SHELL fuel

the other day i was close to shell servo and needed to fill up, so i put in $20 and went on my jolly way, but before even leaving the station i felt my car was running a little under the weather (really shitty low idle and almost stalled, btw my cars an auto) so i keep going not thinking to much of it untill i was stopped at the lights about 1 day later and it was in drive i had my foot on the brake and the idle just kept getting worse and worse until i decided nuetral would be a good idea so i put it in N and revved it and it was still feeling a little chunky.... untill yesterday when i filled up with $57 of BP premo and its run fine ever since. (btw it was shell regular unleaded) i usually run on regular but i decided i would try BP premo to flush the shit out of my system.

MORAL of the story: shell fuel is shit, and i will never by it again, and i have tried BP ultimate, Premo, and regular and all are tops.

Optimax used to be very good when it first came out. Now for some reason its really shit. My dad filled up my car with optimax instead of synergy (which i prefer) and it started to ping slightly :( so i had to get a bottle of octane boost. Which seemed to stop it

No shit I have had that problem, idles like shit house and then stalls u give it a rev and still shit house. Dam optimax could be the problem

i believe its because of the longer shelf life compared to synergy and ultimate. i havent touched it since i bought my car.

the turnover for shell fuels is much higher than other brands so i dun think the problem is with shelf life.

Shell works fine so stop ur bitching! lol. nah i use premo tho. and always works fine.

ive never had a prob with optimax. i go out of my way to get buy it. car runs best on it.

poor 30 bottles of octane booster :P should work a treat.

The refinery has very strict quality controls. I think you will find the problem lies with the service station operators. Poorly maintained storage tanks, old fuel, etc... I have had water in my optimax before. Moral of the story - never go back to that service station.

this has been covered before, there is a huge thread on it isnt there?

yes optimax is gheyified

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Originally Posted by ET!

the other day i was close to shell servo and needed to fill up, so i put in $20 and went on my jolly way, but before even leaving the station i felt my car was running a little under the weather (really ###### low idle and almost stalled, btw my cars an auto) so i keep going not thinking to much of it untill i was stopped at the lights about 1 day later and it was in drive i had my foot on the brake and the idle just kept getting worse and worse until i decided nuetral would be a good idea so i put it in N and revved it and it was still feeling a little chunky.... untill yesterday when i filled up with $57 of BP premo and its run fine ever since. (btw it was shell regular unleaded) i usually run on regular but i decided i would try BP premo to flush the #### out of my system.

MORAL of the story: shell fuel is ####, and i will never by it again, and i have tried BP ultimate, Premo, and regular and all are tops.

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I am glad I am not the only one. Same story with me also find it hard to start. But after a coulple of days it started fine, Just ran ####.
Tried using Shell before and it did the same thing, I just wanted to double check.
Ultimate all the way now.:D

i go with anything but not shell...

ONLY BP Ultimate for me :)

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Originally Posted by Muckafutha

the turnover for shell fuels is much higher than other brands so i dun think the problem is with shelf life.

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you would be suprised. how much they turn over may not indicate how they reserve there fuel. just cause they sell lots doesnt necessarily mean they are getting rid of it quicker

I filled up at Shells yesturdai, but after bout 6 bux worth, the system jsut stopped

When i drove off i smelt some type of burnign scent

Shit...

ANyways, Im ditching Optimax for BP

i still got a bit (say a few L's) in my car and it seems to still be ****ing it around, but when i have a full flush out i hope my car works (properly) again.

ive never had a prob with shell optimax ey...i find my car runs the best with it
similar to wat sum1 said b4, id go out of my way to buy the bitch lol
but then agn it could b due to the fact that i like redlining my car...
=P

Yeah me too Ive never had probs whith shell I find its the best fuel out there and gives more power over other shiet!
I also go out the way to buy it.( HEY SHELL SOME FREE PROMOTION HERE HOW BOUT A YEARS SUPPLY OF OPTIMAX???) But anyway ill go out and do the runs at other servos just to satisfy myself that shell is crazy

