Esso Synergy Supreme 99+ unleaded
Discussion
Best to check with their customer support via email.
The 99+ is ethanol free,when the fuel is "exclusively from Esso's own terminal/ refinery ".
I live in Cheshire,they suggested Buxton, London road station was nearest for me.I asked about the Knutsford/ toft road station ,near junction 19 M6.
The Knutsford station does unfortunately have ethanol added,I imagine they use Stanlow refinery?
The 99+ is ethanol free,when the fuel is "exclusively from Esso's own terminal/ refinery ".
I live in Cheshire,they suggested Buxton, London road station was nearest for me.I asked about the Knutsford/ toft road station ,near junction 19 M6.
The Knutsford station does unfortunately have ethanol added,I imagine they use Stanlow refinery?
Edited by astonman on Friday 23 April 14:52
At the moment,your TVR will run ok on petrol with 5% ethanol added.
But when 10% becomes the norm ( believe its coming later this year), then my understanding is that this fuel has less energy per unit volume.In other words your engine will physically need more fuel to run properly.A modern car,has some sort of feedback mechanism that can read your exhaust gases and then add extra fuel.To avoid running weak in a carburettor car,it will need tuning , preferably on a rolling road and larger jets fitted .You could do the same on your later TVR ,I assume? As long as the injectors can physically deliver more fuel then a remap would fix it.Your fuel consumption goes up of course ,less mpg!However, you will need to continue using 10% ethanol fuel,you cant use 5% or no ethanol, because it will now be too rich.
The good news at the moment is that all this pseudo green legislation is based on the mass produced 95 octane petrol.There is no legal requirement to add ethanol to super unleaded, because not that much is sold.Esso has base stocks from its refinery in southern England that has no ethanol added.If you are in Wales, Scotland,North or Northwest then they use basestock from other people's refineries and add there own special mix to that, for their 99+ octane.These non Esso base stocks have ethanol added before Esso add their mix.
As well as dissolving plastics / rubbers etc ,ethanol also is hygroscopic,absorbs water.So,if you leave ethanol containing fuel in your tank over winter,it will absorb water.If it absorbs enough,the water will separate out from the gasoline elements and settle on the bottom of your tank.It will cause corrosion, and your engine won't run very well on water!
So,it seemed to me,if you can get ethanol free fuel,and its 99 octane high spec stuff,why not use it.
Problem,is you cant tell by checking the pump,all Esso Synergy 99+ say E5, because legally it can have up to 5 % ethanol in it .So,you have to ask them about stations near you etc.I asked for a" map",but they don't have one?
But when 10% becomes the norm ( believe its coming later this year), then my understanding is that this fuel has less energy per unit volume.In other words your engine will physically need more fuel to run properly.A modern car,has some sort of feedback mechanism that can read your exhaust gases and then add extra fuel.To avoid running weak in a carburettor car,it will need tuning , preferably on a rolling road and larger jets fitted .You could do the same on your later TVR ,I assume? As long as the injectors can physically deliver more fuel then a remap would fix it.Your fuel consumption goes up of course ,less mpg!However, you will need to continue using 10% ethanol fuel,you cant use 5% or no ethanol, because it will now be too rich.
The good news at the moment is that all this pseudo green legislation is based on the mass produced 95 octane petrol.There is no legal requirement to add ethanol to super unleaded, because not that much is sold.Esso has base stocks from its refinery in southern England that has no ethanol added.If you are in Wales, Scotland,North or Northwest then they use basestock from other people's refineries and add there own special mix to that, for their 99+ octane.These non Esso base stocks have ethanol added before Esso add their mix.
As well as dissolving plastics / rubbers etc ,ethanol also is hygroscopic,absorbs water.So,if you leave ethanol containing fuel in your tank over winter,it will absorb water.If it absorbs enough,the water will separate out from the gasoline elements and settle on the bottom of your tank.It will cause corrosion, and your engine won't run very well on water!
So,it seemed to me,if you can get ethanol free fuel,and its 99 octane high spec stuff,why not use it.
Problem,is you cant tell by checking the pump,all Esso Synergy 99+ say E5, because legally it can have up to 5 % ethanol in it .So,you have to ask them about stations near you etc.I asked for a" map",but they don't have one?
Edited by astonman on Monday 26th April 18:05
If you email them at customer.care@exxonmobile.com, and ask about specific petrol stations,they will tell you whether they are supplied by an Esso terminal ( therefore ethanol free), and confirm whether or not they have supreme99+ unleaded,again if you ask a specific question.
Buxton station on arrival,was however,closed for the next 4 weeks !!!
So,went to Esso EG Moorland,Stoke on Trent.
Buxton station on arrival,was however,closed for the next 4 weeks !!!
So,went to Esso EG Moorland,Stoke on Trent.
