Extra MPG from BP Ultimate - It's true!!!
Discussion
I've always run my Chim on Optimax/V-power. In normal day-to-day driving (including several full-beans hoons) I have been filling up after 220 miles or so, with the needle just above the Empty line on the gauge.
Earlier in the week, I filled up on BP Ultimate, as I couldnt find a Shell Garage. Difference is incredible. I have done 270 miles, and the fuel gauge is still reading just below quarter of a tank. Addmittedly the car has just had a full service so is running really sweetly, and I have done mostly motorway stuff, but some of this must be down to the fuel. I'm going to try Ultimate for a few more tanks to see if it is consistent.
Anyone else seen this?
(No doubt I will get some helpful "you don't buy a TVR if youre worried about economy" or "you're not trying hard enough, mate. Me, I get under 100 miles on a tankful because I am so busy drag-racing scoobies" posts)
Earlier in the week, I filled up on BP Ultimate, as I couldnt find a Shell Garage. Difference is incredible. I have done 270 miles, and the fuel gauge is still reading just below quarter of a tank. Addmittedly the car has just had a full service so is running really sweetly, and I have done mostly motorway stuff, but some of this must be down to the fuel. I'm going to try Ultimate for a few more tanks to see if it is consistent.
Anyone else seen this?
(No doubt I will get some helpful "you don't buy a TVR if youre worried about economy" or "you're not trying hard enough, mate. Me, I get under 100 miles on a tankful because I am so busy drag-racing scoobies" posts)
Good observation. Funnily enough my baby 4 litre hated Ultimate with a passion, went all lumpy on me. Optimax made no discernable difference - except to the wallet.
On the other hand it positively loves Tesco 99, like you I get much more MPG - not filling up until over 200 miles now, and on the run to BTaP I got almost 300. It has a deeper note to the engine, and it is a much smoother engine now. Proof of this the fact that I am due a service (little overdue actually) and before, it would begin to get a little lumpy/eratic on the idle, guess it was waiting for the stepper motor clean, but still now it is fine, no issues.
On the other hand it positively loves Tesco 99, like you I get much more MPG - not filling up until over 200 miles now, and on the run to BTaP I got almost 300. It has a deeper note to the engine, and it is a much smoother engine now. Proof of this the fact that I am due a service (little overdue actually) and before, it would begin to get a little lumpy/eratic on the idle, guess it was waiting for the stepper motor clean, but still now it is fine, no issues.
It's interesting. The only one of these that runs through a seperate network is Optimax, the rest all flow through the shared system, and so technically the only molecular difference should be the additives that are added by the different companies. I'm suprised that the Tesco fuel is so good.....I wonder if it's due to the high throughput at their stations?
I've found BP Ultimate has never performed well on any of my cars. They brand it as some sort of clean good for the environment type stuff, and because of this I always assumed it was at the compromise of performance. Much like low fat crisps, better for you but ultimately dissapointing.
Tesco super all the way, I havn't tried V-max but I found Optimax relatively poor especially on anything turbocharged! (anyone else notice this?)
Tesco super all the way, I havn't tried V-max but I found Optimax relatively poor especially on anything turbocharged! (anyone else notice this?)
.Mark said:
Good observation. Funnily enough my baby 4 litre hated Ultimate with a passion, went all lumpy on me. Optimax made no discernable difference - except to the wallet.
On the other hand it positively loves Tesco 99, like you I get much more MPG - not filling up until over 200 miles now, and on the run to BTaP I got almost 300. It has a deeper note to the engine, and it is a much smoother engine now. Proof of this the fact that I am due a service (little overdue actually) and before, it would begin to get a little lumpy/eratic on the idle, guess it was waiting for the stepper motor clean, but still now it is fine, no issues.
On the other hand it positively loves Tesco 99, like you I get much more MPG - not filling up until over 200 miles now, and on the run to BTaP I got almost 300. It has a deeper note to the engine, and it is a much smoother engine now. Proof of this the fact that I am due a service (little overdue actually) and before, it would begin to get a little lumpy/eratic on the idle, guess it was waiting for the stepper motor clean, but still now it is fine, no issues.
Found exactly the same with mine, and mine is a 400 too - strange eh?