I use shell....or pretty much any premium petrol, never had a problem, if anything I found BP a comprimise between distance and power, while with optimax, it kinda feels like you can rev it harder and faster, but miss out a few km.......
I also use shell because there is about 3 near my house, while BP is further away and usually costs more.
If anything, I hate mobil 8000. IMO, they dont last and crap in the performance department.
Each of their own I guess.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Speeder

I use shell....or pretty much any premium petrol, never had a problem, if anything I found BP a comprimise between distance and power, while with optimax, it kinda feels like you can rev it harder and faster, but miss out a few km.......
I also use shell because there is about 3 near my house, while BP is further away and usually costs more.
If anything, I hate mobil 8000. IMO, they dont last and crap in the performance department.
Each of their own I guess.

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Yeah man BP an Mobil are crap Shell has got the highest octaine available at 98.4 ron all the others only have 98ron or under
I find i get more power from shell and more kms out of each tank of optimax :thumbsup: for shell

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Originally Posted by ET!

leaving the station i felt my car was running a little under the weather (really shitty low idle and almost stalled, btw my cars an auto) so i keep going not thinking to much of it untill i was stopped at the lights about 1 day later and it was in drive i had my foot on the brake and the idle just kept getting worse and worse until i decided nuetral would be a good idea so i put it in N and revved it and it was still feeling a little chunky....

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It sounds like a small amount of debris or water got into your tank. It happens more than you'd think - especially when the underground tanks are very low or when a tanker is adding fuel (as it stirs around crap that could be in the underground tanks).

I used to work in petrol stations for close to 10 years.

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Originally Posted by PhatSol

The refinery has very strict quality controls. I think you will find the problem lies with the service station operators. Poorly maintained storage tanks, old fuel, etc... I have had water in my optimax before. Moral of the story - never go back to that service station.

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You are on the money. It will not be "old fuel" though - the turnover at petrol stations sees deliveries every 1 to 7 days. If a petrol station gets less tanker deliveries they will be out of business as they will not have sold much fuel! I think this is water - it can happen at ANY petrol station. It can happen anywhere in the supply chain - refinery / truck / station, etc - my dad's petrol station used to get tanker deliveries that definately had some water in them! The fuel they used to bring in from Singapore was the worst and caused the most customer complaints about water in fuel.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by yfin

You are on the money. It will not be "old fuel" though - the turnover at petrol stations sees deliveries every 1 to 7 days. If a petrol station gets less tanker deliveries they will be out of business as they will not have sold much fuel! I think this is water - it can happen at ANY petrol station. It can happen anywhere in the supply chain - refinery / truck / station, etc - my dad's petrol station used to get tanker deliveries that definately had some water in them! The fuel they used to bring in from Singapore was the worst and caused the most customer complaints about water in fuel.

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Well there you go, the inside info :thumbsup:

Interesting insight yfin! :thumbsup:

BP actually buys their fuel from shell and then adds further additives to label it as different. So you tell me which fuel is better? If their buying from shell then shell must be the better.

lol the additives help :D

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Originally Posted by steafanno

BP actually buys their fuel from shell and then adds further additives to label it as different. .

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I know this is your first post but please don't post misinformation - not right at all - what do you think BP Kwinana refinery does? It can produce 138,000 barrels a day of crude and makes BP Ultimate.

Yes sometimes companies buy ULP from Shell - but only when they can't get enough of their own.

BP Ultimate 98 is ALWAYS BP Ultimate - it is not Shell fuel.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by steafanno

BP actually buys their fuel from shell and then adds further additives to label it as different. So you tell me which fuel is better? If their buying from shell then shell must be the better.

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Do you have any sources for this information? I am interested

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Originally Posted by spoondc2

Do you have any sources for this information? I am interested

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He has no source for this - it is going to be "a mate of a mate told me". Sorry if I am being rude - I just hate reading total bullshit.

