Improved petrol promises better mileage

[Squeak the Rat]

From the herald.

Any one know what the additives are and if there's likely to be problems in bike engines?
---------------------------

Improved petrol promises better mileage

01.05.06
By Jarrod Booker

A new type of fuel used to set a driving efficiency world record is arriving at New Zealand pumps as motorists seek respite from high petrol prices.

The new formula, to be launched today by Shell in its Ultra 91 and Ultra Hi 95 petrol, is based on the technology used by Australian motoring gurus John and Helen Taylor in their drive around the world using less than 24 tanks of fuel.

Using the new formula and efficient driving techniques, the Taylors managed to surpass the manufacturers' fuel consumption standard for their 1.6 litre Volkswagen Golf by 55 per cent.

Shell says the new fuel will save motorists money, but how much depends on how a vehicle is driven and maintained.

Shell spokeswoman Jackie Maitland said the company's new fuel-efficient product came at no extra cost to consumers.

It was being launched today but had already been introduced to petrol supplies at the company's major storage depots in recent days.

The company had been working since 1997 to develop the improved fuel.

It is aimed at reducing engine friction and improving cleanliness, so energy usually lost upon combustion can be utilised.

Automobile Association spokesman Mike Noon said the effect of the product had yet to be seen but he imagined any potential saving would be attractive to motorists "really feeling the prices".

Mr Noon said anecdotal reports were that people were increasingly turning to public transport and thinking more about their driving and fuel economy.

A lot of savings came from the "style and the way you drive", he said.

"It is very true that the faster you go, the more it costs."

[TwoSeven]

Wonder what the additive is - could just be a 10% ethonol blend like they use overseas.

[Crisis management]

Who needs an explanation! I believe oil companies implicitly and will rush out and drain the bike, car and boat fuel tanks immediately and fill them with this new wonderfuel. I can feel the savings already!:blip:

[Finn]

I think it's bullshit. Sure driving efficiently will make a difference but I doubt the fuel does much at all.

I'd like to see a bench test. 55% my arse.

[Squeak the Rat]

Wonder what the additive is - could just be a 10% ethonol blend like they use overseas.

My bike manual says to avoid using ethanol additives. :angry: No idea why but i don't want to have to find out the hard way!

I'll try to contact shell to see if they have any idea...... And stop using them until I get an answer. Bloody mondays make me grumpy. :)

[Swoop]

... used by Australian motoring gurus John and Helen Taylor in their drive around the world using less than 24 tanks of fuel.

I notice they do not list the amount of times they had to push their cage, or the distance covered while pushing the damn thing to the nearest shell gas station!


"It is very true that the faster you go, the more it costs."
Bollocks! Don't they know that it's "the faster you go, the greater the mess!"

[Motu]

Methyl Benzine??.....Maybe Caltex will now bring out Boron....

[The Stranger]

Seems like every time a petrol company announced a new super additive in the past it only lasted a short time before being withdrawn amid accusation that it had damaged this or that in the engine.

Wonder if this will be any different.
Personally I would be cautious and let others find out first.

[James Deuce]

My bike manual says to avoid using ethanol additives. :angry: No idea why but i don't want to have to find out the hard way!

I'll try to contact shell to see if they have any idea...... And stop using them until I get an answer. Bloody mondays make me grumpy. :)

Rots rubber fuel lines and seals, and gums up fuel pumps with the crap that bleeds off the fuel lines. Injected bike - no fuel pump - no go.

[ManDownUnder]

A lot of savings came from the "style and the way you drive", he said.

.... and there... buried among the sales hype... is enough truth to allow them to publish it.

I reckon if I rode the bike very carefully I'd achieve 55% too... y'know - top gear, moderate rev range, everything lubed and oiled, 2am - empty road and highest oxygen density.

Compare that to rush hour 5pm, hot day when the chain needs some attention.

Yeah - 55% would be a doddle.

As for the new additive - who knows.. maybe it will help, but not 55%.

[mummy rider]

Have spoken to the local garage bloke who rides a Harley, after getting my WOF on my bike I asked about the new fuels that are on the market, he advised me unless I have deep pockets to stay away from the new additives that we are being promoted to use. On average he is doing 2-3 farm bikes a week because the new stuff is perishing the seals:scooter:

[R6_kid]

i normally get 240-250km out of a tank before needing to fill up ASAP, but i have stretched that to 270-280km with a lot of nana riding (commuting only).

