BP Ultimate Fuel - SV650.org

14-03-05, 10:51 AM

Hey People,

Well after it's been out in the UK for a while BP has finally introduced Ultimate to Holland. So I have a few Q's for you:

1) Is it worth spending the extra cash on Ultimate (or other high grade fuels) with an SV?
2) If so what improvements should I see and after how long?
3) What fuel to use... In Holland I have only seen Ultimate and V-Power high grade fuels.

I tried Ultimate in my V40 and I must admit that so far fuel economy looks improved - by how much I won't know for a couple of weeks, but the needle isn't moving as much as I was expecting... I haven't really had a play to see about the performance.

Stu

Viney · 14-03-05, 11:05 AM

Hey Mav.

I have been using the shell optimax/BP ultimate in the sv for about a year. To be honest without reverting back to the old stuff i couldnt tell you if there was any difference. It cant be a bad thing though.

As for the V40, i have an s40 and the needle dont move for the 1st 100-150miles anyway!

14-03-05, 11:53 AM

Thanks... I'll give it a go - at least a tankful in the SV is cheaper than a tankful in the Volvo...

The needle moves generally at around 80-110 km's for me... As I say seems reasonable - but have to wait for the little orange light to know for sure...

Stu

Viney · 14-03-05, 12:14 PM

Thats the other thing. It only works out about a £1-£1.50 per tank extra on the bike, so why not in my mind.

14-03-05, 01:14 PM

One of the bike magazines (think it was Ride) tested "premium fuels" recently. On average it was something like 2-3% performance increase for 7-10% extra cost, so not really worth it apart from on track days. That said, the manufacturers claim better mpg figures, so the same volume of fuel should give you a bit more tank range too, which might be worth paying for in cross country treks, etc.

14-03-05, 01:53 PM

I use either Ultimate or Optimax but only because it makes a big difference to the carb-icing problems that my naked SV seems to suffer from.

.

14-03-05, 02:24 PM

No doubt embee or another technical wiz will be along to put us right (someone has to); but I thought 'super' unleaded was only of value in a engine that was a) designed to use the higher octane juice and b) had an ECU that could alter the ignition timing to take advantage of it - retard the timing to cater for poorer petrol.

embee · 14-03-05, 05:08 PM

As Chazzyb says, you won't reap the full potential of these fuels in a standard SV which is calibrated for 91RON fuel anyway.

Having said that, the octane rating (i.e. resistance to "knock") is only one aspect of a fuel.

The Calorific value (i.e. the energy content per kg) tends to be somewhat higher for the "premium" fuels than for regular 95RON, somewhere in the 2 or 3% range is typical, which is where the small improvements in performance recorded in back-to-back tests comes from.

The density tends to be a little higher too, so although you're paying more per litre, you're getting more mass and that mass has more energy content, which in practice offsets about half the extra cost. It's more debatable whether a carb engine can actually realise any such gains due to not having any feedback correction for fuelling, it's more relevant in 3-way catalyst/closed loop fuelling systems normal in cars.

As jonboy says, you can also get other effects such as being less prone to get icing, or it can help reduce deposits in the chambers and on exhaust valves. You may well also get different cold running characteristics due to different volatilities. Having said that, fuel varies throughout the year anyway (esp. the volatility) so you can't make blanket statements about any particular fuel, and it depends where it's refined as to what they produce.

All in all it's something that won't cause any harm, and you may find your engine feels nicer or responds better in some respect. Try it for a while, switch back, and see what you think. If you like it, great. If you can't tell any difference, don't spend the extra.

I use it occasionally just to see how it feels, although on continental Europe I tend to use 98 because it's typically only a cent or 2 more than 95.

14-03-05, 05:53 PM

I tried it a couple of times in the SV and to be honest, I didn't think it was that noticeable a difference to be worth the extra cost...
However, I also tried it in my tweaked 1976 MG BGT and as I had to use a lead additive (the one I used also contained an octane booster!

) it went bezerk! Just silly in the wet and great fun!

14-03-05, 06:34 PM

I just did a rather large rideout at the weekend and used the higher grade fuel for 6 tanks. First thing I noticed is the engine ran smoother at idle. When I started the bike from cold it ran on idle with no choke instantly. I also noticed that where as before the fuel light lit up at around 110 miles, now it doesn't light up till 120. The throttle seemed more responsive too.

I couldn't feel any performance gain at all. But then I suspect a 2 or 3 BHP gain would feel negligible if it were a gain at all.

