Shell Fuelsaver Petrol

[woz]

Having always used VPower or other 99RON fuel ever since my RICA upgrade, and with forays into 95 RON petrol being met with fluffing and misfires under full boost, I thought I would give the new Shell Fuelsaver a try. Cynicaly I thought it woud be just a marketing mix, with punters unable to prove or disprove their claims of improved economy.

Amazingly I found it smoother than any other non-99 RON fuel, no significant misfire and only a marginal decrease in power from running on VPower. In fact I did not notice the difference until I switched back to VPower today!!. So for 113.9p vs 120.9p per litre I reckon its worth a try.

My belief is that the normal misfire under boost on low RON fuel is due to the ECU retarding the ignition when it detects knock. I may be wrong (any ideas anyone). Therefore it seems that using Fuelsaver may not be putting the engine in the knock zone even under boost so is better for the engine too??

Anyway on a steady run when I am not going to be booting it too hard I shall be happy to stick Feuelsaver in my beasty from here on, but use VPower for the more "enjoyable" trips.

Anyone have any evidence for or against??

Cheers

Woz.

[princepugh]

I've been thinking about trying this since it was launched a couple of weeks back but didn't really want to go 95 RON for the reasons you state.

Think it warrants some back to back 'trundle' tests to justify its usage for non-performance runs to see if the costs do actually translate compared to V-power.

At the end of the day though, it's still 95 RON so you'll be in the knock zone if you're running an optimized map.

[woz]

Think it warrants some back to back 'trundle' tests to justify its usage for non-performance runs to see if the costs do actually translate compared to V-power.

At the end of the day though, it's still 95 RON so you'll be in the knock zone if you're running an optimized map.

Give it a go see what you think. The ECU is pretty good at working arond any detectable knock. I did a "trundle" down to Southampton a couple of times - 200m round trip. Amazed me. Usually I have to keep my foot off the floor unless running a 99 RON.

This stuff worked fine. Report back when you have tried it.

WOZ

[princepugh]

Heading up to Scottyland this weekend so may try a tankfull on the trip - apparently it has the same friction modifier and concentration of cleansing additives as Vpower, which gives plausible reasoning behind the MPG claim.

[RollingThunder]

I'm a Vpower addict too, but the price difference is getting a bit much lately - 7p/litre as mentioned ^^^ around here.

Its looking like I'll have a round trip to Cardiff (from Doncaster) in a bit, so I'll give this new stuff a go and see what happens. I should have a few weeks on the HLM302 map by then too so the comparison will be interesting.

[The Flying Moose]

I have used it, and Im affriad I cant comment on the map front as mine is standard but it seems to be an good enough fuel, definately smooth although unless it gets extremely expensive Ill stick to V-Power only 117.9p in Lincoln.

One thing I must say is in the T5 it doesnt seem to save my promised 1L of fuel or around 5 miles extra per tank!

[RollingThunder]

One thing I must say is in the T5 it doesnt seem to save my promised 1L of fuel or around 5 miles extra per tank!

I usually get about 30-40 miles extra on a tank of Vpower compared to the std stuff, so if you were running Vpower anyway, that might account for the lack of improvement? Just a thought...

[The Flying Moose]

I usually get about 30-40 miles extra on a tank of Vpower compared to the std stuff, so if you were running Vpower anyway, that might account for the lack of improvement? Just a thought...

I hadnt thought of that... sometimes the simple things are easy to miss!

[scr8pdo]

I always use Vpower if i can, Shell garage about a mile from me or if not I will try to always use the higher octane, BP Ultimate, Total Exellium, Esso Super plus etc, I have tried this and will definatly get more mpg on higher octane juice even though its pricier it seems to balance out,I can definatly feel the difference too using high octane, much more responsive and you dont seem to have to push the throttle pedal as far to get the same as normal 95 ron, I will only use the higher octane stuff in performance cars though, its a waste of money putting in standard motors as I tried it in my wifes old Fiesta zetec and her pug 306 and it didnt make the slightest difference in perfromance that i could tell and didnt get any more mpg with it, havent tried the new fuel save stuff just yet but would be reluctant to use on a remapped car unless i really had no other choice, but thats just me

[HADI]

i use v power all the time also, one thing i have noticed is that my mpg computer now states im doing 26.6 mpg which is good considering the car, my auto s70r was around 22.3 mpg at the time i had it, i also got a v power club card through from shell yest telling me they were upgrading me from the normal card to the v power card, it almost felt like something special for a nano second

[Flatout Phil]

Having always used VPower or other 99RON fuel ever since my RICA upgrade, and with forays into 95 RON petrol being met with fluffing and misfires under full boost, I thought I would give the new Shell Fuelsaver a try. Cynicaly I thought it woud be just a marketing mix, with punters unable to prove or disprove their claims of improved economy.