The car probably had the windows locked shut, no radio, no air con, everything non-essential removed etc.

55% is a shit load to save, but think, if they knocked 55% off the price of gas and let it eat into their budget for a little while we would all be 10 times happier?! :yes:

[JT.]

.... and there... buried among the sales hype... is enough truth to allow them to publish it.

Thats just the AA chump commenting.

They probably did achieve 55% better fuel ecomony, but what else did they have to do to achieve it :wait:
I think it's along the lines of what you described to get good economy.

Did anyone see the top gear ep when clarkson drove the audi A8 twin turbo from london to edinburgh and back and averaged 14Km/L. He used no more than 1500 rpm over the whole journey, no air con etc.. :zzzz:


Methyl Benzine??.....Maybe Caltex will now bring out Boron....

saw some caltex ad the other day advertising 'Techron' to help clean my engine and give me better efficiency.

[Pixie]

Thats just the AA chump commenting.

They probably did achieve 55% better fuel ecomony, but what else did they have to do to achieve it :wait:
I think it's along the lines of what you described to get good economy.

Did anyone see the top gear ep when clarkson drove the audi A8 twin turbo from london to edinburgh and back and averaged 14Km/L. He used no more than 1500 rpm over the whole journey, no air con etc.. :zzzz:



saw some caltex ad the other day advertising 'Techron' to help clean my engine and give me better efficiency.
Techron is a cleaning additive that's been around for years.
The major car companies in the US insisted fuel manafacturers use these additives when fuel injection became common.

[Ixion]

Methyl Benzine??.....Maybe Caltex will now bring out Boron....

Benzole anyone?

[inlinefour]

In todays naki paper. Claims that adding a "petrol pill" to your contents of the tank will improve economy by 15% and reduce emissions by 75%! Worst sounding scam Ive heard for awhile...:wait:

[The Pastor]

I read the artical about the car getting 55% better fuel economy, they also said they have driven around the world on less than 24 tanks of gas... I wonder how big a tank that would be...... And how much of the trip was on a trailor...

But the "new" petrol... I don't buy it (hehe sorry for the pun) I think its excatly the same, or if it has changed the change is/will be so minor its not worth getting worked up about. Kinda like when one petrol station "slashes" the price for 2hrs to 3c cheaper and the lines of cars are queing for ages where just a few hundred meters down the road, the next petrol station is empty. YOUR ONLY SAVING $1.2 ON A 40L TANK! (based on dropping from 1.7/L to 1.67/L) Unless my math has faild me you all are cheap basterds! (the people who are queing for the "deal")

I guess its all in the mind, fulling up with the 98 is only $5-6 more than with $91... But $5 is alot of money....

[Lou Girardin]

Whatever the additive is, it improves upper cyl lubrication and reduces carbon deposits. It sounds like Techron, but that's a Caltex product.
Still, who gives a fat rats arse about economy when your vehicle does 17 km/l and tops out over 240 k's.

[Flyingpony]

My bike is consuming 50% less fuel than stock by two changes:
1) Suzuki fixing a stutter & stalling in the rain.
2) Better quality motorcycle engine oil.

It'll be interesting to see in 6-8 weeks time when I tank if it improves any more.
Should I decide to fill with Shell.

[TwoSeven]

I understood the shell challenge to be 35 fillups or less - they did it in 24. They are using a standard VW Golf and have increased the fuel economy to about 20km/l from 14km/l.

The new fuel is called "Shell Fuel Economy Formula" and is branded as Super and Economy. There is a link Here (http://www.fuelchallenge.com/blog/?page_id=9).

Here (http://www.shell.com/home/Framework?siteId=nz-en&FC2=/nz-en/html/iwgen/zzz_lhn.html&FC3=/nz-en/tailored/shell_for_motorists/fuels/fuel_economy_pkg/introduction.html) is the link for the fuel at the pump in NZ.

[Skyryder]

I think it's bullshit. Sure driving efficiently will make a difference but I doubt the fuel does much at all.

