TaffyB

Just read this:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/printFr...288969,00.html

saying that optimax does nothin to your engine + performance?

Just thought i'd post it up, so whats the general opinion?

(sorry dont know how to create a hyperlink)

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Quite simple, if your car has ignition control that can react to a knock sensor and can automatically advance the ignition timing to take benfits of 98RON or Optimax fuel then yes it does work.

However, if your car doesn't have this, using 98RON fuel or optimax the it wont make the blindest bit of difference (unless you remap/adjust the ignition advance to suit the fuel, Modify the car to run higher compression ratios or run higher turbo/supercharger boost levels).

Simple science really

comic cuts

Tested with one gallon of fuel the ECU would not have time to relearn the ignition timing. A bit of a waste of time!!

TaffyB

so if my95uk impreza turbo is running standard, i might aswell just P*SS the cash away, or spend it on nice new bits for it?

Gear Head

iTrader: (2)

“We wouldn’t expect to see a benefit over just one gallon of fuel,” said a Ford spokesman, “but using these fuels regularly is going to give you benefits.”

Sums it up I think.

TaffyB

Responce to ALI-B

if my95uk impreza turbo is running standard, i might aswell just P*SS the cash away, or spend it on nice new bits for it?

SirFozzalot

At least that clears up once and for all the RON rating discussion between Ultimate and Optimax!

TaffyB

anybody...

comic cuts

I even felt the difference on my Kwacker......after about half a tank.

DaveBlueRA

They did the test on a Focus C-Max, enough said.

Keef69

Put me off Optimax. I'm going up Asda's for some nice cheap fuel for my Import STI.

Only kidding guys and girls! I love optimax and used it in my chipped golf, before these great days of Scooby ownership. The golf got 95 mph up a hill near me, every time with Optimax, but only 90mph with any other normal unleaded. Mind you, the STI does 120mph up there! Yes it is a private road, of course!

RRH

TaffyB, you car has ignition control that can react to the knock sensor, so yes, it is worth putting Optimax in it.

TaffyB

thanks - RRH

ozzy

edited

TaffyB

thanks, keep with optimax it is then.

Just guna have to do some more work to get the nice new bits then.......

minor_threat

Taffy,

if your standard UK turbo runs well on normal unleaded then by all means use that if you want, but I think you'll see performance deteriorate over time. My car (MY00 UK) runs ok on 95 RON when I've not been able to find a Shell garage, but feels significantly more responsive with Optimax, gives better MPG, and absolutely went like stink when I filled it up with Shell V-Power (100 RON) in Germany whilst on holiday! I've filled up with BP Ultimate twice to try that out and the car felt sluggish, which surprised me, but given that it's more expensive than Optimax I will not be using BP again.

CraigH

If an engine is designed to give optimum power using SUL then using optimax will make a difference over using NUL.

If you've got a normal run of the mil family car I doubt using optimax will make much difference, especially performance wise.

*Sonic*

Not too sure on that one, my bro in law decided to stink a tank of Optimax in his Focus Zetec Estate, and he said it ran a lot better, noticeable improvement, and better mpg

Jay m A

iTrader: (2)

Taffy b

The ECU in your car will need a reset to see any benefit if you increase the octane.

The early MY ECUs retard ignition advance if it detects lower octane fuel, but does not increase advance if it sees higher octane. When the ECU is reset, it starts with the highest advance and adjusts down to the octane in the car.

sillysi

I run it in the Scoob for det protection and in the Freelander for increased performance (it needs it ). I can easily tell the difference in the Freelander it's so much smoother and responsive.

SiPie

The pictures that were featured in an issue of EVO magazine (around a year ago IIRC) showed the internals of engines of 3 newish cars (Jag BM and some other) before and after being run for 5k miles on Optimax and the cleaning properties of Optimax certainly showed themselves on 2 out of the 3 engines... noticeably cleaner

However, my MY99 impreza preferred SUL perfomance wise...much smoother but slightly more activity from the knocklink as opposed to Optimax.

Leslie

It all depends on the design of the engine and whether it will suffer pre-ignition and detonation with a lower RON fuel. If it has a knock sensor and detects detonation then it will retard the ignition and the engine will run less efficiently and give less power on lower RON fuel than it should have in the tank. If it suffers detonation because there is no knock sensor then the engine will eventually be liable to damage.

If the engine does not require better than 95 RON fuel thae it will be a waste of money using an SUL fuel. The SUL will not increase the performance.

Les

sillysi

I would have to disagree with you on this point. Our Freelander's recommended fuel is 95 RON. We use Optimax as it gives a noticeable increase in performance, it's not huge but it is there. The car is also smoother and we see a higher MPG. My girlfriend can tell when it is running on Optimax rather than normal unleaded and she knows 'nout about motors

Bry_S

Found this on MLR.

http://www.lancerregister.com/showth...ight=calorific

mart360

shame isnt it ??

scoobys ecu cant learn on one gallon...

note to subaru... take a look at the saab apc system...

set up to give performance on normal u/l and even states in the handbook, for an increase in performance try a tankful of leaded or equiv!!

and it adjusts the ecu to whatever its running without pulling fuses or resets!!

then again, the emperors new clothes springs to mind...

Mart

Leslie

Maybe the Freelander needs better than 95Ron regardless of what the manufacturer says. Optimax is certainly good fuel however, I always use it too.

Les

harvey

iTrader: (48)

I know for a fact that Optimax works for me.
If you have a UK car it will perform adequately on 95 RON. Jap cars are mapped for 100 RON fuel for use in Japan so if you have not had any work done on the ECU it would be best to run Optimax plus N.F. Octane booster to get back to around 100 RON, hopefully.
A car mapped at 100 RON will produce less power when mapped safely at 95 RON. This is simply because you can run less ignition advance.

The article referred to at the beginning of this thread is a cheap swipe at BP and Shell by someone who probably is out of their depth, technically on this subject.
One gallon is not enough to form a reasonable opinion on any fuel.
Does a Focus have a self learn ECU? I do not know.
Does a Focus normally run on 95 RON. I believe so.
Assuming the Focus ECU is self learnig, over what period does it take to learn.
Does it have the facility to advance over a sufficient range to benefit from a 3 RON fuel change.

The test is flawed before it even starts.
How much residual fuel was there in the Focus when the new gallon was added?
In my experience there can be 5 litres left in an "empty" tank unless specific action is taken to absolutely drain the tank.
Sounds like the "trial" was far from scientific and I would place no credence in it.
IMHO, if the car is designed for 95, it should run on that unless you are prepared for a remap, if that is possible. Optimax is of interest to those needing a higher octane, certainly cars with higher compression ratios and otherwise modified engines with the facility to remap and of course, cars originally intended to run on higher octane fuel eg Jap Imports.

cong

that wasnt even a scientific test at all and those results mean jack **** 'er i filled my tank up with 1 gallon then filled it with opti then there was no power increase' fuc k me what a layme test bunch of stupid monkeys how about some chemical anyalysis? they should read new scientist more

FrenchBoy

That was pretty interesting. I'd never heard about the calorific value of fuel before.

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

one point I always think about with Uk scoobs which can run on 95 RON is the number of failing MAF's and the posibility of running lean. The ECU can detect the knock and retard the timing so far but for me Optimax offers that additional safety margin.

the article linked is very poor.