What fuel do we all use?

[FROSTYBALLS]

20 minutes ago, twintopp said:

as i have commented before there are only a handfull of refineries in Britain and no matter what brand you prefer it all comes from the same area refinery.  

..... but the additive packages, added when the fuel tanker is filled, may differ between brands and whether unleaded or super unleaded.

[twintopp]

true but i just use the cheapest and don`t  notice any difference  to be honest . 

[fourbanks]

BP E5

[Eddie G]

17 minutes ago, twintopp said:

true but i just use the cheapest and don`t  notice any difference  to be honest . 

1 mpg on average better I've found on the same route to work on E5 over E10 in my 2020 1.5 Yaris around 10-12 minute journey, car sounds that bit smoother as well but each to their own car and how they find their engine is on both.

[davidif]

I use Tesco E10 in the Corolla and E5 in the GT86.

The Corolla doesn't seem to behave any differently whatever fuel I fill up with whereas the GT86 is noticeably peppier on E5. I don't know if that is because the Corolla is a newer design or as to whether the 86 is more highly tuned? 

 

[TonyHSD]

My car is very sensitive on fuel and not only on what type e5 99 or e10 95 but also there is noticeable difference between different fill ups from different  garages even though the garages are part of the same chain or has their fuel delivered from the same refinery the engine sounds and performs ever so slightly different. 
For example last fill up tried to get my favourite local Tesco but twice no fuel, £1.56 a litre for e5 99 always busy there, so I needed to find another one. 
Stopped by potters bar tescos and found e5 99 at £1.62 a litre and filled up full. 
The difference,

my car for some reason since many years ago sometimes on cold starts the engine is knocking within the first 1 minute of warming up process, more pronounced with some particular fuels and less pronounced with others. Also this knocking can be violent after more than 5-6 days of inactivity, thought is the head gasket but no coolant use, all liquids are clear ., so it should be the fuel mixture. , egr system is also clear.
With the more expensive e5 last two cold starts no knocking at all , acceleration and throttle response as usual on e5.
Here interesting thing that often with e10 95 from bp the knocking is less or non present on cold starts but then the engine is noisier and overall throttle response and performance not as good as on e5 99.
Will pay attention tonight how it will start on more expensive Tesco for a third cold start and let you know, it might be just me 🫢
There might be some quality difference between the differently priced fuels in each garage that the public it’s not aware off. , these additives packages or I don’t know. 

[TonyHSD]

An update here: 

the more expensive Tesco e5 99 is better than cheaper Tesco e5 99. Third day cold starts are smooth and no engine knocking. Will try to keep filling up their at £1.62 and see how the engine will start after longer time of not driving the car. 

[Max_Headroom]

 

Quote

the more expensive Tesco e5 99 is better than cheaper Tesco e5 99.

Was  this a typo Tony i cannot find any info on  "Cheaper Tesco E5 99"  just Momentum below - 

Tesco Momentum 99

Our Momentum 99 petrol contains a special blend of additives to help keep a car's fuel system clean and working at its best.

Additionally, the higher octane level (99 compared to 95 for regular unleaded petrol) gives improved overall engine performance for cars that are able to take advantage of this (generally, sportier models).

Most Tesco Petrol Filling Stations across England, Scotland and Wales stock Momentum 99. We don’t currently have a supply terminal that is able to produce our high octane base fuel to blend with our exclusive additives in Northern Ireland.

Please check our store locator for your local Tesco 

[TonyHSD]

Definitely there is a difference in quality and content of the fuels between various garages and various prices. 
The cheaper Tesco local to me it’s not a good one as I thought and cause engine knocking in comparison to other Tesco garages. , some are even worse but this I found lately it’s a better one, just 6 p more expensive. 
On paper they are the same Tesco momentum 99 e5 but the price difference seems like it’s not just because of geographic difference but the quality of fuels the sell. I believe to stay cheap those save on vital additives and the results are obvious. This afternoon I had to top up half tank with bp 97 e5 and we will see later how the engine performs on cold starts. I usually have no problems with their e10 95 but just don’t like how the car drives, it lacks power. 

[TonyHSD]

3 hours ago, Max_Headroom said:

 

Was  this a typo Tony i cannot find any info on  "Cheaper Tesco E5 99"  just Momentum below - 

Tesco Momentum 99

Our Momentum 99 petrol contains a special blend of additives to help keep a car's fuel system clean and working at its best.

Additionally, the higher octane level (99 compared to 95 for regular unleaded petrol) gives improved overall engine performance for cars that are able to take advantage of this (generally, sportier models).

Most Tesco Petrol Filling Stations across England, Scotland and Wales stock Momentum 99. We don’t currently have a supply terminal that is able to produce our high octane base fuel to blend with our exclusive additives in Northern Ireland.

Please check our store locator for your local Tesco 

No typo, just two different Tesco petrol stations sell same e5 99 at different price. 
My town cost 1.56 a litre but engine is knocking when cold started, the other Tesco cost 1.62 a litre, same petrol, same performance and no engine knocking, actually very smooth and saddle. 

[TonyHSD]

Car filled up with bp e5 97 premium started cold after a couple of days of inactivity and no knocking noises. Previously with cheap Tesco e5 99 momentum had those nasty misfire knocking. 
The petrol price difference matters. 