I'd like to see a bench test. 55% my arse.

Mine too Finn.

Sounds like just another fuel additive gimmick used as a PR blurb to fool the publick into believing that they are looking after their interests. Purchase our new super duper fuel with staying power. Proven in road tests for better mileage etc. Bollicks. Shit that spiel is as old as I am. And its old.

Skyryder

[thehollowmen]

An increase in fuel economy of 55% would give me over 650 km per tank!!!

I would love to get the news article print it and take them to the small claims court to claim moneys back. Because I wouldn't buy shell normally

[Dadpole]

Methyl Benzine??.....Maybe Caltex will now bring out Boron....

Bloody Hell. I remember those too.... When Oh When will the Altzheimers kick in and let me forget my advancing years?

[Squeak the Rat]

In case any one cares, Shell kindly replied to my query:



snip
There is no Ethanol content but is more a variation on traditional detergency and lubricity that gives us the effect on proven reduced consumption.

[froggyfrenchman]

now thats how to give a complex sounding answer without telling you anything!

[XP@]

Well, I filled up with the stuff last night.
on the prev tank (BP) i managed 18.5km/l driving really carefully. I normally get about 16km/l using the throttle as an on-off switch.

If I keep the bike long enough to fill her up again (hopefully not) I will report back.

[scumdog]

Whatever the additive is, it improves upper cyl lubrication and reduces carbon deposits. It sounds like Techron, but that's a Caltex product.
Still, who gives a fat rats arse about economy when your vehicle does 17 km/l and tops out over 240 k's.

But people like me that drive dinosaurs that do about 5km/l around town could be interested - but that sort of fuel economy improvement probabaly is as truthfull as calling Helen a super-model...

[Blackbird]

The only frisson of pleasure I got from reading the report was discovering that the spokesperson was Jackie Maitland, ex-Rugby Union Spin Doctor, ex-Carter Holt Harvey Kinleith pulp and Paper Mill employee when she was in her late teens. She was an absolute babe when she worked at the Mill and no red-blooded male could ever concentrate on anything she said.

I'll just go and take my pills now......:nono: :nono:

[Lou Girardin]

But people like me that drive dinosaurs that do about 5km/l around town could be interested - but that sort of fuel economy improvement probabaly is as truthfull as calling Helen a super-model...

I think some of the locals are confusing the record drivers economy driving with the effects of the fuel. No-one has claimed 55% improvement just from using the gas.
But let us know if you get up to 7.75 km/l.
That's 4.4 k's per dollar:shit:

[thehollowmen]

Filled up with this because Shell is where I fill up between supermarket and home.

Although I often go to BP for the dunedin trips.

I can say lots of things like "perkier" and smoother or whatever but that's not the dyno results and isn't fact.

What I will say is I couldn't get out of the forecourt. I had to pop off the seat and adjust my idle screw because it idled too low and stalled if I left it with a closed throttle for a few seconds

never thought fuel would make that much difference :-o

[thehollowmen]

But let us know if you get up to 7.75 km/l.
That's 4.4 k's per dollar:shit:

That's true.
I can get an 55% improvement just by changing from first to third.:blip:

[XP@]

Just reading the leaflet the guy at the pump shoved in to my hand last night...

What a load of crap, it tells you absolutly nothing about the fuel. It is filled with verbose statements like this which offer no real information.

Independantly verified tests prove that our fuel economy formula in Shell Ultra 91 and Shell Ultra Hi 95 petrols can take you further.
... further than WHAT? untreated fuel we are told later...
... How much further? 1km/l or 1km/100l?

It also turns out the drivers in the challenge used a fuel "based on" the same technology used in the New Zealand Fuel economy formula. But aparently not the same formula...

There are also some interesting differences petween the leaflet and the record breakers website...
Fact Leaflet (website)
Days 71 (78)
Kms 28,970 (28,970)
#Tanks 40 (24)
liters ???? (1303)

[Zapf]

Did anyone see the top gear ep when clarkson drove the audi A8 twin turbo from london to edinburgh and back and averaged 14Km/L. He used no more than 1500 rpm over the whole journey, no air con etc.. :zzzz:

Its really not that hard to do.... I got a Honda Jazz 1.3L Manual. Its got a 1300cc with dual spark and it does min 16~17km/L mixed city and motorway driving.

