Friday, March 03, 2006 - 08:31 am, by: Anish Varsani(Yomama)
I've been running Caltex Vortex (95RON) in my car lately and have noticed that on cold startup, the engine is a bit hesitant to get started but roars to life straight away with regular unleaded.
Friday, March 03, 2006 - 11:13 am, by: Tim Spicer(Spicer)
Sorry not an answer to your question but i was watching a feature on 5th GEAR and they did a bit of a study on high octane fuels, and for cars that can utilise high octane shell optimax actually out performs B.P and caltex....
Friday, March 03, 2006 - 12:50 pm, by: Cihan Aday(Cihan)
Thats what i heard about Shell and BP. Its all speculation, but im sure its happened at specific times when there were shortages.
BP is supposed to be extra refined, extra processed fuel. They apparently make sure that this is the case by refining it themselves. Its all stated on their website, though as usual bias is the name of the game when it comes to these things.
Friday, March 03, 2006 - 01:44 pm, by: Benny Gammelmark(Oldfield)
I saw that program too. The British BP Ultimate is only 97 octane according to 5th Gear so there's the difference.
I have used Optimax, Ultimate and Caltex '98 and I find no difference what so ever. I've started to use Caltex lately as we have a Woollies around the corner and that gives you 4c off.
Friday, March 03, 2006 - 04:05 pm, by: Dave Hart(Davyboy)
I worked for Shell in the UK and for 98RON they could be at 97.5 at the pumps and still meet the specs. It's cheaper to make it under spec rather than over but that was when they used lead to make the grade.
Friday, March 03, 2006 - 04:38 pm, by: Andrew Ferres(Peewee)
Matt Toll wrote on Friday, March 03, 2006 - 12:39 pm:
BP and MOBIL come from the same place :P
Cihan Aday wrote on Friday, March 03, 2006 - 12:50 pm:
Thats what i heard about Shell and BP.
You'll find all your local servo's fuel come from the same refineries, as there are only a few refineries per state.
They will all, however, be refined to different levels, and have different additives.
The 1UZ will run fine on 91ron, but the knock sensors may detect some detenation under certain conditions. This will not harm the ecu though, but you'll lose some performance and will use a bit of extra fuel. They will run perfectly fine on 95ron.
Friday, March 03, 2006 - 04:53 pm, by: David Vaughan(Davidv)
There have been plenty of previous discussions with opinions on fuel and which company actually makes it for different States.
I use Shell Optimax because I get 4c/litre off. If I do not have a voucher I fill up with Ultimate. Although all fills are over 65 litres (i.e. pretty much a full tank) I notice no difference between the two. I avoid 100 octane because the indications are that I would need to retune the Unichip to exploit it properly, which would lock me into 100 rather than 98 hence my recent curiosity about the idea of running switchable maps. Besides, buying more expensive fuel to obtain lower fuel economy does not appeal much.
Don Bagnall Moderator New Zealand I have LESS Soarers than Hayden :-(
Friday, March 03, 2006 - 05:17 pm, by: Don Bagnall(Baggs)
Excellent post David .
As for all the other stuff: IF the damn car needs gas.............Fill it up with whatever takes ya fancy!.............Who gives a rat's whether ya get "Slightly" more mpg on this gas, or that gas!!!
WHATEVER!!! , if it wants a slurpy, give it a slurpy!
Friday, March 03, 2006 - 06:15 pm, by: Anish Varsani(Yomama)
Optimax ran •••• on my motor bike (99 SV650 - carby model). Throttle response was sluggish compared to 91 octane.
Was told that high density fuels as the name suggests are heavier and hence dosn't flow up the jets as quickly under sudden throttle change.
Having said that, i never noticed the problem with BP ultimate.
Both fuels seemed to made the engine run quieter.
I notice this with the 1uz as well.
Aside from the starting hickup, vortex makes the car feel more responsive and gives excellant millage on the highway (8.3km/L - 170km highway + 80km city) but not a lot of difference in town compared to 91RON.
Will try optimax next tank and Ultimate tank after and see how it goes.
My mates Dad who works for Caltex was saying that Shell Optimax is made in America and has to be shipped in while both Caltex Vortex and BP Ultimate are made locally in Australia.
Tom Kneebone TryHard WA factory 5 spd TT : Auto TT
Saturday, March 04, 2006 - 09:05 am, by: Dave Hart(Davyboy)
If my memory serves me right there's a BP refinery at Kwinana WA and a Shell refinery at Frankston Vic, so Shell aren't going to road/rail petrol tankers all the way to Perth and BP similarly all the way to Melbourne. They just do a tit for tat and before it gets in your car there's their respective additives put in. So if you live in Perth and like Shell you'll only be getting BP with Shell additives. Over here, there's only one refinery that's jointly owned by Shell/BP/Mobile and Caltex. Apart from the small independents, no matter which petrol station you go to it probably is all the same, apart from the additives. Also, the pumps are regularly serviced so that what you ask for is what you get, to within 0.5% and as they aren't into giving anything away you'll only get 99.5 litre for every 100 litre paid for. As you buy by volume it's best to buy when it's cold rather than hot.
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