Who remembers 5 star petrol
 

I remember when I was a kid in the 70's 5 star petrol being around , was this the Optimax of it's day , was it just a higher octane rating than 4 star ? I bet the scoob would love it if it was around now .

Dave

Until the lead fouled the cats :D

Actually on 2nd thoughts who uses cats anyway :D

yes remember it well, it was still around in the mid 80's

I think it was 101 RON and, like all leaded at the time, had a much higher lead content as well. Was about 5/-6p (Five shillings and 6 pence) per gallon when I started to use it :)

I had a couple of Rover 2000 TC's back in the late '60's and had to use 5 star. With the static ignition set as per spec. they still pinked on most brands! Shell was the best at 101 octane (didn't call it RON then)
The Rover engine had an impressive spec. 10.5:1 comp. ratio, twin 2" SU's single OHC, 4 branch exhaust manifold etc. By todays standards it would be considered a dog, but it was good back then!
JohnD

I used it in my Lotus Europa Twin Cam back in 1975. I think it went out of production soon after.

I think we're all starting to show our age now aren't we :( :(

Didn't they have 2 (or 3) star as well? Probably the same cr*p we get now

Always wanted one when I was a kid , had a matchbox one and it was the only toy car I actually didn't wreck I think :cool:

Yes your right 2, 3,4 and 5 star were around....very confusing I'm sure

I remember 5 star too.I used to chuck it in my Rover SDi V8s..........ah, fond memories!

Early range Rovers had to have the stuff as I recall. That was when Range Rovers were two grand mind you and wouldn't have been allowed on the King's Road.

4 star was being taken out of stations when I can remember! :wonder: 1992ish :wonder:

All I hav ever used is unleaded and optimax!

Theres a garage near me that still sells 4 star :)

Yep I remember 5 star as a young kid in the 70's and it was 75p per GALLON at the time. :)

i was barely born when this stuff was out it appears!

I never can get enough, ohhh woooo, System Addict

i was waiting for that :D

:D :D

Back then, Rover's V8 had 10.5:1 Compression (P5) and a healthy 160bhp and 210lb/ft whilst using the more restrictive small valve heads. It took over 10 years, bigger valves, different cams, electronic ignition and EFi for the engine to reach that power level again and even then, it was still down on torque.

Later version dropped to as low as 8.15:1.....almost the same as a scoob, just without a Turbo. No wonder all they could muster was 130bhp/175lbft (or 91bhp/166lbft for the military/commercial versions) :cuckoo:

All due to the intended fuel it was designed for. (latter being 90RON..yes, 90! )

Probably got one old dear with a Morris Minor slowly taking it off of their hands :D

You wouldn't have needed to wreck it - all Europas fell apart of their own accord ;)

My Dad ran Shell garages in the 70's and 80's so I remember 2,3,4,& 5*. Bloody nightmare when a tanker pulled and you had all 4 to fill, as well as diesel. It always makes me chuckle when people wax lyrical about Shell being the best as I remember some of the phonecalls my Dad used to make to head office about how his account customers were all deserting him because their cars were pinking like crazy. They used to just barely scrape through the 4* specification in a bid to maximise profit at the expense of the end users engine. Although my Dad ran Shell garages, he used Jet petrol in his own car ;)

Mmmm - I remember Shell being sued left, right and centre over their "Formula Shell" fuel damaging engines (burning and pocketing valves?)
JohnD

i remember that too , used to kill Vauxhall's like mad IIRC

I remember that to, New Formula Shell, even my old pinto engine ran like sh1t on that stuff, didn't seize up any valves though.

I remember 5 star petrol, my old fella used to put it in his 5.3 V12 Jag XJ and then in his XJS........

Esso points?

Sued? They should have been given an award for that :lol1:

me as well my Dad use to fill his Rover SD1 with it :D grat memories.
Cheers
Colin