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Fuel

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9/6/2010 6:33:49  
 

Posts: 208
Since: 3/7/2007
Status: offline 		I put some high octane fuel in my Kawasaki 1100 and the difference in power was striking. Because of the price difference I wouldn't normally use it, but am now temped to put it in the 4200. Has anyone done this, and can you feel the difference? I checked the miles traveled on both types of fuel and they each returned the same.
9/6/2010 7:38:47  

Posts: 124
Since: 4/4/2010
Status: offline 		I always use high octane fuel, I thought the motor (high peformance) required it.

< Message edited by Aussie -- 9/6/2010 8:21:16 >

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04' 4200CC
9/6/2010 8:09:52  
 

Posts: 148
Since: 20/5/2010
Status: offline 		Was V power all the way for me, plus you get those little Ferrari model cars sometimes 
9/6/2010 9:08:05  

Posts: 128
Since: 6/11/2009
Region: Rutland
Status: offline 		I tried the posh stuff in my 3200 - couldn't tell any difference! Other more expert opinions would probably say there should be some benefit.
9/6/2010 9:58:09  

Posts: 633
Since: 11/8/2008
Region: Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Status: offline 		I have tried both normal unleaded and Tesco 99 and occasionally BP Ultimate, and I cannot tell the difference in my Maserati.
My little MR2 roadster used to do a few more MPG on the super unleaded but not that it was worth the extra cost.
I have been told by some that the engine management systems can adjust the engine to the extent that they run consitant regardless of the octane rating of the fuel you put in. How true that is, I can't say.
-David-

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4200 Coupe Giallo Granturismo
9/6/2010 11:27:14  
 

Posts: 190
Since: 8/3/2009
Status: offline 		The car manual claims, 95 octane as minimum.For me i can see a noticable difference between 95 and V-power racing, not much in end power, but in throttle response.
Nikos
9/6/2010 13:21:01  

Posts: 128
Since: 30/5/2008
Status: offline 		I seem to get more miles out of a tank on the special stuff.  Not measured it scientifically though.
9/6/2010 15:10:11  


Posts: 191
Since: 17/5/2006
Status: offline 		I always use V Power in mine, nothing but the best for my baby!
9/6/2010 17:24:20  

Posts: 157
Since: 9/5/2008
Region: Dorchester
Status: offline 		The difference in cost (in percentage terms) between 95 and 97(99) RON is not huge given the constant rise in fuel prices. Coupled with the relatively low fuel consumption of our cars, you may as well use the higher octane stuff anyway.
9/6/2010 18:25:58  

Posts: 298
Since: 5/4/2009
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Aussie

I always use high octane fuel, I thought the motor (high peformance) required it.


Unless it's changed since I was last there, in Australia you use lower quality petrol than Uk, with "regular" unleaded fuel being 91 RON and "premium" unleaded being 95 RON. Your premium is therefore equivalent to our standard (and UK premium is 97-99 RON). These cars are specified to run on 95 RON minimum, i.e Oz premium and UK standard..

The benefits (mpg, engine power and running) of using a higher than specified fuel seem to vary depending on what you read and what the car is. I use premium, but more out of habit as anything else, as my past few cars before Maseratis always required it.

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3200GT Manual (2002)
9/6/2010 18:29:06  
 

Posts: 437
Since: 7/4/2009
Region: UK - West Midlands - Solihull
Status: offline 		Relatively low fuel consumption.. I guess..

Anyway, what I was going to say is that I did a test over a few weeks last year to check the difference between Tesco unleaded and their high octane stuff.

Any improvement in throttle response etc. was probably psychological for me, so might have been better as a blind test.

However when carefully measuring (using both the trip computer and hand measurements), I found no difference between the two fuel type.

But nowadays I don't use supermarket stuff as I read comments that proper Shell / BP / etc. stuff is better - so it's Shell unleaded for me now.

I should say that I noticed a proper difference when using high octane in my 1999 BMW 528 - but apparently the ECU is programmed to detect and take advantage of the better fuel, whereas the 4200 doesn't have this.  Someone will correct me on this point I'm sure, but if right, there is no point in using the more expensive stuff.



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02 4200 CC
9/6/2010 21:03:20  

Posts: 633
Since: 11/8/2008
Region: Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Status: offline 		I suppose putting the high octane petrol in cost another £5 per fill? So that's about another £200 per year on 12,000 mile per year. Or almost enough to pay the road fund licence. So if you can't tell the difference...
-David-



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4200 Coupe Giallo Granturismo
10/6/2010 8:31:29  
 

Posts: 148
Since: 20/5/2010
Status: offline 		I thought one of the big benefits of V power was it had more stuff in to clean your engine. So ok maybe you get a small power gain but also it looks after your enigne a tiny bit better? I mean i see David point is that worth another £200 a year is the question. I not sure how you can value any gain in realiability?
11/6/2010 1:31:26  

