Super unleaded |
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alanross
Really Senior Member II Joined: 01-September-2004 Location: North Lanarkshire Status: Offline Points: 958 |
Topic: Super unleaded Posted: 02-April-2006 at 16:49 |
Brother cut and pasted this to me, It's from Banzai magazine about which super unleaded is meant to be best. Full write up in magazine is meant to be pretty good reading so will do probably next time I'm in W H Smith. the tests were done on a cosworth YB engine with a t4 What's your thoughts? Alan. |
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pm9575
Really Senior Member I Joined: 04-July-2005 Location: North Scotland Status: Offline Points: 337 |
Posted: 03-April-2006 at 03:02 |
None the local Scooby owners run their cars on anything else. The only other option is to buy the less expensive fuel, and keep on adding octane booster, but at av. £4/ bottle (get away with one per tank) the price of Optimax is not far away in any event.
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Doive
Really Senior Member II Joined: 09-February-2005 Location: Clinging to a turbine, Hexham Status: Offline Points: 1212 |
Posted: 03-April-2006 at 03:53 |
Practical Classics did the same experiment with a Volvo Amazon - slightly less power than a Cossie! They managed an extra 2bhp with Optimax. Have to say I ran a couple of tanks of Optimax through my car and noticed absolutely no difference at all, apart from a missing tenner from my pocket. Would probably work well in more powerful cars!
Strangely enough, Optimax in the Chevette with an octane booster made the world of difference, no pinking at all and extra power all across the rev range. |
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1987 BMW 525e Lux Auto (sadly deceased)
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Daz
Really Senior Member II Joined: 03-August-2004 Location: Dubai Status: Offline Points: 1497 |
Posted: 03-April-2006 at 04:40 |
that rings true. i would have expected the best results from optimax. it comes from a separate depot from all other petrols. I believe it comes from Manchester area? somebody correct me if I'm wrong. whereas all the other fuels just come from plain old regular depots. Sadly no matter what I run I will not be pushing out over 500 horse though... so it aint that imortant for me. Daz |
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ally
Really Senior Member II Joined: 11-October-2004 Status: Offline Points: 1529 |
Posted: 03-April-2006 at 05:03 |
I tend to use 3 - 4 tanks Optimax then 1 normal & i'm not honestly sure if there is a difference, I heard somewhere that Optimax burns at a higher temp & could burn out your valves, but i don't really believe that TBH.
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gary
Really Senior Member II Just Call me Wendy ;-) Joined: 16-October-2002 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 4263 |
Posted: 03-April-2006 at 05:08 |
5th Gear did a similar experiment with 3 different types of car.
A small family car A meduim one and then a Scooby and found that the small family made little or no power increase, the medium only a slight gain of about 5 bhp but the scooby saw about 20 bhp more. I use optimax in the M3 |
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Webdunk
Moderator Group M3 GT Register Joined: 16-October-2002 Location: Central Scotland Status: Offline Points: 5245 |
Posted: 03-April-2006 at 06:36 |
Clio, the Golf Gti then Scooby PPP I think. I too use Optimax in the GT. Used to get 2-4mpg more when I used it in the 328i coupe. |
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stephenperry
Bavarian-Board Contributor Joined: 20-April-2004 Location: Elgin Status: Offline Points: 7213 |
Posted: 03-April-2006 at 07:59 |
i've used optimax exclusively since it came out but i'm intrigued how it is not meant to be a replacement for super unleaded, more of an octane-boosted standard unleaded i'm going to give Esso super a try next tank and see what that's like |
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2007 Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCI Titanium X Auto 1983 Ford Sierra XR4i 2000 Alpina B10 3.3 #118 1999 BMW 323Ci 1995 BMW 318i SE 1994 Vauxhall Omega 2.0 GLS 1995 Ford Mondeo 1.8 LX 1990 Honda Concerto 1.6 EX 1986 Ford Orion 1.6 GL 1989 Ford Fiesta 1.1 Firefly |
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Del64
Really Senior Member I Double 6 driver Joined: 16-December-2002 Location: East Ayrshire Status: Offline Points: 420 |
Posted: 03-April-2006 at 14:37 |
In a "normal" car I tend to agree that Optimax and similar makes little or no real difference but that said I never use anything but, so I must be a bit of a mug LMAO however the car has never once missed a beat has almost 0 emissions (8ppm HC with a limit of 300?) so it might or might not do anything
On an M or Alpina car though? I would think it has some effect |
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stephenperry
Bavarian-Board Contributor Joined: 20-April-2004 Location: Elgin Status: Offline Points: 7213 |
Posted: 03-April-2006 at 14:45 |
from my owners handbook: "The engine of your BMW ALPINA B10 3.3 / touring is configured for the use of unleaded petrol Super Plus with an octane rating of 98 ROZ. Because the engine is knock-controlled it is possible to use different fuel grades, the minimum quality being premium-grade unleaded 95 ROZ. The stated performance and consumption figures are achieved using Super Plus 98 ROZ while ROZ 95 will lead to lower performance and increased consumption." |
