Thread: Shell fuel - new recipe ? Problems ?

I have used the ethenol mix from united since it has come out. I use this in the crystler neon. I check the fuel consumpsion every week and found it is the same as the normal unleaded, I wander if the problem with the ethenol is that it, and I think it is metho which you put in your tank to carry the water through. so if you use the ethenol would this carry any water through the system that might be sitting in the bottom of the tank and cause problems until the water has passed through.

I am also suspicious of Shell after my last fill-up. I have been using ONLY Optimax in the Alfa (converted to run on unleaded with a tin-particle catalyst) and after filling up on Thursday I noticed the vehicle pinging for the first time ever. Is it possible that they have dropped the rating of Optimax slightly since introducing the new 100 octane stuff? Maybe they needed a clear marketing edge for the new fuel.

Originally Posted by solmanic

I am also suspicious of Shell after my last fill-up. I have been using ONLY Optimax in the Alfa (converted to run on unleaded with a tin-particle catalyst) and after filling up on Thursday I noticed the vehicle pinging for the first time ever. Is it possible that they have dropped the rating of Optimax slightly since introducing the new 100 octane stuff? Maybe they needed a clear marketing edge for the new fuel.

You might have just got an old batch. Try ultimate... it seems more consistent

Where I can, I use Caltex Vortex which also "seems" more consistent imho.

Every few weeks I get Shell PULP because it is more convenient at the time, but I am always a bit sus with Shell. I can't put my finger on it but there "seems" to be something different & it it is a "lower grade" fuel.

I am informed by someone whom I respect on matters automotive, that water in the tank will give a spluttering/missing until the water has passed through, but living in the Adelaide Hills (fog, rain & general dampness) I routinely dump a cupful of Metho in each few weeks.
Who can say how much condensation lays about in the tanker hoses & fillup nozzles?

The longer term effect of this moisture, is a rusty tank & a buggered in-tank pump.

Fuel recording. I keep a record of all my fuel and track the l/100, km/L as well. I even plot it all into a graph and to cap it all off my Lease company records all my fuel purchases as well for me to compare my data to. Yeah I know its probably going overboard but at lease I can see if things arn't right. I also know the distances I can travel buy my trip meter which I reset everytime I fill the tank.

I use this program for my palm. Check it out.

Log Auto Mileage, Service and Expenses with TealAuto by TealPoint

Trev.