alleged 'dodgy' supermarket fuel in the south east

[RobC]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6405701.stm

i usually try to fill up with Tesco's 99 RON fuel - in fact i did so in edmonton, north london, on saturday.

anyone experienced any problems? not so from me - car pulled liked a train as usual. it really loves that high octane stuff

from reading about other motorists' horror stories it seems the problems are related to lamnda sensors. just as well i don't have one then!

if there really is dodgy fuel about then i think BX's should be ok because of their more primitive management systems, but i'd be interested to know if there have been any problems form anyone?

[Anonymous]

filled up @ tescos and guess what!! no probs either! bx's rule ok!!

[Adrian E]

Probably alright with the high octane stuff, as that'll have a different additive mix.

Heard on the news this evening they're now looking for other contaminants rather than just whether the fuel meets the BS quality level. Silicone was mentioned as a possible cause.

[Vanny]

i used to fill at 'Save' petrol stations in Wallasey about 8 years ago and that fuel was hideous! Its a very rare occasion that i will fill up on supermarket fuel as in my nec of the woods there aren't many super markets with fuel and there about the same price as the Shell which is inveriably very close! I have noticed in the past a difference between shell diesel and diesel extra, not not really much difference in using super market fuel ('Save' aint a suppermarket, its just naff fuel!)

[iain a]

....it affected the oxygen/lambda sensor....so if you've not got a cat it won't affect you...probably...plus i heard fords and volkswagon seem to be immune.....

[bob hughes]

Full tank of Tesco petrol, and heading north in the morning,300 miles approx,so we shall see.
Bob.

[Mike E (uk)]

I once bought a tank of Asda 4* fuel for my Cavalier about 9 years ago, it run noticeably worse,and I could even hear the difference in the engine's sound!
I put some Esso in, and it was normal again.

I have no idea what caused that, but I have avoided Asda fuel since.

Mike

[Adrian E]

Bob

You won't have a problem It's only stations that receive their deliveries from a refinery in Essex, so you should be fine down on the Riviera!!

Adrian

[bob hughes]

OK,still in the north, and have done 500+ on tesco's fuel and good as gold.
Bob.

[Vanny]

So, this whole dodgy petrol issue, it's an interesting problem! The fuel originates possibly from Shell Holland but one thing that is known (by me at least) is that all the fuel is stored and distributed by Royal Vopak (a netherlands company based out of Rotterdam) which fortunately the other halfs dad works for! Seems that Tesco and Morrisons have the same local tanker distributor and they've started cleaning there tanks with something different! And the result is that transfer pipes are breaking down and putting silicon into the fuel (bet you didn't already know that ), the silicon is covering the lambda sensors. Some lambda sensors (4 wire sensors) aren't being effected and these sensors are heated so it is assumed that the heating element is burning off the silicon, I suspect this is only effecting Siemens 2/3wire sensors as PSA seem to have a thing for using Siemens at the moment!

Thing about it is, they reckon only 8 tanks worht of contaminated fuel went out, and if you dont have a cat (or motronic 3.1?) then you wont have a problem (BX wise). The new problem is everyone is sueing everyone, but the suppliers and retailers all know whose fault it is but there is so much cross sueing no one is aloud to say anything! Generally, i wouldn't worry about it in your BX and if you don't already have problems, you wont!