This happens frequently. I spoke to a lot of people just after the storms in Melbourne who had filled up from their local servo and inadvertantly filled their tank full of water. As you know, car engines and water work well together! I doubt very much that it would be Shell's petrol specifically. If anything, it would be the servo itself and if their tanks are properly guarded from water.

So yeah, I'm basically backing up what yfin said. :thumbsup:

I've been using shell for ages with optimax as well but it depends on different servos i guess i ran across filling up at crapy shell servos and my car ran the same problem just dont there again and it should b ok,

Hmm........ thanks..... cos i am doing the research about the fuel and i am really interested to know the fuel of Shell and BP since they are the so-call largest oil refineries in australia

I did search the internet and try to find something but they're all bais and stuff, maybe i gotta try the state library........ to find some articles

well shell fuel made my car lag..

blocked my fuel filter..

and also.. blecked my injectors!

arrghh stupid shell

Kenny

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Originally Posted by Spoon-Accord

well shell fuel made my car lag..

blocked my fuel filter..

and also.. blecked my injectors!

arrghh stupid shell

Kenny

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As stated earlier in the thread, thats not a problem with the fuel itself. There has been a contamination somwhere between the fuel leaving the refinery and the fuel going into your tank. Could happen with any brand.

what i'm most curious about is how the hell ppl know so damn much abt fuel
what level octane...what they put in it.fine

storage tanks and refineries and stuff tho? wow...hardcore

anyway my 2 cents is that i usually use shell...can't see how it can be the fuel's fault

lucky im reading this as ive only ever used bp ultimate and caltex vortex and i was going to try out optimax but i think i wont now. :)

had no issues with shell optimax, using it in my car for years. Changed out fuel filters etc and they are all clean like new.

i've even had a number of mechanics recomend NOT using optimax

Shell's fuel has the highest octaine rating of any fuels rated @ 98.8 or .4 but its the highest in the country.
Also PAnda these mechanics dont know shiet!
Have u heard of V8 Supercars at all?????
Check out what fuel they use!

I agree with others that say its the specific location of the petrol station, i live in QLD and the Shell that is just down the road from my house is CRAP. However, all other Shell stations that i go to arent like that, and for my old car (DC2 vti-r) Shell worked heaps better than Ultimate. Also for my new car (look at avatar) Optimax also works better than BP. But then again it jus might be the car, as for some of my friends BP works better for them.

i dun see the big deal... as ppl have said earlier.. i rekon its down to the individual servos... sum r good.. sum r crap... n i doubt .4 or .8 octain would make a hell of a lot of difference... if u want more octain just get octain boost.. makes ur 98 to 102 ron :D

Mobile Synergy 8000 all the way!

sometimes its what your car prefers too
i have a peugeot 205 gti which loves optimax and hates ultimate and synergey

however the civic hates optimax and loves ultimate and synergy but there is the often good batch of shell fuel which i have got
the shorter shelf life is true as it only lasts a week so if its in the truck or in the cylindar on the ship longer than normal which could happen who knows it will feel like crap

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tegstar83

Shell's fuel has the highest octaine rating of any fuels rated @ 98.8 or .4 but its the highest in the country.
Also PAnda these mechanics dont know shiet!
Have u heard of V8 Supercars at all?????
Check out what fuel they use!

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highest octane doesnt mean highest quality, doesnt mean its good for you engine. the v8's would use RACE FUEL:rolleyes: , i seriously doubt they would run cars worth that much on optimax. oh and WHY do they use it? SPONSORSHIP DOLLARS

Quote:

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Originally Posted by panda[CRX]

highest octane doesnt mean highest quality, doesnt mean its good for you engine. the v8's would use RACE FUEL:rolleyes: , i seriously doubt they would run cars worth that much on optimax. oh and WHY do they use it? SPONSORSHIP DOLLARS

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They use Optimax. 98 ron. But I am sure they only get the best batches of the stuff! :D

well that is a surprise to say the least.

tell you guys this much..

i did alot of testing with my car..

tried the 4 variants of fuel for the past few weeks..


all full tanks.. i pour 2 tanks each fuel type.

