Topic: High Octane (Read 3141 times)

Gubz · « **on:** 06 June 2009, 12:06:49 »

Anyone here use it on a regular basics? i put one and a helf tanks through my car an she seems to be more thirsty then ever lol

steverubberduck · « **Reply #1 on:** 06 June 2009, 14:46:13 »

i use tesco 99, seems to run better and last longer on mine, regardless of how hard i drive it

Gubz · « **Reply #2 on:** 08 June 2009, 13:29:04 »

mayb i just went to a bad station?

Vmax · « **Reply #3 on:** 08 June 2009, 13:37:08 »

I sometimes use the shell type - I seem to get a few more miles per tank, but nothing to write home about.

Freeman · « **Reply #4 on:** 09 June 2009, 09:52:20 »

Unless your engine is designed to use it not worth the extra pennies. Octane rating is the fuel's resistance to detonation - i.e. how much pressure it can withstand before it explodes.

Only performance engines running at higher pressures need it (Nissan Skylines, some Japanese imported Subarus, etc) - using lower octane rating than recommended can cause premature detonation as the fuel can't take the pressure resulting in loss of power and economy.

Running an engine designed for 95 RON on anything higher has no advantage to power, economy, etc. as the engine can't take advantage of the extra resistance to pressure as it only runs at a certain pressure determined by the engine manufacturer - In fact it can have the opposite effect.

Unless of course you have entered the world of tuning, custom ecu's and other such dark magic

Kevin Wood · « **Reply #5 on:** 09 June 2009, 10:54:40 »

Quote

Unless your engine is designed to use it not worth the extra pennies....

Seconded. 95 is expensive enough anyway.

Kevin

Gubz · « **Reply #6 on:** 09 June 2009, 13:26:51 »

it was only 95 i put it an it was 114.9 lol

Freeman · « **Reply #7 on:** 09 June 2009, 14:57:14 »

Quote

it was only 95 i put it an it was 114.9 lol

114.9! Ouch! You'll be pleased

to hear that I filled up today at my local Sainsbury's at 98.9 ppl and their Super Unleaded (97 RON) was priced at 101.9 ppl

Try http://www.petrolprices.com to find the cheapest petrol near you - registration is free and I think they cover NI

95 RON is standard octane for unleaded in the UK. High octane (badged as Super Unleaded) will be 97 to 102 RON.
Examples being Sainsbury's Super Unleaded at 97 RON, Tesco Super at 99 RON and BP Ultimate at 102 RON

The marketing for super fuels seems to be based on consumer misunderstanding and the placebo effect of people thinking they are getting more power by adding "performance fuels"

Fuel companies do however justify the extra expense by saying that their super fuel contains more or better cleaning agents than standard fuel... however any benefits of these additions will be marginal at best.

Regular servicing and oil changes are the best way to extend the life of an engine

Vmax · « **Reply #8 on:** 09 June 2009, 15:10:40 »

Quote

Unless your engine is designed to use it not worth the extra pennies. Octane rating is the fuel's resistance to detonation - i.e. how much pressure it can withstand before it explodes.

That's good to know - Cheers

Only performance engines running at higher pressures need it (Nissan Skylines, some Japanese imported Subarus, etc) - using lower octane rating than recommended can cause premature detonation as the fuel can't take the pressure resulting in loss of power and economy.

Running an engine designed for 95 RON on anything higher has no advantage to power, economy, etc. as the engine can't take advantage of the extra resistance to pressure as it only runs at a certain pressure determined by the engine manufacturer - In fact it can have the opposite effect.

Unless of course you have entered the world of tuning, custom ecu's and other such dark magic

Gubz · « **Reply #9 on:** 10 June 2009, 13:36:07 »

according to that sight there is no super unleaded near me lol

mars · « **Reply #10 on:** 10 June 2009, 21:51:59 »

Only ever had 1 car which I regularly ran on super-unleaded and that was a 1.9 Peugot 205 Gti. It genuinely ran better, none of my other cars have had any noticeable difference at all

NaughtyNigel · « **Reply #11 on:** 11 June 2009, 13:46:36 »

I tried using Shell and BP Super unleaded in my late model 2.5 V6.

Fuel consumtion was worse, not better, and it also developed a strange missfire under load which dissapeared when I reverted to normal 95 RON.

However, I find it runs better on premium brand fuels (Shell / BP / Esso), and seems to resent being run on cheap supermarket fuels.

Treat her as she deserves to be treated!

markey mark · « **Reply #12 on:** 11 June 2009, 14:34:25 »

i run mine on tesco 99 can tell difference on miles to gallon and smoothness

i260 · « **Reply #13 on:** 11 June 2009, 19:18:16 »

Quote

i run mine on tesco 99 can tell difference on miles to gallon and smoothness

I have used 97 & 99 ron on several vehicles that 'wern't supposed to take it' and in every case it has mad it tonnes smoother, getting rid of the flat spots and improving low end pick up. It even worked on my 1.4 Astra Cesaro!

You may find it takes a few tanks to work though.

Del Boy · « **Reply #14 on:** 11 June 2009, 19:32:41 »

Never ever use Super only use normal unleaded, don't make any difference to my car at all and its more expensive.

i260 · « **Reply #15 on:** 13 June 2009, 00:24:29 »

I recon that most people, if they put 6-10 tanks of 99 through their car and then went back to regular 95 would then notice the difference. As I said, it is not a tap where you magically get additional performance, it somehow takes the car a while to re-adjust. The octane / cetane boosters have similar disclaimers.

Gubz · « **Reply #16 on:** 14 June 2009, 14:31:36 »

actually went up the motorway to belfast at the weekend there an noticed a smother responce an my fuel is lasting a bit longer then usual not very much though, especially at 118.9 round here :-/

TheBoy · « **Reply #17 on:** 14 June 2009, 14:50:14 »

I have used Shell Optimax/VPower and BP Ultimate a few times, does seem to pick up slightly better, and if driven sensibly, return slightly better mpg, neither enough to warrant extra expense for me.

Also tried the BP 102 stuff, but again, cost makes it not worthwhile

Gubz · « **Reply #18 on:** 14 June 2009, 15:13:50 »

mine was just BP ultimited lol

Jimbob · « **Reply #19 on:** 15 June 2009, 10:07:33 »

Both our definately run better on it.

They maybe get 1 tank in 10 of it for cleaning purposes.

dunno if it helps or not, but not bothered for the couple of quid extra.

Normally stick to shell in both, neither like supermarket fuel
hers dislikes esso, mine is ok on it, both run very well on BP, but no convienient station

mathewst · « **Reply #20 on:** 15 June 2009, 10:20:25 »

Well I tried omv 100 fuel ( that's the name in my country) And actually at the first crossroad I thought the car turned off, cause it ran so smothly

Now I think I drive a Rols

only the consumption does seem to be a little worse but that needs testing yet

V6Rich · « **Reply #21 on:** 15 June 2009, 13:37:54 »

I use high-octane fuel in all my cars. From previous experience it has always seemed to make a vehicle run more smoothly and therefore more pleasant to drive, which to me is worth the extra cost.

I also have a few older vehicles that would have to have timing adjustments or octane booster to take the 95 RON. One of them was tried on premium when it was new and wouldn't pull the skin of a rice pudding, so my opinion of the lower-octane stuff has never been very high.

Most of the time I use Total Excellium for convenience as there is a Total station just outside my village, otherwise I go for Shell or BP. I did try Esso for a while but found the cars did not run quite as nicely as on the other brands.

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Author Topic: High Octane (Read 3141 times)