New fuel

[Richnd1974]

Bit confused by the new fuel, so the question will my 1989 956cc unit be OK on the new fuel?

 

[reidalpine]

Hi Richnd! I gather your 956 really needs 98 Ron (Oct) -What's in the new soup they serve you 'round B'mouth these days? E5 or (even worse) E10? Own experience from Motorways France and Autobahn Germany this summer is that you'll mostly only get E10 (No security-grade/E-FREE there) you'll have to take a U-turn into smaller villages to find the honest stuff. E-free 101 Ron(Oct) only available at few stations at €2.20/L.
Our 1398cc R5 Alpine(Gordini)motor runs at higher temp on the shitty E-stuff (even E5) and gets real lazy. I'm using led-substitute but gets ingrown toenails of the goings-on inside the motor....
Discussed issue with one of Germany's real PROS (Udi got his own pro-racing A-110 1800cc.-Usine) Plus works proffesionally on Alpines & other classics every day-so knows well the facts and downsides re this scam,he tells me we'd best take precautions to shield fuel-lines/carb(s) and fuel-pump from stray-heat by using heat-shielding wherever we can-also try to get fuel-lines far away from heatsource (motor-block) exh.manifold etc.as possible. Even go electrical pump mounted far away from block.
He also tells me NOT to drill main(?)-jets up 30% as I've heard mentioned elsewhere. Go ONLY 10% up from stock is what he recommends..
Swedens PC-correct ignorants&imbesiles has bellied-up ,so now default is 10E all over. Stay out or carry jerry-cans with proper stuff,same shit here in Norwayland ,covardly ignorant politicians left it to "trade" to decide ,so now (much)harder to locate even E5

Tip to self:
Support ONLY stations that sells security-grade/E-FREE gasoline. Also goes for everyday-runabout.
Also-Mucho Importante:
Tell the others why you drive past them!

-Hope you find good solution/-Reid.

 

[Jnr-Renospeed]

For those in the UK (or maybe other countries) Esso supplies 99 Octane Zero Ethanol petrol. I and others have noticed it has improved warm up times, responsiveness and hot starting over the ethanol swill.

The 99 Octane supreme does say E5 on the pump but it DOES NOT contain any ethanol, it is merely a government requirement to label all petrol that 'could' have up to 5% Ethanol in it.

The price at the moment is pretty expensive for the e-free juice but it's worth it particularly if you're going to leave your car sitting for a few months without starting or you're doing a long sustained journey. Unfortunately for those in Devon and Cornwall they do not supply these areas.

 

[reidalpine]

Hi junior-Hope all's good with you guys. We only have 95(E5) and 98 over here in the quarry.) 98 was Promised to be the securing grade for the
vehicles that wouldn't cope well with E. Then the politicians left it to the trade and soon as they saw fit they cut it out on lots of stations...
-Your info re 99 in (at least most of) old Blighty being labeled as E5 -but not actually containig it, was news to me
-but All good if so! -R

 

[Eoynteenie]

Is running E10 that much of a big deal?
From the sitting side I see that as I had a Triumph with a plastic tank that I left and the Ethanol ate thou its tank and bubbled the paint work ¬_¬

 

[Jnr-Renospeed]

Short term - not massively no, though e5/10 petrol doesn't perform as nicely like Reid said, even in our low tune 4 engines.

However long term, you kind of answered your own question, metal parts will corrode and rubber/plastic will deteriorate. Fuel tanks will go rusty if left with ethanolled fuel in them, this happened a few years ago to my Dads Renault 12 when a bit of fuel was left in the tank, when he was changing the engine - the water in the ethanol attracts more water into the mixture which then seperates from the petrol.

Certain parts such as fuel lines can be replaced however with ethanol protected hoses. And a fuel additive can prevent some damage occuring.

 

[Richnd1974]

For those in the UK (or maybe other countries) Esso supplies 99 Octane Zero Ethanol petrol. I and others have noticed it has improved warm up times, responsiveness and hot starting over the ethanol swill.

The 99 Octane supreme does say E5 on the pump but it DOES NOT contain any ethanol, it is merely a government requirement to label all petrol that 'could' have up to 5% Ethanol in it.

The price at the moment is pretty expensive for the e-free juice but it's worth it particularly if you're going to leave your car sitting for a few months without starting or you're doing a long sustained journey. Unfortunately for those in Devon and Cornwall they do not supply these areas.

Good plan I'll fill it up with that fuel next week.

 

[Iain]

Hi Richnd! I gather your 956 really needs 98 Ron (Oct) -What's in the new soup they serve you 'round B'mouth these days? E5 or (even worse) E10? Own experience from Motorways France and Autobahn Germany this summer is that you'll mostly only get E10 (No security-grade/E-FREE there) you'll have to take a U-turn into smaller villages to find the honest stuff. E-free 101 Ron(Oct) only available at few stations at €2.20/L.
Our 1398cc R5 Alpine(Gordini)motor runs at higher temp on the shitty E-stuff (even E5) and gets real lazy. I'm using led-substitute but gets ingrown toenails of the goings-on inside the motor....
Discussed issue with one of Germany's real PROS (Udi got his own pro-racing A-110 1800cc.-Usine) Plus works proffesionally on Alpines & other classics every day-so knows well the facts and downsides re this scam,he tells me we'd best take precautions to shield fuel-lines/carb(s) and fuel-pump from stray-heat by using heat-shielding wherever we can-also try to get fuel-lines far away from heatsource (motor-block) exh.manifold etc.as possible. Even go electrical pump mounted far away from block.
He also tells me NOT to drill main(?)-jets up 30% as I've heard mentioned elsewhere. Go ONLY 10% up from stock is what he recommends..
Swedens PC-correct ignorants&imbesiles has bellied-up ,so now default is 10E all over. Stay out or carry jerry-cans with proper stuff,same shit here in Norwayland ,covardly ignorant politicians left it to "trade" to decide ,so now (much)harder to locate even E5

