Wavey

We all know to use 91+ Octane fuel. My question is does it matter which company we buy the fuel from?

I have been told by the Honda dealer to only use Shell Optimax. I have also been told that and under no circumstances should I fill up at Supermarkets as there are vital nutrients missing in the fuel, which will affect the engine longevity and performance.

Is this true or is it hype and what about BP, Esso, Total, Chevron etc etc.

Everyone I speak to has a different view from 'Only use Shell' to 'if it is 91+ it doesn

xviper

Are you in the UK (from the looks of your flag under your username)? If so, you should post this in the UK forum. Your fuel might have different formulations than in N. America and people from you own region would be better to answer this question.
This question is almost like "Which is the best exhaust" and I would normally move this to another forum, but as you are new, I'll leave it here for now and refer you to the "stickied" thread at the top of UTH for the kinds of subjects to post in here.
Good luck with finding your answer.

Squeezer

ok brief explanation of how the oil/gas system works. Oil is pumped from the ground, then distilled into gasoline. All of this gasoline is the same (same hydrocarbons). It is then delivered to gas distribution systems via a national pipeline system (in the USA, but I'm sure UK/Europe have something similar to distribute the gasoline). The gas pipeline system is huge, and there is an accounting term they use for the gas that basically means all gasoline is the same (and it is, same hydrocarbons). You refine a gallon in Texas and want it sent to NY. Well, you don't truck a gas tanker up there, you put it into the national pipeline system, and immediately you get the same amount out in NY (because it would take a week to pump the gas to NY, so there's always gas in the pipeline system). And its all the same gas. At the gas distribution center, the additives are added to that company's spigot (and if you think a gallon of something in 50k gallons of gas will do anything i have news for you). Anyway, as I said, all the major carriers in the area will have a specific spigot for them (like Exxon will have a spigot only used by exxon trucks (an exxon truck won't go to the BP spigot)) Anyway, all the companies charge relatively the same price, so when an independent pulls up (like a grocery chain or mom and pop gas station) their truck goes to the first available spigot, and fills up the truck. So one day the independent has BP fuel at the station, the next week it has Conoco, etc.

All Gas is the same, the only difference are the additives, which don't make a difference because they are so diluted.

Wavey

You guessed it, posted the question without realising there was a UK forum.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction

Wavey

xviper

I can't say for sure if this is the case today, but there was a time when this statement would have been suspect. Remember as few as a couple of decades ago when Shell gas ruined the fuel injectors on 10's of thousands of automobiles? They had a massive class action law suit which they have only just recovered from in recent years. Do a Google search to find this. I personally had this issue with Shell many years ago. I had to add a bottle of octane boost just to get through that tank. The car ran awful. I have never used Shell since even though I'm sure they have resolved this problem a long time ago.
It is most likely that these additives are added to the fuel at the time when the tanker trucks get filled and then get trucked to each gas station. Each brand of gas (Chevron, Shell, Esso, etc.) probably has their own "additive" requirements that are met at the time when the tanker trucks are filled.

Wavey

Thanks again to Squeezer & xviper

I will try and get some info from the Oil companies, i.e. who ads what & when. Will post any useful info (xviper let me know where to put it)

Doubt if I will get anywhere but nothing ventured......


Wavey

xviper

If you obtain specific information on what goes into the fuel, post it in UTH or in the UK forum if it's UK specific formulation.