Just thought I'd post up in case you hadn't seen it yet...

Shell have CHANGED their fuel range!

They NO LONGER sell REGULAR UNLEADED ... and have changed it to UNLEADED WITH 10% ETHANOL

Same colour scheme on the pump!! So if you don't read it, you don't notice the difference - perhaps until later??

I filled up after work night before last (at 1am) and didn't notice the change until AFTER I'd filled up... Started and idled a little rough this afternoon when I was heading to work... Hope that's not a sign of the future...

Safe and Happy Cruising
Dean

Not Shell but BP and got caught out when in Tassie at Strahan.
One side of pumps was unleaded ( dear enough ) and the other side was Ultra.
Didn't see it as was raining and didn't want to get wet and when went to pay was $158.9 a ltr. ( 98% )

Also about 6 or 7 PT's filled up at this servo as it was the only one in Strahan and all had a terrible run as far as fuel consumption went all the way to Launceston including loss of power ( no not the hills ) in general.
After all talking to each other it appeared as though there could have been a problem with maybe their fuel tank storages as all PT's on both lots of octane had this problem. All was good after refilling at Launceston with our usual brands of fuel that we all use.

Dean maybe after the computer resets itself to the different fuel it could come good. Have never used fuel with ethanol in the PT so can't compare at this stage. Maybe others have used it........

.. I noticed on the weekend down this way ... that the 91 seems to be STD . the 95 had the ethanol blend tag ( 95 wasn't available for a while so I looked twice) .. 98 std ... I will confirm where I saw this .. I have had to tank a few times this last few weeks with all manor of vehicles so trying to remember where I saw it .. pretty sure it was shell in Black opal (the others take diesel) ... I was even more confused in NSW ... they advertise the ethanol price on the signs ... that is only just starting down here ...

Get use to the Ethonal blends ,wont be long & thats all there will be even prem is ethonal bound.Wont be any straight fuels all will have 10% or more blends.

Ethanol is a viable option as a fuel additive, (OR SO THEY SAY) particularly when the experts consider it as a suitable replacement for Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE). MTBE is a product currently used in some fuels as an oxygenate and octane enhancer that has the serious downside of potentially being a major polluter, if and when it comes in contact with groundwater.

As an oxygenate and octane enhancer, ethanol certainly can assist in the reduction of air polluting emissions, while at the same time, maintaining (and perhaps even improving), engine performance in the modern vehicle.

However, the levying of an excise of 38.14cents per litre (cpl) on the product at this early stage of its development, as a substitute fuel, is considered premature. Coupled with a rebate of the same amount to local producers, this has only served to create a potential monopoly. There are only two volume producers of industrial ethanol in Australia, CSR and Manildra, and it is only Manildra that is a major supplier to the automotive fuel industry.

BP is also a producer of ethanol with six sites operating in Queensland retailing a 10% blended product that is clearly advertised at the pumps. This consumes their current output giving them only a very small market share at present.

The jury is still out on the best percentage of blend for ethanol/petrol to be sold and, until the independent research, currently being conducted for the Federal Government is finalised, the limit recommended by both oil companies and vehicle manufacturers of 10% should be utilised where blending of ethanol is implemented.

Currently 10% ethanol blend is sold in the USA without voiding manufacturers warranty, and this would appear to be the position of Australian manufacturers also.

An interim ethanol allowance of up to a 10% maximum blend, should be inserted into the National Fuel Standard to provide certainty for consumers, at least until the results of the current Commonwealth testing are published.

Any higher percentage of ethanol requires modification of vehicle fuel systems and engine components to overcome potential damage to paintwork and non-ferrous or plastic components. (Generally through the use of specialist materials such as stainless steel and viton).

Such modifications are a requirement for vehicles exported to countries where 20% + ethanol blends are sold, thus protecting the operational integrity of the vehicles. It is our understanding that such modifications render the vehicle unsuitable for straight ULP (91octane) use, or even ULP with a 10% ethanol blend. Therefore any ethanol blend should be limited to 10% maximum. Particularly as ethanol blended product is currently in limited supply.

Even so, a 10% ethanol blended product will give a reduction in fuel economy of approximately 2~3% and greater mixture percentages will give even less fuel economy.

The blending of ethanol into automotive fuel should definitely not be mandated.

A free market must exist.

However, if ethanol is used, all pumps dispensing ethanol blended fuel should be clearly labeled and include the percentage of the blend (to a maximum of 10%), so that motorists can make an informed choice as to which product they wish to purchase.

We live out in the country and our nearest Servo (11.5kms away) is a Freedom (or the tick garage as I 'lovingly'call it). The next closest is a BP 16.5km away. Over the past 8 months I have been using Freedom's 98 Octane 10% Ethanol and Jelly Bean seems to run a whole lot better than she did on Shell Optimax or BP Ultimate. Fuel consumption is about the same, but she gets up the Toowoomba Range noticeably better.

(Personally, I would never use BP fuel again after the Gulf of Mexico oilspill anyway - but thats a whole different kettle of fish (or not) ).

Understand your views there Jelly Bean

- Ray

The US has 10% ethanol primarily in the summer months as a pollution-reducing measure.

Some facts:
Ethanol has less energy than petrol, so power and economy are worse.
Ethanol added raises the effective octane level.
At the 10% mix, you really don't notice any change.

all very interesting .. and on the weekend I realised why we havent' had a post from CREWZR ... I may just "fix" that to get this topic SORTED & haven't been out to see where I saw the 95 with ethanol yet !