[russjonesr]

Hi Guys,

I raised a query with Tesco to see if there were any plans to increase the ethanol content of the Momentum 99...they came back stating that it was currently 9%...and not the 5% i thought it was?
I haven't been able to confirm this to be accurate but I think it does agree to some test Jack had carried out.

It would be nice to see it increase to E20!

[AWSAWS]

Yes I was starting to estimate at 7% when doing calcs based on what I was seeing on low pressure pump readings and from a test I think 'WindyMissile' had done.

I started testing with Shell Nitro+ as well and from what I've initially seen I'd suspect it has a lower E content than Momentum. Still need to do more tests to be sure but when Shell is 98Ron and Momentum is 99Ron, it's not going to be that surprising.

From other reading it sounds like BP and Esso may be E0 (on premium fuels only) except in certain parts of the country like Devon I think it is. They are 97 ron.


9%! Thanks for finding out and letting us know.

It's much cheaper for us to have it added to the fuel than to buy it separately. The thing is I've read about water building up (phase seperation I think it was) and you can get layers of almost pure petrol(floating on top) and water+ethanol at the bottom. Last time I was at a tesco the lorry driver had just added 27,000 litres at one forecourt

[windymissile]

I tested between 7 and 9%. Usually on the lower end. They don't want to add too much as it hampers fuel economy.

WM

[Aragorn30d]

The issue with raising it too much is it starts to have a noticable effect on fuel conusmption, which makes it a harder sell to joe public. They've always tried to present the premium fuel as better all round, but if its noticably worse on fuel consumption they cant really claim that any more.

The wifes car is a few MPG better on Shell VPower than it is on Tesco99, and i think if you made it much worse, people simply wouldnt buy it.

[Dann]

Too much ethanol will also start to destroy rubber seals and fuel pumps (That's why more Americans have issues with fuel pumps than the UK).

It also leads to injectors gumming up because of the sugars that come in the ethanol.

[AWSAWS]

The seals in our cars are ethanol compatible but the use of E will alter when a car needs servicing by affecting the water content in engine oil.

From calcs on E5 and E9 and adding 5L of ethanol, there's not a huge difference in the end product



More ethanol will place higher fueling demands on the car and stress the pumps. As people have noted. The caloric content of ethanol is far less than petrol, but the benefit is cooler EGTs and increased knock suppression.