Tip to self:
Support ONLY stations that sells security-grade/E-FREE gasoline. Also goes for everyday-runabout.
Also-Mucho Importante:
Tell the others why you drive past them!

-Hope you find good solution/-Reid.

I'm just back from Sweden where I collected my 1966 Volvo Amazon and drove back home to France, where I also have a late 80s Quatrelle. In Sweden I was advised by old-car collectors to use the 98/E5 fuel as it should be okay! Who really knows, onlt time will tell, I reckon.

 

[Homegrown]

I live in sweden allmost all cars can be run on e10.
It was same discussion when lead was banned. All car engines would be ruined. All cars that have aluminium heads havent had any problems cos they have alredy hard valve seats.
Propably you notise no differense between e5 or e10. In theory your car need thiny bit more fuel but I dont you can tell any difference

 

[edwin]

these chaps have done a lot of research on this which can be accessed on their website.

Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs​

 

[rennart]

Bit confused by the new fuel, so the question will my 1989 956cc unit be OK on the new fuel?

hi, me too - saw an ad from Sta-bil, but of course is out of stock on the website! Got this from my local hardware shop. Should I be using this as an additive for E5 fuel from now on?

 

[Homegrown]

I think you worry for no reason.
And of course fuel enhancement companies want us to buy their products.
Engine may need som more fuel to compensate for the extra 5% ethanol (10%). The adders don't fix that. If it's on the lean side you have to open up the jets tiny, probably no worries at all. On the positive side with ethanol in the fuel It burns cooler and cleaner.
Negative it cleans so well that old debris in tank and fuel lines will be solved in the fuel so extra fuel filter can be good. Some have reported problems with rubber hoses also. There is hoses that are compatible with 100% ethanol.
Normal good brand rubber hoses are ok.

 

[nickharman]

I am now using Super 98 in the UK in my 66 Stiletto. There is some talk the E10 will attack old rubber fuel pipes and even rot solder in the carburetor.

For 10p a more a litre I won't risk it. The car is a bit more refined than an R4,twin strombergs for a start.

My R4 is still marooned in France in the Catch 22 of no MOT no carte grise dupa.

When I finally get back to it I will change all the fuel hoses and add an inline fuel filter and hope for the best on the E10

 

[André4Renaults]

I am now using Super 98 in the UK in my 66 Stiletto.

(Slightly off topic) Is that a Sunbeam Stiletto, based on the Hillman Imp, but even faster? ~Blimey, they ARE rare! If memory serves, 4 headlights and a more sloped rear window than the Imp. Nice, very nice!

 

[edwin]

When in France recently. there was the national open day, so we went to look at the local castle. While there a Hillman Imp in the pale green colour turned up, driven from the uK on a touring holiday. Rare even in the UK, but to see it there was amazing.

 

[nickharman]

(Slightly off topic) Is that a Sunbeam Stiletto, based on the Hillman Imp, but even faster? ~Blimey, they ARE rare! If memory serves, 4 headlights and a more sloped rear window than the Imp. Nice, very nice!

Yes it's quite quick, or at least feels it!
Main difference to Imp is twin carbs, 4 headlights, fixed rear window, vinyl roof, servo brakes, oil cooler and different instrument layout.

ive just had it fixed up with a lot of new panels and resprayed after 20 years in my possession

 

[722stu]

For those in the UK, Esso Supreme+99 is indeed ethanol free.
You can get a 6p per litre discount if you join the Porsche Club UK... it's a £60 a year membership, so you'd have to fill >1000 litres a year to make it worthwhile (glossy magazine excepted), so that's going it some for a R4 but if you're filling other cars too...
https://www.porscheclubgb.com/membership/partners/esso-fuel-card

 

[Sage103]

For those in the UK (or maybe other countries) Esso supplies 99 Octane Zero Ethanol petrol. I and others have noticed it has improved warm up times, responsiveness and hot starting over the ethanol swill.

The 99 Octane supreme does say E5 on the pump but it DOES NOT contain any ethanol, it is merely a government requirement to label all petrol that 'could' have up to 5% Ethanol in it.

The price at the moment is pretty expensive for the e-free juice but it's worth it particularly if you're going to leave your car sitting for a few months without starting or you're doing a long sustained journey. Unfortunately for those in Devon and Cornwall they do not supply these areas.

Not all of the UK benefits from ethanol-free Esso 99. Scotland, North Wales, North England, Devon and Cornwall all have up to 5%, due to ’technical supply issues’ according to their website. I was just checking before heading out to fill up.