Which Is The Best Diesel Fuel?

[vivianM]

What is recommended as the best diesel fuel, for the T180 engine in particular?

I use my local Morrisons but there is nothing I have found on the pumps to say the exact specification whilst my handbook states "Do not use fuel that contains more than 50 ppm of sulphur" for the 2AD-FHV with catalytic converter.

Fuel price is not a main problem as I do a relativily low mileage but in my area we only have Morrisons and Tesco, as far as I know.

Guy

[Parts-King]

This might explain

DFT FUEL EFFECTS

Basically it says all UK diesel is Sulphur free. Some people say branded fuels, Shell, BP etc are better but I don't know how much better

Kingo

[MarsKy]

Fifth Gear on Channel 5 did a recent feature on fuel. The higher cetane fuels found in the likes of BP Ultimate did perform better, but there wasn't much in it.

Another advantage - on Christmas Eve I had the green fuel pump hose in my T180, and it was only because the pump price was showing below £1 that I realised I wasn't about to buy the more expensive BP Ultimate diesel. Got lucky there.

[vivianM]

Fifth Gear on Channel 5 did a recent feature on fuel. The higher cetane fuels found in the likes of BP Ultimate did perform better, but there wasn't much in it.

Another advantage - on Christmas Eve I had the green fuel pump hose in my T180, and it was only because the pump price was showing below £1 that I realised I wasn't about to buy the more expensive BP Ultimate diesel. Got lucky there.

Thanks Marsky & Kingo,

Seems all UK diesel is suphur free from Jan 2009 at the very latest - I have not found a BP station near me but might just try a fill up when I pass one on a run out of the area - I think Anchorman does not like our local diesel so if his toothache is better I will see what he says - He will like this - I have pulled a muscle in my back shifting snow from his mother-in-laws drive!! No sign of him !

How does the price of BP Ultimate compare with standard diesel?

Guy

[Davrav]

Have a look at this - might give some insight:

http://www.dervman.com/fuelbrands.htm

[redlew]

Anyone know if its true that supermarket petrol is just what is going spare at the refinery so that one day its Shell, the next day BP and so on?

[cabcurtains]

Fifth Gear on Channel 5 did a recent feature on fuel. The higher cetane fuels found in the likes of BP Ultimate did perform better, but there wasn't much in it.

Another advantage - on Christmas Eve I had the green fuel pump hose in my T180, and it was only because the pump price was showing below £1 that I realised I wasn't about to buy the more expensive BP Ultimate diesel. Got lucky there.

Thanks Marsky & Kingo,

Seems all UK diesel is suphur free from Jan 2009 at the very latest - I have not found a BP station near me but might just try a fill up when I pass one on a run out of the area - I think Anchorman does not like our local diesel so if his toothache is better I will see what he says - He will like this - I have pulled a muscle in my back shifting snow from his mother-in-laws drive!! No sign of him !

How does the price of BP Ultimate compare with standard diesel?

Guy

The price difference between Ultimate & Std BP is about 5-6p per litre normally :)

[anchorman]

Anyone know if its true that supermarket petrol is just what is going spare at the refinery so that one day its Shell, the next day BP and so on?

I was told (and I can't remember by whom) that the refineries produce a base product and then add additives as required by the customer.

I can't imagine that there are significant differences but would expect there to be certain similarities between;

Supermarket - low additive - base spec

Major brands - Shell, BP, Total, Esso etc

High grade - BP Ultimate, Shell V Power etc

Would love to know detail if there are any experts...........

[john1944]

Anyone know if its true that supermarket petrol is just what is going spare at the refinery so that one day its Shell, the next day BP and so on?

I was told (and I can't remember by whom) that the refineries produce a base product and then add additives as required by the customer.

I can't imagine that there are significant differences but would expect there to be certain similarities between;

Supermarket - low additive - base spec

Major brands - Shell, BP, Total, Esso etc

High grade - BP Ultimate, Shell V Power etc

Would love to know detail if there are any experts...........

Is there a valid case here for buying the cheapest diesel on offer, presumably from a supermarket, and adding an additive such as Reddex to improve performance.

[anchorman]

Well I wouldn't!

I have always avoided using any fuel or oil additives. When I was actively involved in the motor trade I would often bump into various Tech Sales guys from various industries and I never wasted an opportunity to talk to any. I didn't actually speak to fuel manufacturers but I did speak to oil manufacturers.

They would always advocate that you should not put any additives into the oil as all the additives it needed were already in. The risk was that putting something in (Slick for example) could have an adverse affect on some of the other properties that the oil was aiming to provide.

If you add Redex to the fuel or even some sort of cetane index modifier you cannot be sure to add the right amount (unless it is done litre by litre how much to add and in any case do they really justify the cost?

I will continue to follow the advice given by the "oil guys". Use good quality oil and regardless of mileage recommendations if you do low mileage more frequent changes will avoid a build up of condensation (water - very corrosive!) in the engine. I would also apply that to fuel - use good quality branded fuel with all the chemicals/additives already in at the price.

I would be very interested to know what really happens with supermarket ffuels if anyone can find out. Do they get a low spec and knock it out at a low price like they do with beans and other consumables?

[cabcurtains]

I would be very interested to know what really happens with supermarket ffuels if anyone can find out. Do they get a low spec and knock it out at a low price like they do with beans and other consumables?

I can't imagine sharks like Tesco doing anything without making profit!

[MarsKy]

Fuel additives was another Fifth Gear test feature in the previous series. They found that most made no difference whatsoever, and a few actually decreased performance.

[ozzy35]

My local supermarket fuel is now going up weekly again to the fact its now the same price as bp,shell etc(petrol)....i was told by a bmw technician that they would not use supermarket fuel in there cars,as its basically crap....but is this just there thoughts or do they have proof of his statement.

[vivianM]

My local supermarket fuel is now going up weekly again to the fact its now the same price as bp,shell etc(petrol)....i was told by a bmw technician that they would not use supermarket fuel in there cars,as its basically crap....but is this just there thoughts or do they have proof of his statement.

Thanks All, for the interesting replies might try some Shell Ultimate if I pass a filling station with a low tank!

Guy