Fuel Debate

[freelancer]

this may sound like a dumb questuion but why did engines require lead additives anyway and what changes have been made to engines in recent years such that they no longer require it??

[kaz]

I've stopped using supermarket petrol

I filled up my car at Asdas in Dagenham and a few days later my car (AX GT) started spitting and holding back I thought there was something very wrong with it and took it to my husbands garage he looked it all over and could find nothing wrong but said it sounded like water in the petrol or perhaps a peice of crud bloking the fuel pump. I drove off and still it was driving terrible, later that day one of my brothers turned up at his garage he's car was doing the same thing only worse as his kept stopping. We were just discussing the coninceidence when he said it happened just after he'd filled up at Asda in Dagenham. We both sythoned out some of the petrol and re filled it with BP petrol and after a few days both car were driving fine.

Needless to say none of us use this petrol station any more.

I tend to use BP petrol. I am going to try the 97 RON to see if there is any improvement.

Kaz

[Scot]

this may sound like a dumb questuion but why did engines require lead additives anyway and what changes have been made to engines in recent years such that they no longer require it??

Unsure of this one, ill do some research and find out. Think it was done to stop the valve seats form burning out..... and keep things cool.

But like i said, i'll look it up :D

[Surinder]

hi..

I know some tanker drivers and people who work at an oil refinery/distributer based in hull, called conico or summat. Basicaly all the petrol comes from the same source. All the big compaines pump the basic fuel into a shared network of pipelines all round the UK. Then they all tap fuel out of these pipes as and when needed.

While the tankers are loaded they add the addatives. Ive been told that the main problem is that some supermarket tankers dont bother washing out the tankers, filters etc. after each load so the crap builds up.

Surinder...

[stujones]

Just to add backing to earlier comments on here - I tried Shell Optimax today, was running on fumes when I filled up, and the difference to how my Carina 1.6 GLi normally drives was remarkable - it felt as though I had an extra 0.2 litres under the bonnet, and I reckon I used less fuel on my journey. It did, however, cost 81.9p/litre as opposed to 76.9 for normal Shell Unleaded (this was in Cambs).

I think that standard acceleration was massively improved by it, and foot-to-the-floor acceleration was also improved albeit not by as much. When cruising, my foot was also in a noticably higher position on the accelerator than it normally is, and I was still doing 'bout 3800rpm and 90mph.

Reckon I might be a convert...if my student loan thinks it's viable!!

Another point of debate - again might just be psychological, but my car also seems to be generally more responsive with a full tank, compared to <1/4 tank - it this my imagination, or does it increase the pressure or something? Only I'd have thought the fuel pump should be able to cope anyway....

[mellow_yellow]

Optimax is the dogs dangly bits!

but i thought that cars need some sort of knockdown sensor when it detects a higher octane fuel to benefit from additional performance.... the Scoobys and Mistys have em as do performace cares like TVR etc...

Otherwise, i thought higher octance fuel just gave better economy and less pollution... as well as running smoother?

[97paseo]

Hey Mellow have you tried it in the 'Seo? Was it good? :)

[mellow_yellow]

yeah i have,

it helps give a slicker performance but not really a boost if that makes sense...

like a few ppl have sed, its hard to explain. give it a go. i used to abuse it cos i did some promotion work for Shell when they bought it out and used to give me for half price.... but Shell garages are hard to find in cov. i could go 3 miles down the M6 but i dont really wanna be payin 90p a litre!

[97paseo]

Cool, yea I see what you mean, 90p a litre ain't good!

[phil3345]

Its awful fuel car is now only doing about 23 mpg.

Because it makes it feel faster i cant keep my foot off the pedal!!!

[Monster-Mat]

Shell has just released 100 octane fuel on mainland europe called V-Power

will use some next week hopefully B)

[Steve Ratcliffe]

Do you know if they plan to release it in the UK?

Im running on 97 Super at the minute cos its the only thing I can reliably get each time!

Steve.

[TheNissanMan]

Shell has just released 100 octane fuel on mainland europe called V-Power

will use some next week hopefully B)

Any chance of bringing some over to Japfest :)

I'd love to try that stuff in my car, especially on track.....

Now we'll have to chase Shell to see when it's coming over here....

[scoobyspanker]

100 octane fuel! ... Anyone tried octane boosters?? did it help?

[Guest Calum]

Quite alot of garages use fuel additives when you get a service, so to make it seem like they have done more work than they have.

I've tried some cheaper types out. And these definately make your car run smoother, but i have not noticed a huge advantage in performance. Perhaps the more expensive ones work though.

[scoobyspanker]

cheers for answering my question calum! I will try one out soon..

[Monster-Mat]

the V-Power fuel has replaced Optimax

[starletsy]

There are some results from a Australian survey here:-

Octane boost

Thanks to ev4siv from toyotaownersclub for the link B)

simon

[starletsy]

Some info on V-power here:

V-Power

Says there the RON rating is 97.0 min tho

Simon

[toyotasera.co.uk]

Because this stuff is quite volatile, Shell can only guarantee a minimum RON (Research Octane Rating).

[Beardie]

Use LPG. Lean Burn Engines superbly suited. No black carbon / acid build up in the oil either.

[dawesy]

lead was put there because old cylinder heads were made from cast steel and the valve seats were cut directly into the head, so lead was put into the fuel to form a cusion between the valve and seat take it away and eventualy the valve wears the seat away, but cos it can only recead so far you eventualy lose the seal and your engin dont go so well!!! :(

i found this out to my cost a few years ago when i had a metro gta...... dont laugh the guy i bought it from told me it could run on unleaded i checked it with the dealer, they told me it should b ok, about a year later it started playing up. turns out the guy who had it b4 me had the cylinder head refurbished to cure leaky valve stems, but who ever did it didnt give him his original head back cos this one didnt have hardened valve seats in (thats why cars now can do without lead)

:(