Fuel Experiment with a 6L

[kato128]

Hey Guys,

Saw a few threads on different fuels used in the V8's so figured I'd do an experiment with my own and post some results up since it looked like mostly opinion.

Basically I ran 4 tanks of E85, Vortex 98 and Vortex 95 and averaged out the range and cost per km for each fuel. The aim was to find the fuel that was cheapest but still ran nice in the car.

Notes:

• I live near a caltex so I didn't try other fuel brands.
  
• I was going to get data on e10 but after putting it in the tank yesterday the car has run so crappy I'm not going to punish the car with 4 tanks of it.
  
• All driving was done with 4 tanks of the indicated fuel with 3 tanks of commuting in Canberra (25kms each way) and 1 inter-state trip for consistency.
  
• I use A/C once in a blue moon so 98% of the driving was done with it off.
  
• The tank was filled up when the low fuel indicator came on so roughly 62L is used per tank.
  
• The vehicle used is a September build 2011 Auto SS-V with no mods (hasn't had it's 15 thou service yet).
  
• Driving was done from october 2011 till now so no winter fuel mix was tried.

Results

E85:
Avg Range: 415KM
Avg cost per KM: 19.4c

Vortex 98:
Avg Range: 519.75KM
Avg cost per KM: 19.2c

Vortex 95:
Avg Range: 511KM
Avg cost per KM: 18.7c

So there's my results. Your mileage may vary (I rarely drive like a christian motorist) but I dare say the cost difference between fuels should be fairly consistent.

***Update****

Finished with 4 tanks of BP ultimate. Found it to feel the best power wise out of all the fuels tried. So without further ado here's the result.

BP Ultimate:
Avg Range: 499km
Avg cost per KM: 19.7c

***Update 2****

Finished 4 tanks of 91 unleaded from 7/11. Found it was about equivalent to vortex 95 go wise (tho I really can't tell the difference now that I'm back on bp ultimate). Results below.

91 unleaded 7/11
Avg Range: 528.5km
Avg cost per KM: 17.5c

[Potta9]

Good to see I'm not the only one who does this stuff. Not as much now as it's not my daily anymore. Did you notice much difference between the 98 and e85 performance wise?

[K-Man]

Awesome work. Looks like you put a bit of thought into this for a reliable result.

[kato128]

Good to see I'm not the only one who does this stuff. Not as much now as it's not my daily anymore. Did you notice much difference between the 98 and e85 performance wise?

It was barely noticeable but what I did notice was having to fill up every 4 days. I would recommend 98 over e85 any day simply for the time saving of filling up less. But it was nice opening the bowser up that had "WARNING NOT PETROL OR DIESEL" on it and watching people gawping at me putting 60L in from the forbidden pump.

[RiCeY]

lol

Id be keen so see you try Ultimate 98 if you have one nearby?

[Jarp]

Excellent info Kato...would be interested to know what average price per litre you paid for each fuel? Was the E85 the last fuel you used and did you think it took a little while to adjust to the fuel change? My results on the V6 are very similar...although not worked out to the per KM I dare say very similar percenatge differences in useage and costs.

[kato128]

Excellent info Kato...would be interested to know what average price per litre you paid for each fuel? Was the E85 the last fuel you used and did you think it took a little while to adjust to the fuel change? My results on the V6 are very similar...although not worked out to the per KM I dare say very similar percenatge differences in useage and costs.

E85 was the first fuel I used in the testing (was about the 3rd tank I put in the thing from getting it new) followed by 98 and then 95.

It did seem to pick up performance the more it used it so it could get better with more than 4 tanks (I hear 6 tanks is the magic number for improvement but no data to support it) but I didn't notice much difference going to 98 and it basically stayed at the same level for all 4 tanks of 98.

Fuel was bought at Kaleen Caltex except for e85 which was in Nicholls (only northside outlet for e85 in Canberra).

Avg Fuel cost/L by type:
E85: $1.29.7
Vortex 98: 1.59.2
Vortex 95: 1.54.2

@RiCeY: I'm lookin to do some numbers on that fuel since e10 is a bust. Just gotta locate a BP that isn't 3 suburbs away from where I live and work.

[Nuddy989]

caltex fuel is poo,

there is hardly any difference between the 95 and 98. I know this from experience (my car was pulling timing like crazy using vortex98). I now use BP Ultimate or Shell v-power.

Would be interesting to see you do this with BP Ultimate and see the difference.

They did this on a current affair and the 98 was better, but I don't think they ever said what brand of fuel it was

cheers

[Xonar]

That's very good dedicated test

I will be doing a similar test using Shell petrol

e10, 95 and vPower

Stay tuned for results

[Xonar]

That's very good dedicated test

I will be doing a similar test using Shell petrol

e10, 95 and vPower

Stay tuned for results

[Hunter SS]

caltex fuel is poo,

there is hardly any difference between the 95 and 98. I know this from experience (my car was pulling timing like crazy using vortex98). I now use BP Ultimate or Shell v-power.

