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All diesel fuels sold in the UK meets BS EN590. Cars are designed to use fuel thats meets this standard. The Shell and other branded fuels "may" exceed this standard but no company will say what they put in and how it helps thus its all down to claims with no scientific back up other than indiidual drivers personal feelings and the occational magazine test.
We have been driving diesels since 1996 and have used pretty much supermarket fules in all of them. The only times we have varied is when we go on holiday when have to fill up with Shell / BP or when its more convenient for me to visit the Total station near home rather than go ut of my way to Asda. I can honestly say that I have never noticed any improvement in the running of any of the cars (6 in total) nor have I witnessed any difference in fuel economy. On thing I can say with absolute certainty, the wifes car does a regen at exactly the same interval regardless of the fuel and it takes the same amount of time.
If I thought there was any advantage I would be buying them but I don't for one minute think there is thus the 6p per litre stays in my pocket.
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A fuel company isn't going to say what their additive package contains, it's company confidential.
Shell do provide info about their FuelSave diesel, can't find anything about Tesco diesel claims : http://www.shell.co.uk/home/content/gbr/products_services/on_the_road/fuels/fuelsave/diesel/
As for personal feelings etc. - it's nothing of the sort, it's objective data collection, mpg data carefully collected on journeys over a long period of time using numerous cars and double blind testing, plus vibration and noise analysis using calibrated equipment, plus all the most finely tuned human senses.
Even when presented with this data a sceptical type person will not believe it, in which case they may as well buy diesel from anywhere.com.
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Anyone that finds a picture of a smiling female sciencey-looking person in a spotless labcoat talking about "Efficiency Improver" convincing needs their head examining.
Shell's fuel may be superior-but there isn't anything on their website to indicate that.
Let's see some BSFC, BS NOX, BS PM, and BS CO figures, not animations of conical flasks full of pink effervescent liquid!
Why should the formula be confidential? Most companies with significant findings patent and publish. Their rivals could easily run a chemical analysis on the wonder fuel to find out exactly what is in it anyway. There are no secrets.
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Anyone that finds a picture of a smiling female sciencey-looking person in a spotless labcoat talking about "Efficiency Improver" convincing needs their head examining.
So thats what Bobbin's been doing on weekends....
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As previousley commented, we have taken a 1.9 VW TDI unit to 241,000 miles on "run of the mill" fuel, generally bought on price , but only from reputable "brands" which include Sainsburys Tescos Maxol et al.
Never from a "huckster" site.
But plenty of dirt cheap supermarket fuel when on Continental holidays.
Origional pump & injectors, untouched.
She still started in those continious minus 15 conditions last winter , coughed & spluttered a wee bit but kindled nonetheless.
So pump & injectors must still be Ok with 241,000 miles of cheap diesel.
And Still returning good to phenonomal ( with wor Tiddles at the wheel) fuel efficiency as well.
So I wont be paying Shell or BP a 10pence /litre premium
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I had a few diesels in the past, some were OK with dupermarket fuel, some weren't.
The ones OK with supermarket fuel:
Corsa 1.7DTI, standard
Astra 2.0DTI, standard
Escortvan 1.8D, standard.
The ones that struggled on supermarket fuel - more smoke/splutters/noise/DPF regens if applicable:
Astra 1.9CDTI 150 remapped to 200hp, double decatted
Lancer 2.0DiD 140, Ralliart 170hp remap, more DPF regens on Tesco fuel than on Jet/Maxol/BP.
I think there's maybe a connection there - run of the mill, boggo low output diesels are fine on boggo low quality Supermarket fuel. Tweaked ones not so much.
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>> So I wont be paying Shell or BP a 10pence /litre premium
I don't pay a premium either, Shell diesel around here is actually cheaper than the big supermarkets.
>> And Still returning good to phenonomal ( with wor Tiddles at the wheel) fuel efficiency as well
What mpg are you getting ?
Does it beat the 70 mpg I'm getting on a run in a Focus mk2 1.6 TDCi ?
(using Shell FuelSave)
Newer common rail diesel engines, especially those with a DPF, are more sensitive to fuel than older diesel engines such as VW TDI/PD. As a result diesel fuel requires modifying from time to time to accommodate these requirements as well as tighter environmental requirements for cleaner emissions.
>> Why should the formula be confidential?
A major corporation pretty much has everything they produce covered by a copyright of some sort to protect their investments. Any breach of copyright can have serious liability issues. Companies invest huge sums of cash into their research and they aren't going to let any Tom, Dick or Harry use their investment(s) for material and market positional gains.
>> Let's see some BSFC, BS NOX, BS PM, and BS CO figures, not animations of conical flasks full of pink effervescent liquid!
(plus HC and a few others)
Yes greater transparency would be nice, maybe HJ could challenge the likes of Shell, BP, Texaco, Tesco, Asda etc. to publish more specific data for the likes of the techno minder who use this forum (and millions of others) and who are genuinely interested in knowing the findings.
Edited by MikeTorque on 08/02/2012 at 14:42
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DPF equipped diesels are probably more sensitive to fuel composition, but the high compression diesels (like the PDs) should be fairly tolerent-especially towards low cetane fuels.
Companies invest huge sums of cash into their research and they aren't going to let any Tom, Dick or Harry use their investment(s) for material and market positional gains.
No, hence a patent. You can't keep the composition of fuel secret just by not telling anyone! There are straight forward laboratory techniques that will give you every single compound present in a sample of fuel.
re: economy. I took a fabia 1.9 130 on a run. At 50mph in top gear it averaged over 80mpg-on supermarket swill.
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I would have been getting low 50's with ordinary sensible but not slowcoach driving, in the warmer months on 25 mile plus runs, in Der Galaxy.
wor Tiddles achieved 62 mpg to Whiteabbey & back, about 80/90? miles less a small %age for the slightly optimistic trip computer, at not exceeding 45MPH due to our "R" plate system. Wor tiddles changes up & up & up & up, never revs the car any more than necessary
Quite amazing for a big heavy old car, on such a high milage engine.
I got just over 60 mpg, actual brimmed figs over 5000 miles. outta the DSG 1.6 TDI Octavia during 4 weeks of Motorway driving at Motorway speeds Plus holiday sightseeing trips quite often in the more senic mountainous areas.
Currently getting over 50 mpg outta the Octavia, mostly on v short winter runs.
All on "bog-standard" diesel
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"bog-standard" diesel - I take it you mean standard quality diesel fuel.
Premium diesel fuels include Shell V-power, BP Ulimate and Total Excellium, each one makes their own unique (validated) claims over standard quality diesel fuel (e.g. Total Excellium diesel - reduction in noise levels both inside & outside the vehicle of approximately 2 decibels, or 37%, when idling after cold starting).
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each one makes their own unique (validated) claims over standard quality diesel fuel
Love to see the validation. But brunette actress in spotless labcoat clutching a conical flask doesn't cut the mustard for me.
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