Fuel all important ingredient

[CatmanV2]

The only car I have ever noticed an improvement with Super is my 155 Q4, that runs a modified turbo Integrale engine, it runs smoother, delivers more power and runs cooler on super than normal unleaded.

Tired it in the SZ and Spyder and it really made no difference IMO

Turbo engines I can absolutely get there may be a benefit with higher octane fuels.
But with all cars unless the ECU map can modify the ignition timing enough to take advantage of the increased octane rating, then there is going to be no difference. As for the improved cleaning claims, Bold et al have been telling us their products clean better each and every time for years. It's marketing.

C

 

[Ryandoc]

Interesting moz. I was told super for the old girls and have always put super in her.

I'd take anything a dealership tells you with a pinch of salt unless you speak to the tech who's been around for 30 years and actually knows what he's talking about. But any modern car can handle any fuel.

I've driven the Scottish highlands 6 times in a high reving E92 M3 and I've filled up at some right sh1t hole stations and never once did I notice a difference. But as mentioned I tend to use vpower for he claimed cleaner burn. Would it make any difference if I didn't, I doubt it but hey ho.

I've also ran diesels for the last 8 years doing long 6 hour journeys and 30k a year and I honestly believe that that has improved the smoothness of the engines via continued long heat soak journeys. They just get boggo standard fuel. My current 320d was bought on 91k and is now on 220k and running sweet

 

[BennyD]

I put any old cr4p in our 320D and it's still running well on 275k. However, I tend to use premium in the Maser as the higher octane lowers combustion temperatures.

 

[CatmanV2]

Maser as the higher octane lowers combustion temperatures.

Surely only if the engine is knocking already? That was a 30 second google, but if there's some know mechanism, I'd be interested in reading up on it

C

 

[outrun]

Turbo engines I can absolutely get there may be a benefit with higher octane fuels.
But with all cars unless the ECU map can modify the ignition timing enough to take advantage of the increased octane rating, then there is going to be no difference. As for the improved cleaning claims, Bold et al have been telling us their products clean better each and every time for years. It's marketing.

C

I guess that's why my Mini is noticeably smoother when run on super. It's a Cooper S, hence turbo charged.

 

[MarkMas]

I'm surprised there has been no discussion of range. I was told (by a bloke in a pub) that you get greater range with super, which offsets the higher cost per barrel of the premium brands. Any truth in this?

 

[dannywooly]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTaBngvsPrc

 

[CatmanV2]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTaBngvsPrc

Yep I recall this episode.

Some fundamental problems with the testing. Not a statistically significant sample, no controls and not double blind.

What you could say is that under those circumstances those results were achieved

As for the range issue, the only way you'd get more range is if the engine can extract the energy in the fuel more efficiently. Which is rather what is under discussion

Oh, and isn't the TSI turbo charged?

C

 

[dannywooly]

Yep I recall this episode.

Some fundamental problems with the testing. Not a statistically significant sample, no controls and not double blind.

What you could say is that under those circumstances those results were achieved

As for the range issue, the only way you'd get more range is if the engine can extract the energy in the fuel more efficiently. Which is rather what is under discussion

Oh, and isn't the TSI turbo charged?

C

Yeah i don't think it was all that accurate, interesting how the so called supers performed

 

[CatmanV2]

Yeah i don't think it was all that accurate, interesting how the so called supers performed

I suspect it was perfectly *accurate* Just not rigorous or, probably, meaningful. Still it fuels ongoing debate (do you see what I did there?)

C

 

[dannywooly]

I suspect it was perfectly *accurate* Just not rigorous or, probably, meaningful. Still it fuels ongoing debate (do you see what I did there?)

C

nice one!

 

[Felonious Crud]

What Newton said. I was chatting to a re-map guy about this once. He said the only fuel he'd ever see make an actual different is the Tesco fancy one.

 

[CatmanV2]

What Newton said. I was chatting to a re-map guy about this once. He said the only fuel he'd ever see make an actual different is the Tesco fancy one.

Ahh, All bets are off with a re-map. You can (and in fact almost certainly *are*) changing the ignition timing, so you can chose to re-map it to use the full 99 octane

C