Just got the new Honda civic too... and its a 1.8L. Its 1st tank did 13.7km/L and its not even run in yet...

[scumdog]

I think some of the locals are confusing the record drivers economy driving with the effects of the fuel. No-one has claimed 55% improvement just from using the gas.
But let us know if you get up to 7.75 km/l.
That's 4.4 k's per dollar:shit:

Of to AshVegas this weekend (770km round trip) and don't want to even THINK about 'fuel economy while my 7+litre engine guzzles the stuff!

Does get 17mpg on a trip (You metric types can figure it out for yourselves)

[Lou Girardin]

Its really not that hard to do.... I got a Honda Jazz 1.3L Manual. Its got a 1300cc with dual spark and it does min 16~17km/L mixed city and motorway driving.

Just got the new Honda civic too... and its a 1.8L. Its 1st tank did 13.7km/L and its not even run in yet...

This is a biker forum, not nannymoblies anonymous. You'll be discussing the prices of blue rinses or shampoo and sets next.

[Lou Girardin]

Of to AshVegas this weekend (770km round trip) and don't want to even THINK about 'fuel economy while my 7+litre engine guzzles the stuff!

Does get 17mpg on a trip (You metric types can figure it out for yourselves)

Try keeping to 100 km/h, you'll get over 20 mpg.

[Hitcher]

Same octane but "slipperier"? I suspect the mystery ingredient is bullshit.

[Hitcher]

I got a Honda Jazz 1.3L Manual. Its got a 1300cc with dual spark and it does min 16~17km/L mixed city and motorway driving.
I got a Honda ST1300 manual. And it does 17-21kml in mixed city and motorway riding.

[beyond]

Well, I've been using the stuff for the last three tankfuls and I'm backfiring heaps more than I have ever done.

Don't know about economy cos I just fill up hen she's nearly empty, but Colemans adjusted my mixture last service to get rid of the odd backfire, which it did. hardly backfired at all after that service but after filling with shell, whhooaaa. Puts a whole new meaning on riding shot gun.

:)

[Zapf]

I got a Honda ST1300 manual. And it does 17-21kml in mixed city and motorway riding.

I know.... Honda's rule.... :innocent:

Your ST does weight 1/3 of the cage thou...

[TwoSeven]

My machine is running a bit rich at the moment and popping a bit - it does that in cold weather. Its due to have a carb strip and clean when I can get off me arse and do it. Might take the time to look at the plugs and see if the mixture needs sorting.

I've noticed that shell fuel does feel as dry as some of the other kinds, wonder if thats the difference.

[Insanity_rules]

Dunno about the mileage claims but I've just run half a tank of the new shell stuff through my cage, miss gone and a little more pickup. And a whole tank through my bike, better pickup really noticeable.

Both run on 91. Dunno whats in it but it appears to burn better than the old stuff. Anyone else have the same effects?

I only run shell gas, as I can charge it to my business. Either there was something wrong with their old gas or the new stuff is an improvement.

Edit: I've just been to the web site and their really not keen to tell you whats in it. I really want to know now. Anyone know?

[XP@]

Commuting whitby to wellington
25kms each way avg speed 75kph to 80kph

Riding quite hard 15-16km/l (throttle open or closed)
Taking it really easy 18.5km/l (no second gear)
Taking it really easy 20.8km/l (still no second gear, and using the new shell fuel)

I didin't manage a full tank of the shell stuff, I filled up at 258kms and hadn't even gone on to reserve. Normally I hit reserve at 230kms.

With the price being over $30 for a fill up this type of difference is becoming noticable.

Now, it is one thing filling up my, very soon to be ex, F650 with the stuff. But what about my brand new transalp? If I use only shell and the carbs crap out will I be able to sue?

[The Stranger]

Now, it is one thing filling up my, very soon to be ex, F650 with the stuff. But what about my brand new transalp? If I use only shell and the carbs crap out will I be able to sue?

Sure you will.
How deep are your pockets?

[slimjim]

:puke: what a load of crap , another sell sell sell bullshit :Pokey: :Playnice: and they don't play fair