Fuel really makes a difference

[Jim2]

My knowledge of this issue is based upon personal experience rather than internet research, or "googling"! The company I work for buys large quantities of bulk propane/butane and distributes it on a retail basis and trust me the customers never fail to let you know if there is a variation in the product. A number of years ago there was an issue with a major refiner supplying propane that was contaminated with what appeared to be microscopic traces of grease/tar. This accumulated in the LPG systems in customers vehicles creating some real issues. This wasn't exclusive to our company but was a nationwide problem and a lot of people on the LPG forums felt that they should seek recompense. I counselled that you would need very very deep pockets to try and take action against a huge multinational oil company, you would forever be shelling out.

Good post, should be made compulsive reading for any one thinking about converting to LPG as a car fuel....

 

[Frontstep]

If they didn't all use the same refineries I might be persuaded its fundamentally different, additives who makes them ?

 

[gassed up]

If they didn't all use the same refineries I might be persuaded its fundamentally different, additives who makes them ?

But they don't all use the same refineries all the time. But you would need some serious insider knowledge to know the history of the contracts.

 

[gassed up]

Good post, should be made compulsive reading for any one thinking about converting to LPG as a car fuel....

Trust me if you can convert your car to LPG then do it. Even if the cost of fuel is not an issue you should bear in mind the other benefits. Dependant upon the quality of the propane the octane rating will be 105+, engine oil remains super clean and what comes out of the exhaust is often cleaner than what goes into the air filter. Did I mention fuel costs? 58p per litre.

 

[Tony Dyson]

The only difference, apart from the unjustified price hike between Supermarket and Premium Diesel that I've noticed, is that with standard Diesel my DPF will fill and regen every c400 miles but with Premium Diesel it will fill and regen every c300 miles. Now, whether;
1. The additives in the premium diesel are assisting the DPF with the more efficient capture of unburnt particulate and the filter is filling faster, or…
2. The additives in the premium diesel placed in there to create a more efficient combustion, detergents to clean the engine and other unspecified products to assist with cold starting are themselves incombustible and are simply adding to the DPF workload, I’m undecided? Surely if it is a “higher quality of fuel which burns more efficiently” as claimed there should be LESS soot for the DPF to capture not MORE?

Call me a cynic, but the more I read about Shell’s DYNAFLEX Technology, Super, Ultimate, Nitro+, Momentum or such like, the more it just sounds like smoke and mirrors and marketing hype so for the time being anyway I’ve decided to stick with ASDA, doo, do-do-doo, doo, doo, That’s ASDA price!

Question, when was the last time anyone on the forum had to Decoke an engine to improve performance, petrol or diesel?

 

[Gazwould]

Wow , that ain't right , better so called super diesel burns more completely thus less soot , it's a con.

Petrol with it's disclosed octane numbers I'm OK with .

I make my own super diesel by adding JASO FB spec 2 Stroke oil and recently 2-EHN , the 2 Stroke alone less smoke results are backed up with 10 years of MOT smoke opacity readings on a Euro 3.

 

[Wighty]

Wow , that ain't right , better so called super diesel burns more completely thus less soot , it's a con.

Petrol with it's disclosed octane numbers I'm OK with .

I make my own super diesel by adding JASO FB spec 2 Stroke oil and recently 2-EHN , the 2 Stroke alone less smoke results are backed up with 10 years of MOT smoke opacity readings on a Euro 3.

I add a similar mix to my non dpf E320cdi , I'm using mineral 2 stroke from Morrisons (and a 2-EHN by Archoil with additional lubricant ) , what 2T make are you using and where from buddy ?

 

[EmilysDad]

.....

Question, when was the last time anyone on the forum had to Decoke an engine to improve performance, petrol or diesel?

I remember reading at letter in one of my Dad's ancient Practical Motorists from the 60s. The gist of the letter was that the sender had de-coked his car at 30 000 miles and done this & that and had he missed anything.
The reply was that he'd done everything that could be expected of him & that his car should now be good for another 30 000 miles!

 

[ajlsl600]

the issue is. we pressume the quality of fuel where we buy it, we really cant tell at that point. and when it does cause issues we are on our own.... the only help i see is that stations that shift the most ,hopefully stay cleaner and have less bio dirt/water in it ? .its just a lottery with any come back on supplier being extremely doubtful .even if yr car dont make it off the for court after fuelling. to date i never noted an issue ,but given the ramifications it does concern me. i do think of installing extra filtration /separators..

