Best fuel for your vette ?

[ZR1cliff]

I've started using shell V-power in my vette, apparently it's an improved formula that features a higher octane, 99 RON, plus it alegedly cleans the engine. It's around 90p per litre and is reasonable, although not reasonable enough , in comparison with other fuels of the same grade. Not sure if I'm imagining it but the car seems to run better and is more responsive. Any other views on fuels available ?

[vetteheadracer]

my C6 Z06 also lives on Shell Vmax.

[ZR1cliff]

A snippet from the Shell site.

Shell's Fuel Options

Shell V-Power now replaces Optimx which was developed with Ferrari, working alongside their Formula One Team, and with a main focus on responsiveness and track reliability. This improved formula features higher octane (99 RON).

V-Power aims to clean a vehicle's engine as it's used and as a result, aims to improve fuel economy and car performance.

Shell also offer Shell Diesel Extra, designed to clean the engine as it powers the car. This can result in improved engine performance and improved fuel economy. The fuel also aims to reduce emissions.

Shell Diesel Extra is a fuel with an exclusive formulation that is designed to clean the engine. This can lead to better engine performance and increased fuel economy as well as reduced emissions. Shell Diesel Extra contains a powerful detergent, which helps to clean away and reduce the build up of the harmful fuel system deposits that can collect in a diesel vehicle's fuel injection system, reducing performance and fuel economy.

[roscobbc]

ZR1cliff said:

I've started using shell V-power in my vette, apparently it's an improved formula that features a higher octane, 99 RON, plus it alegedly cleans the engine. It's around 90p per litre and is reasonable, although not reasonable enough , in comparison with other fuels of the same grade. Not sure if I'm imagining it but the car seems to run better and is more responsive. Any other views on fuels available ?

ZR1Cliff - My new 489 10.5 c/r engine does not like ordinary unleaded - it will tend to run-on when switched off. My engine builder only uses Vpower on his dyno - gets on average 10 to 15 bhp more (albeit on engines 600, 700 hp and more!) I have also started to use it on my daily driver (bog stock shopping '06 1.8 Civic I-Shift) yeah, it could be imagination that it runs a little better - its most definately not my imagination that on a longer run it 'picks up' an additional 1.5 to 2 mpg.

[GW65]

I generally use Shell V-Power as well in my C6 - I haven't tried anything else so can't say what power/economy advantages it offers, but since the car's designed to run on Super Unleaded it seems sensible to go for the "most super". I used to use Tesco's Super Unleaded in previous cars, but went off the idea because it's 5% bioethanol. Although that's supposed to be good for knock-resistance and charge-cooling, ethanol has lower energy content than petrol so fuel economy's likely to be worse than 99 RON petrol-only.

[Vet Guru]

Best for me Asda! Cheapest,

Edited by Vet Guru on Friday 2nd January 17:38

[ZR1cliff]

roscobbc said:

ZR1cliff said:

I've started using shell V-power in my vette, apparently it's an improved formula that features a higher octane, 99 RON, plus it alegedly cleans the engine. It's around 90p per litre and is reasonable, although not reasonable enough , in comparison with other fuels of the same grade. Not sure if I'm imagining it but the car seems to run better and is more responsive. Any other views on fuels available ?

ZR1Cliff - My new 489 10.5 c/r engine does not like ordinary unleaded - it will tend to run-on when switched off. My engine builder only uses Vpower on his dyno - gets on average 10 to 15 bhp more (albeit on engines 600, 700 hp and more!) I have also started to use it on my daily driver (bog stock shopping '06 1.8 Civic I-Shift) yeah, it could be imagination that it runs a little better - its most definately not my imagination that on a longer run it 'picks up' an additional 1.5 to 2 mpg.

489 ? love your thinking. I also put v-power in my runaround, it went down to 89p yesterday

[roscobbc]

ZR1cliff said:

roscobbc said:

ZR1cliff said:

I've started using shell V-power in my vette, apparently it's an improved formula that features a higher octane, 99 RON, plus it alegedly cleans the engine. It's around 90p per litre and is reasonable, although not reasonable enough , in comparison with other fuels of the same grade. Not sure if I'm imagining it but the car seems to run better and is more responsive. Any other views on fuels available ?

ZR1Cliff - My new 489 10.5 c/r engine does not like ordinary unleaded - it will tend to run-on when switched off. My engine builder only uses Vpower on his dyno - gets on average 10 to 15 bhp more (albeit on engines 600, 700 hp and more!) I have also started to use it on my daily driver (bog stock shopping '06 1.8 Civic I-Shift) yeah, it could be imagination that it runs a little better - its most definately not my imagination that on a longer run it 'picks up' an additional 1.5 to 2 mpg.

489 ? love your thinking. I also put v-power in my runaround, it went down to 89p yesterday

Oh yes! 489 = 454+4.25" stroker!

[ian_uk1975]

Load of hogwash is you ask me. I use 95RON in my C6 and it's perfectly happy. Even if using 97/98/99 RON gives you 10-15BHP more (highly unlikely on a standard LS2/LS3), you wouldn't feel it anyway! On 95RON, I average 25-27MPG over the course of a full tank. It's all in the mind of most people!

[GW65]

ian_uk1975 said:

Load of hogwash is you ask me. I use 95RON in my C6 and it's perfectly happy. Even if using 97/98/99 RON gives you 10-15BHP more (highly unlikely on a standard LS2/LS3), you wouldn't feel it anyway! On 95RON, I average 25-27MPG over the course of a full tank. It's all in the mind of most people!

You're right that most of the time you wouldn't notice the difference, but if you're chasing a Fiesta around Festival Place in Basingstoke that 10bhp could be critical...

