Shell V-Power vs Bp Ultimate
Shell V-Power vs Bp Ultimate
Author
Discussion

R11ysf

Original Poster:

1,968 posts

211 months

Sunday 11th March 2012
quotequote all
I always run my car on Shell V-power and through mixed driving and even lots of motorway driving I have never got above 21mpg. I could only get hold of BP Ultimate 97 today when I was running low and after a long motorway slog (crusing around 85) and and some country lane blasts I did 210 miles at 24mpg. That's the best I've ever achieved.

So what are you other Speed Six-ers getting? Surely no-one has ever got high 20's??

Alright Ted

17 posts

189 months

Sunday 11th March 2012
quotequote all
I use Shell V-Power (get the club points & Shell is cheapest in my by some stretch whistle)

Last year I took my Tuscan on a motorway run to Bristol: I filled beforehand, drove at about 60-65mph then filled again when I arrived. About 110 miles - one stretch of 50mph roadworks & a little bit of town driving but otherwise clear. I was astonished to find my Tuscan had done just over 34mpg!! clap

It normally gets 24-28mpg in my normal (not much right foot) driving style. yum

verminator

723 posts

261 months

Tuesday 13th March 2012
quotequote all
I was reading on the Aston forum about this subject. They say that unless a car is
fitted with a knock sensor then there is no point in putting in anything more than 95
as the car cant tell the difference. It does however say on my cerb petrol cap only to use 98 plus.
Do TVR's have a knock sensor fitted or have I been wasting my money over the years?

peteA

2,759 posts

263 months

Tuesday 13th March 2012
quotequote all
technically true re the knock sensor...unless the car has been set up to run on 98 octane fuel in the first place...

Laser Sag

2,860 posts

272 months

Tuesday 13th March 2012
quotequote all
Dom at TVR Power has always recommended 98ron to help with cylinder No6 on the speed 6 cars, I believe it helps them not to run lean when hot and being used enthusiasticlly. With the expierience he has with these engines and as he has nothing to gain from us owners using 98 or 95 I assume he is giving good advice.

Test have shown that Shell V Power also keeps the engines working parts cleaner which must help to prolong engine life and efficiency.

All the above from probably one of the most mechanically useless people on here. LOL

RedSpike66

2,343 posts

241 months

Tuesday 13th March 2012
quotequote all
When my engine was mapped at Power recently, pre-requisite was a tank full of VPower.... biggrin
I remember a car mag doing a load of tests with all these enhanced octane fuels... all made no difference to bhp or mpg EXCEPT VPower

It's bloody expensive to fill up with it.. but worth it in the TVR i think.

Templedog

169 posts

198 months

Tuesday 13th March 2012
quotequote all
V Power is the same price as diesel where I fill up. No excuses for taking the truck now :0)

verminator

723 posts

261 months

Wednesday 14th March 2012
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Why would TVR state that only 98 or above must be used if the cars werent set up
to take advantage of 98 octane from new?

PuffsBack

2,442 posts

254 months

Wednesday 14th March 2012
quotequote all
My Speed 6 Cerbera says only use RON95 next to the filler

KillerJim

972 posts

232 months

Wednesday 14th March 2012
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Been running BP Ultimate for years in the Sagaris and never had any problems at all..

Getsis

1,550 posts

245 months

Wednesday 14th March 2012
quotequote all
My Car with Syvecs & 95 RON knocked liked a pig and retarded the engine by 5 degrees, on 99 it ran very sweet see page 2 of the link http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Depending on the way your car is mapped you should be careful to use the correct RON rating fuel for your car unless you have knock control that will retard the engine to preven knock. Major manufactures will map the cars for 95. using higher RON won't harm the engine then. I would advise never to use 95 unless that's all you get like what happened to me in a high performance car.

alexcurtis

164 posts

285 months

Wednesday 14th March 2012
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Yes i read an article in EVo comparing a Mk5 Golf GTI - so turbo engine against the V10 M5 BMW there was no diffreence to the power torque or mpg on the M5 but the golf had a benfit across all of them, on higher octane fuels. I noticed the same in my old school Impreza got an extra 2 mpg and so much better throttle response.
I run the Griff on super normally sainsburys ( i get a discount an extra discount) but do not really notice a difference just for the small extra cost prefer it for peace of mind, though have run it on 95 if in dire needs and then cruised not blatted or added some additive if i have it to hand!!!

alex


PoleDriver

29,583 posts

223 months

Wednesday 14th March 2012
quotequote all
The knock sensor enables you to use a wide range of octanes.

If you don't have one you need to use what the timing of the car was set up for.

If the car was set up for high (>97) octane and you run it on a lower rated fuel you will get pre-detonation (knocking) and the engine could get damaged.

If the car was set up for a lower (<95) octane and you run it on a higher rated fuel the damage will be to your wallet as there will be no power increase.

pmanson

13,388 posts

282 months

Wednesday 14th March 2012
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Has any one had any experience of running Tesco super unleaded? I think it's now called Momentum...

domV8

1,408 posts

210 months

Wednesday 14th March 2012
quotequote all
PoleDriver said:
The knock sensor enables you to use a wide range of octanes.

If you don't have one you need to use what the timing of the car was set up for.

If the car was set up for high (>97) octane and you run it on a lower rated fuel you will get pre-detonation (knocking) and the engine could get damaged.

If the car was set up for a lower (<95) octane and you run it on a higher rated fuel the damage will be to your wallet as there will be no power increase.
...but you will benefit from the added lubricants, and the extra octane will give the engine a safety buffer against pre-detonation which may occur in longer-duration high-stress situations eg. track days.

Alright Ted

17 posts

189 months

Wednesday 14th March 2012
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So what are the Speed Six engines setup to use? Is it best to use 95 or will 97-99 give any benefit?

Hoover.

5,993 posts

271 months

Wednesday 14th March 2012
quotequote all
not a speed 6 owner, RV8..... following my engine rebuild by Power was advised to use good quality fuel, ie NOT supermarket stuff.... which I only use at a last resort when on fumes.... favour BP Ultimate myselfbiggrin

m3jappa

6,948 posts

247 months

Wednesday 14th March 2012
quotequote all
Dom told me to 'put in the best fuel i can'

So i run on v power or tesco 99. Neither seem to give any more mpg.

I will say though i can easily get 30mpg on a run and when using properly its still quite good, probably average around 20 mpg i guess. Which is very good imo, but i suppose its a big engine in a light car which is a good thing as the engine doesnt have to labour to get you from a to b.


Pursyluv

1,949 posts

203 months

Wednesday 14th March 2012
quotequote all
The Tam handbook states 95 for normal road use and 97 for track use, it actually gets V Power or Tesco 99

scotty_d

6,795 posts

223 months

Wednesday 14th March 2012
quotequote all
pmanson said:
Has any one had any experience of running Tesco super unleaded? I think it's now called Momentum...
Yeah i run either tesco 99 or V-power what ever is cheapest at the time as they are across the road from each other in my home town.

Both get around the same MPG don't feel any difference.

And both are the same on the rollers as i did 2 RR last year and used each fuel for each run smile