Ninehigh
|
| posted on 22/8/12 at 09:20 PM |
|
|
Does the fuel make a difference?
Following on from this thread I've decided to log my fuel
consumption and such for all to see. If you'd like to do the same I hope you can steal the format to this document. I'd like to get some
real world figures on what fuels make a difference, given the same kind of driving over the period.
So, linky dinky, and let me know what you think.
If anyone else would like to give this a try by all means do so and link us up here 
(Note: The section on where I got the fuel from is at that particular fill up, and will affect the next line down)
|
|
|
|
|
adithorp
|
| posted on 22/8/12 at 09:55 PM |
|
|
If you're going to compare consumption using different fuels/stations bear in mind the study just a couple of weeks ago that showed variations
in the amount of fuel being delivered at different stations. Lots over delivered by enough to make any comparisons based on the amount shown on the
pump are useless. Was reported on the BBC breakfast news if you want to look it up.
"A witty saying proves nothing" Voltaire
http://jpsc.org.uk/forum/
|
|
|
Ninehigh
|
| posted on 22/8/12 at 10:22 PM |
|
|
Interesting, iirc the actual amount you get can depend on the temperature too (e.g. the time of day, evening time the underground tanks have been
warmed up by the day)
I intend this to be real world data, so fluctuations like that will have to go down as an uncontrolled variable similar to a day where I'm
running late and have to put my foot down instead of my usual wagon-drafting
|
|
|
FuryRebuild
|
| posted on 23/8/12 at 07:02 AM |
|
|
Interesting stuff. When I used to work in energy trading, oil, gas, etc was measured when it went into the tankers according to boyles law to account
for pressure, volume and temperature. As such, the change in volume between loading and unloading was always understood and price could then be like
for like.
What I do know is shell optimax and aldon octane booster make for more power
When all you have is a hammer, everything around you is a nail.
www.furyrebuild.co.uk
|
|
|
wilkingj
|
| posted on 23/8/12 at 08:44 AM |
|
|
I did records for 13 years on my diesel Land Rover.
I can confirm that there IS a difference.
However, at first inspection it did not seem very much.
However when you put it into price per gallon perspective its actually noticable.
I found that wilth Shell diesel, (and almost the same with, Esso, BP, Texaco, namely companies with their OWN wells and refineries) gave very slightly
better MPG.
It worked out about 1.2 to 2.8 MPG more. Now this does not sound much.
However, if you consider that at 26MPG (and this was years ago.. when fuel was cheaper) I was paying about 14p per mile.
Now.... here's the rub...
If you consider 1.2Mpg better, thats a saving of 16p per gallon, and at 2.8 mpg better is a saving of 39p per gallon.
SO.. when you say its ONLY 1.2 Mpg better, it sounds very little and not worth chasing.
BUT.... If you saw a petrol station with a sign up saying 16p a gallon off, let alone 39p a gallon off, you would fill straight away.
As I said, it doesnt sound much, but with the price of fuel so much more expensive than when I did my checks, and I stopped doing that 6 years ago, I
think its even more worthwhile to get it right. ALso the Lower the MPG the more it becomes a good thing to use the right fuel.
My Viento will do 26Mpg on a run, ie dual carriageway or Motorway. Its less once down into the gears and twisty roads!
So the figures still hold up and even more so today.
On my Mondeo, I get 44mpg average, and its about 15p per mile so even with nearly double the MPG over my Landy, it still holds good on the Mondy some
6-10 years later (thana when I last had the Landy).
As for the other manufacturers like Esso etc, I found simmilar results.
As for Supermarket fuel, it was definately less even sometimes just by the 1.2mpg.
I kept accurate figures over 13 years, including the type of fuel and where I got it from ie tesco, morrisons, shell esso etc.
Also I would run it for several MONTHS on the SAME diesel, ie it wasnt a week on shell then a tank of tesco etc etc. This was so I could get more
accurate results.
As for today, I havent done this. Howeveer, I have noticed that the Mondy does not run as smoothly on supermarket diesel, than Shell.
Furthermore, I did a run up to the Isle of Mull this year, (600 miles + each way)
I had a full tank of Shell V-Plus on the way up, and got 58Mpg. On the way Back I used Std Shell diesel, and only got 52mpg.
On mixed driving I then to get 44mpg around town / local driving, and 52mpg on a run.
I have the 2.2Litre 155Bhp Mondeo, which is not as fuel efficient as the 2.0Litre one.
So, make from that what you will, but I am convinced by the figures I got with the Land Rover, as it was over 13 years of figures, driving over
150,000 miles, in a vehicle that I bought when it was 11 years old, and sold at 24 years old. (It now lives with a mate in Southampton, and has done
over 250,000 miles.
SO... there you go, My experiences done in a good long study!
Just my 2d's worth.
EDIT:
Just to add a bit more, Apart from the Likes of SHELL, BP, Esso etc, a lot of fuel comes off the open market. The differences in them at the Pumps,
are the addatives that the companies put in.
