The Wilmington morning star., 1946-01-14
new LAW REVAMPS
GASOLINE TESTS
BY BLOYS BRITT
APP Staff Writer


RALEIGH, Jan. 13.-P)-If your
postwar automobile doesn't hold
up, you won't be able to blame it
on the gasoline you use-provided
you do the filling up'' in North
Carolina.
All this is taken care of in reg
ulations recently passed by the
North Carolina Gasoline and Oil
Inspection Board. The regulations
completely revamp a time-worn
system Of gasoline inspection
which did little to protect the
motorist.
Designed to assure gasoline of
near-aviation levels as to octane
content, the new rules may set off
competitive program among
gasoline manufacturers for top
play in. North Carolina, although
for the time being the GRAND
or ''name" feature of the gasoline
trade has been hit a severe blow.
Among other things, the new
regulations require gasoline COM
panies to provide gasoline with a
minimum octane content of u,
with a tolerance of 2 per cent, and
requires the registration of brands,
together with a chemical analysis
Of each, with the inspection board.
According to Edwin Gill, ex-of-
ficio chairman Of the board, once
manufacturer registers a brand
with an octane content of 70 or
over, he can't lower the octane
content Of that particular brand,
nor can he change the brand name
to sell inferior gasoline.
For instance: If gasoline
manufacturer-say Standard Oil
registers it's brand as having an
octane count of 80 test, that octane
count can never be lowered so
long as the new regulations are in
effect. The 80 octane count then
would be Standard Oils minimum
count for that particular brand,
and the regulations would prohibit
its ever being lowered.
The states minimum octane
test Of u, therefore, would be the
lowest which could be registered
or sold under any conditions, but
the octane content registered by
the company would become its
own minimum and registered as
such.
Under the new regulations,
which becmoe effective April 1 the
state will continue to inspect gaso-
line pumps to see that they give
the correct measures. Plans have
been completed for complete lab
oratory analysis of all brands of
gasoline.
Under the old system of inspec-
ton, there was no requirement
that a brand analysis be register
ed. Without reference to individ-
ual brand, the state established
three grades, with a minimurc
octane content of 60, which were
marked upon the pumps. The new
changes provide for one minimum
grade with the additional feature
Of Individual brand registration.
The inspection board says it may
have to raise the minimum stand
ard of octane content at some
future date, especially if the new
regulations set trend toward bet
ter gasoline.
Provisions further provide for
confiscation of gasoline which does
not meet the new standards.
1--WE think the public will like
the new system because it will be
our purpose through inspection to
see that all gasoline used is of
substantially good grade" Gill
says. Through inspection we can
require each Individual company
to live up to the representations of
its brand analysis.
A change in the regulations. he
said, was motivated by belief
that a majority of motorists buy
gasoline by brand. eve intend to
see that this brand really means
something. And inasmuch as the
brand registration will be a nub-
lie record, this system will en-.
courage competition between the
various companies and tend to lift
the standard of gasoline sold in
the 'state.''