[Paul john]

16 minutes ago, TonyHSD said:

Car filled up with bp e5 97 premium started cold after a couple of days of inactivity and no knocking noises. Previously with cheap Tesco e5 99 momentum had those nasty misfire knocking. 
The petrol price difference matters. 

Doesnt your Auris have a knock sensor to cope with poor quality fuel?

[TonyHSD]

28 minutes ago, Paul john said:

Doesnt your Auris have a knock sensor to cope with poor quality fuel?

Yes, it does have one as every car has this sensor. But this is something that I noticed since some time and for me it is a factor that defines a difference between good and bad fuel. Another factors are smoothness, engine noise , throttle response and acceleration, torque. The premium petrol is always the better choice and worth over cheap and nasty fuels. Cheap fuels are cheap for a reason. This however does not apply to prices difference between local garages and motorways services as the later always sells very expensive fuels and quality not always great. 

[Trewithy]

I have never noticed a problem with using Tesco E5 99 momentum. Engine is always quiet, smooth and pulls nicely up hills.

[Paul john]

5 hours ago, TonyHSD said:

Yes, it does have one as every car has this sensor. But this is something that I noticed since some time and for me it is a factor that defines a difference between good and bad fuel. Another factors are smoothness, engine noise , throttle response and acceleration, torque. The premium petrol is always the better choice and worth over cheap and nasty fuels. Cheap fuels are cheap for a reason. This however does not apply to prices difference between local garages and motorways services as the later always sells very expensive fuels and quality not always great. 

Just you mention nasty knocking with that fuel. Perhaps your knock sensor is malfunctioning. 

[Big_D]

 Fuel does make a difference. I have noticed a difference in my car's performance when I use different fuels. Mine loves Esso. Shell gives me poor consumption and the engine doesn't feel as smooth. almost as if the timing is out and the engine is struggling. 

[TonyHSD]

Possible sensor malfunction indeed, however in my case it’s more like from the fuel itself because  the car does it only with particular fuels and not always. , only on cold starts in the first few seconds. Then after no issues at all, fuel consumption is great, performance is great, low engine noise, no shakes, very smooth and nice drive , it’s like a new car although it’s old and high mileage.
Sensor malfunction comes with a fault codes , here we don’t have any, just fill up this particular Tesco with cheapest prices around and I got this knocking on cold no matter if it’s e5 95 or e10 99.
BP both petrol regular and premium no knocking noises. 
Here an interesting read about this events. 
https://www.icdrex.com/5-signs-your-knock-sensor-needs-replacement/#:~:text=This is because a faulty,poor combustion and wasted fuel.&text=Engine misfires can also cause,damage to the catalytic converter.
  

[AndrueC]

I really don't think that a car designed for the mass market is going to care one way or the other over different versions of what is supposed to be the same product.

Sure if you put diesel into it it's going to be upset but otherwise it'll be fine. It's not a highly tuned sports car and will have been designed to run on almost anything that might reasonably expected to come out of a pump.

Back in the day carb tuning might not suit one type of fuel but in these days the ECU will adjust the timing to whatever comes through the pipe. If it doesn't then there's something wrong.

[Parts-King]

I have had a company car for 30 plus years, I never put anything other than supermarket fuel in them, always been fine, if I ever get "caught short" and have to use premium fuel, I cannot tell the difference in performance. I cannot give you a long term view as they get changed after about 10K

[Mr Billiards]

I have a 2010 2ltr Mazda MX5 with 30k on the clock (summer use only) and it definitely runs better on Shell V Power.

Ticks over smoother and pulls better through the gears. Not to worried about fuel consumption as it does so few miles.

I run my new 2ltr GR Sport Corolla on BP E5 and it seems to go well, but only have 350 miles on the clock so far. Taking it gently at present so will get a better idea once its bedded in and loosened up, averaging 50 mpg.

 

 

 

[Paul john]

Call me an idiot if you wish but i have run all my prius’s (prii?) on sainsburys super unleaded since 2005

when that was not available on holidays it was Shell v power or tescos momentum 99

only had one half tank of E10 when a numpty garage filled with that after a repair and it tanked the mpg…

i also only run in “power mode” all the time  

pleasent enough drive for me and i accept the disadvantages of “wasting money” 

[Oscarmax]

Tesco E10

[Cyker]

I wonder, does Toyota sell the hybrids in any flexfuel countries?

I sometimes wonder how hard it would be to make the engines E85 compatible - A lot of the time it's just uprating parts that are vulnerable to alcohol, and I figure most of them should already be to stop E10 rotting them out, and fitting a higher flow fuel pump and injectors.

That said, although E85 can give a significant power boost, it also has higher consumption, and with the 30-and-a-bit litre tank in my Yaris I suspect I'd have to carry around a lot of jerry cans to keep the range  

[TonyHSD]

After two weeks of using bp 97 e5 and no any engine knocking on cold I went back to cheapest Tesco momentum 99 e5 and of course the engine started knocking on cold. Overall performance and engine noise are similar to more expensive bp premium but these engines knocking are not pleasant at all and I am positive that these are from the fuel itself, no the engine or sensor or anything else. 👍

[Cyker]

I do wonder if there is something up with your engine Tony; The hybrid engines should not need E5 to avoid knocking! Maybe it's got some crud built up that needs cleaning out? 

When's the last time you took it on a good hoon...?