Blackpool is very likely to get its "base", fuel from Stanlow,Not an Esso Terminal, therefore its 99+ supreme may well have ethanol in it?
Have you emailed Esso to check that specific station?
That is the only way to be sure.customer.care@exxonmobil.com
Have you emailed Esso to check that specific station?
That is the only way to be sure.customer.care@exxonmobil.com
Edited by astonman on Monday 12th July 01:00
Its great to see the theoretical increase in energy value per unit volume of Ethanol Free petrol, actually decreasing your fuel consumption,as the sensors and " brain", in your modern car feed back to the fueling requirements.
You have effectively compared fuel consumption between Ethanol Free ( esso) and E5 Shell.
Now,!!!!! if we compare E5 with the new E10 spec,on paper the decrease in energy per unit volume of fuel is,,,,,,Much More!
I would not be surprised if your fuel consumption increased,dropping your mpg by 4 or even 6.
Or 10/12mpg less than Ethanol free.This suggests to me that E10 is a Con,and that if the mpg facts were explained to the population,they would be outraged?
Anyway,it certainly shows E10 is definitely Not TVR compatible and ideally you should avoid E5 as well.In my humble opinion of course
You have effectively compared fuel consumption between Ethanol Free ( esso) and E5 Shell.
Now,!!!!! if we compare E5 with the new E10 spec,on paper the decrease in energy per unit volume of fuel is,,,,,,Much More!
I would not be surprised if your fuel consumption increased,dropping your mpg by 4 or even 6.
Or 10/12mpg less than Ethanol free.This suggests to me that E10 is a Con,and that if the mpg facts were explained to the population,they would be outraged?
Anyway,it certainly shows E10 is definitely Not TVR compatible and ideally you should avoid E5 as well.In my humble opinion of course
Edited by astonman on Friday 16th July 00:12
Edited by astonman on Friday 16th July 00:16
Unfortunately,I'm not surprised,Stanlow currently supplies great swathes of North Wales,and the North West ,all with Ethanol added.
Last time I read anything in the press,they seemed to suggest Stanlow was running at a loss or very meagre profit.So,anything which allows them to simplify production and keep their costs down ,is likely?
They are therefore very unlikely to supply Esso with a " special", zero ethanol base for their supreme unleaded.If ALL the super unleaded outlets using Stanlow decided to go Ethanol free( which makes total sense as more cars go electric) then things moving might improve?
Last time I read anything in the press,they seemed to suggest Stanlow was running at a loss or very meagre profit.So,anything which allows them to simplify production and keep their costs down ,is likely?
They are therefore very unlikely to supply Esso with a " special", zero ethanol base for their supreme unleaded.If ALL the super unleaded outlets using Stanlow decided to go Ethanol free( which makes total sense as more cars go electric) then things moving might improve?
Umm,well it may well be better than nothing?
The Aston guys are having fuel pump failure on DB7s and Vanquishes using E5, never mind E10.
I have wondered why the fuel companies can't add something that's more calorific to the fuel ,to offset the lower calories of the Ethanol.In theory that would be the easiest thing to fix.
However,any additive may have unforeseen consequences Eg: lowering octane rating,creating soot on burning( affecting lambda sensors and catalysts, generally gumming up the engine), creating more toxic combustion products,being more carcinogenic or mutagenic etc.
If they could make E10 with less downsides,then you would wonder why not?
Probably, ultimately all about cost and profit?
The Aston guys are having fuel pump failure on DB7s and Vanquishes using E5, never mind E10.
I have wondered why the fuel companies can't add something that's more calorific to the fuel ,to offset the lower calories of the Ethanol.In theory that would be the easiest thing to fix.
However,any additive may have unforeseen consequences Eg: lowering octane rating,creating soot on burning( affecting lambda sensors and catalysts, generally gumming up the engine), creating more toxic combustion products,being more carcinogenic or mutagenic etc.
If they could make E10 with less downsides,then you would wonder why not?
Probably, ultimately all about cost and profit?
Fuel stabilisers,attempt to prevent phase separation of petroleum ( the upper layer) and ethanol + water ( the lower layer).
You can achieve this by adding More alcohol,Eg methanol ( which is itself an oxidizing agent,causes corrosion), or another alcohol like isopropyl alcohol.Or,you could add a solvent like acetone .
This will stop the fuel separating into two layers and keep it burnable.But it will alter the characteristics of the fuel,Eg octane rating, calorific value etc .
It really isn't the answer,I'm afraid,in my honest opinion.
You can achieve this by adding More alcohol,Eg methanol ( which is itself an oxidizing agent,causes corrosion), or another alcohol like isopropyl alcohol.Or,you could add a solvent like acetone .
This will stop the fuel separating into two layers and keep it burnable.But it will alter the characteristics of the fuel,Eg octane rating, calorific value etc .
It really isn't the answer,I'm afraid,in my honest opinion.
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