Optimax Or Not ! ?

Dear All,

I was reading some of the technical spec on the fuel but could not find what I wanted to know so decided to ask..

Reading between the lines if a user cleans up his engine first with a few tankfuls of the shell wonder juice,

You could probably save yourself money by running say 1:4 tankfuls of Optimax -v- Unleaded

As the octane rating difference is not that different the real benefit is coming from cleaner fuel and low sulphur content.

Does anybody know, run anything else in their engines, thats not NOS.?

This was the reply I got..

===========================

Thank you for your e-mail concerning Shell Optimax.

I can confirm that the minimum octane rating is 98, the typical value is

98.6 RON. However, it is not just the octane rating that differentiates

Shell Optimax from other fuels. Shell Optimax is a unique highly refined

new formulation which burns more cleanly to give you smooth power delivery.

It is able to do this because:

* as the petrol with the highest octane rating in the UK it enables advanced

modern design engines to work more efficiently thereby delivering more power

*it has the ability to remove performance sapping deposits left by other

fuels from the airways of the engine

*it is free of the heavy constituents of petrol that leave dirty residue in

you engine.

The combination of these effects means that the fuel and air flow smoothly

and quickly to the engine, burning more effectively to give you increased

performance and a quicker response.

For further information relating to your nearest stockist please do not

hesitate to contact our Customer Service Centre on our free phone number

0800 731 8888.

Regards

Matthew Wagster

CSC Professional

Shell U.K. Oil Products

Rowlandsway House, Rowlandsway, Wythenshawe, Manchester M22 5SB, United

Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)800 731 8888 Fax: +44 (0)161 499 8088

Email: [email protected]

Internet: http://www.shell.com/uk

-----Original Message-----

Sent: 05 June 2002 13:16

To: Customer Services, Customer C SUKOP-UOCS/89

Subject: Octane rating ofOptimax

Dear Sir,

I read on your web site that this fuel is higher than 98 RON. But what is

the rating exactly please. My engine runs best on 100-101 so it is clearly a

good fuel for my car.

I would just like to know what it is.

Thanks,

Alan Hunt

I think you will find many of us, particularly Jspec owners run optimax and an octane booster to get as close as possible to 100-101. Don't forget to pull your EFI1 fuse for a few minutes to reset the ECU so it can learn the octane rating of the new fuel. It takes a few miles to settle down.

Optimax is more consistant.

I use it on its own with a MINES ECU and 1.3bar not had a problem with the fuel AFAIK.

Its a better priced than SUL so why switch as you can't run normal UL.

I ran on optimax exclusively for about three months, and then had to put a tank of BP SUL in. The car ran like utter shite, really rough sounding, missing at idle and under boost, very tractor-like. As soon as possible, I went back to optimax, and five seconds after I turned the key on the forecourt, it felt silky smooth again; I've never used anything else since!

I know it sounds dramatic, but it was such a huge difference that I'm positive I didn't imagine it. It's as addictive for engines as crack cocaine and bent VCR's are for scousers

Yeah, and with OptiMax you're guaranteed the same quality fuel no matter where you go:-

With my other car, I find that (on the whole) a *large supermarket chain*'s petrol is absolutely DREADFUL (premium unleaded, the difference was noticeable yet the RON was the same (on the pumps anyway!)) compared to, say, Shell normal unleaded....

Not all unleaded is the same....

All I here is good things about it....

The pick up on throttle is so much better you wonder if the car has just been serviced.

I definately won't change back but wouldn't it be nice if Shell would do a special for high performance motors like 100-101 octane...

I'm told by a mate its worth approx 25bhp to the engine.. But I wouldn't know as I have not driven anything with 100+ RON

Or is that a story put about, to put us off buying Jap spec motors.

Ahem I think 25 brake is a bit optimistic - is your mate American?

OptiMax IS Shell's petrol for high performance motors.....

On the subject of petrol and noticing differences between different brands, one i do not recommend you use (in my humble opinion) is T*TAL Super Unleaded as i used that once in my Golf and it was very very noticeable that the engine was pinking with it wheareas with Optimax it's fine. :(

and if anyone from "T*tal" is reading this, then this is my opinion only and so no, i am not being defamatory about your wonderful SUL.

I hear what you say, I think its more a case of people saying its 25 Bhp because they would rather put you off buying any import.

Infact hes not a Yank, hes Mr 360 with his Ford sierra cossie,,,

so watch out around manchester,,,,

higher octane is always goingt o be good for turbo cars even mroe so when you turn thee boost up. It's only just got here in Glasgow. From using shell SUL can can clearly say that it feels better top end but does it actually make a difference. who knows. I always fill up with shell super in both my puntos and now they have optiplop I will use that.

Originally posted by springbok

I'm told by a mate its worth approx 25bhp to the engine

Probably because he is turning the boost up.