E10 fuel from September - can we use it?

Scaf

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6,512
There will be classic car owners up and down the country buying petrol in all manner of unsuitable 25ltr containers and separating out the ethanol in their garages.
A recipe for disaster o_O
I am a little concerned about the classic Mustang with quad Weber’s as they hold lot of fuel and the car is an unheated garage.
I will move to Esso Supreme for now and plan to run the carbs dry for any winter storage.
 

TimR

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2,656
Just to be clear it’s Esso Supreme in the south that doesn’t have ethanol. Think the normal stuff still will be E10
This from an earlier thread from a few weeks ago- Esso Q&A.
The majority of unleaded 95 Octane petrol sold in the UK contains up to 5% ethanol as required under the Government’s Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO).
There is currently no requirement for renewable fuel (such as ethanol) to be present in super unleaded (97 and 99 grade petrol).
Esso super unleaded petrol (Synergy Supreme+ Unleaded 97 and Synergy Supreme+ 99 ) is ethanol free (Except in Devon, Cornwall, North Wales, North England and Scotland). We would therefore advise anyone who has concerns about the presence of ethanol in petrol to use Synergy Supreme+ – providing they do not fill up in Devon, Cornwall, North Wales, North England and Scotland. The European standard BS EN228 covers the requirements for 0-5% ethanol unleaded petrol, the labelling requirement for zero % ethanol is E5 (as is up to 5%), a E0 label doesn’t exist.
Our Synergy Fuels:
Diesel
Supreme+ Diesel
Unleaded
Supreme+ Unleaded
Supreme+ 99
Esso fuels
 

MaserMike

Member
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329
Hmmm this E10 I suspect won’t be any good for my 1956 Oldsmobile or the 1986 FezzaRed Head.....
 

mjheathcote

Centenary Club
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There are quite a lot of additives available to combat the ethanol, it's nothing new in the USA. I bought some sta-bil two years ago when E5 first came out for winter storage. I'll be buying some more for sure now.
Non of the additives can address the lower boiling point and vapour lock issues though with older carburettor cars.
 

lifes2short

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5,821
i'm going to swap over from v power to esso synergy supreme+99, bit of a confusing write up from esso though, in one section it says ethanol free and then in another section "containing up to 5%" o_O

 

TimR

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2,656
I’m not seeing their Supreme 97+ getting a mention when I believe it does exist..( edit- their 97+ was updated to 99 in Oct 2020 apparently...
https://www.esso.co.uk/en-gb/fuels-faqs. )
Synergy Supreme is alcohol free, it’s just the labeling that doesn’t cover 0% I believe. Area variations aside....
 
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lifes2short

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I’m not seeing their Supreme 97+ getting a mention when I believe it does exist..( edit- their 97+ was updated to 99 in Oct 2020 apparently...
https://www.esso.co.uk/en-gb/fuels-faqs. )
Synergy Supreme is alcohol free, it’s just the labeling that doesn’t cover 0% I believe. Area variations aside....
still confusing as even in their q&a's it states synergy supreme 99 containing "up to 5%" o_O

esso quote:

E5 petrol contains up to 5% ethanol by volume and E10 contains up to 10% by volume. All Esso's Synergy fuels contain additives to help clean, protect and enhance your car's engine, however Esso's Synergy Supreme+ 99 E5 fuel contains a double dose of additive. Esso Synergy Supreme+ 99 contains up to 5% ethanol.
 

mjheathcote

Centenary Club
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But how much extra are these super/supreme fuels a litre? You never see the prices on the billboard and often not on the pump, until you lift it up. I wouldn't be surprised at current regular prices around £1.60 a litre? Or around 50p a mile...
 

TimR

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2,656
still confusing as even in their q&a's it states synergy supreme 99 containing "up to 5%" o_O

esso quote:

E5 petrol contains up to 5% ethanol by volume and E10 contains up to 10% by volume. All Esso's Synergy fuels contain additives to help clean, protect and enhance your car's engine, however Esso's Synergy Supreme+ 99 E5 fuel contains a double dose of additive. Esso Synergy Supreme+ 99 contains up to 5% ethanol.
They have to say that because of area variations...AND because E0 doesn’t exist...
Read the extract I posted above...and...
“Supreme+ 99 ) is ethanol free (Except in Devon, Cornwall, North Wales, North England and Scotland).”
I think you’re making it too complicated.....
You know whats funny, you posted it !!
But how much extra are these super/supreme fuels a litre? You never see the prices on the billboard and often not on the pump, until you lift it up. I wouldn't be surprised at current regular prices around £1.60 a litre? Or around 50p a mile...

If you google it, the Porsche club hailed it as a success at its release in Oct 2020on both quality and price...
It is disconcerting that that 99RON rated fuel is the only option for alcohol free requirements. I have 2T machines that won’t run using anything g over 95. It’s not even that old (MY2014-15)
Govts ...when the uninformed make policy, for the uninformed...!
 
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lifes2short

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TimR

Member
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The thread you were pointed at is in the QP GT forum boards..I believe the GTs anyway, are a later manufactured date than your 4200-2005.( Some QPs are early as 4200s...hence the "covers all" generalisation..)
Specifically...you are right to wonder.
I wouldnt trust a govt website to find it's **** with a map and both hands....
In the meantime, you can use any of the Supreme rated fuels as these typically contain "upto 5% ethanol" post the switch over...

Google-
"
"Is Shell V-Power E5 or E10?
The UK is switching to E10 Petrol
If your vehicle or equipment is not compatible with E10 fuel, you will still be able to use E5 by purchasing Shell V-Power grade petrol from most Shell service stations. At Shell forecourts, we will clearly label petrol as either E10 or E5."

Additionally, Esso Supreme 99+ ( Synergy) top rated fuel is ethanol free ( disregard the E5 labeling on the pump- in the case of Esso...) but not if youre in Devon, Wales, Scotland a few other places....
HTH
 
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Zep

Moderator
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9,110
I am confident that someone asked Maserati about this, and the answer was that for a 4200 it was ok. But I can’t find the thread right now.
 

mjheathcote

Centenary Club
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9,033
I am confident that someone asked Maserati about this, and the answer was that for a 4200 it was ok. But I can’t find the thread right now.

Can't see a problem with the 4200, it's a straight forward port fuel injection system, not direct injection with a high pressure fuel pump, which appears to be the issue with E10 on earlier systems.
Also our American cousins haven't a choice other than E10 I believe, and there are plenty of 42/GS over there!
 
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Zep

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Can't see a problem with the 4200, it's a straight forward port fuel injection system, not direct injection with a high pressure fuel pump, which appears to be the issue with E10 on earlier systems.
Also our American cousins haven't a choice other than E10 I believe, and there are plenty of 42/GS over there!

You are indeed correct. I have made a sticky thread in the technical section with the inside skinny from Maserati Customer Care.