Stuttering Idle With V-Power Nitro+

[Panda P]

Odd one here but it seems I'm not alone according to a few forums. I was a religious V-Power user so naturally when they switched it to the new formula I went along with it however...

'Old' V-Power - No problem

'New' V-Power Nitro+ - Cold start idle is full of misfires and hunting, warm start also but less pronounced.

Tesco Momentum/Esso/BP Ultimate - No problem

Any ideas?

The car is cared for, freshly serviced so I really don;t understand what's in the new blend of V-power to upset it. Driving performance isn't affected, all fuels see to perform the same although it likes the 99 juice a little better.

[a1burns]

What is your car model/engine?
I was recommended this by a impreza driver, I tried it before a local PH outing and my car (E46 330ci) ran poo and DRANK it, woeful MPG, filled tank up with BP Ultimate (normally runs on nothing but Tesco Momentum) and it began to sort itself out, full tank of momentum 99 at the end of the day and never saw a problem again... could be coincidence but didn't bother testing again

[8Tech]

There are problems with the Nitro+ in the Astons also.

I don't think its car related, I think the fuel is just no good.

[JRBM5]

I wonder whether this is the cause of my low down stuttering when the car is cold (e90 M3)...i had been putting it down to the jerkiness that all M cars i've driven (e36, e46, e34) have had when cold.

[t8cmf]

JRBM5 said:

I wonder whether this is the cause of my low down stuttering when the car is cold (e90 M3)...i had been putting it down to the jerkiness that all M cars i've driven (e36, e46, e34) have had when cold.

Nope, nothing to do with jerky M cars. My E92 M3 reacted really bad to Nitro+. As well as the problems noted earlier in the thread it also put my car in limp mode.

If you swap fuel you will see the jerkiness disappear over time as your ECU adapts. Read some of the threads on M3Cutters (in the E9X M3) section if you want the low down on how some M3's really hate Nitro+.

[Panda P]

Thanks all. Well certainly not alone then which is good to hear although a bit of a bummer that my N54 hates it so much as it's the most local petrol available.

I wonder if it's the ethanol content? Perhaps, if I can find out the percentage, I can adjust the mapping to suit by producing an E5 or E10 map.

Are Shell going to do anthing about it? I guess not unless th whole country piped up.

I saw an advert last night that Shell are going to release a full Ethanol fuel at some point which is interesting. I expect it'll probably be akin to the E85 that is over in America, 15% petrol & 85% ethanol. I'd like to try it with a specific map, ethanol fuels allow huge power output but they also return awful MPG and degrade rubber rather quickly...hello HPFP failure!

[miln0039]

Z4 Coupe 3.0si - just started on my second tank of nitro. First one achieved poor mpg but notices little difference in performance.

Second tank and I now have a warning light and its not pulling at all well from lower / mid range.

Back for an emergency IV of Momentum I think.

[Patrick Bateman]

Have brimmed the tank three times with Nitro with absolutely no difference whatsoever.

[rossi1]

miln0039 said:

Z4 Coupe 3.0si - just started on my second tank of nitro. First one achieved poor mpg but notices little difference in performance.

Second tank and I now have a warning light and its not pulling at all well from lower / mid range.

Back for an emergency IV of Momentum I think.

Exactly this ! i was an Shell fan, this nitro has killed any low end torque i had though. Went and used BP and sorted it right out.