Supermarket fuel. What is the difference?
20 December 2004 | 11:36 AM
#31
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From: Somewhere in Kent, sniffing some V-Power
Originally Posted by ALi-B
I get 15bhp extra on Opitmax...oh wow!! 
Otherwise bugger all difference. Rather save a few quid and use it to buy decent tyres.
The only car I have to run it on is an XJS, which was orginally designed and tuned for 4star Leaded. It pinks on 95 NUL, a simple ignition timing adjustment would probably sort it, but with the compexities of the a Jags ignition system, there is too much blind faith that one of 12 cylinder will not pink or missfire. And the Shell garage happens to be the nearest petrol station, so optimax it is
Oh a guess who had a petrol tank of water when filling with said optimax? To me, it's no better than any other brand - especially when most come from the very same refinary, so it's down to the actual petrol station itself to maintain and clean its tanks and filters.
Your more likely to cause running problems by keep swapping fuels to "see" a difference
As for tuners recommneding it? Well many also recommend ATM dumpvalves on scoobs. Which there is known problems, yet they still sell them, even though the standard OE one is usually up to the job unless you running silly boost levels.
Bottom line is, if it's mapped for the fuel it will work fine. The only benefit I can see optimax on a UK car is by having the ECU remapped to take more advantage of it. The standard UK map, even though it's dynamic it always works on the side of safety (unless your maf sensor gets lazy in which case it's holy pistons for you on any fuel ). The ECU doesn't take full advantage of the fuel - unlike the PPP or remapped ECU's or JDM cars which should be remapped for the UK anyway (IMO ).
Otherwise bugger all difference. Rather save a few quid and use it to buy decent tyres.
The only car I have to run it on is an XJS, which was orginally designed and tuned for 4star Leaded. It pinks on 95 NUL, a simple ignition timing adjustment would probably sort it, but with the compexities of the a Jags ignition system, there is too much blind faith that one of 12 cylinder will not pink or missfire. And the Shell garage happens to be the nearest petrol station, so optimax it is
Oh a guess who had a petrol tank of water when filling with said optimax?
To me, it's no better than any other brand - especially when most come from the very same refinary, so it's down to the actual petrol station itself to maintain and clean its tanks and filters.Your more likely to cause running problems by keep swapping fuels to "see" a difference
As for tuners recommneding it? Well many also recommend ATM dumpvalves on scoobs. Which there is known problems, yet they still sell them, even though the standard OE one is usually up to the job unless you running silly boost levels.
Bottom line is, if it's mapped for the fuel it will work fine. The only benefit I can see optimax on a UK car is by having the ECU remapped to take more advantage of it. The standard UK map, even though it's dynamic it always works on the side of safety (unless your maf sensor gets lazy in which case it's holy pistons for you on any fuel
). The ECU doesn't take full advantage of the fuel - unlike the PPP or remapped ECU's or JDM cars which should be remapped for the UK anyway (IMO ).
20 December 2004 | 11:44 AM
#35
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From: Bournemouth - 5x Ex Impreza owner. 997 GT3 CS.
Ali, to you it may not be any better but how do you really know? I dont think anyone would claim noticable BHP gains, but on the grounds that my car det's when I don't use it says to me that the quality of Optimax is superior. And it will allow you more advance when remapping...
I agree that swapping fuels is when you get a problem and the you would probably never feel any BHP gains while driving (although many have reported smoother running)
With regard to tuners, would you use one that reccomends a VTA dump valve!? There's only a couple of Subaru tuners I would trust (naming no names) and they wouldn't sell you one!
Water in the tank isn't the fault of the company producing the fuel, so you can't question the quality from that point of view! Its likely to be a franchise anyway...
MB
I agree that swapping fuels is when you get a problem and the you would probably never feel any BHP gains while driving (although many have reported smoother running)
With regard to tuners, would you use one that reccomends a VTA dump valve!? There's only a couple of Subaru tuners I would trust (naming no names) and they wouldn't sell you one!
Water in the tank isn't the fault of the company producing the fuel, so you can't question the quality from that point of view! Its likely to be a franchise anyway...
