Fuel in older cars

Wack61

Member
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8,764
Read an interesting post On Facebook written by a guy in the industry

Super unleaded & supermaket fuels - The True Facts!

With huge thanks to Ed Scott for collating his professional experience within the industry

===========================================

"I have 11 years experience in the fuel industry and manage the accounts for the sale of 2 billion litres of fuel per year in the UK.

Supermarkets get their fuel from the same places as main forecourt brands. If you're just getting regular unleaded there is virtually no difference between them. Asda, Tesco and the like go to the same refinery and load on the same racks as BP, Esso, JET etc.

There are differences with premium grades though. Anything marked super unleaded is the same.
Anything with a fancy name, 'momentum, v power, supreme' etc is the same super unleaded fuel but with that brands own additives mix. Some are better than others but none are bad. Momentum and V Power tend to be the highest quality.

The Mustang will run absolutely fine on any UK grade unleaded. It may produce an unnoticable amount more bhp on Super Unleaded. If you feel a difference it's probably in your mind. The main benefit of premium grades is that they help clean the injectors and other parts of the car but you don't need this every fill up to achieve the results. Once every other fill up is more than enough and even once every 4 fill ups will net you pretty much the same benefits.

Costco is the only exception as the buy their fuel from the same refineries and companies except the don't buy the retail grade of unleaded, diesel or super (which is usually additised) and instead buy it as base fuel, then they add in the additives themselves on site. Given how heavily regulated the UK is, I'm sure that the blend that they produce that ends up in your tank is no different to every other brand.

I pretty much use Tesco 99% of the time as there is one on my route to and from work. Usually I stick in regular, but will do a tank of Super now and again.

EU laws mean that unleaded fuel has to have 5% ethanol content - this is for environmental reasons. Ethanol is not very good for the fuel systems found on older cars and it will deteriorate rubber hoses and seals, so you actually want ethanol-free fuel for a Classic car.

Super Unleaded doesn't actually contain any ethanol and it isn't required to by law like regular unleaded is. For that reason alone, I would actually recommend super unleaded in any classic"
 

zagatoes30

Member
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20,759
Basically what I have understood over in the UK and I doubt it is any different here although my 155 Q4 never ran right on normal unleaded hence it was always feed super unleaded of one variety or another.

As far as ethanol is concerned isn't there talk up up the percentage mix to near 10%? even more reason not to use it in older cars
 

lifes2short

Member
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5,821
there are proposals to introduce E10 petrol as standard across the uk, but retaining E5 as a protection grade for older cars if E10 is introduced
 

Geo

Member
Messages
616
I also believe that most, if not all “Super” grades have 5% ethanol now. Keeping a supply of 5% will be the same as when things went unleaded, it will last for a couple of years all will be 10%.
 

Wack61

Member
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8,764
I also believe that most, if not all “Super” grades have 5% ethanol now. Keeping a supply of 5% will be the same as when things went unleaded, it will last for a couple of years all will be 10%.

He says none in super

Super Unleaded doesn't actually contain any ethanol and it isn't required to by law like regular unleaded is. For that reason alone, I would actually recommend super unleaded in any classic"
 

lifes2short

Member
Messages
5,821
apparently the government believe that the introduction E10 fuel will be equivalent to taking 350,000 cars off the road each year, with the E10 proposal there would be a minimum ethanol content of 5.5% for standard premium fuels in 2021, some 700,000 cars are not warranted by the manufacturers to use E10
 

hashluck

Member
Messages
1,515
I am seeing even V-Power and the like labelled E5 but this is way better than E10 which I would not touch.

If storing a car keep the tank FULL and consider using a fuel stabiliser.
 