 

[rorywquin]

............. doing the subjective seat of pants testing but with some consistency.......................

.....Oxymoron....?

 

[rorywquin]

the issue is. we pressume the quality of fuel where we buy it, we really cant tell at that point. and when it does cause issues we are on our own.... the only help i see is that stations that shift the most ,hopefully stay cleaner and have less bio dirt/water in it ? .its just a lottery with any come back on supplier being extremely doubtful .even if yr car dont make it off the for court after fuelling. to date i never noted an issue ,but given the ramifications it does concern me. i do think of installing extra filtration /separators..

Given your experience in Africa, you'll know that the fuel there can really be a mixed bag & I've never known it to be a major issue. I've travelled & worked extensively in Africa and (although cars then, were less complicated) and don't recall ever having had a problem because of fuel. Biggest problem I recall in west Africa was our lorry drivers putting diesel into petrol trucks (they were used to diesels).

 

[robin.large]

I've been called a few things in my time but

So testing is subjective seat of the pants, no technology other than miles travelled and volume of fuel (no accelerometers here!)

2 tanks each of V Power, Momentum, Sainsburies Super, 4 tanks Asda Unleaded, 3rd tank of Tesco Unleaded.

All similar driving, 1 tank mostly short hops and round town, 1tank mostly motorway.

VPower best low power delivery but a little too 'keen' off the mark.

Momentum likewise - bit snatchy at lower speeds round town.

Sainsburies better (it's 97)

Mileage no real difference but Sainsburies did seem to be better by a couple of mpg.

Tesco and Asda Unleaded a little less sharp around town. Which is fine.

Tesco 122.9 litre
VPower 139.9 litre

Tesco Standard will do fine.

But I'm still to try a few others....

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5010 using Tapatalk

 

[Gazwould]

I add a similar mix to my non dpf E320cdi , I'm using mineral 2 stroke from Morrisons (and a 2-EHN by Archoil with additional lubricant ) , what 2T make are you using and where from buddy ?

Any JASO FB which is mineral low ash .
Screw Fix - No nonsense
Comma
Carlube

I buy in 5L now.

I do 40ml of 2-EHN then the rest 2 Stroke, the mix easily added with old Redex 250ml bottles .

 

[ajlsl600]

Given your experience in Africa, you'll know that the fuel there can really be a mixed bag & I've never known it to be a major issue. I've travelled & worked extensively in Africa and (although cars then, were less complicated) and don't recall ever having had a problem because of fuel. Biggest problem I recall in west Africa was our lorry drivers putting diesel into petrol trucks (they were used to diesels).

was ok util started fitting common rail . then high press pumps started shearing head drives, very expensive ,i started doubling up on fuel filters and halfing change intervals

 

[rorywquin]

was ok util started fitting common rail . then high press pumps started shearing head drives, very expensive ,i started doubling up on fuel filters and halfing change intervals

In Oz some of the guys, who spent lots time in the remote outback, had multiple filters. I didn't but sometimes we'd refuel from a pre-arranged cache of 44gal drums etc. I didn't like to think what state the fuel was in.

 

[Rory]

Anyhow I had this for a while then went past sainsburys one day on the way home as saw 127p a little so I filled her up first time ever at sainsburys. Since filling her up the trip computer has been reading consistently 4 plus extra mpg on all my journeys.

I often buy Sainsbury's diesel as on my long journeys South I pass one near home, usually filling up on my way back. With a tankful of it, the car will nudge 55MPG on the trip computer. If I use anything else, annoyingly even Costco's super duper stuff, I can't get it to 50MPG.

I can't tell any difference in the way the car drives, engine noise etc.

 

[ajlsl600]

i never really considered fuel supplier as an fuel economy issue my eyes have been opened , as fuel essentially comes from the same place its got to be the additives . i remember in kenya where due to shortages some refiners despatched oils without some of the additives that made it the lube described in its spec, could uk operators be at this as well..

 

[Naraic]

I remember reading at letter in one of my Dad's ancient Practical Motorists from the 60s. The gist of the letter was that the sender had de-coked his car at 30 000 miles and done this & that and had he missed anything.
The reply was that he'd done everything that could be expected of him & that his car should now be good for another 30 000 miles!

In the '90s I had company cars which we changed at 40,000 miles...because they were done.

 

[rorywquin]

.................. as fuel essentially comes from the same place l..

I could take you to the industrial area of Qatar and show you a dozen companies refineries side by side doing their own refining.........

 

[ajlsl600]

car owners are really just victims to every scheme going. thats it really.