Optimax Fuel Quality

[Busky2k]

Nulon turned my plugs a rusty colour aswell, so I dont think its just wynns. Toluene was great, no deposits at all. But be careful with the concentrations.

[SLY33]

those who state that they notice no difference in the premium fuels, remember that pretty much EVERY one of our cars are different. Be it just different plugs to a fully reprogrammed ECU. It makes sense that those members who have had their ECUs tuned with a certain type of fuel in their tank are more likely to notice inferior fuel, as the tunes are specific to the type in the tank at the time.

With the FC displaying knock level i find it a good indicator of the fuel quality. Whilst on BP98 in adelaide knock was rarely over 20. With the trip over to sydney i was forced to use vortex at one stage, and had knock over 120! Now in sydney i found optimax up to 80 knock, and the BP98 here sometimes goes over 50, but usually it stays low. There definitily seem to be inconsistencies here in NSW for fuels.

but yeah basically the vortex stuff i consider the worst you can put in! I'll have to find a mobil and try some 8000 and see how it goes before the drags this wednesday!

[riggaP]

however doesn't BP use Ethanol in there fuel?

Not according to the stickers on the bowsers...

[LBR33]

the main people who use ethanol are the local no name servo that gives you 10c off then you get a car service

[Sydneykid]

those who state that they notice no difference in the premium fuels, remember that pretty much EVERY one of our cars are different.  Be it just different plugs to a fully reprogrammed ECU. It makes sense that those members who have had their ECUs tuned with a certain type of fuel in their tank are more likely to notice inferior fuel, as the tunes are specific to the type in the tank at the time.

With the FC displaying knock level i find it a good indicator of the fuel quality.  Whilst on BP98 in adelaide knock was rarely over 20.  With the trip over to sydney i was forced to use vortex at one stage, and had knock over 120!  Now in sydney i found optimax up to 80 knock, and the BP98 here sometimes goes over 50, but usually it stays low.  There definitily seem to be inconsistencies here in NSW for fuels.

but yeah basically the vortex stuff i consider the worst you can put in!  I'll have to find a mobil and try some 8000 and see how it goes before the drags this wednesday!

Hi Sly, in Adelaide you got Ultimate from Kwinana, arguably the best refinery in Australia. Made from NW Shelf crude, arguably the best in the world outside Saudi Arabia. When you come to Sydney you get Optimax from Clyde arguably the worst refinery in Australia, not that Geelong is much better. Made from Bass Straight crude, also arguably the worst in Australia.

There is ongoing capital expenditure at both Clyde and Geelong, aimed at fixing their consistency problems. Plus they simply have to, because of the emmisions demands. From what I can tell, if the 2005 standards where applied now, they wouldn't be able to sell Optimax. Too much sulphur, for one.

Ask the high performance 2 stroke guys (bikes and karts), their engines give fuel a real work out, that's why they use Elf. Not only higher performance from a superior formula, but consistent quality as well. You get what you pay for.

[HoeTrain]

So where does one purchase Toluene and will it work in a NA car as well? And what is the usual mix you guys like to use?

[Horus]

Optimax is shit

Synergy 8000 all the way

[Abo Bob]

Optimax is shit

Synergy 8000 all the way

Thanks for that helpful info.

[Disciple]

there is a racing fuel available in belmore NSW, its 102 octane on tap 385 cents per litre tho! very expensive. i put $10 in my civic (was almost empty) and i was popping 3rds in the dry, its fkn awesome but to fill up my tank for $200 no thanks!

[alpharisc]

BP Ultimate is the only fuel I can use, and feel pleased with myself. I had some very, very, very bad problems with Optimax, Mobil Synergy 8000 is pretty decent, but I think the BP is a little better.

[Russco]

Due to this thread I just changed from Shell to BP - the difference was noticable, better idle & engine felt much crisper. Thanks guys!

