Gasoline is a highly combustible liquid used as a fuel for internal combustion engines. It is not only one of the most important fuels in the world but also falls in the category of one of the most expensive, as it can cost up to $1.5 per liter on average.
Have you ever wondered which type or color of gasoline you need for your car’s fuel tank?
If yes! Then this article is for you.
This article will discuss everything you need about gasoline, its types, colors, and usage.
Summary
Gasoline is a clear, colorless liquid used as fuel for internal combustion engines.
There was no importance of gasoline before 1879.
Regular, midgrade, and premium are the three types of gasoline.
These three types represent different grades of gasoline in terms of octane number.
Gasoline is transparent and colorless. However, to avoid any possible mishap or create a distinction between different types of gasoline, there are multiple dyes and colors.
Gasoline that remains in the tank for more than six months turns bad.
The color of bad gasoline may turn brown or black.
Bad gasoline can cause engine problems.
What is Gasoline?
Gasoline was a waste by-product discovered accidentally during the process of petroleum refining. Gasoline is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons that are obtained from crude oil. The process through which gasoline is usually extracted is called distillation. Distillation is a complex process, and it normally involves oil refineries to do this method.
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Until the 1880s, no one was interested in gasoline as coal and kerosene were used as energy sources in the engines.
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However, a German engineer, Karl Friedrich Michael Vaillant Benz, brought it into use for the first time in 1879 by inventing a gasoline-powered mono-cylindrical motor prototype. In successive years much of the development took place in this regard. The first U.S. patent regarding the gasoline-powered automobile was issued on 11 June 1895. Gasoline has many different uses but is mainly used as fuel for cars, motorcycles, and other vehicles. Similar to uses, it has different types and colors.
The consumption of gasoline around the world can be determined from the table below [1]:
Country
Consumption, 2021 (thousand barrels per day)
USA
8795.12
Canada
800.06
Japan
739.21
Mexico
550.32
Germany
445.52
Australia
273.61
UK
254.17
South Korea
227.98
France
210.43
Italy
167.67
Types of Gasoline
Gasoline comes in three different types: regular, midgrade, and premium.
Regular Gasoline
Regular gasoline, also called unleaded gasoline, is the most common gasoline sold at gas stations. It has an octane rating of 87, which means it has a lower octane rating than midgrade or premium gasoline. As a result, regular gasoline costs less per gallon than other types of gasoline.
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According to Statista, the monthly gasoline consumption of the U.S. was close to 8.7 million barrels per day in October 2022.
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Midgrade Gasoline
Midgrade gasoline is similar to regular gas but with a higher octane rating of 89-90. Midgrade gas costs more per gallon than regular gas but not as much as premium gas. Compared to regular gasoline, midgrade gasoline provides the car with better performance as it can bear higher compression.
Premium Gasoline
Premium gasoline is the most expensive fuel because it has an octane rating of 91-93. It is normally used in performance cars and vehicles with turbochargers.
Different Types of Gasoline Colors
Gasoline is transparent and colorless. However, to avoid any possible mishap or create a distinction between different types of gasoline, there are multiple dyes and colors.
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Here are the grades of gasoline and the colors they are normally found in:
Type of Gasoline
Octane #
Color
Regular
87
Greenish/Slight Bluish
Midgrade
89-90
Yellowish
Premium
91-93
Pink
Aviation
100
Blue
Gasoline and Oil
–
Bluish-Green
Bad Gas
–
Dark Brown or Black
How to Recognize Bad Gasoline
The shelf life of gasoline is from three to six months. Gasoline that remains in the tank for more than six months turns bad. Bad gasoline can be recognized by its color and smell.
Color:
Gasoline is usually a transparent substance. As has already been discussed, different dye colors are mixed in the gasoline to create a distinction among different grades of gasoline. However, whatever grade of gasoline is, if it has been present in the tank for a while, it may start to turn brown or black. The darker the color of gasoline is, the dirtier it will be.
Smell:
The smell of gasoline should not be strong and should not have any unusual odors like rotten eggs or spoiled substances.
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Gasoline that has not been used for months can be bad because it might have lost its potency and could cause engine problems.
Other Petroleum Substances and their Colors
Diesel
Diesel fuel is a type of fuel used in diesel engines. It is also known as petro-diesel or black gold because it is the most expensive type of oil. Diesel fuel looks black and has a specific smell to it. The most common use of diesel fuel is for transportation purposes, such as cars and trucks.
Bio Diesel
Biodiesel is fuel from vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled cooking oil. It can be used in the same way as regular diesel. However, the color of bio-diesel depends on the type of vegetable oil used to make it. For example, the bio-diesel will be brown if the vegetable oil is made from soybean oil. However, the bio-diesel will be golden yellow if the vegetable oil is made from sunflower.
Crude Oil
Crude oil is a sticky liquid, a mixture of many different hydrocarbons. Therefore, the color of crude oil varies depending on its source. For example, it can range from light or dark brown to greenish black.
Color Coded Fuel-Cans
Different colored fuel cans are used to differentiate between, unlike gas types. These include:
Containers
Storage Substance
Green Containers
Used for storing oils
Red Containers
Used for storing gasoline and flammables
Yellow Containers
Used for storing diesel fluid
Blue Containers
Used exclusively for storing kerosene
Conclusion
Gasoline is a refined petroleum product primarily used as a fuel in spark-ignited internal combustion engines. Gasoline has various colors, depending on the type of crude oil it was derived from. The color of gasoline is crucial because it defines the octane level. The higher the octane level, the better performance your engine will have.
Regular gasoline is usually referred to as unleaded gasoline. It is the most common type of gasoline sold at gas stations across the United States. It has an octane rating of 87, which means it has a lower octane rating than midgrade or premium gasoline. As a result, regular gasoline costs less per gallon than other types of gasoline.
Gasoline is transparent and colorless. However, different dyes or colors are used to avoid any possible mishap and to differentiate the gasoline grades not only from each other but from other substances such as water.
The color of gasoline is important, and it matters. Through the color of gasoline, you may not only differentiate between different types of gasoline but also avoid confusing it with water or any other transparent or colorless substance.
Generally, the type of fuel better for your car is determined by the type of engine it has. A car with a standard four-cylinder engine needs to run on regular gasoline. If it has a performance engine or an engine with a turbocharger, then it needs to run on premium gas. A midgrade gas will work with either one of these engines.