Mobil Synergy = Moderate.. seems to burnmore quicker. 100km less than vortex+shell make car more agressive but smooth :P

Ultimate = Moderate. same as mobil, burns quick as well. but don;t notice much.

Shell = works great. burns slower. car feels more agressive. exhaust tone is more rumbly lolz.. but i guess.. when u fuel up.. try to fuel one station.. if u get alot of black crap on ur rear bar.. then don't fuel up there again, due to unclean tanks.

Vortex = Best fuel i like using.. burns slow. performance is good. also cost way cheaper than above^

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Originally Posted by ^^v

i dun see the big deal... as ppl have said earlier.. i rekon its down to the individual servos... sum r good.. sum r crap... n i doubt .4 or .8 octain would make a hell of a lot of difference... if u want more octain just get octain boost.. makes ur 98 to 102 ron :D

Mobile Synergy 8000 all the way!

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Nah thats bull!! Most octaine boosters do shit for your fuel. hardly any increase by a noticbalce difference at all I went to thise site once where they actually put to test some octaine bosters and like only 2 were good and the other one was like this special additive ( not octaine boost as per say)
this here is the list of products and their increase in octaine:


NF Octane Booster Racing Formula
250 ml treats 80 litres RRP: $29.95
Time for an Aussie-made product. From Perth, the NF Octane Booster Racing Formula was the smallest bottle in the field, but looking at the mixing ratio, also the strongest NF relies on an incredibly small dose – a mere 3 percent! Claiming to increase octane as much as 6.0 RON, NF took the gold medal in a surprising tie. If it were a split decision based on concentration though, it would be the clear winner.

OCTANE IMPROVEMENT: 99.6 (+2.8 RON)




Nulon Pro Strength Octane Booster
500 ml treats 60 litres RRP: $20.95
Note: Also available in four-litre container for $110
The Australian-made Nulon Pro Strength Octane Booster is the top of the range Nulon fuel product, claiming to boost octane "up to seven number". The Pro Strength gained a test-winning, gold-medal-gaining and Nf-equalling 2.8RON increase. And at $21, it’s good value too!

OCTANE IMPROVEMENT: 99.6 (+2.8 RON)

Sorry this isnt the full test i only took down the good ones but the rest were all crap and only did like .2 or like .4 these were the best

Quote:

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Originally Posted by garett

the shorter shelf life is true as it only lasts a week so if its in the truck or in the cylindar on the ship longer than normal which could happen who knows it will feel like crap

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A week? Yeah right, Optimax has a shelf life of 12 months. See here for details.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tegstar83

Nah thats bull!! Most octaine boosters do shit for your fuel. hardly any increase by a noticbalce difference at all I went to thise site once where they actually put to test some octaine bosters and like only 2 were good and the other one was like this special additive ( not octaine boost as per say)
this here is the list of products and their increase in octaine:


NF Octane Booster Racing Formula
250 ml treats 80 litres RRP: $29.95
Time for an Aussie-made product. From Perth, the NF Octane Booster Racing Formula was the smallest bottle in the field, but looking at the mixing ratio, also the strongest NF relies on an incredibly small dose – a mere 3 percent! Claiming to increase octane as much as 6.0 RON, NF took the gold medal in a surprising tie. If it were a split decision based on concentration though, it would be the clear winner.

OCTANE IMPROVEMENT: 99.6 (+2.8 RON)




Nulon Pro Strength Octane Booster
500 ml treats 60 litres RRP: $20.95
Note: Also available in four-litre container for $110
The Australian-made Nulon Pro Strength Octane Booster is the top of the range Nulon fuel product, claiming to boost octane "up to seven number". The Pro Strength gained a test-winning, gold-medal-gaining and Nf-equalling 2.8RON increase. And at $21, it’s good value too!

