Poll: Shell V-Power Premium - Good or bogus?

[wolfox]

Just wondering:

Are you guys seeing any value at all in Shell's V-Power Premium fuels? Just looking for a Yes/No answer and your insight. There is a local station selling the fuel for the same price as regular gas every Tuesday for 24 hours. I am wondering if anyone is seeing any results for what they claim and/or if there is anything to gain or loose by switching to these fuels in our trucks.

If you have used it, I would like to ask what your initial impressions were and if there was any long term benefit too. (Mileage, performance, effects, etc.)

[BlazerLT]

Any s10 engine is made for standard fuel.

Additives can actually cause plug fouling over longer periods of time.

Stick with a good quality national brand 87 and concentrate your money on engine bolt on mods etc....

[mrfirebird]

i agree with LT, it's made to run on 87.

[chcknugget]

Here in Michigan midgrade is usually the same price as the regular so I sometimes splurge on that.

In my organic chemistry class we explored the different grades of gas and their performance values. We found that premium is the same as regular except it is more refined- I think specifically more water is taken out. I wasn't really paying attention in class, but I heard that gas naturally has some water in it, and it doesn't really hurt our engines. Water causes a lack of performance and "detonation" (that's what they called it- I don't think it's really that), basically there isn't a full explosion in the cylinder. Premium burns fuller and should give more power and better gas milage than regular.

This is just my idea, but maybe the fowled plugs is a result of the water not present in premium (from decarbonization thread). Maybe the water is needed to flush out the carbon that gets stuck in the engine.

Please don't criticize me -just the post. This is just what I heard half asleep in class! There is a 2 page explanation in my orgo book too, I'll dig it up and get some facts.

[Fireplug]

BlazerLT is right
unless you have a bad ping(timming out) stay with the 87 grade. The knock sensor and everything else is set to that grade of fuel. I could tell you so many stories about drivabilty problems cause by switching to a higher grade fuel.
Fireplug

[BlazerLT]

Exactly, we have knock sensors that adjust for maximum advance timing anyways.

All premium allows is for the knocks sensors to retard as much and keep the timing more advanced which means slightly more power.

But is the price worth the difference.....


Nope......

[wolfox]

Thanks for your replies and reasoning thus far. Makes perfect sense. My good old Dodge Ram was built to run on just plain pump gas forever and a day. I too have not seen any benefits to any additives either from anyone in the past. I think about the only one that does anything is Techron - it solved an oil consumption problem in a short-lived Rodeo from sticking rings. (The engine then quickly fell apart from neglect and lax oil changing schedule - they are sensitive to that!)

Too true as well, being that sensors can quickly adjust out any timing/mixture/pinging troubles unless there is something wrong with the entire management system that cannot be readily adjusted by the driveline computer. That would be a good time to look under the hood, or take it to the shop.

So in a way, I totally agree with the insight thus far. Now, does anyone have any contrary opinions or experience out there? It is looking more and more that Shell formulated this gasoline in the advertising department more than in an actual chemical laboratory. For all we know, they just badge engineered a fuel that was already blended by the millions of gallons and could not figure out how to get rid of it fast enough.

[wolfox]

*Bump* Still looking for folks that used this fuel - and their experience. Anyone? Beuller?

[Fireplug]

Sorry No Shell Gas stations in my area , county or state that I know of.

[chcknugget]

Yesterday I read an article in the New York Times about flex fuel in Brazil. I saw that they use %15 ethanol in gas when I went through Indiana last year. The article said that in Brazil ethanol yielded equal or in some cases more horsepower than its dino gasoline counterpart. The paper also said that most self service stations there carried ethanol... Any thoughts?

[Fireplug]

Yep
Say good by to your o2 sensors say hello to lots and lots of drivabilty problems.
Here in PA USA. They tried that way back in 1996 and the only had 5 % and it was a nightmare. The emission systems could not handle it with out doing some type of flash to the ee prom in the pcm/vcm and GM had no flash to do. So we had so many idle problems ,surges , stalls, eaten o2 sensors wiped out cats, just to name a few. No in this day and age I dont know if any aftermarket company offers a flash to the ee prom for this type of fuel.
If it was me I would push my truck before I used that stuff.
Just mt 2 cents worth.
Fireplug