What Fuel To Use?

[parv121 3]

Hi all,

 

Probebly a question which has been asked many times....

 

i have 205 cti 1.6 ,phase1 1987. in my car manual it say run in minimum 97RON.

 

what fuel is best used in my car? unleaded or "super" unleaded??

 

Cheers people.......

 

 

regards

 

parvesh

[scottc2010 0 1 Cars]

I use v-power along with a 10W40 oil and have found it runs cleaner and smoother. The fuel saver shell is ok but supermarket fuels not so good except Sainsbury Super.

[Biggles 65]

If the book says min 97 RON then you ought to run Super Unleaded as (normal) Unleaded is only 95 RON.

[Alan77 78 1 Cars]

Pretty much only ever used Shell Optimax / V-Power.

[Telf 222 2 Cars]

I've been using shell 97 for the last 6 months and 'accidently' put 95 in the other day. Tbh I don't think there's really any difference. The engine sounds slightly quieter. I'm pretty sure it depends on how you have the mixture and dizzy set although gains on a standard setup 8v are probably negligible

[Shane17 7 1 Cars]

From research I have done I thought the higher octane is the fuels ability to resist detonation under higher compressive forces, as such it had no real performance increasing properties. With better fuels such as shells optimax it has a blend of detergents to help clean and maintain the fuel system and combustion chamber.

 

Higher performance engines tend to have higher dynamic compression ratios so a higher octane is required to prevent knock or detonation.

 

I could be completely wrong but I think the 8v runs a reasonable cr and the engine was based on fuels used back in the day like 4 star which had lead supplement so that is why super unleaded is recommended. I found I could get more mileage on super rather than normal unleaded.

[Anthony 1,000]

You need to use whatever fuel your engine (or more specifically, the ignition timing) is set for.

 

As standard, for both 1.6 and 1.9 GTi (non-CAT) models that will be 97 RON (super unleaded).

 

Both can have the ignition retarded for 95 RON (regular unleaded) and indeed I think late 1.6 GTi's were set like that as standard. The performance hit is slight on 1.6 models, but more noticable on 1.9's and is probably why Peugeot themselves never officially listed the 1.9 GTi as being able to be adjusted to run on the lower octane fuel.

 

If the ignition timing is set up for 97 RON and you run 95 RON, it will still run, but it is likely to pink under load which risks causing serious engine damage. The tale-tale metallic sort of rattling/ticking noise under load between 2000-3000rpm is a sign that you've got the ignition timing too far advanced for the fuel you're running (a cracked manifold sounds very similar though)

[Hheppy 9 1 Cars]

I find the Esso super unleaded the best.

[jackherer 543]

I've been using shell 97 for the last 6 months and 'accidently' put 95 in the other day. Tbh I don't think there's really any difference. The engine sounds slightly quieter. I'm pretty sure it depends on how you have the mixture and dizzy set although gains on a standard setup 8v are probably negligible

If you put 95 in and you haven't heard pinking you're missing a load of performance as Anthony says above. Fill it up with the 97 you normally use and come round sometime...

[toolie72 67 1 Cars]

Tesco momentum suits my car down to the ground-not faster just runs happier

 

Inverness harbour takes the majority of fuel in for the surrounding area-this fuel dump has to run 24hrs, shell,tescos,bp tankers all go to the same fuel dump (I used to live over the river mouth from it)-the only possible difference there can be in fuel mixture would have to be added to EACH lorry tanker by a driver/operative

 

To say that different names on a different fuel pump suit engines better is a bit like saying coke from a glass bottle is better than from a tin-unless you go to each pump, take a sample, test it in the bat cave (on the batfuelometer) then fuel is fuel

It is only the RON that's regulated-anything else that's added is subjective

 

Peugeot in 1999 said alter timing if using 95-or at least my Peugeot garage (ferries) did

[Mac Crash 78 1 Cars]

The three red letters on the tailboard tell you what fuel to use... why would you use anything else?

 

Used to be that engines should "pink" ever so slightly under load...

 

2nd vote for Tesco super but normally use v-power due to having works fuel card.

[GLPoomobile 958]

Tesco momentum suits my car down to the ground-not faster just runs happier

 

Inverness harbour takes the majority of fuel in for the surrounding area-this fuel dump has to run 24hrs, shell,tescos,bp tankers all go to the same fuel dump (I used to live over the river mouth from it)-the only possible difference there can be in fuel mixture would have to be added to EACH lorry tanker by a driver/operative

 

To say that different names on a different fuel pump suit engines better is a bit like saying coke from a glass bottle is better than from a tin-unless you go to each pump, take a sample, test it in the bat cave (on the batfuelometer) then fuel is fuel

It is only the RON that's regulated-anything else that's added is subjective

 

Peugeot in 1999 said alter timing if using 95-or at least my Peugeot garage (ferries) did

 

Errrr, maybe I'm being a fud and not reading that right, but didn't you just totally contradict yourself?

 

And personally, I much prefer coke from a can than a bottle and can taste a difference.