OCTANE IMPROVEMENT: 99.6 (+2.8 RON)

Sorry this isnt the full test i only took down the good ones but the rest were all crap and only did like .2 or like .4 these were the best

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wow thats good info...
damn those bottles r misleading! :thumbdwn:
says it increases 98 ron fuel by 4 ron!

I honestly dont see a problem with shell premium unleaded, i havent noticed any problems.. maybe im one of the lucky ones

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PhatSol

A week? Yeah right, Optimax has a shelf life of 12 months. See here for details.

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dont believe everything that you read mate, i doubt that shell are going to promote that their fuel goes off quickly,
im just telling what i have found and have heard from an employee at shell
i dont think that each service station has a years supply of fuel either

Quote:

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Originally Posted by garett

dont believe everything that you read mate, i doubt that shell are going to promote that their fuel goes off quickly,
im just telling what i have found and have heard from an employee at shell
i dont think that each service station has a years supply of fuel either

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Just intrested to know, how you "found" that the fuel had gone off, and how you knew it's exact age?

my car was tuned using optimax
but the car just bloody stalls or runs very poorly when optimax is used
very weird indeed =/

Quote:

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Originally Posted by garett

dont believe everything that you read mate, i doubt that shell are going to promote that their fuel goes off quickly,
im just telling what i have found and have heard from an employee at shell
i dont think that each service station has a years supply of fuel either

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Petrol lasts for a friggen long time mate. Do you have any idea of the turnover of fuel at 99.9% of petrol stations in this country? It is common for the average servo to sell more than 10,000 litres of fuel per day. Fresh fuel deliveries arrive every 2 to 3 days at most. It doesn't go off - that is crap. It may be a bad batch from the refinery - but it doesn't go off with those sorts of volumes sold. The person you "heard from" at Shell doesn't know shit. You may say don't believe everything you read - I say don't believe everything you hear from some mate who works the odd casual shift at the local petrol station for $15.23 per hour.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by garett

dont believe everything that you read mate, i doubt that shell are going to promote that their fuel goes off quickly,
im just telling what i have found and have heard from an employee at shell
i dont think that each service station has a years supply of fuel either

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No thats BS! Most fuels do last for 12 months before losing some of the potency of the fuel, like it sorta goes off, but u can probably still use it after 12 months.


Also some people may have use unleaded all their life and decide to use Shell premium to give it a shot and because of the cleaning agent's in the fuel some people's cars start to splutter and cough becasue of all the carbon build up that has occurred and the crap is trying to exit the valves and exhaust and stuff so that may be the case.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 57UDD

I agree with others that say its the specific location of the petrol station, i live in QLD and the Shell that is just down the road from my house is CRAP. However, all other Shell stations that i go to arent like that, and for my old car (DC2 vti-r) Shell worked heaps better than Ultimate. Also for my new car (look at avatar) Optimax also works better than BP. But then again it jus might be the car, as for some of my friends BP works better for them.

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Which Shell servo are you talking about. I will try to avoid that one.
I dont have problem with Optimax nor BP Ultimate. Most of the time I use Shell Optimax (4c discount with coles docket :D ). But sometimes I put BP in my baby. sometimes there are mixtures of both in the tank. No prob at all.

I do agree that it is a specific petrol station thats making all the difference. Even they all have the same Shell or Same BP or whatever signs out there, the Quality could be different due to various reasons stated by many other members above. and yfin summed it up v well.

yfin: a stupid question. hope you dont mind answering.
Does the cheap fuel day (of a week) mean when the underground tank is nearly empty and waiting for delivery??? If not, why fuel is always cheaper in certain days of a week?? (take world oil price and dollar exchange rate out of consideration0

Hey PNR888, i'm talkin about the Shell petrol station on Blunder Rd, Inala or Durack whatever you wanna call it. Thats the closet Shell to me, but i never go there anymore. Best Shell i've been to is on Logan Rd Mt Gravatt, though you pay like 2cents more i've seen that i get at least 30km more then other Shell servos. I thought it couldn't be right at first but time an time again it proved me right. Not sayin everyone will get at least 30km more, but i did.

