Supermarket diesel = bad?

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kato Disco

kato Disco

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My wife's mini cooper diesel was filled up at morrisons last week and a couple of days later when it was about -2 it was running terribly. The AA attended and put the problem down to the fuel and the man said he had been to a number of similar call outs due to supermarket fuel.

I have had a look on line and there seems to be a lot of vehicle forums, especially ford tdi engine that have suffered the same.


The problem seems to be that different additives are added to the fuel after point of pickup at the refinery. The major fuel suppliers,she'll, bp etc add more to aid winter driving. The percentage of bio diesel seems to be lower also at about 5%. Opposed to the supermarkets at 7%.


Has anyone else had similar problems?


My wife's car needs three injectors, which seems more than a coincidence to me to go wrong all at once for no reason. It's getting a new fuel filter and service at the same time. Needing a service wouldn't have helps I'm sure.


I was wondering if this is likely to be an issue for older diesel engines like the 200 tdi.


Please note before the professionals jump in , this information is anecdotal. /)
 
Morrisons diesel seems to be ok in my 2.0HDi pug 206 but I won't fill up at Sainsburys, their city diesel gives me crap mpg, down to about 45 mpg compared to the 55-60 mpg I usually get.
 
kato Disco said:
My wife's mini cooper diesel was filled up at morrisons last week and a couple of days later when it was about -2 it was running terribly. The AA attended and put the problem down to the fuel and the man said he had been to a number of similar call outs due to supermarket fuel.

I have had a look on line and there seems to be a lot of vehicle forums, especially ford tdi engine that have suffered the same.


The problem seems to be that different additives are added to the fuel after point of pickup at the refinery. The major fuel suppliers,she'll, bp etc add more to aid winter driving. The percentage of bio diesel seems to be lower also at about 5%. Opposed to the supermarkets at 7%.


Has anyone else had similar problems?


My wife's car needs three injectors, which seems more than a coincidence to me to go wrong all at once for no reason. It's getting a new fuel filter and service at the same time. Needing a service wouldn't have helps I'm sure.


I was wondering if this is likely to be an issue for older diesel engines like the 200 tdi.


Please note before the professionals jump in , this information is anecdotal. /)
Click to expand...


Back in 2007, there was a problem with Tesco and Morrisons petrol. It caused engine problems for some customers, and the supermarkets compensated them.

The problem was caused during shipment of fuel in a tanker between the Vopak tank farm in Rotterdam and the UK. Anti-foaming compound intended for diesel fuel was added to the wrong tank.
When the organic silicone compound was burnt in a petrol engine, a layer of silicon dioxide (glass) formed over the Lambda sensor preventing it working and causing the engine to go into limp home mode.

The point is that whilst it happened to be fuel destined for Tesco and Morrisons, it didn't of itself suggest that supermarket fuel was more likely to be off-spec it general - presumably it could have happened with branded fuel.
The only drawback I can see to supermarket fuel is that it is more likely to vary than branded fuel, as it could come from different sources. But the base fuels come from the big refiners and are therefore the same as can be found on branded forecourts - Tesco and Morrisons don't have their own refineries - yet.
 
if yer old diesel will run on old chip fat i cant see supermarket diesel bein too much of a problem...one of they new uns with all the electrickery might be a different kettle of fish though.
but if you can afford a fancy car you can afford fancy fuel to go in it.
 
Personally I have never found supermarket diesel (or petrol) bad, I run my CDTi Astravan on it with no issues and I have not seen any evidence through my garage to suggest poor fuels cause damage (except the above mentioned ****ty petrol incident) however I have heard lots of people (including the FORTE tech people) say that its not good. I can see that damage could build up over a long time due to less detergents and more biofule used but I have never seen any hard evidence to support this...

My conclussion, if your worried then dont use it, if its a performance car with high tollerances than use the best stuff otherwise go with the price...
 
A number of years ago here on Anglesey, there was a huge spate of breakdowns. It was blamed on Tesco petrol, which made sense, as untill yesterday it was only Tesco selling petrol in Holyhead. Anyway, although not admiting liability, they did reimburse the cost of the fuel and repair if I remember correctly.
 
Over the past 10 years of running company cars I can say I have never noticed any difference between branded or supermarket fuel.
I have run both Petrol Turbo and Diesel Turbo cars and I drive 50,000 miles a year in them.
Maybe i have been lucky.
 
Supermarket ketchup is ok but not as good as brand. Same for fuel.also the big names are currently equal in price round here
 
ffs half the time the stuff you'll get from bp/esso is EXACTLY the same as the stuff you get from the supermarkets. and unless you're running a nice beemer or something else fancy then who gives a fook
 
ricc said:
if yer old diesel will run on old chip fat i cant see supermarket diesel bein too much of a problem...one of they new uns with all the electrickery might be a different kettle of fish though.
but if you can afford a fancy car you can afford fancy fuel to go in it.
Click to expand...
:)

i agree wiv `im...

my 200 will burn just about anyfing i put innit..





but does "still" have a knock..... LOL
 
OxonLandy said:
ffs half the time the stuff you'll get from bp/esso is EXACTLY the same as the stuff you get from the supermarkets. and unless you're running a nice beemer or something else fancy then who gives a fook
Click to expand...

Its not, its really not. Although I agree it doesn't do any damage and is a bit of a wives tale it is not the same stuff, supermarkets have a different chemical setup added to thier fuels by the refinery, more/less bio, different detergents e.t.c. The premium brand fuels are 'better' for your engine but the cheaper ones are still fine, at the end of the day the fuel in the UK is a damn site better then elsewhere in the world and the engines are the same still!

Soloby Rob said:
That's thanks to supermarkets bringing the price down, at the end of the day it all comes out of the same refinery's. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

That it does but its mixed different as ordered by the customer...
 
ruffday said:
Over the past 10 years of running company cars I can say I have never noticed any difference between branded or supermarket fuel.
I have run both Petrol Turbo and Diesel Turbo cars and I drive 50,000 miles a year in them.
Maybe i have been lucky.
Click to expand...

I think it's all down to the cars fuel management system.
My diesels don't seem to care what fuel is stuck in them, but two of my petrol engined cars have been very fuel fussy. Two (out of the 3) Subarus I've owned (2.0L & 2.5L) have been very fuel sensitive with noticeable drop off in both performance & economy when filled with supermarket fuel but my wife's current 2.5L (NA petrol) Subaru runs happily on supermarket fuel.
 
seeing as my fender isnt exactly high performance, and she runs justfine on 100% bio, I coult say id noticed.
BUT, if you look on the pump, it should say somwhere how much bio is in it, B5 or B10 (B meaning Bio (obviously) and the number the % it has in it.
depending on the outlet, morrisons I beleive have up to B30 on the forecourt
 
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