Hi all,

Just thought I would warn those running there scoobs on crappy supermarket grade fuel, now I know this stuff is cheap and boy do we need cheaper fuel to run our scoobs on, but just be aware that this crap makes your engine run like a dog. I've seen a lot of post's on here about 'my scoob is running rough', could this be a possible cause?

I recently put Tesco unleaded (standard grade) in MY00(running fine before) and it was not happy,less power even mis fire, filled her up with standard grade TOTAL fuel and everything is back to normal again, so MUST be dodgy fuel,the only problem is ,could this have done any long term damage to my scoobs engine?

Is supermarket fuel a lower octan rating? Would you be able to hold them reponsable for any damage to your engine because of bad fuel?

I will NEVER risk supermarket fuel again, suppose it is ok for run of the mill cars that do not require decent fuel, but cannot take the risk with my scoob.

BigRed



[Edited by BigRed - 12/6/2003 7:38:42 PM]

 

Although supermarkets do sell cheap fuel they usually get their fuel from the likes of BP, ESSO and SHELL. If it is the fuel from a particular supermarket station it could be the tanks the fuel is stored in. The octane rating by law has to be what is stated on the pump. i know this as im a a fuel tester for the Army.

 

Must have been a dodgy tank that the fuel has been stored in then, or possible water getting into the petrol at some stage. Just find it a little annoying that the fuel has caused this problem and caused possible damaged.

I know other people that have had a moan about the fuel from this particular filling station all around the same time as me, my mate has a saxo VTR and his car kept stalling on tick-over.

 

and u still used it to fillup?

 

We all encounted the problems within a few days of each other, I did not know about my mates car until after i had filled up. We no longer use this fuel and everything is OK. Only filled up with it once mate.

[Edited by BigRed - 12/7/2003 10:19:33 AM]

 

By the way ,this particular filling station has had some extensive building work done to it recently, makes me think that the storage tanks could have been comtaminated with something

 

I always fill up at Sainsburys - infact for the last 4 years - my scoobs have had zero problems !

Oh yeah - and when there was that petrol price war in Hemel 5 years or so ago - that didnt seem to affect quality !

Food for thought - I think you must have had a dodgy batch !

T.

 

i think a lot of it is to do with whether or not they save money by not adding detergants, which means the fuel system is more likely to gum up

 

Also, don't octane levels fall if the fuel has been sitting for a while?

It's not as massively important if you're driving an un-modified UK car. However, if you're driving even a slightly modified UK car (downpipe, silencer, K&N panel filter, Dawes) the diference is huuuge. I posted a few weeks ago regarding standard Texaco UL, and what my Knocklink was telling me, compared to Optimax or BP Ultimate... BIG difference. In fact, it was the difference between det and no det. All down to fuel (no octane boosters). Food for thought...

Regards,

Ade.

 

I'd tend to agree with your comments that it was a dodgy tank, as most of the UK's fuel is supplied by a few key outlets.

For example, all of Scotlands petrol was, and still is to the best of my knowledge, supplied from BP Grangemouth.

I beleive Shell supply alot of east England.

It's the additives the individual companies place in their tankers prior to filling that make the difference,

 

Petrol does have a shelf life, and also there are issues with condensation in tanks (excessive water in fuel). I know it's not clever to use a station just after it's been filled...likewise when it's nearly empty or is a rarely used petrol station.

Also could be a problem where some numbnut has put some diesel in the wrong tanks and they've become contaminated. They should be cleaned if this happens, but how do you know eh?

If your a delivery driver and put some diesel in the wrong tank and notice just after you started filling up...what do you do? Tell your boss you've fcuked up and face the sack or switch it over to the correct tank and hope no one will notice

It does happen, I've heard many a story from my mate from his days as a petrol station attendant