Normal Unleaded or Super

[BANDIT500]

Just had a conversation with the TVR garage i bought my car Chimaera from and they stated the car will run on normal unleaded. IS THIS RIGHT???????

I thought all TVR's ran on Super only!

Cheers

Bandit

[GreenV8S]

quote:Just had a conversation with the TVR garage i bought my car Chimaera from and they stated the car will run on normal unleaded. IS THIS RIGHT???????

I thought all TVR's ran on Super only!

Cheers

Bandit

I DON'T KNOW!!!!!!!!

Any particular reason why you don't believe them? I'd be more inclined to trust the professional who sold you the car rather than a bunch of strangers on the Internet?

Anyway, to set your mind at rest, all recent Rover V8 powered cars can be run on regular unleaded, in some cases it needs a slight ignition timing adjustment to stop pinking in some conditions. The only way to find out whether this adjustment is required for a particular car is to try it. If your dealer says it is definitely OK, this suggests they are confident the timing adjustment is not required or has been done.

Cheers,
Peter Humphries (and a green V8S)

[frithmc]

My newish (20010 450 Chimeara has a label close to the petrol filler stating "Use 95 RON fuel only". I have used ordinary unleaded and had no problems at all. I did try a couple of tanks of optimax (98.8 RON I understand) and the engine did seem to run smoother, a subjective obsevation I know. However, I did not notice any significant improvement in either performance or economy. Hope this helps.

[ATG]

all me an onion, but isn't it just a matter of tuning the engine to the particular fuel?

[trefor]

Bandit - if you have a 5.0L I would listen very carefully for pinking in the warmer weather (actually, any weather when the car is nice 'n hot). If it pinks use Super (Shell Optimax is best). Each car seems to be different in this respect. The garage will probably have retarded the timing a little to allow use of 95 octane - they might have done bugger all though ... you never know. If in doubt, get it checked out (hey, I'm a poet).

For what it's worth, since Shell Optimax is only 74.9p/litre (ish) and there are lots of Shell stations around I use that, makes the car feel happier, possibly a bit quicker through the revs (98 octane). 18 months ago normal unleaded was 89.9p/litre so I don't see why anyone would complain at the price at the moment!!

All IMO.

Trefor/.

[marlboro]

I have a '96 4.0 and the original owners handbook quotes:

"The engine is designed to run on 98(RON) octane (super green) unleaded"

page 44 section 1.

I started using super unleaded but moved to Optimax after trying it and finding the Chim run better.

I suspect it depends upon the ignition timing set on your Chim. Does anyone have the advance/retard values for using 95 or 98 RON?

[pbrettle]

quote:
all me an onion, but isn't it just a matter of tuning the engine to the particular fuel?

Onion - and you are right - higher tune levels require the higher octane fuel to ensure lean burn and lower octane fuel will result in pinking... By the way, Pinking is Ok in small amounts. Medium and longer term pinking will damage the engine as it is "pre-ignition" in the cylinder....

Cheers,

Paul

[ATG]

Ta.

[zippy500]

When I bought my 95 Griff the previous owner ran it on super. I cant get super where I live and have allways ran on normal, no pinking to date.