Amazingly I found it smoother than any other non-99 RON fuel, no significant misfire and only a marginal decrease in power from running on VPower. In fact I did not notice the difference until I switched back to VPower today!!. So for 113.9p vs 120.9p per litre I reckon its worth a try.

My belief is that the normal misfire under boost on low RON fuel is due to the ECU retarding the ignition when it detects knock. I may be wrong (any ideas anyone). Therefore it seems that using Fuelsaver may not be putting the engine in the knock zone even under boost so is better for the engine too??

Anyway on a steady run when I am not going to be booting it too hard I shall be happy to stick Feuelsaver in my beasty from here on, but use VPower for the more "enjoyable" trips.

Anyone have any evidence for or against??

Cheers

Woz.

I had to buy a tank of Tesco 99 the other day, never get anything other than VPower normally. Putting it through the gate today and guess what? Sporadic misfire under full boost. So won't be getting anymore of that. This car has never missed a beat, and whilst it was under boost, kept behaving like it had hit the rev limiter - like ecu was intervening! Now I have recently renewed the various vacumn pipes round the back of the airbox and so on, so maybe something there, but my money is on the fuel. It just isn't right for that map I think.

[Storm-Troll]

I went to fill up today. I almost went for the new fuelsave pump but chickened out in the end and stuck wiv my V Power.... better the devil you know etc etc lol..

[scr8pdo]

Just a thought though, what were people using before V power came out with their Rica remaps? Shell Optimax was before V power IIRC, what was before that just out of interest, who remembers Formula Shell!

PS I seem to have missed out on trying this

http://www.bp.com/sectiongenericarti...tentId=7060376

[SKIDMARKS]

Only talking about this the other day when my son put in some 99 Tesco and it ran like a pig so he vowed never again.
I did say to him using v power in the t5 is like driving on a cold foggy day as compared to a hot dry day using other fuels if you get my meaning

[scr8pdo]

Only talking about this the other day when my son put in some 99 Tesco and it ran like a pig so he vowed never again.
I did say to him using v power in the t5 is like driving on a cold foggy day as compared to a hot dry day using other fuels if you get my meaning

Yeah definatly feel the difference with V power, but never had any probs with tesco 99, i only used it when in a hurry

They should bring back 5 star (as long as you got a decat lol)

[princepugh]

Well, my trip to Scotland didn't provide any conclusive results I'm afraid and what's more my overboost problems returned so the car was driving a bit erractically.

Anyways, I averaged 31.5 MPG from Sheffield to Ayr, which is disappointing but then the A70 is such a nice road it managed to ruin my average fuel economy!

On the return leg I filled up with Shell Fuelsave half way down the A74 and averaged 33.5 MPG back to Sheffield, via the A66 (cross Pennine) which I suppose is pretty good given the car was fully loaded with wife, kids and holiday gear; and boosting horribly. The car certainly seemed happy to run it and I've only just re-filled with VPower averaging out at 28 MPG since.

Whilst up in Scotland, I had to run on BP Ultimate (tsk, talk about lowering ones standards!) and I'd swear the car ran worse on that but maybe I'm biased

[bubba_1986]

Someone asked what was before v power it was shell optimax 97 Ron I believe

[scr8pdo]

Someone asked what was before v power it was shell optimax 97 Ron I believe

Do you remember the old high octane gear, Formula Shell, 5 star petrol etc, now iam showing my age

[The Flying Moose]

Do you remember the old high octane gear, Formula Shell, 5 star petrol etc, now iam showing my age

I dont remember 5 star that well but 4 star definately. I remember the first Volvo 440 my dad bought, it was the 1.7 Reno engine. That ran on 4 star or unleaded.

[scr8pdo]

I remember my grandad putting 2 or 3 star in his old Alfasud, I do remember all the different push buttons on the old petrol pumps 2,3,4 and 5 star and the single diesel pump in the corner of the forecourt for the lorries, no diesel cars back then, I was pretty young about 4 or 5 but i was always facinated with cars and anything that went with them so took a lot in, then I remember the introduction of unleaded, only one pump too, I also remember petrol actually smelling different than it does now (ex solvent abuser lol)