[Alext]

This may sound funny but I have noticed that after filling with a couple of tanks of BP 98 octane that there is very little soot on my exhaust tips after a run. Whereas with Shell VPower they become black very quickly.

Is there something in this - does BP burn cleaner or something? Has anyone noticed a difference in these fuels?

[pcockley]

All I can say is that I use shell and I drive pretty hard and the tips are black

[335i-boy]

Its interesting that you have posted this OP. I have been trialing Shell Optimax and BP Ultimate as part of a crude experiment regarding associated octane levels, my driving style and the effect this has on Procede Autotuned boost settings.

I have settled on one service station that is relatively new a couple of kms from where I live and a service station that has just been built in the Newcastle area which I travel to weekly. They are both BP service stations and my autoned settings settle to between 15.5 - 16.0 psi when filling up using them. See sig for mods. With Shell I would see autotuned boost settings of 14.0 - 14.5psi. It's funny, I also have noticed that after 10 days of driving my exhaust tips are clean using the BP product.

It's important to note the quality of the fuel depends on the proprietor of the service station ensuring the quality of fuel that they sell. I can personally attest to this. When filling up my E46 325Ci from a supermarket branded service station on the north shore in Sydney (Caltex), I had a couple of concerning moments in the morning where the car would not start "off the key" like usual and when it did fire up would stall after a couple of metres. I have had the E46 since 2002 and these are the the only two times that this has happened. Funny how a change of service station solved that problem never to occur again. So, I would suggest there would also be some variances in BP Ultimate and Shell Optimax depending on the service station.

Anyway back on topic, BP Ultimate ftw.

My automotive (and albeit cultural) heritage resides with "larger displacement" high comp, push rod, NA engines on pump gas. All the guys I know and myself run BP Ultimate in these cars. Driveability just seems to be better on it.

[Jeef Beef]

Originally Posted by 335i-boy

Its interesting that you have posted this OP. I have been trialing Shell Optimax and BP Ultimate as part of a crude experiment regarding associated octane levels, my driving style and the effect this has on Procede Autotuned boost settings.

I have settled on one service station that is relatively new a couple of kms from where I live and a service station that has just been built in the Newcastle area which I travel to weekly. They are both BP service stations and my autoned settings settle to between 15.5 - 16.0 psi when filling up using them. See sig for mods. With Shell I would see autotuned boost settings of 14.0 - 14.5psi. It's funny, I also have noticed that after 10 days of driving my exhaust tips are clean using the BP product.

It's important to note the quality of the fuel depends on the proprietor of the service station ensuring the quality of fuel that they sell. I can personally attest to this. When filling up my E46 325Ci from a supermarket branded service station on the north shore in Sydney (Caltex), I had a couple of concerning moments in the morning where the car would not start "off the key" like usual and when it did fire up would stall after a couple of metres. I have had the E46 since 2002 and these are the the only two times that this has happened. Funny how a change of service station solved that problem never to occur again. So, I would suggest there would also be some variances in BP Ultimate and Shell Optimax depending on the service station.

Anyway back on topic, BP Ultimate ftw.

My automotive (and albeit cultural) heritage resides with "larger displacement" high comp, push rod, NA engines on pump gas. All the guys I know and myself run BP Ultimate in these cars. Driveability just seems to be better on it.

Interesting in regards to the PROcede autotune settings. I shall investigate in the name of science.

Datalogs from two different tanks of fuel would be very helpful too.

[Alext]

I just filled up with another fresh tank of BP Ultimate last night and the tips remain clean still.

I know that by now on Shell they would be carboned up like anything.

[335i-boy]

Originally Posted by Jeef Beef

Interesting in regards to the PROcede autotune settings. I shall investigate in the name of science.

Datalogs from two different tanks of fuel would be very helpful too.

You're right datalogs are probably the best diagnostic tool we have. I didn't want to monitor boost settings only, but also every day driveability and response. I would love to datalog 1.5hrs of city and highway driving. My test track is now the F3 freeway. 160 km each way. There are 2 sections where I do a 3rd - 4th gear pull pretty safely depending on traffic. Would suspect jail time if caught though. Combine this with some spirited city driving in Sydney or the other end in Newcastle and hopefully you will get a mean value for Autotuned parameters, providing you don't change your driving style much in both directions.

Of course the Procede doesn't require anything like those distances to do it's thing. I use it more of an overview of where things have settled after longer periods of sustained driving with a particular fuel.

Also in Alext's case, it gives plenty of time for exhaust tips to carbon up.

[Jeef Beef]

Originally Posted by 335i-boy

You're right datalogs are probably the best diagnostic tool we have. I didn't want to monitor boost settings only, but also every day driveability and response. I would love to datalog 1.5hrs of city and highway driving. My test track is now the F3 freeway. 160 km each way. There are 2 sections where I do a 3rd - 4th gear pull pretty safely depending on traffic. Would suspect jail time if caught though. Combine this with some spirited city driving in Sydney or the other end in Newcastle and hopefully you will get a mean value for Autotuned parameters, providing you don't change your driving style much in both directions.

Of course the Procede doesn't require anything like those distances to do it's thing. I use it more of an overview of where things have settled after longer periods of sustained driving with a particular fuel.

Also in Alext's case, it gives plenty of time for exhaust tips to carbon up.

Sounds like a great mixed-driving situation to pull some datalogs. I'll definitely look into do some for community research sometime next month after exams.

My selection of roads isn't nearly as varied as yours though, and nowhere for me to do 3rd/4th gear pulls!

['fatboy']

Very interesting observation OP. I had noticed a similar thing but didnt think to follow up until i saw your post.

After yesterday's forum meet i noticed my exhaust tips were pretty clean given I did 275kms of pretty hard driving (it was raining like a b*tch, but i doubt that cleaned anything given the state my car looks now). I had filled up with BP the night before as my regular Caltex was closed...

Usually with Caltex, my exhaust tip would be coated in carbon the next day - on much less kms.

[David328M-Sport]

Originally Posted by 335i-boy

I have been trialing Shell Optimax

You mean Shell V-Power. Yes?

[Alext]

It's amazing what difference the fuel makes. Any engineers, mechanics, techies have a plausible explanation for this cos it's got me stumped?

Perhaps BP fuel promotes a more complete combustion in our engines thereby producing less carbon by-product?

[Jeef Beef]

Originally Posted by Alext

It's amazing what difference the fuel makes. Any engineers, mechanics, techies have a plausible explanation for this cos it's got me stumped?

Perhaps BP fuel promotes a more complete combustion in our engines thereby producing less carbon by-product?

It's probably down to the different additives they put in the fuel before pumping it out.

Don't quote me on this, but I believe there is only ONE refinery in Australia anyway where every company gets their fuel from.

[335i-boy]

Originally Posted by David325Australia

You mean Shell V-Power. Yes?

Yes. Optimax is a pretty old school reference for what is now Shell V- Power.

[graham999au]

For what it's worth, BMW have told me to stay clear of any fuel other than BP 98 octane. In particularly stay away from Shell. I drive a 335i N55.

[Jeef Beef]

Originally Posted by graham999au

For what it's worth, BMW have told me to stay clear of any fuel other than BP 98 octane. In particularly stay away from Shell. I drive a 335i N55.

I'd take that with a grain of salt, us N54 boys will do some datalogs and verify fuel qualities.