I use only Caltex (not woolies/caltex) fuel. Either Unleaded or Premium. Same for boat and car. No problems and have been using ONLY caltex for 5 years (fuel card).
I'm not sure if the performance / efficiency gain on premium is only psychological, but I like thinking my car/boat is feeding on the good stuff. I would only use premium about 5-10% of the time though.
Guys,
By 2006,all you will be able to do in Australia is purchase low sulphur diesel!!
Mobil have recently decided to upgrade Altona refinery to produce low sulphur diesel as well.
As someone has stated previously, only use the co branded sites!! If you purchase fuel from a Non major, you are just asking for trouble!! You might save 4 cpl, and if you put in 80 litres, it is $3.20......think about it for what it is really costing you in the long run!!
Go the premium!!!!
ALL I use is premium unleaded. Do a fuel test for yourself. Take the cost of an injector clean every 15000ks or every second service on the boat and add to that poor performance and you will soon see that premium, although costing more at the pump, saves you money... I run a car dealership and all my cars here are fuelled with premium. We will not use standard unleaded. Our workshop makes plenty on the cars owned by people trying to save 4c at the bowser. Every 15to 20 thousand k's the performance drops and in they come for an injector service. We have done the sums and running engines on premium gives better performance and saves you about 2c a litre overall. Makes sense to me. Less hassles and less cost in the long run and better reliability. Let's face it. Nobody likes to be towed in. I have a 150 optimax on my tub and can feel the difference between standard and premium unleaded. I also get a better range from premium. about 10% better range.
I CAME INTO THIS WORLD KICKING, SCREAMING AND COVERED IN SOMEONE ELSES BLOOD. I HAVE NO PROBLEM GOING OUT THE SAME WAY.
NEWBY T.G.
Fuel at Wollies fuel stations depends on which state you are in.
From their web site.
Where does Plus Petrol fuel come from?
Woolworths is able to sell fuel at lower prices. A large percentage of its products in New South Wales and Victoria are sourced from surplus production when available from a wide range of more efficient overseas refineries compared to more costly and outdated refineries in Australia. These lower prices are made even more attractive by the Woolworths' discount offer of at least 2 cents per litre for customers who spend $30 or more at a Supermarket (Woolworths, Safeway) or BIG W stores. The discount can be as much as six cents per litre depending on the amount spent and special offers.
Woolworths sources fuel from a variety of sources including some of the major Australian refineries as well as from overseas. All fuel sold by Woolworths meets or exceeds Australian Standards relating to quality specifications designed to ensure vehicle performance and environmental protection.
BP supplies the majority of fuel sold to Plus Petrol customers in WA, SA, QLD and Tasmania. In NSW and Victoria, the majority is supplied by Trafigura, an international supplier that purchases from available refineries overseas. Trafigura also buys fuel from local suppliers Shell, Caltex and Mobil. Caltex also supplies fuel to a number of Plus Petrol outlets on mainland Australia.
More info at
http://www.woolworthslimited.com.au/...-01-2002_a.asp
mate who knows what crap we are getting?? ??? By the sound of it they don't even know one day to the next where they are gunna get it from. A bit like buying fruit and veg one daygreat the next yeah
Be very careful if using shell optimax in carbed 2 strokes unless you have your motor tuned to run it, optimax is a more dense fuel than any other and as such needs changes to jetting to mix more air/volume of fuel if this is not done it will lead to excessive carbon bulid up in cylinders causing major damage. This does effect 4 strokes but not as quickly, EFI seems to be ok as the lambda meter on the exhaust adjusts for the change automatically. I know some guys that race motocross and a few years ago they had to stop using race fuel and go to pump fuel so they did a fair bit of testing on fuels as far as they were concerned Caltex Vortex came up trumps burned cleanest and most power! optimax was deemed poison
Cheers
Matty
I swear i have read somewhere in an issue of a BnB on the negative effects on an outboard's cyclinders/pistons from the use of premium fuel??
So is it okay to use premium unleaded fuels on marine outboards?
Originally Posted by Derek Bullock
Well Actually, the Caltex Refinery manufacturers the fuel on behalf of Woolworths, and they get too chose how they want it, what additives they want in the fuel and what level of octane they would like in their PULP and ULP.
My Wife's Brother is the Head Chemical Engineer for Shell, and he has explained to me the composition of all fuels from different companies, and I tell you, will be amazed once you know the difference.
Here in Australia, it is best to use either BP or Shell and for Import Petrol Mobile Xion, Mobile imports I think 50% of their fuel and has the BP refinery do the rest, Shell and BP have their own refineries here in Australia and thus better quality is it is engineered for our cars.
