My Fuel Economy Investigation (Petrol)

[wheyaye2]

That's interesting! I use V-Power all the time, but the odd times when I can't find a Shell petrol station, I generally have to use 95 RON. When this happens, the fuel economy is shocking, and performance is no where near what the V-Power can provide.

[Root Ginger]

Quote: Originally Posted by Humph (original)

I say Works, but it is the Sound kit. The true works like you had was long gone before I bought either of my Coopers . Do like the sound kit very much though. Just need a manifold and she'll be just as I want her.

Ah I see. Rare as ... my Cooper Works. Only ever seen one other 132BHP model on the road. Always wondered how many 132BHP kits they did. I know it wasn't long after it came out that BMW watered it down to the 122BHP version

[burns863]

Quote: Originally Posted by wheyaye2 (original)

That's interesting! I use V-Power all the time, but the odd times when I can't find a Shell petrol station, I generally have to use 95 RON. When this happens, the fuel economy is shocking, and performance is no where near what the V-Power can provide.

Since switching to 97 and 99 ron fuels I will never go back to 95 unless I have to drive an old car. My fuel economy is so much better with the better fuels!

Quote: Originally Posted by Root Ginger (original)

Ah I see. Rare as ... my Cooper Works. Only ever seen one other 132BHP model on the road. Always wondered how many 132BHP kits they did. I know it wasn't long after it came out that BMW watered it down to the 122BHP version

I didnt even know they did a 132BHP Cooper JCW Kit I wouldnt be able to tell if I had even seen one!

[:: Jon ::]

My Fuel Economy Investigation

every 3-4 days fill up with fuel

[burns863]

Quote: Originally Posted by Jonmorgan (original)

My Fuel Economy Investigation

every 3-4 days fill up with fuel

Lol! Same here unfortunately Maybe my post should have been more like yours

[:: Jon ::]

Quote: Originally Posted by burns863 (original)

Lol! Same here unfortunately Maybe my post should have been more like yours

only difference is i do 200miles per week

[burns863]

Quote: Originally Posted by Jonmorgan (original)

only difference is i do 200miles per week

Wish I did .

[Damo]

Quote: Originally Posted by ARCrawford (original)

Thanks Dan!

As for the Shell V-Power, higher octane fuels are not strictly more explosive than lower octane fuels, it's that they have been stabilized to avoid early detonation during higher compression. I've read that many high performance engines are designed to run best at the highest octane rating they can get because they adjust the compression to suit the fuel they're using - while sticking high octane fuel in a car like a Robin Reliant will actually slow it down instead of making it faster.

When an engine runs at higher revs, presumably the pistons will compress air/fuel mixtures more quickly prior to ignition. Is it possible that the Shell V-Power is only really efficient when running at these higher compressions and you're not getting the full benefit when cruising at high speed and low revs?

All the best,
Andrew.

If my understanding is correct, the higher the octane, the more contrable the burn, i.e. it does explode/ignite whatever until the spark is prodcued.

[NeuroBeaker]

Quote: Originally Posted by Damo (original)

If my understanding is correct, the higher the octane, the more contrable the burn, i.e. it does explode/ignite whatever until the spark is prodcued.

Corrected to:

Quote: Originally Posted by Damo (original)

If my understanding is correct, the higher the octane, the more controllable the burn. i.e. it does not explode or ignite until the spark is produced.

Spot on.

I've just done a quick search and here's another concise way of putting it:

Quote: Originally Posted by Wikipedia - Octane

Wikipedia - Octane (albeit re-formatted by me, here's the link to the original article)

"Octane is an alkane with the chemical formula CH3(CH2)6CH3. It has 18 isomers.