[Edited on 23/8/2012 by wilkingj]
1. The point of a journey is not to arrive.
2. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
Best Regards
Geoff
http://www.v8viento.co.uk
|
|
|
splitrivet
|
| posted on 23/8/12 at 09:49 AM |
|
|
TBH I cant see how this would tell you anything unless you were running from a dry tank filling up from a measured container on the same route with
the same road and atmospheric conditions and same throttle openings. Far too many variables. The only real way you could tell would be in a lab.
What motor are you running as they are pretty good figures and I'd be more than happy at that consumption. None of my vehicles get that mileage
and they vary from 1.3 to 1.8 diesels.
Cheers,
Bob
I used to be a Werewolf but I'm alright nowwoooooooooooooo
|
|
|
chillis
|
| posted on 23/8/12 at 10:30 AM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by wilkingj
I did records for 13 years on my diesel Land Rover.
I can confirm that there IS a difference.
However, at first inspection it did not seem very much.
However when you put it into price per gallon perspective its actually noticable.
I found that wilth Shell diesel, (and almost the same with, Esso, BP, Texaco, namely companies with their OWN wells and refineries) gave very slightly
better MPG.
EDIT:
Just to add a bit more, Apart from the Likes of SHELL, BP, Esso etc, a lot of fuel comes off the open market. The differences in them at the Pumps,
are the addatives that the companies put in.
[Edited on 23/8/2012 by wilkingj]
I did something similar between 2006 and 2009. Comparing Tesco, Jet and Shell. Regular grade petrol.
Careful filling of the tank to the same point in the filler neck to try and minimise errors and driving the same route to work every day (55 miles
each way) a mix of motorway town and country driving.
Average of ten tank fulls: Tesco = 29.1mpg Jet = 29.3mpg Shell = 28.9mpg.
I wouldn't consider anything less than 0.5mpg due to variences including seasonal. I repeated this test several times always using the same
filling station for each 'brand' but the averages are within 0.5mpg.
If there is a difference it didn't show up on my car - 1992 MX5
There are few refineries in the UK and all petrol for all filling stations regardless of brand comes from them. The tankers fill up at the nearest
outlet, used to see shell, BP., texaco, tesco and asda all pulling up at Buncefield.
As for the AD packs there used to be quite a difference but with most of the big name fuel companies having closed down their labs the additives get
tested at indipendant labs like ours.
True the supermarkets just buy an 'off the shelf' AD pack but thats still big business for an AD pack company so they'll be offering
the best deal they can. Tesco's super was as good as the shell optimax.
As for puimp price the only room for varience is the overheads and profitability of the filling station.
The supermarket filling station doesn't have to make profit itself other than over the sale of petrol so the supermarkets can afford to be a
little cheaper than the branded outlets where the filling station has to make a profit over and above the mark up of fuel. That said Shell is cheaper
here at the moment that tesco
|
|
|
coozer
|
| posted on 23/8/12 at 10:39 AM |
|
|
And, just to add... when the tankers fill up at the terminal they weigh the trucks before and after..
One of the station I use has @15deg next to the litres bit...
Supermarket fuel sits out in the sea in tankers until best price has been achieved at auction.. the source of this stuff is dodgy indeed compared to
the named stations..
Lots of variations to take into account..
And, dont forget your tyre pressures!
1972 V8 Jago
1980 Z750
|
|
|
FuryRebuild
|
| posted on 23/8/12 at 11:25 AM |
|
|
Heh - I prefer to think of it as 14mpg cruising, 9mpg spirited driving, 5mpg competition
When all you have is a hammer, everything around you is a nail.
www.furyrebuild.co.uk
|
|
|
chillis
|
| posted on 23/8/12 at 11:52 AM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by coozer
Supermarket fuel sits out in the sea in tankers until best price has been achieved at auction.. the source of this stuff is dodgy indeed compared to
the named stations..
Petrol cannot be moved in supertankers there is an international maritime law which prevents it. Fuel comes to the UK mostly in the form of crude oil
and has to be refined here, as only a few refineries have licences to refine motor spirit ALL the uk petrol for all outlets comes from these.
Its a bit like the gas, the same gas comes to your house down the same pipe, but not everyone buys there gas from the same supplier.
The base petro is the same only the AD packs are different and there's not much to choose between them these days according to our F&L
department.
|
|
|
bigbravedave
|
| posted on 23/8/12 at 11:53 AM |
|
|
I drive a miserable tdi golf estate, 9 times out of 10 I brim it and run it to the bottom bar of the red, (im sad like that) It spends most it's
life driven like a pensioner or sat at 70.
It will only do over 900 miles on tank if I brim it on fuel from the local Shell (near enuf £100) on a tank of sainsburies, asda, tescos or cherry
(ahem, only kidding about the red...) it always comes up short
|
|
|
roadrunner
|
| posted on 23/8/12 at 11:59 AM |
|
|
If it were me, I would rather do a couple of hours extra at work, then try to work out nearly every day what my engine was doing with the fuel I was
putting in.
This way I can accelerate and drive with a bit of vigour and be happy, rather than plodding and gauge watching. Only my opinion.
Brad.
|
|
|
