V power does seem to do what is claimed for it.
Discussion
Some time ago I read a test on fuel types in EVO magazine, which stated that one advantage of using V power unleaded was that it had a noticeable effect on keeping an engine clean. which I sort of forgot, until I decided to do an engine strip down on my crossflow 7, I discovered that the inside of the inlet manifold, the valve chambers in the head, and even the Weber carbs were in as new clean condition after some thirty thousand miles since it was last taken apart. (I am normally in the `If it aint broke, don't fix it camp, but like to do some checking when the engine is out of the car (in this case for some work on the chassis/engine bay) especially as being a crossflow it is not exactly at the forefront of durable performance engine technology)
I also use Mobil 1., which is not really intended for use in crossflows, as it was apparently made for use in close tolerance engines, e.g. Honda, but was impressed by articles on Mobil 1, when it was first introduced, which in tests carried out be BMW showed that the engines using Mobil 1, still had as new tolerances after tens of thousands of hours of test bed running. This appears to be evidenced by the as new oil pressure in the crossflow after many thousands of miles, and a clean sump, and bottom end. Just wondered if I have been lucky, or if others have had the same experience with these particular fuels and oils?
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I also use Mobil 1., which is not really intended for use in crossflows, as it was apparently made for use in close tolerance engines, e.g. Honda, but was impressed by articles on Mobil 1, when it was first introduced, which in tests carried out be BMW showed that the engines using Mobil 1, still had as new tolerances after tens of thousands of hours of test bed running. This appears to be evidenced by the as new oil pressure in the crossflow after many thousands of miles, and a clean sump, and bottom end. Just wondered if I have been lucky, or if others have had the same experience with these particular fuels and oils?
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Rat_Fink_67 said:
I've had similar experience with Mobil 1 and would recommend it to anyone. I use V-Power as well, and have done since the Optimax days, I've always figured that it'll be doing more good than harm so worth the price.
That is good. The EVO article also suggested that if drivers did not want to go the extra expense of V Power, they could use another brand, but use a tank full of V Power every 3rd or 4th fill up, for its apparently genuine engine cleaning characteristics.In contrast, I've stripped a 140k vauxhall redtop that was in a mates scrapped astra. The type of cheap rough one that you'd see on a council estate. Not worth spending on but just kept going despite the neglect.
He'd treat it like crap, afaik didnt change the oil once in the 3 years he had it, and run it on whatever fuel was nearest when he needed it. Apart from a bit of cam lobe wear, that was spotless inside. Did have a couple of tanks if nitrous run through it though which I believe cleans things up.
He'd treat it like crap, afaik didnt change the oil once in the 3 years he had it, and run it on whatever fuel was nearest when he needed it. Apart from a bit of cam lobe wear, that was spotless inside. Did have a couple of tanks if nitrous run through it though which I believe cleans things up.
I like water injection - everything is steam cleaned as a side effect.
Really you'd need to flow test injectors to see if it has cleaning properties - or you could just stick a bit of kerosene in occasionally.
I've run my VW T4 on cheap synthetic oil, it also has FSH - when I removed the sump at 120k - as the gasket was leaking I was shocked to find it was spotless - I remember the days of finding lumps of "jelly" and a thick layer of "coke" everywhere.
Really you'd need to flow test injectors to see if it has cleaning properties - or you could just stick a bit of kerosene in occasionally.
I've run my VW T4 on cheap synthetic oil, it also has FSH - when I removed the sump at 120k - as the gasket was leaking I was shocked to find it was spotless - I remember the days of finding lumps of "jelly" and a thick layer of "coke" everywhere.
Willy Nilly said:
Statistically insignificant.
Unless you have a big fleet, like Royal Mail and have them all tested you are not likely to draw any worth while conclusions.
It's interesting that none of the big fuel chains have supported such a study to my knowledge. Unless you have a big fleet, like Royal Mail and have them all tested you are not likely to draw any worth while conclusions.
What's the life and end value of a post office van? You'd only have to subsidise half the vehicles at a depot and then take the head of maybe a few dozen, or perhaps do a different non-invasive test?
30k miles. Or about what a modern car does between services...... ;-)
I'd only expect the intake system to be "dirty" after that small a mileage, if you had excessive blow-by and vent the crankcase breather into the manifold (oil cokes onto the inside of the manifold), or if you are running a wild cam and have lots of overlap (causing residuals to get blown up into the manifold at low speed/light load etc)
I'd only expect the intake system to be "dirty" after that small a mileage, if you had excessive blow-by and vent the crankcase breather into the manifold (oil cokes onto the inside of the manifold), or if you are running a wild cam and have lots of overlap (causing residuals to get blown up into the manifold at low speed/light load etc)
Can't vouch for using the decent stuff, but I have seen the results of not using it.
Years ago I had a Starion Turbo which, after 110k was very tired indeed. Being a bit of an idiot I'd been running it for 20k on B&Q "put your light out special" oil (changed every 6k) and "Murco" petrol (remember them?). When the turbo eventually gave up the ghost, the strip down was revealing. The turbo inner housing was caked in carbon, the shaft worn and the thrust bearing completely shot with chunks of carbon all over it.
Removing the head revealed that under the rocker it was pretty badly sludged up, the cam worn and the valve seats tired out. whether this was down to poor fuel I've no idea, but I'm pretty sure that running a crap oil didn't help. Since then I've run Mobil 1 and have now moved on to Millers in my Subaru and Colt, running both on V power all the time.
Years ago I had a Starion Turbo which, after 110k was very tired indeed. Being a bit of an idiot I'd been running it for 20k on B&Q "put your light out special" oil (changed every 6k) and "Murco" petrol (remember them?). When the turbo eventually gave up the ghost, the strip down was revealing. The turbo inner housing was caked in carbon, the shaft worn and the thrust bearing completely shot with chunks of carbon all over it.
Removing the head revealed that under the rocker it was pretty badly sludged up, the cam worn and the valve seats tired out. whether this was down to poor fuel I've no idea, but I'm pretty sure that running a crap oil didn't help. Since then I've run Mobil 1 and have now moved on to Millers in my Subaru and Colt, running both on V power all the time.
JulianHJ said:
How did the other high octane fuels rate in the Evo test?
I will try to find the article again and let you know. From memory they all seemed to be OK, and did generally provide better performance than the standard unleaded, but whether the extra cost of the `performance' fuels over standard UL is justifiable would be down to each persons personal preference,
it was just the bit about the engine cleaning properties of V-Power which seemed to be in alignment with the comments made in the EVO article that seemed to ring true, especially in comparison to other engines I have stripped down in the past..
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