I've taken mine to Shell at Bass Hill on the Hume hwy not the best that's for sure. THe one on the Cumberland hwy near Cabramatta has always been the best. The fuel always seems to last longer even though its about 1-2c more.

As to fuel going off, its true that if you have it out there too long it will go off. That's cos the octane evaporates into the atomsphere, so when you get a tank that is almost empty you'll fine the fuel does not run as well cos the octane has turn to gas in the empty part of your fuel. That's why you always goto a fuel station that has a high turnover of fuel so you don't get fuel that's been lying there and the octane has mixed with the air around it.

If you don't believe me have a look at you nozzel when you fill up. You'll see the fumes mix with air while your pouring.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PNR888

yfin: a stupid question. hope you dont mind answering.
Does the cheap fuel day (of a week) mean when the underground tank is nearly empty and waiting for delivery??? If not, why fuel is always cheaper in certain days of a week?? (take world oil price and dollar exchange rate out of consideration0

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Doesn't really matter how much fuel the petrol station has - the price will depend on the wholesale price paid by the retailer and competition. If you believe the petrol companies the wholesale price is primarily determined by the world oil price and supply/demand.

http://www.fuelwatch.com.au/info/dsp_petrol_prices.cfm

Why is fuel always cheaper in certain days of the week? Take a look at this - quite a good explanation

http://www.fuelwatch.com.au/info/dsp_price_cycles.cfm

Believe it or not - depending on the cycle some petrol stations will be forced to sell fuel at or below wholesale price (yes - they lose money that day) - this is especially the case of independents. Petrol stations are probably the worst business to make money - if you are lucky you make 2 to 3 cents per litre.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Limbo

That's why you always goto a fuel station that has a high turnover of fuel so you don't get fuel that's been lying there and the octane has mixed with the air around it.

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Right re exposure to air (fuel needs to be stored in a dry sealed container) - but you overstate the risk. Properly stored fuel lasts for ages (years in ideal storage)... If someone has credible information to show me that fuel can lose octane in less than 2 months please show me a source. It should last 6+ months minimum.

Don't worry about "high turnover" petrol stations unless perhaps you are in the outback. If you live in any city with more than 20,000 people they will be selling enough fuel that it does NOT lose octane sitting at the petrol station. Like I said - petrol stations sell more fuel than you might think. It doesn't sit in the tanks for months. More like days.

My friend works in a petrol station :) The station actually don't make money from selling petrol, they make it from selling whatever they sell in their mini supermarket, can u see the high prices for a can of coke now?

u serious???? has it always been like this?

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Originally Posted by EuroAccord13

My friend works in a petrol station :) The station actually don't make money from selling petrol, they make it from selling whatever they sell in their mini supermarket, can u see the high prices for a can of coke now?

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i currently use mobile synergy and due to an inconvinient circumstance i was forced to use sheel optimax and damn its SHIT in comparison.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by |N|

u serious???? has it always been like this?

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No - back in the 80s and early 90s there was money for retailers selling fuel -
6cents + per litre. Have you noticed fewer petrol stations compared to 10 years ago? - many thousands have closed.

With the coles/safeway 4 cent discount - that discounted price is usually cheaper than the independent service stations pay for wholesale fuel. The ACCC has not taken action yet for predatory pricing because they say it is "overall" good for the public as it results in lower prices. BUT - what will happen when many independents or some large chains are forced out of businesss or decide Australia is not worth the trouble? You will only have Coles and Woolworths left. It is fairly common industry knowledge that Mobil has taken steps to pull out of Australia. It is no secret - eg see http://www.ssa.org.au/overview_admin/supermarket_ss.htm

Will the discounts stay when only the supermarkets have control of fuel prices? What if you have to drive 5km to the nearest petrol station? Lets wait and see - I think the public will eventually pay the price for all these petrol stations going out of business.