MB
20 December 2004 | 11:57 AM
#36
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From: The hell where youth and laughter go
Water in the tank isn't the fault of the company producing the fuel, so you can't question the quality from that point of view! Its likely to be a franchise anyway...
DBM is your car a standard UK car though? It shouldn't really be getting any significant amount of det if it is.
I'm glad some tuners refuse to sell atm DV to Subaru owners
But many do 
Advice of fuel by tuners may well be impartial, but it's swayed/biased by them usually modifying cars which would have need to run on optimax/SUL, where if left untouched in a standard UK tune would not need or take any significant advantage of it.
20 December 2004 | 01:01 PM
#37
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From: Kamloops British Columbia Canada
Originally Posted by chrispurvis100
And also nearly every tuning company I know recommend a minimum of super but preferably optimax. Guess they all have shares in shell, or they don't know their pistons from their throttle bodies!
I love these 'optimax is a waste of money' threads. The sort of people who say this usually turn out to be the people who say its ok to use cheap engine oil, tyres etc.
I love these 'optimax is a waste of money' threads. The sort of people who say this usually turn out to be the people who say its ok to use cheap engine oil, tyres etc.
It is a "whats the difference in supermarket fuel thread "
Answer = None
I didnt buy my car of a tuning company , I bought it of a Subaru main dealer , who recommended normal U/L
but seen as its been PPP'd I use 97 ron supermarket fuel
it runs great , plenty fast enough , no pinking , no lights on knocklink thingy's
and see no reason whatsoever in paying extra for optimax
I am not a boy racer who has to get every last BHP out of the car
So for me optimax would be a waste of money
Got that ?
Good
20 December 2004 | 01:45 PM
#38
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From: Kamloops British Columbia Canada
Originally Posted by l3wyy
Hi Everyone,
Just to let you know into a little secret about supermarkets. I work for quite a large company beginning with T - you know the one.
About 99% of all supermarkets offer petrol stations as a way of trying to get you to shop in the main store. Please believe me when I say this and this is the truth (well as far as the one I work for). We actually make a loss on Petrol.
So I hear - Why don't they increase the price to reduce the loss?
People will not go to the petrol station and think that they need a box of tea bags etc and therefore will not shop in the store.
So - Why don't you make the price cheaper to get people in?
We make a loss already, more will effect us.
Where do you buy your petrol from?
Main refineries, we’re not licensed or do we own a refinery therefore we can not produce the goods.
Where do I buy my petrol? It begins with S and ends with ainsbury - ssshhhhH!
Every Little Helps!
Just to let you know into a little secret about supermarkets. I work for quite a large company beginning with T - you know the one.
About 99% of all supermarkets offer petrol stations as a way of trying to get you to shop in the main store. Please believe me when I say this and this is the truth (well as far as the one I work for). We actually make a loss on Petrol.
So I hear - Why don't they increase the price to reduce the loss?
People will not go to the petrol station and think that they need a box of tea bags etc and therefore will not shop in the store.
So - Why don't you make the price cheaper to get people in?
We make a loss already, more will effect us.
Where do you buy your petrol from?
Main refineries, we’re not licensed or do we own a refinery therefore we can not produce the goods.
Where do I buy my petrol? It begins with S and ends with ainsbury - ssshhhhH!
Every Little Helps!
Yes agree with everything said here
when supermarkets first started selling fuel (early nineties) i used to deliver to them in a Total tanker (Asda , Tesco ) As i said earlier they make more on a loaf of bread than a gallon of fuel
20 December 2004 | 04:23 PM
#39
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fuel
I used to put in BP 'ultimate' cos it was round the corner from my house, but found it ran rough as....
Since changed to ESSo normal UL 95RON and runs sweet
UK car but no point in running 97 BP crap whan 95 Esso runs better??
go figure..
Since changed to ESSo normal UL 95RON and runs sweet
UK car but no point in running 97 BP crap whan 95 Esso runs better??
go figure..
20 December 2004 | 05:02 PM
#40
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From: Bournemouth - 5x Ex Impreza owner. 997 GT3 CS.
Did you try an ECU reset? Again, its all very well saying something is crap, but it may equally be the car.