Paulo.dicanio said:
I've found BP Ultimate has never performed well on any of my cars. They brand it as some sort of clean good for the environment type stuff, and because of this I always assumed it was at the compromise of performance. Much like low fat crisps, better for you but ultimately dissapointing.
Tesco super all the way, I havn't tried V-max but I found Optimax relatively poor especially on anything turbocharged! (anyone else notice this?)
Tesco super all the way, I havn't tried V-max but I found Optimax relatively poor especially on anything turbocharged! (anyone else notice this?)
The main thrust is that by removing engine deposits, the overall efficiency of combustion is increased resulting in better mpg, performance is further improved via the higher Octane content.
There is no element of offsetting performance versus the environment.
Strange, generally higher octane rated fuels are better performance enhancers under higher tmeperatures/pressures, so your finding that they haven't improved performance in your turbo cars is odd. Still each car is an individual.
timmy33 said:
Paulo.dicanio said:
I've found BP Ultimate has never performed well on any of my cars. They brand it as some sort of clean good for the environment type stuff, and because of this I always assumed it was at the compromise of performance. Much like low fat crisps, better for you but ultimately dissapointing.
Tesco super all the way, I havn't tried V-max but I found Optimax relatively poor especially on anything turbocharged! (anyone else notice this?)
Tesco super all the way, I havn't tried V-max but I found Optimax relatively poor especially on anything turbocharged! (anyone else notice this?)
The main thrust is that by removing engine deposits, the overall efficiency of combustion is increased resulting in better mpg, performance is further improved via the higher Octane content.
There is no element of offsetting performance versus the environment.
Strange, generally higher octane rated fuels are better performance enhancers under higher tmeperatures/pressures, so your finding that they haven't improved performance in your turbo cars is odd. Still each car is an individual.
Other than my Chim 500, I also have a Zafira GSi turbo, mildly tweaked up to 230bhp. This has always run on Tesco 95Ron, but I decided to try a couple of Tankfuls of V-power. There was an almost immediate difference in pulling power, and willingness to rev, so clearly the ECU is capable of ajusting boost settings etc to make the most of the 99Ron fuel. Also showed a decrease in fuel consumption of 2-3 mpg, probably because I dont have to drive it quite so hard to get the same performance.
However, my Chim seems to run just the same on V-Power or Ultimate in terms of power (subjectively, of course), it's just I have had this crazy increase in MPG. I actually just topped up (again with Ultimate), and got in a hint under 50 litres, for a mileage of 282, equalling 25.77mpg. That is (IMO) pretty spectacular for a 5-ltre 50,000 mile Chimaera - I've never been close to that before.
saxmund said:
Isn't Tesco 99 the one with 5% bioethanol? So that one must be different from the others.
Horrible, horrible stuff. As a fuel, okay for raising the Octane rating. You theoretically should/ must see an mpg reduction as a result as Ethanol only has about 65% of the calorific value of gasoline.
.....interestingly the Japanese Zeroes in WWII found this out as by the end of the war the Japs had lost their South Sea oil assets, and were reduced to fuelling everything from aircrafts to ships using bio-fuel.
Sharky500 said:
However, my Chim seems to run just the same on V-Power or Ultimate in terms of power (subjectively, of course), it's just I have had this crazy increase in MPG. I actually just topped up (again with Ultimate), and got in a hint under 50 litres, for a mileage of 282, equalling 25.77mpg. That is (IMO) pretty spectacular for a 5-ltre 50,000 mile Chimaera - I've never been close to that before.
Glad to hear it. Try it with some 102..... mind you it's a tad expensive.....
I run my 400 on Ultimate and Optimax (whichever Garage I'm nearest to at the time)... all nice and smooth and no real difference between the two... I recon most of the difference between fuels is actually very small in relatity, if your engine is in decent condition in the first place, and most of the difference, like most other things in life, is perception!!!
you can't really compare one Chimaera to another and it's like for different octane ratings. the V8 engine management system doesn't adjust timing, so the ability to exploit higher octane isn't automatic unlike new cars with ecu controlled adjustment and knock sensors.
Best to just find the one that works for your and stick to it, a good mechnic could coax some more out of your car using a rolling road and high octane fuels, by adjusting the timingin and advance.
Best to just find the one that works for your and stick to it, a good mechnic could coax some more out of your car using a rolling road and high octane fuels, by adjusting the timingin and advance.
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