used to think Mexican gas was inferior. Now I arrive with an empty gas tank so I can fill 'er up at a reduced/subsidized price. No issues whatsoever.

watizname - 7-14-2012 at 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Meany
Well! I do just fine on the gas down here and my buddy is never out of my mirror.. And my RZR so just fine. Plus it;s cheeper....

The mirror thing seems like a challange of sorts. The only reason your buddy is in your mirror is to make sure you get to where you're going. It's an age thing.

bajadogs - 7-14-2012 at 09:13 PM

Dodge Ram 360 or 5.9 gas - no problems
Kawasaki KLR650 - no problems
Subaru Outback - no problems

nbacc - 7-15-2012 at 06:59 AM

Toyota (old) two door truck..........no problems

wornout - 7-15-2012 at 08:03 AM

Been running regular Pemex gas in my Dodge V10 PU and dune buggies for 15 years. Had to replace on fuel pump but the Dodge has 218,000 miles on it so I can hardly blame Pemex gas as I have heard it happens in the old country too.

Years ago there was some hot tub talk that the gas in San Felipe, comes to us from Long Beach. Yep, they guilty individual said it is piped to Mexicali and trucked to San Felipe. Don't know or care if that is true, just passing it on.

mcfez - 7-15-2012 at 09:37 AM

Land Rover or the Dodge Ram............

Not difference on power or engine noise.

Fact is also.......we use regular fuel for all the cars ...........not the premium stuff...here in the states.