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

 

And personally, I much prefer coke from a can than a bottle and can taste a difference.

Me too, same with diet Irn Bru.

 

Think Coke in different countries tastes different too, probably to do with the local water.

 

 

I wouldn't put any Tesco stuff in any of my cars, hate their shops, and I'm pretty sure their usual unleaded is x% rape seed oil or something like that, you don't get the same mpg, it's why it's usually cheaper.

[Anthony 1,000]

I wouldn't put any Tesco stuff in any of my cars, hate their shops, and I'm pretty sure their usual unleaded is x% rape seed oil or something like that, you don't get the same mpg, it's why it's usually cheaper.

I'm assuming that you mean ethanol? As far as I know most UK unleaded is E5 rated (ie upto 5% ethanol) and at some point in the foreseeable future that'll become E10 in line with parts of mainland Europe.

[GLPoomobile 958]

Haven't driven my 205 in years but can't say I ever noticed a difference between brands of fuel (I know the topic is about RON, but we've strayed on to branding now). Or any other car for the matter.

 

My Volvo, being a high pressure turbo with sophisticated ECU, should be sensitive to fuel types. And the same sort of discussions take place. But I just stick the cheapest 95 in around, usually Tesco (also benefitting from Clubcard points), and it's fine. I've tried using Shell Optimax becuase internet lore says I'll see better economy, but guess what, if I did see ~10% improvement - and that's dubious - it still didn't offset the higher cost.

 

So my attitude to what brand of fuel to use is, do your own tests and see what subjectively works best for you. If you see no difference, just buy what's cheapest*

 

*Caveat being that there may be implications from using lower grade fuel. Up to you how much you care about your car. I tend not to worry too much about what might happen to my fuel lines or engine 10 years or 100 thousand miles down the line, as I don't keep cars that long.

[toolie72 67 1 Cars]

My point was-tesco momentum is the cheapest higher octane fuel, so that's what I use

 

My point about garages (in Inverness at least) is valid-if it all comes off the same effing tanker and is branded on its way to the forecourt then the only way "cleaner/better" fuels can exist is if additives are added into the fuel lorry-by a man in a boiler suit-so how super scientific mr BP/shell etc can that be

[Spesh 28 1 Cars]

My point was-tesco momentum is the cheapest higher octane fuel, so that's what I use

 

My point about garages (in Inverness at least) is valid-if it all comes off the same effing tanker and is branded on its way to the forecourt then the only way "cleaner/better" fuels can exist is if additives are added into the fuel lorry-by a man in a boiler suit-so how super scientific mr BP/shell etc can that be

 

 

I spend 95% of my working life in Oil Terminals and I can confirm what you've said is broadly correct. Additive injection calibration and recipe proving is part of my job. Shell and BP do have some brand only terminals in the UK but its the minority, most fuel these days comes from the same tanks. Additives are broadly the same but the amount varies. All sorts of bits of paper I've had to sign (NDA's) mean I can't do details but Tesco99 is what I'd use based on price and whats actually in it.

 

Also as mentioned above most UK Unleaded is now 5% ethanol. Most fuel is stored in the tanks at a low ron (often called eurobob, more correctly blendstock) and the ron is increased as ethanol and additives are injected at the bottom loading skids into the wagons.

 

Anyone who thinks that any particular pump fuel is better than another watches too many TV adverts or believes, without qualification, what they read on the internet.

Edited September 17, 2016 by Spesh

[toolie72 67 1 Cars]

Great info!!

 

Must admit, I have heard of 'special' jugs that just get poured in, but you never know if it's a myth

Inverness harbour is BP-tesco demanded it went 24hrs to suit them, tanker boats run by a company fisher fill up the dump, then branded wagons all leave from the same place

 

To be fair though-no company is going to advertise its fuel as being the same as their competitor, that would be honest/daft

[Spesh 28 1 Cars]

I missed something in what I wrote above. BP Derv additive is unique, thats the only one that I know is (But I do not work in exclusive BP or Shell terminals)

[opticaltrigger 52]

 

 

I spend 95% of my working life in Oil Terminals and I can confirm what you've said is broadly correct. Additive injection calibration and recipe proving is part of my job. Shell and BP do have some brand only terminals in the UK but its the minority, most fuel these days comes from the same tanks. Additives are broadly the same but the amount varies. All sorts of bits of paper I've had to sign (NDA's) mean I can't do details but Tesco99 is what I'd use based on price and whats actually in it.

 

Also as mentioned above most UK Unleaded is now 5% ethanol. Most fuel is stored in the tanks at a low ron (often called eurobob, more correctly blendstock) and the ron is increased as ethanol and additives are injected at the bottom loading skids into the wagons.

 

Anyone who thinks that any particular pump fuel is better than another watches too many TV adverts or believes, without qualification, what they read on the internet.

 

 

I missed something in what I wrote above. BP Derv additive is unique, thats the only one that I know is (But I do not work in exclusive BP or Shell terminals)

 

Fantastic.............

Many thanks Spesh.