Fuel (1 Viewer)

[Steve101uk]

It's been suggested to me that every now and again its worth filling up with a premium diesel. Does this really make a difference?

I always fill up at Sainsburys and supermarkets when in France, always using the cheapest. I don't mind spoiling the old girl now and again but only if its going to improve performance

cheers Steve

 

[daisy mae]

I always use BP have noticed a big difference, smoother running, more miles per gallon, that is legit, done on computer, I have a good engine VW and want to keep it that way, never use supermarket fuel, it is only a small amount of difference on a full tank, I wait until the gauge shows 3/4 full and just top up, I was recommended to use this fuel by VW mechanic, and for me it is better.

 

[Melchior]

Modern turbocharged common rail diesel engines probably benefit from it. Older mechanical pump turbo and n/a engines - I'm not so sure at all. Ours is not common rail (Fiat 2.8 i.d. TD) and I have accidentally filled it with the fancy stuff and noticed no difference at all.

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[Sandancers]

Think it was Quintin Wilson who recommended putting ordinary diesel in, then every 5ish tankfuls put the high performance stuff in as this (he says) has added cleaning additives and nice things for the engine.

 

[JonMac46]

I used the "good" stuff when in Spain last winter and I thought she ran better. 1999 2.8idTD.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

Horses for courses really. I ran my 3 litre multijet on premium stuff because the overall cost difference was not much and there was an increase in economy, but it was a remapped engine. Basically it will not do any harm and there is quite a bit of anecdotal evidence to suggest it runs better due to the cleaning additives, but it is highly subjective. Once every few tanks seems ok - but I would point out that these engines are designed to run on the basic bog standard EN590 fuel that supermarkets and branded fuel stations all sell

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[1_man_and_his_dob(lo)]

I seem to be 50/50 between supermarket and BP/Shell/etc. fuel with my little Fiat Doblo Multijet diesel, following the opinion on here and elsewhere that it's worth visiting the latter for the additives.

Having said that...with my old indirect-injection diesel Citroen AX I did > 330K miles using supermarket fuel pretty much all the time. Always did > 70 MPG. I reckon the engine would have still been running long after everything else had worn out if I'd kept it.

Never used premium. All of mine have effectively been car engines though, not van.

Edit: ooops....the OP was about premium vs. standard fuel, not supermarket vs. BP/Shell/etc. Sorry.

 

[johnp10]

Fuel produced to a given standard is the same, no matter what the retailer calls it.
As already mentioned, the EN number is the same.
It's not unusual to fill a tank at a refinery preceded by a tank from a fuel Company, then followed by one for Morrisons.
All the same product code, from the same silo.
Same stuff, marketed differently at different prices.
I use Morrisons fuel for my car (petrol), lawn mower (petrol) and the MH (Diesel).
On the odd occasion when I've been faced with using "premium" fuel at an enhanced price I've found no difference in MPG or performance generally.
Don't waste your money.
Fuel is fuel.

 

[pappajohn]

if your engine is designed to use premium fuel (cetane rating of 55 rather than 48 for regular diesel) then it will say so in the base vehicles owners handbook.

If it doesnt, then stick regular diesel in and save a few bob.

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[Mike B]

We've got the best of both worlds; a Shell garage opposite a Tesco supermarket. The Shell garage is force to match the Tesco's prices.

 

[magicsurfbus]

I buy standard fuel for MH and car, then once a year put some BG244 (diesel) or BG44K (unleaded) fuel additive in the tank to give the system a clean out. That definitely makes a difference to performance but it fades after a few thousand miles as the system gets gunked up again. With the MH it's worth putting it in the tank over winter when it's doing less miles so it's all clean and set up for the first long trip of the Spring.

Chances are your garage uses a similar product during the annual service anyway.