Tesco unleaded Vs Shell Optimax
Moderators: jifflemon, coyote1980, Rachel
- L8ERS
- Started learning about 480
- Posts: 53
- Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 12:56 am
- Location: Birmingham UK
- Contact:
Ok so I'm a bit late! But here is my bit anyway.
A quote from http://www.petrolprices.com/about-fuel.html follows;
Super Fuels
Many of the large petrol companies have launched 'super fuels' - petrols and diesels that have a higher research octane level. These fuels are said to increase power in many vehicles, deliver less pollution than regular fuels and help to maintain a cleaner engine. Tesco will soon be selling Super Unleaded 99 Octane petrol, supplied by Greenergy,the highest octane level petrol available in the UK.
Using Super Fuels
One of our users commented that using higher octane fuel than your engine requires actually gives no benefit and may be a waste of money. This is because virtually NO engines require 98 RON over 95, and the market for 'super' fuels seems to be based on people's misunderstanding of octane ratings and the placebo effect of filling up with 'more powerful' fuel - making motorists think their engine is running better in some way.
What do the fuel companies say then, to justify the "increased power" claims for the super grade fuels? Some companies say that while all fuels contain cleaning additives, 'super' fuels contain more or better detergents to keep the injectors cleaner than standard fuel. Others say the fuel is a few percent denser which gives slightly more power per litre. These benefits may be marginal though in comparison to the extra cost involved so it is worth ensuring that your engine will actually benefit before filling up.
Some engines actually do need higher octane fuel, such as race engines with very high compression and some supercharged engines, such as the import version of the Nissan Skyline. Also, a few vehicles, such as the new BMW K1200R motorbike, can sense knock and adjust their engine tuning to take advantage of higher grade fuels.
A quote from http://www.petrolprices.com/about-fuel.html follows;
Super Fuels
Many of the large petrol companies have launched 'super fuels' - petrols and diesels that have a higher research octane level. These fuels are said to increase power in many vehicles, deliver less pollution than regular fuels and help to maintain a cleaner engine. Tesco will soon be selling Super Unleaded 99 Octane petrol, supplied by Greenergy,the highest octane level petrol available in the UK.
Using Super Fuels
One of our users commented that using higher octane fuel than your engine requires actually gives no benefit and may be a waste of money. This is because virtually NO engines require 98 RON over 95, and the market for 'super' fuels seems to be based on people's misunderstanding of octane ratings and the placebo effect of filling up with 'more powerful' fuel - making motorists think their engine is running better in some way.
What do the fuel companies say then, to justify the "increased power" claims for the super grade fuels? Some companies say that while all fuels contain cleaning additives, 'super' fuels contain more or better detergents to keep the injectors cleaner than standard fuel. Others say the fuel is a few percent denser which gives slightly more power per litre. These benefits may be marginal though in comparison to the extra cost involved so it is worth ensuring that your engine will actually benefit before filling up.
Some engines actually do need higher octane fuel, such as race engines with very high compression and some supercharged engines, such as the import version of the Nissan Skyline. Also, a few vehicles, such as the new BMW K1200R motorbike, can sense knock and adjust their engine tuning to take advantage of higher grade fuels.
- Brasco
- 480 Is my middle name
- Posts: 2400
- Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 10:27 pm
- Location: Sat in a barrel of tits, sucking his thumb.
- Contact:
Our Turbo's have a knock sensor. So higher octane is preferable.
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v302/Brasco480/myelan3.jpg[/img][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v302/Brasco480/SV400024rip-1.jpg[/img][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v302/Brasco480/fc85e36c.jpg[/img][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v302/Brasco480/SV400044-1.jpg[/img]
- dragon
- Volvo 480 Club Europe CREW
- Posts: 3705
- Joined: Mon Nov 18, 2002 5:33 pm
- Location: South Yorkshire, UK
- Contact:
A bit like the 480 then?L8ERS wrote: Also, a few vehicles, such as the new BMW K1200R motorbike, can sense knock and adjust their engine tuning to take advantage of higher grade fuels.
Also the T4, and the T5 both require/prefer 98 ron fuel, as designated on the sticker in the filler flap. Of course both my T5R and V70AWD have been remapped to only run on 98 ron fuel, so that basically dictates where my petrol comes from...
... Or rather did, until I LPG'd the AWD!
Cheers! [img]http://www.dragons.org.uk/images/guin.gif[/img]
Gaz Wilson
1997 V70R AWD in Saffron, RICA 580, hot hot HOT!
1995 480 Turbo, Flame Red Metallic/Jacquard-Leather
1993 480 turbo, Vase Green Metallic/Jacquard-Leather
1995 Range Rover 4.6 HSE V8 - Full leather and more!
http://volvo480.northernscum.org.uk <--- Full spec!
Got horses? - [url=http://www.horse-teeth.co.uk][img]http://www.northernscum.org.uk/avatars/ggedt_anim.gif[/img][/url]
Gaz Wilson
1997 V70R AWD in Saffron, RICA 580, hot hot HOT!
1995 480 Turbo, Flame Red Metallic/Jacquard-Leather
1993 480 turbo, Vase Green Metallic/Jacquard-Leather
1995 Range Rover 4.6 HSE V8 - Full leather and more!
http://volvo480.northernscum.org.uk <--- Full spec!
Got horses? - [url=http://www.horse-teeth.co.uk][img]http://www.northernscum.org.uk/avatars/ggedt_anim.gif[/img][/url]
- Ettore Bugatti
- 480 Is my middle name
- Posts: 1273
- Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2003 1:58 pm
- Location: not in a Volvo 480
-
- 480 Rookie
- Posts: 433
- Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2007 8:56 am
Haha a bit of a bumpage, nice to see the cheap prices
When I was going around Europe where I could I would fill up with the higher octane fuel (for about 2 cents more per litre) and would notice a change almost immediately, even with a mixed tank.
It seemed to want to accelerate much more, and just seemed to be better mid range as well, i.e. over taking etc
Ian
When I was going around Europe where I could I would fill up with the higher octane fuel (for about 2 cents more per litre) and would notice a change almost immediately, even with a mixed tank.
It seemed to want to accelerate much more, and just seemed to be better mid range as well, i.e. over taking etc
Ian
[url=http://s52.photobucket.com/albums/g17/muddyfox470/480bilt/][img]http://www.sloganizer.net/en/image,480ES,white,black.png[/img][/url]
[url=http://s52.photobucket.com/albums/g17/muddyfox470/480bilt/]'93 480ES 2litre - Steel Grey Metallic - 70k Miles - Bought March 07 :P[/url]
(Click for pictures :D )
[url=http://s52.photobucket.com/albums/g17/muddyfox470/480bilt/]'93 480ES 2litre - Steel Grey Metallic - 70k Miles - Bought March 07 :P[/url]
(Click for pictures :D )
- Big Brother
- Moderator
- Posts: 5128
- Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2004 6:51 pm
- Location: North Wales
-
- Friend of Club 480 Europe
- Posts: 1796
- Joined: Sun Oct 03, 2004 7:30 pm
- Big Brother
- Moderator
- Posts: 5128
- Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2004 6:51 pm
- Location: North Wales