What octane fuel should I use?

What octane fuel should I use?

Author
Discussion

vince n

Original Poster:

39 posts

269 months

Tuesday 20th November 2001
quotequote all
I filled up my Chim for the first time to find a sticker saying I should only use 98 octane fuel. There is not much about will 95 be O.K. ?

GreenV8S

30,150 posts

283 months

Tuesday 20th November 2001
quotequote all
Short answer yes, check the FAQs for the longer answer ...

Cheers,
Peter Humphries (and a green V8S)

lovemytvr

311 posts

268 months

Wednesday 21st November 2001
quotequote all
Get to a Shell garage and fill up with Shell Optimax - top stuff - you will notice the difference - it replaces super unleaded and also cleans the engine at the same time - my Chimp love it!!

Regards
Neal
w9tvr

wingco

30 posts

270 months

Wednesday 21st November 2001
quotequote all
On my new 450 there is a sticker by the filler saying 95 octane only is this a new recommendation or has there been a change to the EMS?

samn

26 posts

270 months

Wednesday 21st November 2001
quotequote all
Mine defiantly likes Optimax. 95 and you will notice the dif'

I hope you are enjoying the car Vince !

450 Chimp

squirrelz

1,186 posts

270 months

Wednesday 21st November 2001
quotequote all
Even my rover loves Optimax, and at 73.9p/litre you can't really go wrong!

Edited by squirrelz on Wednesday 21st November 16:29

plotloss

67,280 posts

269 months

Wednesday 21st November 2001
quotequote all
Not sure, on my new 450 the dealer said 95, the handbook says 98 and when I called TVR to ask them about Optimax they said they 'couldn't recommend it' whatever that means!

Matt.

thb

467 posts

277 months

Wednesday 21st November 2001
quotequote all
might be because TVR are meant to recommend Mobil products, who I think are tied in with Esso?

only me

353 posts

268 months

Wednesday 21st November 2001
quotequote all
just out off interest what sort of mileage do you get out of a full tank on average. just wanted to compare not that good fuel economy is exspected but just interested on the norm. I get about 150 miles out of a full tank round town. 5ltr chim

vince n

Original Poster:

39 posts

269 months

Wednesday 21st November 2001
quotequote all
Thanks everyone I have just filled with Optimax. Its going like the clappers.

steveab

1,143 posts

276 months

Wednesday 21st November 2001
quotequote all
Tony,

I've Chim 450 and can usually get about 200 - 250 miles on a tank. This is based on my normal useage which is 5 - 10 min journeys doing an average of 40 - 50 mph.

I managed to get 260 once when I was commuting between Reading and Milton Keynes, all motorway driving and sitting at a steady 80.

Perhap's I'm driving it like a girl!!!

On the note of whether to use Optimax, bear in mind that if TVR recommend ron 98, BP Super (I used it b4 Optimax) was only ron 95, whereas Optimax is ron 96 (as I understand).

But as everyone agrees, there is a noticable difference, particular, in the low revs, much smoother.

I had a fascinating conversation with the cashier at my local Shell garage about Optimax, she was very interesting in 'how I found it' and 'whats the difference' .......

Steve

ChimeraWolf

142 posts

270 months

Thursday 22nd November 2001
quotequote all
I haven't tried Optimax yet. I mgiht pop into the station at Old Street roundabout and see if they do it. I'm sure they do!

As far as milage goes, I'm heading for a 150 mile tank at the moment, maybe less. But usually get about 200.


- ChimaeraWolf
- P56 SAH - Black Chimaera 4.0

Marshy

2,748 posts

283 months

Thursday 22nd November 2001
quotequote all
I'm clearly driving like a wuss at the moment. At the moment seeing 200-250 on just over 3/4 of a tank in a Chimaera 500.

Mind you, I have been running it in

Edited by Marshy on Thursday 22 November 01:23

squirrelz

1,186 posts

270 months

Thursday 22nd November 2001
quotequote all
I thought the octane rating of Optimax was 98.6 RON.

thb

467 posts

277 months

Thursday 22nd November 2001
quotequote all
it says 98 on the pump somewhere

philr

389 posts

278 months

Thursday 22nd November 2001
quotequote all
quote:

I'm clearly driving like a wuss at the moment. At the moment seeing 200-250 on just over 3/4 of a tank in a Chimaera 500.



Marshy, I expect the next 1/4 will drop straight to zero any minute now.

The best I've ever had was 23 MPG (long run steady 80). However, with Optimax there are signs that I might manage 24 or even 25 at a push.

gideonr

64 posts

272 months

Thursday 22nd November 2001
quotequote all
I actually managed 27mpg (4.0HC) using Optimax. I was a fairly steady 200 mile round trip though, mixture of A-roads (50-60mph) and motorway (80mph).
I've only ever used Optimax since I've bought the car a month ago, so I can't compare it with "standard" super-unleaded.

JonRB

74,402 posts

271 months

Thursday 22nd November 2001
quotequote all
squirrelz - "I thought the octane rating of Optimax was 98.6 RON"
thb - "it says 98 on the pump somewhere"


You're both right. The pumps do say 98RON and Optimax is actually 98.6 RON. I suspect that there is a requirement somewhere for the pump to display the RON rating as the nearest rounded-down whole number or something.

thb

467 posts

277 months

Thursday 22nd November 2001
quotequote all
it might be my imagination (I don't normally work out feul consumption) but it does seem to last longer than unleaded

plotloss

67,280 posts

269 months

Thursday 22nd November 2001
quotequote all
I reckon I am getting just around 200 to a tank driving in town in a 450.

I think I have had around 250 in a run to the cotswolds and back again.

Might give that Optimax a go, as no one seems to have encountered problems and if its makes it idle more smoothly (running in with mineral oil makes it well lumpy apparently, at least thats what the dealer said!) then I am all for some of that.

Matt.