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2007 Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCI Titanium X Auto 1983 Ford Sierra XR4i 2000 Alpina B10 3.3 #118 1999 BMW 323Ci 1995 BMW 318i SE 1994 Vauxhall Omega 2.0 GLS 1995 Ford Mondeo 1.8 LX 1990 Honda Concerto 1.6 EX 1986 Ford Orion 1.6 GL 1989 Ford Fiesta 1.1 Firefly |
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stephenperry
Bavarian-Board Contributor Joined: 20-April-2004 Location: Elgin Status: Offline Points: 7213 |
Posted: 03-April-2006 at 14:46 |
Evo magazine did a similar round up a few months back, I'll dig out the issue and see if their results tally with Banzai's
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2007 Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCI Titanium X Auto 1983 Ford Sierra XR4i 2000 Alpina B10 3.3 #118 1999 BMW 323Ci 1995 BMW 318i SE 1994 Vauxhall Omega 2.0 GLS 1995 Ford Mondeo 1.8 LX 1990 Honda Concerto 1.6 EX 1986 Ford Orion 1.6 GL 1989 Ford Fiesta 1.1 Firefly |
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Daz
Really Senior Member II Joined: 03-August-2004 Location: Dubai Status: Offline Points: 1497 |
Posted: 03-April-2006 at 15:31 |
I never knew Tesco did 99 RON. That's news to me. But there is no Tesco close by me anyway so it doesn't really matter anyway. I have tried the Sainsburys super but I think you need to run it for a few tanks before you see anything. |
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steven.seed
Really Senior Member II Joined: 24-June-2005 Location: Sale, Cheshire Status: Offline Points: 1507 |
Posted: 03-April-2006 at 16:11 |
We can only get the 97 ron super unleaded at Tesco's up in the NW but its been almost the same price as shell Optimax recently which I normally use as I find the engine runs smoother and I get 3 to 4 more mpg which is about 10% to 12% more, so I don't mind paying the extra 5p or 6p per litre which only equates to 6% to 7% more. I don't find the 97 ron tesco fuel to be any better than normal unleaded.
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1998 E36 318iS Saloon
1989 E30 318i. Coupe 2000 E39 520i Touring |
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alanross
Really Senior Member II Joined: 01-September-2004 Location: North Lanarkshire Status: Offline Points: 958 |
Posted: 04-April-2006 at 02:34 |
Been in many Tesco stations and never seen they're super unleaded available. Daz, at B.P. Grangemouth, there are 2 sides to the refinery. One side is where BP and Shell come from and the other is where the supermarket fuel comes from. And apparently there are differences in they're fuel. (brother used to work there and noticed this). Since then he'll only fill up in a BP or Shell even though he's now got a Mundano Deesel. Must admit I have always used super but I never hammer my motor so I wouldn't notice any difference in what fuel was in there. Might have to slow it down as my missus is seeming to be getting a heavy right foot on the loud pedal these days!! Alan. |
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Daz
Really Senior Member II Joined: 03-August-2004 Location: Dubai Status: Offline Points: 1497 |
Posted: 04-April-2006 at 05:12 |
Interesting you should say that Alan. I have heard this before. supermarket fuel is supposed to be "gash" I also heard that sainsburys use bp fuel though? don't know if that is a pile of poo or not. although it is believable as they are linked through that nectar system that we collect points for. who knows... but i know a shell truck driver and the optimax is definately supposed to be a different kettle of fish altogether. he does not deliver optimax it comes in a separate lorry. Daz |
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ally
Really Senior Member II Joined: 11-October-2004 Status: Offline Points: 1529 |
Posted: 04-April-2006 at 06:04 |
The supermarkets do use BP & Shell fuel, they do not refine it themselves, & they get it cheaper, as they buy so much of it.
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Saab 9-5T SE Estate E36 318i loon...sold E36 323i coupe...sold |
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PaulS
Really Senior Member II East Anglia BMWCC Regional Chairman Joined: 03-July-2004 Location: Aylsham, Norfolk Status: Offline Points: 2516 |
Posted: 04-April-2006 at 06:18 |
I find that when my car runs on petrol from sainsburys it runs badly but petrol from esso or shell and the car feels much more sprightly - I now stick to esso or shell but have to travel 10 miles to get it Paul |
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fluffnik
Really Senior Member I Joined: 26-January-2006 Location: Edinburgh Status: Offline Points: 362 |
Posted: 04-April-2006 at 13:05 |
Tesco's 99RON achieves its octane by containing the maximum 5%
bio-ethanol; this also means that it has a lower energy density so
you'll use more for a given output.
There are lots of different ways of achieving a RON and they'll all behave differently in real applications. The best thing about Tesco 99 is that it might bounce shell into giving us V-power 100 like you get in Germany... |
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Jamie
Newbie Joined: 10-July-2005 Location: Haddington Status: Offline Points: 17 |
Posted: 04-April-2006 at 18:11 |
Mine is an Optimax junkie, you could smell that too on the rollers.
I don't use it for commuting, only weekends so fuel costs are less of an issue for me. Did a bit diggin ages ago on Tesco 99 and it's not in Scotland at all, nearest was Milton Keynes! |
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Daz
Really Senior Member II Joined: 03-August-2004 Location: Dubai Status: Offline Points: 1497 |
Posted: 05-April-2006 at 05:18 |
That figures... unless you live in London or near it you don't exist! |
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