Would be interesting to see you do this with BP Ultimate and see the difference.

They did this on a current affair and the 98 was better, but I don't think they ever said what brand of fuel it was

cheers

the guy that did the tune on my car said that Vortex98 was better, BP Ultimate was the worst. I always use Vortex and it runs better than on Ultimate.

[kato128]

I've noticed a lot of people trash various brands (I myself am not a fan of Shell). Seems to vary region to region and servo to servo. I'm interested to see the data behind them all though. I'll upload my incomplete data from e10 after this tank and probably switch to ultimate 98 or something.

[lease1]

Cammed auto ssv on liquid injected lpg 9.7 cents per kilometer

[kato128]

Cammed auto ssv on liquid injected lpg 9.7 cents per kilometer

How's it go compared to when it was petrol only?

[Nuddy989]

the guy that did the tune on my car said that Vortex98 was better, BP Ultimate was the worst. I always use Vortex and it runs better than on Ultimate.

You're right there... I should of stated "Vortex 98 from Woolworth owned Caltex"

I heard that BP Ultimate is the only fuel that they will guarantee to be 98?

[LachieSV6]

BP Ultimate is the most consistent fuel across all BP Servos,.

Shell V-Power can be great too BUT not all petrol stations have this consistant Octane and because there are aparently more additives in the V-power, as opposed to Ultimate it can go off faster, thus petrol stations in rural areas may have lower octane V-Power because it is being replaced less than suburbier.

I used to use both V-POwer and Ultimate, but i noticed too much difference in response between V-Power at different servos. so i now use Ultimate all the time and its definately the best in my opinion.

[lease1]

How's it go compared to when it was petrol only?

A fair bit better LPG = 108 Ron

[gambler]

A fair bit better LPG = 108 Ron

What's the set up cost like for this? I've just started doing 1200 km's a week on the highway, and im spending a couple hundred on petrol a week.

[RiCeY]

Its not all about RON value. LPG has a lower calorific value than petrol. (It produces less total heat and therefore less peak pressure in the cylinder.) Simply put, LPG gives slightly less 'bang' per charge. LPG is slightly less potent as an internal combustion engine fuel. The driver will instinctively react to this by opening the throttle more to achieve the desired speed or rate of speed increase. Thus, more liquid fuel (LPG) will be used than when running on petrol. Also 108 is peak but not guaranteed. It can be as low as 102RON. All the above being said is is still generally cheaper to run, but performance wise petrol comes out on top in most cases.

[Pub247]

unless you have forced induction Liquid injection wins every time

Want the best fuel go E85 but expect to pay for it though

[Wongy295]

What's the set up cost like for this? I've just started doing 1200 km's a week on the highway, and im spending a couple hundred on petrol a week.

1200 a week?! Wow. That's alot of km's.

I have LPG in my '07 Lumina. It's Liquid Injection and it's incredibly cheap to run (I can fill up from empty for a touch over $35).
I got the system installed at Central Ford (irony?) and cost me $4200 to install, but I got a rebate of $1500.
It only takes about 25,000km until the system pays itself off.

Things to remember

• It isn't a dedicated LPG system. (If you run out of petrol, you're up $h!t creek)
• LPG does not like to do any manual work. You're fuel consumption will skyrocket if you treat your car like a rocket ship, or if you tow.

If you have any questions at all, feel free to shoot me a PM.

[Jarp]

Its not all about RON value. LPG has a lower calorific value than petrol. (It produces less total heat and therefore less peak pressure in the cylinder.) Simply put, LPG gives slightly less 'bang' per charge. LPG is slightly less potent as an internal combustion engine fuel. The driver will instinctively react to this by opening the throttle more to achieve the desired speed or rate of speed increase. Thus, more liquid fuel (LPG) will be used than when running on petrol. Also 108 is peak but not guaranteed. It can be as low as 102RON. All the above being said is is still generally cheaper to run, but performance wise petrol comes out on top in most cases.

The E85 has a much lower calorific value too. I've noticed the cats run nearly 200 degrees C cooler on the E85 than on reg fuel. Have to ask though is the fact it burns cooler all bad from a power production perspective? Thought lower temps can also mean that higher compression ratios are capable through manipulation of the VVT?

[Rufys]

Want the best fuel go E85 but expect to pay for it though

LMAO!!!

[RiCeY]

The E85 has a much lower calorific value too. I've noticed the cats run nearly 200 degrees C cooler on the E85 than on reg fuel. Have to ask though is the fact it burns cooler all bad from a power production perspective? Thought lower temps can also mean that higher compression ratios are capable through manipulation of the VVT?

From what Ive read you can run higher comps with E85.

Here's an interesting read comparing E85 v E10 V Premium Unleaded Ethanol fuel | bio fuels | alternative fuels | E85 | E10

[kato128]

Well all I know is that e10 runs so badly I may as well have lopped 2 cylinders and an injector off my car.