14-03-05, 10:51 AM	#1
MavUK Guest Posts: n/a	BP Ultimate Fuel Hey People, Well after it's been out in the UK for a while BP has finally introduced Ultimate to Holland. So I have a few Q's for you: 1) Is it worth spending the extra cash on Ultimate (or other high grade fuels) with an SV? 2) If so what improvements should I see and after how long? 3) What fuel to use... In Holland I have only seen Ultimate and V-Power high grade fuels. I tried Ultimate in my V40 and I must admit that so far fuel economy looks improved - by how much I won't know for a couple of weeks, but the needle isn't moving as much as I was expecting... I haven't really had a play to see about the performance. Stu

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14-03-05, 11:05 AM	#2
Viney Member Mega Poster Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: In the shadows to the left Posts: 7,700	Hey Mav. I have been using the shell optimax/BP ultimate in the sv for about a year. To be honest without reverting back to the old stuff i couldnt tell you if there was any difference. It cant be a bad thing though. As for the V40, i have an s40 and the needle dont move for the 1st 100-150miles anyway!

14-03-05, 11:53 AM	#3
MavUK Guest Posts: n/a	Thanks... I'll give it a go - at least a tankful in the SV is cheaper than a tankful in the Volvo... The needle moves generally at around 80-110 km's for me... As I say seems reasonable - but have to wait for the little orange light to know for sure... Stu

14-03-05, 12:14 PM	#4
Viney Member Mega Poster Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: In the shadows to the left Posts: 7,700	Thats the other thing. It only works out about a £1-£1.50 per tank extra on the bike, so why not in my mind.

14-03-05, 01:14 PM	#5
Ceri JC Guest Posts: n/a	One of the bike magazines (think it was Ride) tested "premium fuels" recently. On average it was something like 2-3% performance increase for 7-10% extra cost, so not really worth it apart from on track days. That said, the manufacturers claim better mpg figures, so the same volume of fuel should give you a bit more tank range too, which might be worth paying for in cross country treks, etc.

14-03-05, 01:53 PM	#6
jonboy Guest Posts: n/a	I use either Ultimate or Optimax but only because it makes a big difference to the carb-icing problems that my naked SV seems to suffer from. .

14-03-05, 02:24 PM	#7
chazzyb Guest Posts: n/a	No doubt embee or another technical wiz will be along to put us right (someone has to); but I thought 'super' unleaded was only of value in a engine that was a) designed to use the higher octane juice and b) had an ECU that could alter the ignition timing to take advantage of it - retard the timing to cater for poorer petrol.

14-03-05, 05:08 PM	#8
embee Member Mega Poster Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Warwickshire Posts: 2,801	As Chazzyb says, you won't reap the full potential of these fuels in a standard SV which is calibrated for 91RON fuel anyway. Having said that, the octane rating (i.e. resistance to "knock") is only one aspect of a fuel. The Calorific value (i.e. the energy content per kg) tends to be somewhat higher for the "premium" fuels than for regular 95RON, somewhere in the 2 or 3% range is typical, which is where the small improvements in performance recorded in back-to-back tests comes from. The density tends to be a little higher too, so although you're paying more per litre, you're getting more mass and that mass has more energy content, which in practice offsets about half the extra cost. It's more debatable whether a carb engine can actually realise any such gains due to not having any feedback correction for fuelling, it's more relevant in 3-way catalyst/closed loop fuelling systems normal in cars. As jonboy says, you can also get other effects such as being less prone to get icing, or it can help reduce deposits in the chambers and on exhaust valves. You may well also get different cold running characteristics due to different volatilities. Having said that, fuel varies throughout the year anyway (esp. the volatility) so you can't make blanket statements about any particular fuel, and it depends where it's refined as to what they produce. All in all it's something that won't cause any harm, and you may find your engine feels nicer or responds better in some respect. Try it for a while, switch back, and see what you think. If you like it, great. If you can't tell any difference, don't spend the extra. I use it occasionally just to see how it feels, although on continental Europe I tend to use 98 because it's typically only a cent or 2 more than 95.

14-03-05, 05:53 PM	#9
coombest Guest Posts: n/a	I tried it a couple of times in the SV and to be honest, I didn't think it was that noticeable a difference to be worth the extra cost... However, I also tried it in my tweaked 1976 MG BGT and as I had to use a lead additive (the one I used also contained an octane booster! ) it went bezerk! Just silly in the wet and great fun!

14-03-05, 06:34 PM	#10
Stig Guest Posts: n/a	I just did a rather large rideout at the weekend and used the higher grade fuel for 6 tanks. First thing I noticed is the engine ran smoother at idle. When I started the bike from cold it ran on idle with no choke instantly. I also noticed that where as before the fuel light lit up at around 110 miles, now it doesn't light up till 120. The throttle seemed more responsive too. I couldn't feel any performance gain at all. But then I suspect a 2 or 3 BHP gain would feel negligible if it were a gain at all.