[sky^rkt]

i see alot of people have trouble with optimax, i have run my car on optimax for a month now and car is running great not missfiring or anything. i tend it hard to find bp ultimate around my area. i have used it once and it felt the same as optimax. as for mobil my car runs like shit on it

[alpharisc]

I am yet to find a Japanese import with stock ECU run better on Optimax than BP Ultimate, one thing I have noticed with Optimax is, it gives the greatest amount of K's per litre. (R32 GTSt, R33 GTS25t, R33 GTR, Forester S/tb, Legacy GTB, GC8 WRX, Pulsar GTIR all seem to like BP Ultimate, and Mobil Synergy 8000 best.)

[andy25]

I work in a motorcycle shop in Rockhamton and the first thing we say to a customer when they ask what fuel to run in their bikes is DONT RUN OPTIMAX then followed by what fuel is suitable. The fuel is heavier and thicker and it fouls the plugs very very quikly this goes for all bikes and jet skis. many a time have we had someone come in with a fresh full tank of optimax wondering why their bike stopped working. :bonk: I guess it might not matter in a car becuase the sensors might pick it up and the ECU would a adjust the mixture in some way. It also turns your plugs a funny colour aswell i guess thats because of the type of chemical used to boost the octatane. Pity you cant run good ol avgas in your cars becuase you cant beat it

[Ash]

has anyone else noticed if they just wash their car and they drive a full tank of optimax, the back and boot is coverd with heaps of black crap, if u do the same with ultimate, the back is still reasonably clean?

btw i have a white car so i notice this...

[Ash]

by the way, i dont notice any power difference or poping in my exhaust using optimax, however i do find i get more k's from a tank of ultimate..

and on another note, Synergy 8000 (or whateva it is) and BP ulitmate are the SAME! they come from the same refinary, from the same tanks and often from the same trucks. its not unusual to see a bp truck in the Mobil on the pacific hwy. and i think the one on epping road too...

my 2 c...

[Gizmo73]

I go with the BP Ultimate whenever i can - however, if stuck i use the optimax...

havent noticed any difference between the two (stock ECU)

[MLCrisis]

Hi guys. I work in the oil industry so know a bit about it, but not too much on the additives in refining. In sunny WA, the BP Kwinana refinery supplies all fuel to all outlets of all other brands - they are the only refinery within a coupla thousand clicks, so that would seem to make sense! But they just sell raw refined product to the other guys. Shell, Caltex and the rest add their own recipes of additives to produce their "own" fuel. BP may, depending on the contract, add some basic additives for some buyers. Being selfish, money-grabbing capitalists, BP don't sell their 98 octane Ultimate to anyone else in WA - especially not Shell!! So Shell have to make do with a raw 95 octane product, which they chuck a few things in to give it the yellow pecten touch :thumbdwn: .

As for the NW Shelf crude being wonderful stuff, you have to be careful which field you are talking about! Most production currently comes from the Wanaea & Cossack fields (operated by Woodside) and the Griffin field (operated by BHP Billiton). These produce a nice, light crude (quite different from each other, but not dissimilar to Arabian Light), which fetches a good price on the spot market. The Wandoo field (Exxon Mobil), Stag (Apache), Legendre :dump: (Woodside) and a load of smaller fields (ChevronTexaco and Apache, mainly) all produce crude ranging from nice, light crude :aroused: to thick, 'orrible, gungy stuff that is not exactly the refiners dream :throwup: . Then their are the Timor Sea fields, including Laminaria (Woodside), which produces a crude that you could put straight into your diesel motor and run it with no problems. In refining terms, you can produce a high octane cut from any crude, but you will have to work harder with some than others and your yield will vary depending on the feed stock. Refiners are always trying to plan the mix in their feed stock tanks, and hence the stuff they are buying (often when it is on the high seas), so as not to have to change operating parameters too much in the crude distillation units.

So BP Kwinana will be buying crude from all over, as will the Eastern states refineries. And they will try to buy stuff that they are set up for, without being raped on price on the spot market.

Meanwhile, given that it is the only 98 octane fuel available here, I use BP Ultimate. And it still gives me black crap on the back of my white car! (Just wait until I get an S-AFC!

Hope this helps. Interesting thread!

Cheers.

[Abo Bob]

I have noticed the black crap on the back of my white car too. Have changed to BP for a couple of tanks recently and now that you guys mention it, there does seem to be less black crap there now.

[Ash]

so im not the only one