Posts: 205
Since: 23/4/2010
Region: Witney, Oxfordshire
Status: online 		Concur with fishtank. Certainly with Shell Optimax, developed for ferraris, with which we have a link, have not only the higher octane but additional detergents. They claim that one tank will clean the engine, and give better efficiency, on just one tankfull - I think 2 tankfulls on ours might be more accurate due to the consumption! It cleans the combustion chamber (de-coke), plugs (with my neices KA stopped a misfire due to a coked up plug), cleans fuel lines and injectors. I appreciate it is possible to buy fuel system revivers which do the same thing, but actually cost more than a tankfull or so of Optimax. If the car system is coked and inefficient then Optimax will restore efficiency, and hence better fuel consumption. Whether using all the time does this with the Maserati ECU not sure, as someone else has posted, but still worth the occasional few tankfulls to retain the optimum clean occasionally. My experiences are as follows: on turbo'd engines which the ECU's do look for the different octane rates, then certainly better by about 10% (proof on turbo SMART), my MHD Smart no change at all, but it was new so no coke up/fuel line build up, and I will try it again with now 40K miles to see, MGZT definitely nearly 10% better, and the BMW330i definitely 10% better (somebody did mention that the BMW ECU looks for this). I think what is also worth bearing in mind that it is also protective maintenance, and although someone stated that the Maserati ECU does not recognise the difference, I beg to differ, as it can produce more power by being more efficient. Think back years ago (me and some other members can remember!), an E-type, MGB, and many others would "pink" (i.e. preignition) if you used below 98 octane leaded. The cure was to retard the ignition to stop this, with reduced performance, or put "Jet 101" in, advance as far as possible without "pinking", and get about 10% better performance, and  some economy. The modern ECU does this for us, so I feel that the Maserati ECU would have been designed to do the same, particularly now having oxygen sensors (Lamda), map sensors, intake pressure sensors, knock/pre ignition sensors (pinking), temperature sensors and variable valve timing sensors. Somebody please put me right if I am wrong, but I do not think so.
I use Shell Optimax the whole time, and after the first tankfull noticed the difference on performance and throttle response, and a bit more popping on overrun on changedown with the Larinis. Driven hard with no great long distances I average 17.8 mpg. I definitely get better consumption if I keep the revs above 3500, rather than pootling in 6th.
ECU remaps will also attain better efficiency, depending on requirements (i.e fuel efficiency, more power/torque at required revs, depending on individual requirements). However I personally with my 4200CC facelift, would only trust the Formula Dynamics systems, due to the devoted development and testing specifically for the 4200/Gransport. For instance Larini back sport boxes (5-7% increase), Optimax (poss 10% increase), let alone their individually programmed add on ECU (about 35bhp increase before the 2 previously mentioned). I went for Optimax and Larinis including the better sound. Please note we have a new sponsor who is the UK arm for Formula Dynamics systems.
http://www.maseratiforum.co.uk/fb.asp?m=55233
Great news. 

< Message edited by trident -- 11/6/2010 2:04:38 >

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Stephen Bromley

05my 4200CC Grigio nuvolari/beige, Grigio mercuri wheels, Alluminio calipers and Nero Incrociata grille. Larini back boxes.
53 MG ZT 190+, 52 BMW 330ci Clubsport, 58 Smart 4-2 passion MHD

11/6/2010 11:13:24  
 

Posts: 437
Since: 7/4/2009
Region: UK - West Midlands - Solihull
Status: offline 		Good post Stephen.  I wasn't using Shell for my test last year, but given your thoughts around the cleaning and maintenance benefits of Optimax, I think I will try this and see if I do notice a difference - looks like I will given your experience.



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02 4200 CC
12/6/2010 0:57:16  

Posts: 205
Since: 23/4/2010
Region: Witney, Oxfordshire
Status: online 		Thanks Dolomiah,
As a price comparison today the price for Shell unleaded 113.9p per litre and Shell Optimax 7p more. Only approx 6% more. If you are wonderering where is that price - Bourne End, Bucks.

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Stephen Bromley

05my 4200CC Grigio nuvolari/beige, Grigio mercuri wheels, Alluminio calipers and Nero Incrociata grille. Larini back boxes.
53 MG ZT 190+, 52 BMW 330ci Clubsport, 58 Smart 4-2 passion MHD

14/6/2010 7:43:19  
 

Posts: 148
Since: 20/5/2010
Status: offline 		I noticed at the pumps this weekend Tesco are rebranding their 99 stuff Momentum or something like that. Have they changed the formula i wonder?
14/6/2010 9:03:40  

Posts: 633
Since: 11/8/2008
Region: Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Status: offline 		Stephen - You have sold me on the "more popping on over run" although I sound like an artillery bombardment now!
I will give the Shell a go on my next few fills, reset the computer and see what happens.
Thanks for the write up.
-David-


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4200 Coupe Giallo Granturismo
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