More MPG when using super unleaded

sonic

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Been down this road with motorbikes, & the same results. If the bike is set up for 98 RON then use it, otherwise use the standard 95 RON.
Many years ago I was in the army, Land Rovers ran on 91 RON (old 2*). Occasionally on exercise we would get Jerry cans of Combat Gas. This stuff was at best 80 RON, even the Land Rovers would pink on this stuff.
 

gizze

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My 335i used to lose 30hp running on 95 ron, and around 3mpg which is bother roughly 10%.
My old 2.8 and 3.0 straight six BMWs used to sound like a sewing machine on 98 and be very responsive, the minute you put even half a tank of 95 in they felt held back and sounded more clattery.

M3 CSL I put a tank of 95 in on the way back from Bruges once and I thought I had put in contaminated fuel, it really was that bad.


The w204 C200 etc. used to quote all their figures for 98 ron fuel, most turbos are mapped for 98, but Mercedes seem to not map them for 98 any more for some reason?


If you car is mapped for 98ron using 95ron will lose you performance and cost you more overall, but if it is not then no point at all.
 

Alex M Grieve

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Had a carburetted 190 on which premium petrol certainly improved responsiveness. No fuel injected petrol car, or any diesel car that I have had has never exhibited the same benefit.

Alex
 

gizze

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Diesel I agree, but fuel injected petrol? That depends on the car, what have they been?
 

gizze

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I'm surprised about the C200K.

Did you try it on a few tanks of 98?
 

Alex M Grieve

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I'm surprised about the C200K.

Did you try it on a few tanks of 98?

I did. I found it quite a quick car anyway, and could not convince myself that premium fuel improved either the performance or the mpg. I always measure brim to brim and keep a log. I also keep the gearbox on the sport setting, and find the fuel economy no worse than on the setting with lower change up speeds.

Alex
 

Perusal

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With regards to fuel and this is for both petrol and diseasel and I have this from a very good friend who works for Lubmarine (subsidiary of Total).

All fuel has to conform to a set standard in the UK so for Petrol it is BS EN228 and Diseasel it is BS EN590.

The only differences in any of the manufacturers products is the additive package. This includes detergents (for example Shell call them efficiency improver chemicals under the name of Dynaflex) but essentially they are detergents/cleansers to prevent corrosion and build of deposits or gunk.

So the price differences you see are mainly for the additive package that is specified by the supplier.

If you think I'm wrong have a google of how many fuel refineries there are. Then have a think at how many different types of petrol and diesel you think there are eg:

Asda
Morrisons
Tesco
Sainsburys
Shell
BP
Total

And a whole host of others you will see around. There are more suppliers who market their own 'Snake Oil' fuel. But the base fuel is always the same. It is the additives that make the difference and what the big oil companies pump (no pun intended) £bn's into R&D for.

To save you googling the refineries there are 6 - http://www.ukpia.com/industry_information/refining-and-uk-refineries/refineries.aspx

To go back to the OP. Yes you may get more MPG from S/UL however you have to work out if the cost difference is worth it.

EG the cost difference is around 10ppl for the super fuel. So if you have a 60ltr tank that's an extra £6. if you are only gaining say an extra 20miles of range you could probably do that distance on £6 worth of 95Ron.

Finally some common sense on the subject. 99% correct and agree with much you have said. I spent many years working for a US based independent additive company called Lubrizol (www.lubrizol.com) - independent in so far as they are not wedded to any oil company. They are world leaders in the field and develop ad packs for lubricants and fuels globally. I was based at their European R&D centre at Hazelwood near Derby.

Basically the major oil companies, Shell, BP etc work with the additive companies to develop their own in-house proprietary additive packages that are exclusive to their brand. The supermarkets purchase off the shelf packs that are developed to meet the spec. and not much else. That's not to say they are bad, just the branded fuels tend to be better.

What tends to happen is all the fuel suppliers will fill up from a local refinery/blending plant - the base fuel will be common to all suppliers but the individual ad packs are then added at the tanker gantry so what leaves the depot is NOT all the same.

People spend a lot of time talking about performance but the key issue is cleanliness. A fuel with improved detergency will keep your engine clean and OVER TIME deliver improved economy.

The 1% I don't agree with is that all the base fuels are the same. They are not.....the likes of BP Ultimate and Shell V Power used a more highly distilled/refined base fuel which will typically burn more cleanly and can deliver improved power output and economy though again it's not always immediately obvious and it isn't the same for all engines.....the more highly powered engines tend to benefit more.

Finally if you really doubt this consider the following 3 questions:-

Do you believe the branded oil companies develop and test their fuels over thousands of miles and spend mega bucks in developing their fuels - yes/no

Do you believe the supermarkets do the same - yes/no

Do you believe that having spent all that money on developing their fuels the branded oil companies would sell their technology to the supermarkets so that they can undercut them at the pump - yes/no

Assuming you answered the above yes, no, no do you still believe all fuels are the same?

You might see me in a filling station some time but I'll give you a clue......it won't be in a supermarket. ;-))
 

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