diesel fuel

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If some folks can't tell any difference, are unaware, or don't care - then that's fine.

I drive from Aberdeen to Dover regularly and I've done it exclusively on Asda Diesel,Tesco Diesel, and on Shell V-Power.

The Asda and Tesco stuff gives approx 5mpg less. There is also visible smoke in the mirror when you accelerate hard to overtake. Morrisons gives most smoke - can't comment on Sainsbury as there are not many of them easily found along my usual routes.

Less quantifiable is the reduced power on overtaking.

I stopped using Supermarket fuel about 18 months ago -but was induced by Mrs Singvogel to have a Tesco tankful during their recent 50p per litre off campaign.

Sure enough - smoke again - now back on Shell V-Power or BP ultimate or the Total equivalent - no smoke.

If it doesn't bother you that's great - continue buying the supermarket stuff.

Singvogel.
 
Hmm for the extra 2p I should probably get a proper fillup. Any idea how Texaco measures up? I go past a few of them on my way to work.

Will.
 
Why not just add cetane booster for the same effect? I really can;'t be bothered to sit down and work it out, but surely a few mls of cetane booster per tank has got to work out cheaper then V-Power and it's cronies? I put any legal old crap in my Pajero's tank (including petrol mixed with filtered waste veg oil) and it doesn't care. And I do a lot of miles in it. The veg oil goes just as well as diesel if I get the correct amount of cetane booster added. My XC90 gets Esso or Shell, but only because they are the cheapest wherever I fill up, unless I get a Sainsbury's or Tesco voucher. Same will go for the TD4 when I get it.
 
I agree with singvogel on the black smoke, mine smokes a lot more on the supermarket stuff, especially when under heavy load like towing, but i genuinely have found no difference on MPG with texaco or BP diesel, which are my other local choices..

Ive done the "brim the tank test", and on all 3 different types of diesel, i still get 500 miles off a tank.

A chap who works with me used to work in tesco (im talking 20 years ago or more now). When he gets the 5p a litre off voucher, he brings it into work and gives them away!!

I questioned why he did this and he claims its because when he worked for tesco, a tanker would come along and fill up the underground chamber, then a seperate truck came along and added chemicals into it later on (whatever engine cleaning products are mixed in, ADDITIVES, and so on)

So he said if depended on luck as to if you got a tank of diesel with the additives mixed in after an additive delivery, or if you just got a tank full of whatever was delivered from refinery, as the additives havent been mixed in yet? Where as aother companies like shell, BP and texaco add their additives at the refinery??

He said they (tesco) had so many complaints back then of customers, and so many problems with his own family car relating to fuel, that he would never ever use tesco fuel again?

This may sound like horse **** to many of you, and i am by no means any type of expert on fuel, but i have used supermaket fuel for the last 20 years and never had a problem with it? So either my workmate has a vendetta against tesco, dreamt it up, or is talking bollocks!

Each to their own though!!

Newc
 
i know somone who knew somone who brought fuel FOR tesco. Long winded i know but they brought fuel with the maximum allowed amount of impurity's in because they get it cheaper - could be bollocks though

My local tesco has had many many problems with water in fuel. Loads of compensation claims and also i am told if you buy a brand new car from a certain firm, they tell you when you buy the car and in the handbook that you cant used supermarket fuel as this will invalidate the warrentee because it is sub-standard fuel

I generally fill up with shell as its just at cheap as tesco where i am and runs better for it.
 
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i would ask you friend why is it that the likes of BP and Shell have better aditives in or at least more I will never ever use Sainsburys i did once and the engin was not as lively and did a lot less mpg
 
i have used old filtered oil, thinned with kerosene in the past, filtered mixed with diesel again and no problems only knowing how much to put in.Trouble is if dipped i supose u could say it was a additive,dont think newer cars would be happy with it, but who knows
 
a friend of mine drives the tankers that deliver the stuff and guess what......


its all the same...

No it aint i drive the tankers round the north east of england and there are 3 tanks 1 each for the branded stuff shell & BP tank number 3 is for the rest of the fuel stations.

My tanker holds 37,000 litres of petrol if i fill up with the branded stuff for shell BP i get a full 37,000 litres of branded fuel if i fill up for the supermarkets i get 30,000 litres of fuel and 7000 litres of gues what... Benzine which is a bi product of coal,which is why the supermarkets can offer fuel at lower prices.
i use and will not use anything else other than shell V diesel i even carry a gerry can in the back just in case i run low and can't find a shell garage
there you have it from the hoses mouth.
 
This has all been discussed and explored at great length on virtually every forum on the internet.

There are those who believe, and those who do not.

Yes - the raw bulk fuel in the refinery tanks is exactly the same stuff for everyone as all of the oil companies have pooled their resources so we don't have tens or hundreds of refineries and fuel dumps all over the country.

It's what gets added (or doesn't get added) to the fuel as it goes along the route to the nozzle connected to the tanker that really matters.

Depending on the end user - Shell, Esso, BP etc - different additives in different % are added to the fuel.

It's a bit like in a pub where all the mixers come down one pipe from a commom tank of water and the additives which make it tonic, lemonade, or coke + some carbon-dioxide gas, are added on the way to the customers glass.

The pub is a good analogy as I am told there are people who cannot tell the difference between blended whisky (which could be up to 49% proof spirit from Eastern Europe made from potatoes) and a good malt like Glenfiddoch or Glenmorangie.

Same as for the super-diesels - if you're happy with 'cheap' whisky, or 'cheap' diesel and/or don't care - keep on buying it, as you're probably not going to believe those who can tell the difference.

As for chucking in any old fuel including veggie oil - I wouldn't advise doing that with a TD4 - it's a tad more advanced and higher-tech than an old grey Fergie tractor.

Singvogel.

Edit: Thanks for that skoda169 - I didn't know about the benzine trick. Is that from a refinery or a bulk fuel-dump distribution centre?
 
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