Leaded Four Star.....run it if you can!

['88740GL]

On unleaded, that idle i set at 900rpm...with leaded its dropped to around 700-750....... this stuff does burn a lot slower, but the funny thing was is that the exhaust doesnt stink as much as it did on unleaded petrol....sure it has that familiar sooty smell that leaded engines have, but its a pleasant smell...kind of like the smell of coal burning, with a hint of petrol....yummy!!!

*note to self..i must stop sniffing the exhaust fumes....lol

[OldBlueVolvo]

Originally Posted by '88740GL

I've tried Shell's V-power - no difference
V-power + redex lead replacement - no difference
V-power + castrol valvemaster - no difference
Shells new fuel save unleaded....car jerks violently weird....
Texaco premium 95RON ok, but it burns it like theres no tommorow
Texaco + redex lead replacement - no difference
Texaco + valvemaster - ok'ish but a little jerky

Sainsbury's bog standard unleaded....supermarket fuel was a first for me...ran fine...with castrol valvemaster

Then i tried 98 octane BS 4040 Leaded 4 star...the engine doesnt seem as tappety, and normally as you pull away the car judders like you need to give it more revs with the unleaded, but with leaded everything seems much smoother :-) I've never been near a BP garage in 5 years of driving

You certainly have been trying out different fuels. I haven't tried the new fuel offered by Shell (and have no intention of doing so) but that is strange that your car actually runs badly on it. I think I'll give it a wide berth. If I get a chance I might try out the leaded fuel for a truly nostalgic experience.

Originally Posted by '88740GL

On unleaded, that idle i set at 900rpm...with leaded its dropped to around 700-750.

Hmm. I don't know what to make of that.

['88740GL]

Originally Posted by OldBlueVolvo

You certainly have been trying out different fuels. I haven't tried the new fuel offered by Shell (and have no intention of doing so) but that is strange that your car actually runs badly on it. I think I'll give it a wide berth. If I get a chance I might try out the leaded fuel for a truly nostalgic experience.

Hmm. I don't know what to make of that.

Yeah, i've been using a lead replacement mix of all the above fuels, and checking the spark plugs for the familiar depositing on the electrodes and none come anywhere near close to the protection the lead has.....i always say, if it doesnt have a cat converter, then run leaded!

[940SportsEdition]

Well I have to say I have tried the new shell fuel. It is ok, does not seem to make any difference, only difference is the cost. Locally we have several BP fuel stations, a couple of esso, and two shell. One shell garage is as dear as BP and esso, the other shell garage is often 3-4 pence per litre cheaper than anywhere else. So for me the cheaper fuel is the winner. Never have and never will use tesco or asda fuels, heard to many horror stories about them, they may well be fine, but would rather stick with shell BP and the like, as that is what they do.

[doingitsideways]

Originally Posted by 940SportsEdition

rather stick with shell BP and the like, as that is what they do.

I don't know...

Don't know if anyone else has noticed, but near me, the BP garages all seem to be a little more expensive lately, so much so that my local BP garage is 7p/litre dearer than the Total garage 300 yards down the road!

Possible connection to that little spill and multi-billion pound clean-up across the pond that I seem to remember hearing about in the news recently??


The mind boggles!!


Oh, tried Shell Fuelsave, Tucker doesn't like it (2.5 965), similar to a previous post, definate hesitation off the line. Like there's a huge flat spot just as you're pulling away, then He caughs back into life.

Just my 2p worth

Steve

[stephend]

And my tuppence-worth...

I've always run my cars on bog-standard Tesco 95 RON unleaded (or whatever's handy on long journeys) and have never had any problems. However, I've started putting Tesco 99 RON unleaded in my '89 740, just as an (expensive!) experiment, and it definitely seems to have a bit more life.

Like, you can almost convince yourself it's accelerating, instead of merely slowly gathering momentum!

[doingitsideways]

Originally Posted by stephend

you can almost convince yourself it's accelerating, instead of merely slowly gathering momentum!

Ha ha ha,

Love it!!!

Driving a 2.0 240 which spends most of it's life with over 1/4 ton of tools in the back, believe me, I understand that!!

Steve

['88740GL]

Originally Posted by doingitsideways

I don't know...

Don't know if anyone else has noticed, but near me, the BP garages all seem to be a little more expensive lately, so much so that my local BP garage is 7p/litre dearer than the Total garage 300 yards down the road!

Possible connection to that little spill and multi-billion pound clean-up across the pond that I seem to remember hearing about in the news recently??


The mind boggles!!


Oh, tried Shell Fuelsave, Tucker doesn't like it (2.5 965), similar to a previous post, definate hesitation off the line. Like there's a huge flat spot just as you're pulling away, then He caughs back into life.

Just my 2p worth

Steve

The fuel save is just a load of crap i rekon, i mean honsetly what kind of chemical do they put in that actually reduced the amount of fuel your car actually injects in? what have they done? decreased is viscous properties so the car finds it hard to suck the fuel out of the tank? haha as 1 litre per tank would make such a huge difference lol

['88740GL]

Originally Posted by stephend

And my tuppence-worth...

I've always run my cars on bog-standard Tesco 95 RON unleaded (or whatever's handy on long journeys) and have never had any problems. However, I've started putting Tesco 99 RON unleaded in my '89 740, just as an (expensive!) experiment, and it definitely seems to have a bit more life.

Like, you can almost convince yourself it's accelerating, instead of merely slowly gathering momentum!

I have to disagree to that, i find this 2.0 engine pretty nippy, then again its only got 44,900 miles on her, from a stop light it gets up and goes quick enough, it leaves cocky looking young lads in their 'clio sports' and focus's in the dust, they kind of give up trying to overtake in the end haha

[amaz'in]

Hmm..well I run two 940 Sports Editions and a late Amazon, and have to agree with 88740 about the benefits of Leaded fuel.

We have a service station maybe 10-15 miles from Norwich which sells the Bayford Thrust (tetraboost) fuel, the staion's are as rare as hens teeth!

For my 940 sports..leaded is not an option...so I run them (one now being retired) on V-Max (99 RON) a supposed re-vamp of Optimax (98 RON)...and whilst it doesn't turn them into a Veyron...there is a worthwhile difference.

I have now done nearly 250,000 miles in in total in 940's...a 16V and two Sports...and do not especially rate the BP ultimate...but V Max is good...but it's no good sticking say 320.00 in your partly full tank and expecting a miracle.

You will need to run out the tank and have a good tankfull or two through to gain the real benefit, I do 'not' drive like a Demon..but the cars do run better..smoother etc on it to boot.

My Amazon's (old and current)..both quite high compression (but standard cars) twin carb S models..pinked on regular fuel...so 3 or 4 years ago..I tried BP Ultimate...still the (now sold) Amazon..would run on ..just for a mere fraction...so I tried V-Max.

No more Pinking or run on!...my current Amazon has covered just 4,500 miles on it's fully re-built (Amazon Cars) Engine...so has an unleaded head..but I thought to myself..it still needs V-Max to stop the tiniest amount of run on...in fact...when hot, say from a spirited run it still did it...just.

So I thought I would try the Bayford thrust...then thought...sod it..bite the bullet and purchase some Tetraboost, why bother with it when I have an unleaded head...well just thought the higher octane..and anti knock plus cooling benefits of the lead would do no harm.

Sure it's expensive, but classic car ownership is is hardly about transport at it's cheapest.

James