Octane levels between Service stations.
Woolworths/7 Eleven/Metro/Neumann/Liberty:
ULP 92-94% Octane
PULP 96% Octane
Usually minimal good additives
Ampol/Caltex:
ULP 94% Octane
PULP 98% Cocaine
Additives vary from station to station
Shell:
ULP Approx 95% Octane
PULP Little over 98% Octane
Additives vary from station to station
BP/Mobil:
ULP 94% Octane
PULP Little over 98% Octane
Additives vary from station to station
Each Company has its own additives, and you will find that all Shell/BP/Mobile leased services some times sacrifice quality for price and the figures may vary a little, how ever directly owned servo, but just under management contract always have the best fuel as they get the complete mix.
Oh I should note that the figures quoted above are as of August last year, my brother in-law tells me that every month it can change as they are always improving and changing chemicals in the fuels so nothing is accurate 100%, but it is close enough.
Premium fuels also make cars Idle rougher due to the larger ignite from the higher levels of octane, and the more mixed in chemicals. I have no clue what effect it would have on a Marine engine, but generally with cars it gives better fuel consumptions, and better burning and less gas emissions, and I have been told it is not a good idea to mix PULP with 2 Stroke oil as it can change the composition of the chemicals and pretty much make the additives null-void, unless how ever the 2 stroke oil specifically states that it is designed for premium, how ever in Australia we don't have that here yet.
Any way, that's my advice, I would take it as gospel as I don't often catch up with my brother In-law, he is either in Holland at shells head office or in Singapore, so it is getting harder to get the latest info.
Hope it helps,
Cheers,
David.
(PS) You are also by law allowed to request what chemicals, and what levels of octaine are in the fuel if you request it, but you must ring up their head offices in Australia to do thisOha nd excuse my spelling and grammer
when i brought my 225/4s yamy they said not to run it on premium does any one use premium in their four strokes ihave been using woolies and to be honest i havnt had a problem
The compression ratio of your motor dictates which octane rated fuel you should use.
Octane levels between Service stations.
Ampol/Caltex:
ULP 94% Octane
PULP 98% Cocaine
Additives vary from station to station
[/quote]
Is this 98% Cocaine at Ampol/Caltex still at 94 cent a litre
Off too get some of this stuff lol
Just kidding
I dont chase the cheaper fuel just whats on offer on the way to the ramp, but have heard that woolies and the others use cheaper fuels thus been able to give the discounts.
But I will be looking into it after reading this post.
Tight Lines
Adrian
Hi Adrain,
I dont chase the cheapest either, i live in Birkdale and i have BP on one side and Shell on the other, i use BP when going to the wello ramp and Shell when going to the Thornside Boat ramp.
To be honest, i dont know a great deal about fuels only just what i am told, and as far as i can see it, it is more of an each to his own thing, my fav are BP and Shell i dont seem to have any troubles with their Premium fuels or their Standard Unleaded, and i only use Premium for me car. Caltex Fuel on 4 occassions now leaves and awful smell when burnt, and according to my wife a smell that reminds here of rotten boiled eggs (I have no clue what so ever what rotten boiled eggs smell like so dont ask me), but i must say the smell is horrible and that is on 3 different fill up at different servos's, and i dont use Mobile cause there are none around my area and they are usualy way more expensive to everyone else.
My 2/c
Cheers,
David.
You acknowledge Caltex has a refinery
'Wife's Brother is the Head Chemical Engineer for Shell,'
An unbiased opinion?
What happened to the Caltex refinery and don't they care like BP/Shell and isn't their fuel better because it's made in Australia too. Directly across the Brisbane river actually.
Kev
ps I have no affiliation with any fuel company and buy fuel from just about anywhere.(just thought this post somewhat odd)
Hmm Good point Kev, i thought the same thing myself, but back when i was doing security 6 years ago at their gates, it was just a processing and storage plant, there are not many refineries in Australia that i am aware of (But will stand corrected if someone knows more then my very little).
And i am quite unbiased as i dont promote Shell as i like both Shell and BP fuels
Actualy you will find that Here in Australia there is one major refinary that make fuels for all the majors, they basicly just give them all the info they need and away they go cooking it up, the other small refineries process little fuel and more of the oils and other small bits and peices
And i am much like yourself, i buy from whom ever is closest to me when i need fuel, but i generaly try and buy from the local guys to support them as most of the ones here near birkdale are non company owned.
Cheers,
David.
David...the rotten egg smell is more than likely Hydrogen Sulfide ..a by product of the combustion of unleaded fuel. I would be having the car checked..could be an ignition fault or some other engine fault..not the fuel.
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