JDSStudios

Shell has signs all over, saying they now added Nitrogen to their gasoline.

Does anyone know what the advantages and disadvantages are?

I read enough info to stay away from Ethanol (Sunoco).
I hope Nitrogen does no harm, even at small percentages.

John

Bergamasco

Good question! I was wondering the same thing.

old man neri

From what I can tell it is just a new marketing gimik. It's more or less just a new detergent. Shouldn't have any adverse effects and will probably help keep your engine cleaner.

Christien

Here's a really good thread on Pelican with some discussion from people much smarter than myself:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?t=460978

Zookie

how is Sunoco 94 bad? i have been using it since i got my car and dealer recommended it, no issues...

Dale Gribble

zook/john, our cars are N/A...u could feed them distilled vodka and they would still run strong. All this stuff really only matters to highly stressed race motors or turbo motors boosted to the high heavens.

Christien

Or old motors like mine. The general consensus is that ethanol is bad stuff for older engines. Not sure why, but I avoid it.

Ivc

I'm not even close to being an expert, but I think I heard somewhere that it's because ethanol eats away at vulnerable non-metal parts that it comes into contact with.

Zeeman28a

Maybe it's all that sugar.

I was reading up on ethanol and nitrogen last night, what I could find on the internet. How Stuff Works has a pretty good write up on each.

Ethanol
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-e...nol-facts1.htm

Nitrogen
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-e...d-gasoline.htm

JDSStudios

Zookerest
I read a few docs on Ethanol, and Porsche not wanting to public that it was bad,
(for newer engines), but definitely bad for older engines.

It was quite a bit of reading, because some of it were actual documents that
warned about damage to rubber (as in many hoses in our cars) and poly-allied
plastics (as in fuel injectors and several other components in, for example,
pumps), and also Ethanol-Gasoline separation occurring at 90 days.

Ethanol is hygroscopic (absorbs water right from air- not good) and several other points
that made me switch to Shell 91, gasoline only, immediately.

Don't worry about the 91 Octane rating, you will not notice any performance drop.

This is just a very short version.

Newer cars have better resistance to Ethanol damage, but I prefer no Ethanol damage at all.

I know nothing about Nitrogen (yet).

Zookie

so should i switch from 94 to 91? what do you all use?

Christien

I use Shell 91, almost exclusively. Occasionally Esso 91 if that's all that's available.

swbatte

My brother is a master tech at BMW Waterloo, and everytime there is a fuel system code he asks the customer if they've filled their car with Sunoco's fuel. Apparently, the ethanol content and other additives can disolve particulates at the bottom of the station's storage tanks and clog injectors etc. So he has them fill up with Shell gold and they are off without a huge bill.

The BMW fuel specialists confirm that with him at BMW training as well.

pongobaz

Shell 91 only for me.

Silver C

Moved to 91 and certainly no noticable difference in speed at the top of the back straight at Mosport (may be better but with the exit to 5b covered in water and cr@p I never got a good shot that proved it for me).