Shell V Power

[Camryman]

Anyone tried out the new Shell 98 and 100 V Power fuels?

I remember ages ago that someone lab tested the old Optimax with the other brands and BP Ultimate came out on top. Not sure if similar tests have been done since the launch of the new fuel formulas from Shell.

[JustenGT8]

Yup, i tried the 100 Octane and as expected LOST 25rwkw. Higher Octane means slower burn so unless you tune for it there's really no point. Fairly sure if i did retune there would be gains but until it's very widely available i'll just stick with the 98's out there. In my experience Caltex 98 gives the best result, best economy as seems to burn the cleanest as well.

[Norbie]

From what I understand the "new" V Power fuels are the same as the old Optimax stuff except they threw in a friction modifier. From a performance perspective I doubt there'd be any difference.

Justen: are you aware the 100 octane fuel contains 5% ethanol and thus has a lower energy density? This is the reason you lost power, not the octane per se. From the reports I've been hearing you have to make your fuel map a bit richer to get any gains with this fuel, otherwise you're likely to lose a bit of power (as you experienced).

[The Witzl]

yeah i've had good experiences with the Caltex Vortex 98.... i used to not like Vortex when it was just 96ron, but the 98 stuff seems to run rather well on the 18R-GE.

Justen: are you aware the 100 octane fuel contains 5% ethanol and thus has a lower energy density? This is the reason you lost power, not the octane per se. From the reports I've been hearing you have to make your fuel map a bit richer to get any gains with this fuel, otherwise you're likely to lose a bit of power (as you experienced).

Yep, that's spot on Mr Norbie. It would be interesting to see what gains could be had with a little enrichment and a few more degrees of timing

[JustenGT8]

From what I understand the "new" V Power fuels are the same as the old Optimax stuff except they threw in a friction modifier. From a performance perspective I doubt there'd be any difference.

Justen: are you aware the 100 octane fuel contains 5% ethanol and thus has a lower energy density? This is the reason you lost power, not the octane per se. From the reports I've been hearing you have to make your fuel map a bit richer to get any gains with this fuel, otherwise you're likely to lose a bit of power (as you experienced).

Yup i sure am although i thought it was actually as high as 10%? It's still the octane rating that controls burn rate regardless of the composition. The ethanol is there to make it an 'oxygenated' fuel which is also where some of the hp potential lies. I believe the octane allows (requires in fact) more ignition timing and the ethanol needs a much richer mixture.

Whatever, to the average punter this is a gimic as there's not a car out there to take advantage of the potential and while it's still pretty rare why would you tune to suit? 98 is plenty to do the job as i think the UZ has demonstrated and i can get it pretty well everywhere.

[deviant]

This is interesting...have shell only just released the V Power 100 here?

In the UK BP has released 102octane fuel...its not ethanol mixed stuff either its the real deal...but shortly after Shell had a big launch of V Power to rival it..

Fingers crossed BP do the same here though Im not sure I can see it happening...the roads are littered with modified and super cars over there that lap the stuff up and every town has a race track of some sort so it was worth their while. I believe that near as damn it every BP now sells the stuff

[Thomas]

Shell Optimax Extreme == Shell V Power 100
Shell Optimax == Shell V Power

BP Ultimate == The best.

[Grega]

i run v power in my SC VN with no issues. get good milage out of it too!
i find that mobil 98 is very very good though. i think it likes that better. when it was tuned it was tuned on optimax mind you.

[glytch]

No V Power over here in WA. BP Ultimate only.

I ripped this graph from the Shell website when they first launched V power



Seriously.... WTF?

[kugzs]

obviously v power is short for vtec power yo

[pAuL]

or they tested on a ls1

[LeeRoy]

That graph looks so bogus. It something i would expect a student doing a "projected" graph of something would design. I like how it contains no factual data or supporting evidence, nor a lack of numbers to show what scale it is on. For all we know it the base of the y axis could be .0001 and the top the the red be .0002

...im sure it will convince a few average Joes though

- LeeRoy

[glytch]

obviously v power is short for vtec power yo

Its funny you should mention it. At the time I did a few mods

[MR22ZZ]

V-Power is just rebranded optimax, apparently they've added a new injector cleaner to it though.

IMHO Vortex98 still wins, I've had best results with that, BP Ultimate a close second.

[JustenGT8]

When i was living in Perth BP used to have a servo with Avgas on pump!!! Petrolhead hi comp heaven. My old 18RG with 10:1 comp ratio used to love the stuff...actually would ping on anything else with the advance i was running.

[glytch]

When i was living in Perth BP used to have a servo with Avgas on pump!!! Petrolhead hi comp heaven. My old 18RG with 10:1 comp ratio used to love the stuff...actually would ping on anything else with the advance i was running.

Really? Hmmmm..

I think the only place now is Wannaroo. Though if you know someone at the Kewdale BP storage I think they have it out the back I see trucks going to and from the Airport all the time.

[JustenGT8]

Really? Hmmmm..

I think the only place now is Wannaroo. Though if you know someone at the Kewdale BP storage I think they have it out the back I see trucks going to and from the Airport all the time.

We are talking 90-91 so quite some time ago....even our local airport has clamped down on Avgas sales, used to be $1/litre.

[twentyEight]

That's just ghey, it doesn't give any measurement at all...

It's the same as spreading your arms out and saying "V-power gives you exactly this much extra acceleration!"...

[finney]

yeah that shell 100 stuff i found to be amazingly average with my 20v running the factory ecu which to my understanding should actually benefit from the 100? I usually run the vortex 98 or the mobil 8000 and have found both of these to be great for economy and ultimately better performance that either of the shell petrols.

[1jzracing]

This may interest a few

I changed from avgas to opti extreme and picked up 12rwkw on my 1j with no other changes other than corecting the mixtures.... read dumping in about 10 -15% more fuel

BIGEST thing i liked was that it dropped over 100 degrees of exhaust temp (love that ethanol!!) and it didnt ping even at 24psi, made a best of 354rwkw also made 200rwkw at only 4500 rpm!!