Fancy fuels.
- Thread starter Scandially
- Start date
gerarddwatts
Well-Known Member
Except she would have said 'you're'......The last words from the barmaid to me after last orders quoted ad verbatim !
My 3.0 CRD really does not like supermarket diesel. Noticeably smoother running with V-Power.
I believe V-Power is part synthetic. The synthetic part being made from natural gas. I have never looked, but apparently V-Power is clear and odourless. I have never had egr valve issues or turbo actuator issues that the CRD is noted for. I hope this is due to the clean burning properties of the V-Power. Maybe i am just trying to convince myself that the extra it costs is justified.
I don't think Shell have a refinery in the UK now, so all this chemistry must be sorted at the third party terminal to Shell specification.
If i find myself having to use 'ordinary' diesel, i give it a dose of Millers diesel power ecomax.
I believe V-Power is part synthetic. The synthetic part being made from natural gas. I have never looked, but apparently V-Power is clear and odourless. I have never had egr valve issues or turbo actuator issues that the CRD is noted for. I hope this is due to the clean burning properties of the V-Power. Maybe i am just trying to convince myself that the extra it costs is justified.
I don't think Shell have a refinery in the UK now, so all this chemistry must be sorted at the third party terminal to Shell specification.
If i find myself having to use 'ordinary' diesel, i give it a dose of Millers diesel power ecomax.
If you live in Scotland or Northern England, the petrol or diesel you put in your car/truck was refined by Ineos at Grangemouth.
Neither BP nor Shell, nor any other oil company have any involvement in the refining of the fuel.
The fuel from Grangemouth is delivered to Shell/BP etc petrol stations and sold under that brand name
Any differences in performance of petrol is mainly down to the RON (octane) rating and for diesel its mainly down to the cetane rating
For petrol, "Premium" unleaded is the most common and is 95 RON
"Super" unleaded is 97/98 RON
Premium fuels, e.g Shell V Power is 99 RON
City diesel or low sulphur diesel is the most common and often the only diesel available
Premium diesel fuel is also available, and it has a higher cetane rating
Cheers
Bruce
Neither BP nor Shell, nor any other oil company have any involvement in the refining of the fuel.
The fuel from Grangemouth is delivered to Shell/BP etc petrol stations and sold under that brand name
Any differences in performance of petrol is mainly down to the RON (octane) rating and for diesel its mainly down to the cetane rating
For petrol, "Premium" unleaded is the most common and is 95 RON
"Super" unleaded is 97/98 RON
Premium fuels, e.g Shell V Power is 99 RON
City diesel or low sulphur diesel is the most common and often the only diesel available
Premium diesel fuel is also available, and it has a higher cetane rating
Cheers
Bruce
Scandially
Well-Known Member
Ross Chemicals north pier Grangemouth brings fuels from where the can buy it cheapest in Europe. Rotterdam and Zeebrugge being the ports of choice. That crap is what the supermarkets buy.
It's not - but if you'd spent all your money on swanky diesel it might be all you could afford?I could have bought a cheaper bottle from Lidl, but it’s not the same, is it ?
FISH BOY
Well-Known Member
I do believe there is a difference and that these smart ECUs can tell the difference between the RON quality - certainly on petrol engines. From experience my old tuned scooby run rough on standard 95 RON when I couldn’t get any of the good stuff. Boy she liked a drink 
Now with the truck it’s the cheapest I can find, with every 4th tank the premium stuff as I do think with its additives it’s enough to keep the engine running smoothly.
Now with the truck it’s the cheapest I can find, with every 4th tank the premium stuff as I do think with its additives it’s enough to keep the engine running smoothly.
Scandially
Well-Known Member
My Shell card wants pump price PLUS 20% for V Power fuels...
I would have stayed
Scandially
Well-Known Member
UPDATE.... AWESOME in both my pickup & my GTD.
More responsive
Quieter
Less throttle input needed for indicated speed....
❤ it so far.
More responsive
Quieter
Less throttle input needed for indicated speed....
❤ it so far.
That’s impressive mileage you’re getting.
For the last thirty five years, we had a diesel tank at home and bought our DERV direct from local fuel suppliers (all of whom get their fuel via the Dalston, Cumbria rail point from the Grangemouth refinery). From what our suppliers told us, it was mainly Texaco diesel. For all that time, and in various vehicles, we never had a fuel problem. Now we've downsized and there's no more diesel tank.....the current vehicles are a 330D BMW and a brand new Amarok truck, and it's off to the supermarket for fuel nowadays. Have we seen a difference?? Short answer....yes! After 40-odd years in the oil industry, and being a Grumpy Old Engineer, I'm about to sneak into the local Tesco and put a tenner's worth in the tank, but also put a sample amount in a jar and send it off to some contacts for a full fuel test and cetane rating....
Both vehicles showed DPF warnings within six months. Admittedly, level of use was less, but a DPF warning in a brand new truck? Anyhow, treated the 330D with a diesel booster/system cleaner, and switched the Amarok over to premium diesel - end of problem.
Not as scientific an approach as I'd like, I'd be the first to admit. However, from years in the oil business I know that 'lifed out' aviation fuel (it's hygroscopic, so has a limited tank life) is typically re-sold to the fuel industry and then mixed into vehicle fuel to get rid of it, and also to adjust RON/Cetane levels, so it is fair to say that not all fuels are supplied to the end user at an identical standard. It is also true to say that the fuel manufacturing industry are tightly standardised and policed (especially in UK), but beyond those guys are 'fuel dealers' (somebody mentioned 'suppliers' from sunny Rotterdam...), and from experience buying marine diesel in many countries (especially Africa!!) the simple truth is that not all fuels are equal.
If I get any revelations from my Tesco test, I'll post them.
Both vehicles showed DPF warnings within six months. Admittedly, level of use was less, but a DPF warning in a brand new truck? Anyhow, treated the 330D with a diesel booster/system cleaner, and switched the Amarok over to premium diesel - end of problem.
Not as scientific an approach as I'd like, I'd be the first to admit. However, from years in the oil business I know that 'lifed out' aviation fuel (it's hygroscopic, so has a limited tank life) is typically re-sold to the fuel industry and then mixed into vehicle fuel to get rid of it, and also to adjust RON/Cetane levels, so it is fair to say that not all fuels are supplied to the end user at an identical standard. It is also true to say that the fuel manufacturing industry are tightly standardised and policed (especially in UK), but beyond those guys are 'fuel dealers' (somebody mentioned 'suppliers' from sunny Rotterdam...), and from experience buying marine diesel in many countries (especially Africa!!) the simple truth is that not all fuels are equal.
If I get any revelations from my Tesco test, I'll post them.
Scandially
Well-Known Member
That's the real way to test... try it and see. I'm amazed at my V Power results.
For a fascinating assessment of the true worth of alternative energy technologies, have a look at this (if you have an hour to spare)
I won't bother.
Anything produced by Michael Moore is sure to be full of BS
Cheers
Bruce
Anything produced by Michael Moore is sure to be full of BS
Cheers
Bruce
Scandially
Well-Known Member
It has... i top up every 100 miles and the cost IS actually a bit lower. Noticeably.
With regards petrol obtain ratings per brand is different . One firms super is anothers standard fuel .
Similar threads