It's an extra couple of quid per tankful, so less than £100 a year. Even if you only get 5bhp that's a cheap mod that doesn't invalidate your warranty or make your insurance company twitch!

EVO ran a test a few years ago to measure the differences between various brands of regular and super unleaded. They found that turbo engines (I think it was a Golf GTI) got a sizeable power boost from super (I guess they're surviving on their knock sensors) but NA engines (latest BMW M5 from memory) got little if any benefit, but it really depends on the tune and how much the ignition advance gets pulled back on 95RON.

[irish boy]

bp ultimate all the way for me....unless im at the house down south in which i take whatever i can get in super....its few and far between down there!!

[ian_uk1975]

GW65 said:

ian_uk1975 said:

Load of hogwash is you ask me. I use 95RON in my C6 and it's perfectly happy. Even if using 97/98/99 RON gives you 10-15BHP more (highly unlikely on a standard LS2/LS3), you wouldn't feel it anyway! On 95RON, I average 25-27MPG over the course of a full tank. It's all in the mind of most people!

You're right that most of the time you wouldn't notice the difference, but if you're chasing a Fiesta around Festival Place in Basingstoke that 10bhp could be critical...

It's an extra couple of quid per tankful, so less than £100 a year. Even if you only get 5bhp that's a cheap mod that doesn't invalidate your warranty or make your insurance company twitch!

EVO ran a test a few years ago to measure the differences between various brands of regular and super unleaded. They found that turbo engines (I think it was a Golf GTI) got a sizeable power boost from super (I guess they're surviving on their knock sensors) but NA engines (latest BMW M5 from memory) got little if any benefit, but it really depends on the tune and how much the ignition advance gets pulled back on 95RON.

On forced-induction cars, it makes sense to run higher octane fuel, as there's often a tangible benefit. However, on normally-aspirated cars running factory fuel maps, it's not worth it. As I said, even if you get a few BHP more at the top-end, it's never going to be something you'd feel on the road and wouldn't make any difference whatsoever in terms of on-the-road performance.

I've plugged a scanner into my C6 and get no knock retard using 95 RON, so I know for a fact that 97+ RON is not going to make a jot of difference.

Much like engine oil, everyone has their own opinion about fuel and what's best, but I stick with my opinion that 99% of the time, there's no tangible benefit!

[ZR1cliff]

What about burning and cleaning benefits ?

[roscobbc]

ian_uk1975 said:

Load of hogwash is you ask me. I use 95RON in my C6 and it's perfectly happy. Even if using 97/98/99 RON gives you 10-15BHP more (highly unlikely on a standard LS2/LS3), you wouldn't feel it anyway! On 95RON, I average 25-27MPG over the course of a full tank. It's all in the mind of most people!

Agree to a point - but that 10 to 15 bhp increase could be the difference it takes to win on the 1/4 mile - even if its only a few 'tenths'

[Corsette]

When Buncefield went up you couldn't get high octane fuel and mine just bogged on the normal stuff. I had to use octane boosters to prevent detonation in boost.

[ian_uk1975]

ZR1cliff said:

What about burning and cleaning benefits ?

Hogwash, in the same vain that Slick-50 reduces friction, makes your engine last for a million miles and increases power.

[ian_uk1975]

Corsette said:

When Buncefield went up you couldn't get high octane fuel and mine just bogged on the normal stuff. I had to use octane boosters to prevent detonation in boost.

As I said, on boosted applications, there's often a tangible benefit, so fair enough.

[ian_uk1975]

roscobbc said:

ian_uk1975 said:

Load of hogwash is you ask me. I use 95RON in my C6 and it's perfectly happy. Even if using 97/98/99 RON gives you 10-15BHP more (highly unlikely on a standard LS2/LS3), you wouldn't feel it anyway! On 95RON, I average 25-27MPG over the course of a full tank. It's all in the mind of most people!

Agree to a point - but that 10 to 15 bhp increase could be the difference it takes to win on the 1/4 mile - even if its only a few 'tenths'

Fair enough if you're racing and want to give yourself every possible chance of getting the quickest time, but most people that fill-up with Super Unleaded / V-Power don't go anywhere near a track and fill-up with it thinking it's just the 'best' fuel for their car. Bit like how loads of people take vitamin supplements everyday thinking/hoping it'll help them live longer/healthier lives, whilst they scoff-down a greasy portion of fish & chips from the local chippy for dinner. They probably also smoke lar-tar cigs thinking they're healthier

Edited by ian_uk1975 on Thursday 8th January 18:42

[ZR1cliff]

ian_uk1975 said:

roscobbc said:

ian_uk1975 said:

Load of hogwash is you ask me. I use 95RON in my C6 and it's perfectly happy. Even if using 97/98/99 RON gives you 10-15BHP more (highly unlikely on a standard LS2/LS3), you wouldn't feel it anyway! On 95RON, I average 25-27MPG over the course of a full tank. It's all in the mind of most people!

Agree to a point - but that 10 to 15 bhp increase could be the difference it takes to win on the 1/4 mile - even if its only a few 'tenths'

Fair enough if you're racing and want to give yourself every possible chance of getting the quickest time, but most people that fill-up with Super Unleaded / V-Power don't go anywhere near a track and fill-up with it thinking it's just the 'best' fuel for their car. Bit like how loads of people take vitamin supplements everyday thinking/hoping it'll help them live longer/healthier lives, whilst they scoff-down a greasy portion of fish & chips from the local chippy for dinner. They probable also smoke lar-tar cigs thinking they're healthier

Don't forget the diet coke

[ian_uk1975]

ZR1cliff said:

Don't forget the diet coke

Yea, that too!