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Super Unleaded, Optimax etc


Angus

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Interesting reading, though a little flawed. Not every fuel supplier was tested & only 1 car in each class.

I did tests in my 140, comparing Shell Unleaded, V-Power & a mix of Acetone in both. It turned out V-power produced a 10% increase over standard fuel. An acetone mix was better in both fuels, but V-Power was the best cost effective option.

Super fuels do not need to be as much as they are though.

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Here's the graph thing from their piece:

6411114205.jpg

Yes, your test made for good reading, and encouraged me to go out and buy some acetone which seemed to inmprove things for me. However, when I ran out I never got round to getting more. :)

Angus

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As i have said time and time again, using higher RON fuel only makes any sort of difference if your engine is capable of using the extra compression before detonation

Higher RON fuels only work on engines that are running a compression ratio of higher than 10.5:1, but the higher the ratio, the better the gains as the engine can wait longer before detonating the mixture

Higher RON fuel just means you compress the fuel more before pre-detonation occurs

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Acetone does the job, but the cost mounts up & the worry of seals etc failing!

Their write up was good & done in the road, not like the fuel silliness who probably did it in a lab. Though to fully test it all needs various makes, models, engines & years.

It's just like fuel cleaners (redex, stp etc), they do work to different degrees, but not enough to really offset the cost of regular cost.

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I currently work for a firm who has barrels of the stuff on tap :D

What's the score with it then? Or are you going to make me find out for myself..

:lol:

If it's genuine and not dodgy I could organise a group buy no problems...

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Basically mixing PURE acetone with petrol allows it to burn better and therefore, more of it actually ignites during combustion. This gives more performance & better mpg. Plus it helps clean the engine.

The down sides are that it eats cheap plastic & rubber. Although Mr.T uses good stuff, you can't be certain. You CANNOT get this on your paintwork as it WILL strip it! Plus you must get the mix right. I think it's 2.5ml per 1ltr of fuel. Over that & it doesn't work, under & you don't see the full benefit.

You'd be better off just using a good Super Unleaded.

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Just read this monster thread on another forum from a few years back.

It's an interesting read and I'm very tempted to give it a go.

In the amount we're talking (1 part in 400), ie about 135ml in our tanks, I agree with most on the thread - it's not going to do any serious damage to rubber components since it's so diluted.

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Premium fuels are all hype IMHO.

It seems to me the older the driver the less likely you are to use them, simply becausewhen you've been taken in for a few years you eventually see through it all.

I've been using supermarket swill for more years than is decent and have never had a fuel related problem, despite all the sand, camel shit and old bus tickets I've been pouring into my tank.

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I work for a chemical manufacturer so the stuff I have available will be free of impurities...

Think I'll start a few tests of my own.

I've not yet finished my 2nd tank after adding BG44K yet though - so maybe have to leave it a few tanks to prevent any outside influences affecting the result.

I'd love to hit 400 miles out of a tank but most I've ever had was 326.

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I remember Retro Ford did this test a while back on tuned Pinto's ,couple of high spec X-flows built by Harris and a YB Cossie lump in a mk2 Escort i think it was amongst others,they concluded that the only real world gains were on the turbo spec car,the rest were more negligable,and a placebo effect on most.Worth pointing out that Jap FI cars like a GT4 are designed for optimum performance with a high RON fuel,standard fuelling ECU or otherwise,typically 102 RON which is why faff owners in the know generally prefer to run their cars on the 99RON we get over here.You could probably argue that a 3sge being of the same place of birth could also be included in that theory; but i think the turbo engines of a more 'specific' design are the real beneficiaries.Like Bill says most of the N/A cars are generally run on tramp's piss,and dont seem to suffer unduly.Other than the smell of piss,obviously. :lol:

Edited by thesherv
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It's one of those undefined mysteries of the gen7 sportsm in that sod all appears to have been done to the engine and it produced 200ps vs 190ps. Was that down to the trd exhaust and ecu remap to narrow the margins on the type or fuel used. Afterall some of the gains I have will down to tuning it without causing knock which will be potentially lower on the super unleaded?

I suppose if I had the bottle, seeing as my powerfc controller always shows me a live knock reading I could run it on 95ron rather than 99ron vpower and see what it shows but do I want to chance it lol

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the whole point of using V-POWER which was not even included in that test is it contains cleaning agents!

the extra mpg is mainly a result of this as it is a much purer fuel.

i will use nothing else only bp ultimate if i am really really desperate but may car even states on the fuel cap 97-98ron fuel MUST be used

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