Italian Tune Up

[SJX]

On balance I shall continue with the tune up technique.

 

[MrMickS]

I like the interior of the QP.

On the rest, drive it how you like and put decent fuel in.

 

[midlifecrisis]

Speaking to a Shell Scientist at the Goodwood festival of Speed (she wore a labcoat!), I was told that just one fill up with Shell V-Power will clean the engine internals . You can then fill up with Shell or other supermarket fuel (all the same really) for the next three fill ups. Which was a refreshing sell, as the adverts state that you always use V-power to keep the engine clean and economical.

 

[TimR]

Interesting...Im a total sucker for Shell's V-Power.

 

[lifes2short]

Shell V power at every fill up and as a bonus you can collect points as well, wouldn't go anywhere near supermarket fuel especially for high performance motors, mind you if this Saudi thing kicks off might have to get the push bike out

 

[daverichardson]

My local garage was BP and I used their 'Ultimate' Blend and got Nectar points then suddenly the garage changed to Shell ownership (never heard of that before and no Nectar points), so I filled up with V Power.
cannot say have noticed a difference.

 

[Scaf]

V-power all the way for me.

Small independent garages have failed my twice with dirty fuel - had to sue one in Southampton whose fuel ruined a trip to LeMans Classic.

Not had a problem with supermarkets though when I have been stuck.

 

[Wanderer]

I went through a phase of using V-Power, now I just use any apart from the dodgy looking Jet ones etc. When I was in Ireland they didn't have any V-Power type fuel, it was all Applegreen or Maxoil or something.

 

[MrPea]

Speaking to a Shell Scientist at the Goodwood festival of Speed (she wore a labcoat!), I was told that just one fill up with Shell V-Power will clean the engine internals . You can then fill up with Shell or other supermarket fuel (all the same really) for the next three fill ups. Which was a refreshing sell, as the adverts state that you always use V-power to keep the engine clean and economical.

How did she compare to the Alpine girls at Le Mans?
Sorry... my mind wandered. As a chemist, I've met many girls in lab coats...

 

[midlifecrisis]

She was a chemical engineer and said that you really don't need to fill up with V-Power everytime, they had valve stems to show the before and after one tank full of V-power. Obviously the 'after' had zero Carbon deposits on it. She did say that you should use normal Shell in-between though.
Getting back to the Italian Tune up argument, just make sure that you start up your car once a week and go for a little spin. Keeps it all fresh. Garage Queens tend to have 'issues'.

 

[alfatwo]

Don't forget if you disconnect the battery for what ever reason, the engine ECU will have to relearn and won't give full engine power, this usually takes about 100 miles of normal driving

A good Italian thrash a few times in second gear up to the rev limiter will shorten the relearn process no end

Dave

 

[daverichardson]

100 miles?
Did not know that

 

[lifes2short]

She did say that you should use normal Shell in-between though.

why the recommendation to use normal in between???

 

[Corranga]

I always use Shell (regular) with occasional V Power. If the engine has a knock sensor, the higher octane rating probably means more power too, though here, I presume we're talking about the detergents in the fuel cleaning carbon deposits more than just octane.

why the recommendation to use normal in between???

I'd also presume the regular Shell fuel has similar detergents in it, and potentially does the same.
The question to ask the scientist would be that if they recommend V-Power because it cleans the engine, why doesn't the regular Shell fuel clean the engine too, and should it then be avoided. Then watch them melt down in a science vs. marketing sort of way

Plenty seem to recommend the (higher octane) Tesco 99 (or whatever they call it now) too, so perhaps worth nothing that not all supermarket fuels are created equally?

 

[2b1ask1]

I run a Fuel Genie account for the family fuel demands, so the GS gets Tesco Momentum 99. Generally I don’t have any issues but I filled the Volvo on Sunday with Tesco regular 95 at Whaley Bridge and it was noticeably powerless until I filled it again on Monday.

 

[lifes2short]

I always use Shell (regular) with occasional V Power. If the engine has a knock sensor, the higher octane rating probably means more power too, though here, I presume we're talking about the detergents in the fuel cleaning carbon deposits more than just octane.


I'd also presume the regular Shell fuel has similar detergents in it, and potentially does the same.
The question to ask the scientist would be that if they recommend V-Power because it cleans the engine, why doesn't the regular Shell fuel clean the engine too, and should it then be avoided. Then watch them melt down in a science vs. marketing sort of way

Plenty seem to recommend the (higher octane) Tesco 99 (or whatever they call it now) too, so perhaps worth nothing that not all supermarket fuels are created equally?

I use V Power mainly because of the higher octane and seems to be recommended by quite a few people for high performance engines.
The science behind all these things confuses the feck out of me, not heard of the Tesco stuff, is that supposed to be a 99 ron??, V power is 97 ron I believe, oil is another fecking confusing one with all the bloomin marketing and aditives

 

[Wanderer]

What happened to five star!? The petrol not the band...

 

[lifes2short]

What happened to five star!? The petrol not the band...

dunno, but I wanna get some pugs

 

[2b1ask1]

What happened to five star!? The petrol not the band...

Blame the EU for that one, European countries I believe always used the RON or octane and standard/super on the pumps, reality was 3 star was 95, 4 star 98 and 5 star was 100 or 102, with or without lead, USA and Africa was and still is 92 RON as standard.

Up till about 2002 you could still rock up to the pumps at Brands Hatch and fill up with 102!

 

[CatmanV2]

Blame the EU for that one, European countries I believe always used the RON or octane and standard/super on the pumps, reality was 3 star was 95, 4 star 98 and 5 star was 100 or 102, with or without lead, USA and Africa was and still is 92

Cautious about this but my understanding is that US Octane is an average from two different measurements: (RON+MON)/2 and 92US = 96 EURO RON

ISTBC

C