Doctor Houx

Member
Messages
791
there are proposals to introduce E10 petrol as standard across the uk, but retaining E5 as a protection grade for older cars if E10 is introduced
This is how it is in France now and has been for a few years. The supermarkets only tend to have the E10 and if they do have the E5 its usually just super unleaded and at a higher cost. Some Hypermarkets have regular E5 priced between the E10 and Super. This is what's coming to the UK soon as I understand. I'm always happy to use the supermarket stuff but always E5 not E10
 

mmarks

Member
Messages
132
Will additives be available to cancel out the ethanol content (similar to how it was when unleaded became the norm - older cars could either put additives in the tank or have harder valve seats fitted)

Sent from my BBF100-1 using Tapatalk
 

hashluck

Member
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1,515
Will additives be available to cancel out the ethanol content (similar to how it was when unleaded became the norm - older cars could either put additives in the tank or have harder valve seats fitted)

Sent from my BBF100-1 using Tapatalk

Quite a few products such as these


Otherwise on you need to change out all fuel lines and likely many other components
 

lifes2short

Member
Messages
5,821
This is how it is in France now and has been for a few years. The supermarkets only tend to have the E10 and if they do have the E5 its usually just super unleaded and at a higher cost. Some Hypermarkets have regular E5 priced between the E10 and Super. This is what's coming to the UK soon as I understand. I'm always happy to use the supermarket stuff but always E5 not E10

owning a few classics ive been interested for a while on this subject, quote

" there has been efforts to introduce E10 petrol to the forecourt. We understand that the only UK refinery for alcohol additives has closed and the environmental costs of shipping alcohol additives from other parts of the world negates any environmental benefit and fuels on the forecourt remain unchanged"

It can remain permanently closed as far as i care ;)
 

Geo

Member
Messages
616
The reason
He says none in super

Super Unleaded doesn't actually contain any ethanol and it isn't required to by law like regular unleaded is. For that reason alone, I would actually recommend super unleaded in any classic"

The “Super” pumps in my area definitely marked E5. I’ll put it to the test shortly, as I’m about to de-ethanol a batch of fuel for one of my motorcycles. I’ll report back on my findings.
 

mjheathcote

Centenary Club
Messages
9,033
I think that is an oldish article, E5 is in super unleaded widely if not everywhere now.
Oh I know about it too, my Stag hates it and I've suffered from fuel vapourisation with the lower boiling point of the fuel...it's an excuse for me to get on and install my EFI project
I use fuel stabiliser now too over the winter storage months.
 
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Geo

Member
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616
I don’t know the date of this article from Esso, but it may vary depending on where you live.

“Esso super unleaded petrol (Synergy Supreme+ Unleaded 97) is ethanol free (except in Devon, Cornwall, the Teesside area 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 or Cornwall, the Teesside area or Scotland.”
 

Geo

Member
Messages
616
Today I purchased 20Ltr of Tesco’s finest Super in Dundee. The nozzle was marked E5, but on testing the fuel, I found very little if any ethanol in it. When I did the same thing with 95 octane, the 5% ethanol was very evident and easily measured. The regulations say that the 5% is the maximum and only indicates that there may be some present. This has certainly put my mind at rest regarding this awful stuff.

Here are a couple of photos, one showing the markings on the pump, and the other showing the 2ltr level of water I put in the petrol, and the arrow showing virtually no rise in level after vigorous shaking. It was not scientifically done, but showed nothing like the litre of ethanol I removed from the 95 octane.

7228172282
 

Hawk13

Member
Messages
1,471
I run my TR6 on 3 tanks of regular to 1 of super and am not really concerned about Ethanol content.

But I am in my motorbikes as the Ethanol has caused known and serious problems with plastic fuel tanks.
 

Ryandoc

Member
Messages
1,839
I worked on a majors refinery road terminal and operated and maintained every loading gantry system, from fuel supply to additives.

I dealt with the oil major, their own loading mix, the 3rd parties, I held individual loading cards and dealt with all the bill of ladens.

I confirmed the jet fuel every morning before loading began for the airport runs.

What was stated on the original post is correct. End of.