Ali, mine is an STi 5 and modded, so it is more sensitive to fuelling. I did have a UK MY99 and as per the example on page 1, I had det / fuel cut / limp home mode for about 10 miles until the ECU adjusted from Optimax to NUL.
So my point is, that everything is not the same...
MB
Ali, mine is an STi 5 and modded, so it is more sensitive to fuelling. I did have a UK MY99 and as per the example on page 1, I had det / fuel cut / limp home mode for about 10 miles until the ECU adjusted from Optimax to NUL.
So my point is, that everything is not the same...
MB
20 December 2004 | 05:27 PM
#41
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There are only 9 refineries in the UK producing motor fuel - there's only 1 in Scotland...Don't know if the situation is still the same but the non-BP tankers used to leave the BP Grangemouth refinery and stop in layby's and add their company's secret ingredients.
BP Coryton
Stanford-le-Hope
Essex
BP Grangemouth
Grangemouth
Stirlingshire
Conoco Ltd
Humber Refinery
South Killingholme
North Lincolnshire
Esso Petroleum Company Ltd
Fawley Refinery
Fawley
Southampton
Petroplus
North Tees Works
Seaton Road
Port Clarence
Cleveland
Shell UK Ltd
Stanlow Manufacturing Complex
Ellesmere Port
South Wirral
Texaco Ltd
Pembroke Plant
Pembroke
Pembrokeshire
TotalFinaElf/Murco
Milford Haven Refinery
Milford Haven
Pembrokeshire
TotalFinaElf
Lindsey Oil Refinery
Eastfield Road
North Killingholme
Immingham
North Lincolnshire
p.s I run my STi V3 on 95 RON, have done for the last 40+k miles with no problems
BP Coryton
Stanford-le-Hope
Essex
BP Grangemouth
Grangemouth
Stirlingshire
Conoco Ltd
Humber Refinery
South Killingholme
North Lincolnshire
Esso Petroleum Company Ltd
Fawley Refinery
Fawley
Southampton
Petroplus
North Tees Works
Seaton Road
Port Clarence
Cleveland
Shell UK Ltd
Stanlow Manufacturing Complex
Ellesmere Port
South Wirral
Texaco Ltd
Pembroke Plant
Pembroke
Pembrokeshire
TotalFinaElf/Murco
Milford Haven Refinery
Milford Haven
Pembrokeshire
TotalFinaElf
Lindsey Oil Refinery
Eastfield Road
North Killingholme
Immingham
North Lincolnshire
p.s I run my STi V3 on 95 RON, have done for the last 40+k miles with no problems
21 December 2004 | 02:24 AM
#44
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From: Kamloops British Columbia Canada
I'll third that
30 December 2004 | 06:59 AM
#47
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Thats not the way I understand, I've been in turbo cars that have inadvertently had to fill up on supermarket fuel and have had some nasty problems as a result.
As far as I understand it the refining process produces various grades of quality, the upper echelons used for the quality petrol, the lower diesel.
Yes optimax does have a number of things added to it, including detergents and a booster but I still wouldnt use anything else, unless I wanted a knackered engine.
Not too mention the octane level changes from tank to tank, depending on age, contaminants or even batch.
As far as I understand it the refining process produces various grades of quality, the upper echelons used for the quality petrol, the lower diesel.
Yes optimax does have a number of things added to it, including detergents and a booster but I still wouldnt use anything else, unless I wanted a knackered engine.
Not too mention the octane level changes from tank to tank, depending on age, contaminants or even batch.
30 December 2004 | 12:37 PM
#49
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From: Oooooooop North!
Subaru dont even recommend 97
If you look on a UK STI 2001 onwards as mine is and I can get a picture to prove it it clearly says 98 RON.
Jon.
31 December 2004 | 03:12 AM
#50
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From: OX16
My KnockLink talks to me... :-)
I can say with absolute certainty that Optimax puts my knocklink to sleep - SUL (s/market) gives me a couple of greens and regular 95RON gives me oranges...
And BP Ultimate (spit) does all of the above depending on who knows what!
And BP Ultimate (spit) does all of the above depending on who knows what!
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