• Octane (n-octane)
• 2-Methylheptane
• 3-Methylheptane
• 4-Methylheptane
• 3-Ethylhexane
• 2,2-Dimethylhexane
• 2,3-Dimethylhexane
• 2,4-Dimethylhexane
• 2,5-Dimethylhexane
• 3,3-Dimethylhexane
• 3,4-Dimethylhexane
• 2-Methyl-3-ethylpentane
• 3-Methyl-3-ethylpentane
• 2,2,3-Trimethylpentane
• 2,2,4-Trimethylpentane (isooctane)
• 2,3,3-Trimethylpentane
• 2,3,4-Trimethylpentane
• 2,2,3,3-Tetramethylbutane

One of the isomers, 2,2,4-trimethylpentane or isooctane, is of major importance, as it has been selected as the 100 point on the octane rating scale, with n-heptane as the zero point. Octane ratings are ratings used to represent the anti-knock performance of petroleum-based fuels (octane is less likely to prematurely combust under pressure than heptane), given as the percentage of 2,2,4-trimethylpentane in an 2,2,4-trimethylpentane / n-heptane mixture that would have the same performance. It is an important constituent of gasoline."

Hope that helps.

All the best,
Andrew.

[burns863]

Quote: Originally Posted by ARCrawford (original)

Corrected to:



Spot on.

I've just done a quick search and here's another concise way of putting it:

Hope that helps.

All the best,
Andrew.

A comprehensive and informative reply as always

Cheers Andrew!

[Damo]

Apologies for my bad english

[British SD]

Interesting you would go to all that trouble. Measuring Octane used or fuel brands for economy or performance is over simplified since its only one side of the two essential elements. Air verses fuel mix.

On the air side, ambiant air temperature as well as oxygen content (less in higher elevations) is also a factor. Simply driving the same route with the exact same fuel in a +2 celcius morning and measuring it against the same drive in a +15 celcius afternoon will measurably affect both your cars performance and fuel economy.

[Root Ginger]

Quote: Originally Posted by burns863 (original)

I didnt even know they did a 132BHP Cooper JCW Kit I wouldnt be able to tell if I had even seen one!

It is basically a Cooper Challenge car without the challenge safety equipment.

They can be told apart from the 122BHP version by the exhaust. BMW deemed the car too loud to be approved as it was right on the 98dB limit (there's a gentlemans agreement that cars wont be above 98dB with a lot of manufacturers). They made JCW change the exhaust and in the process lost a load of power. I've never found out if there were ECU tweaks to reduce the power as well.

Incidently the exhaust that was too loud found it's way into the JCW sound kit!

My car produced just shy of 141BHP on a rolling road day too on Optimax.

Oh and yes, I did need a new gearbox! Under warranty luckily!

[russyellocoops]

Filled up after a near crisis midway through the charity ball run with Tesco 99!

Gave it a good thrashing for 40 miles

Return home following the Miller's behaving in Convoy at 70 all the way home,

Just thrashed the pants of it over to Lytham and Back and recorded another new record on the way home!

New top Mileage of 330 miles!

Record low 230!

So is 350 - 400 achievable in a cooper???

It certainly looks like it with careful driving?

[burns863]

Quote: Originally Posted by British SD (original)

Interesting you would go to all that trouble. Measuring Octane used or fuel brands for economy or performance is over simplified since its only one side of the two essential elements. Air verses fuel mix.

On the air side, ambiant air temperature as well as oxygen content (less in higher elevations) is also a factor. Simply driving the same route with the exact same fuel in a +2 celcius morning and measuring it against the same drive in a +15 celcius afternoon will measurably affect both your cars performance and fuel economy.

Very interesting. Firstly though, it was no trouble With the mileage I do I fill up often, I merely just filled up on the same fuel for a periodof time, and then changed for another period of time

Anyways...I had no idea this had any impact on fuel economy? I understood that on a cold morning that more petrol maybe used for the cold start? But after the engine had warmed I didnt realise the air temp was any sort of factor?

Quote: Originally Posted by Root Ginger (original)

It is basically a Cooper Challenge car without the challenge safety equipment.

They can be told apart from the 122BHP version by the exhaust. BMW deemed the car too loud to be approved as it was right on the 98dB limit (there's a gentlemans agreement that cars wont be above 98dB with a lot of manufacturers). They made JCW change the exhaust and in the process lost a load of power. I've never found out if there were ECU tweaks to reduce the power as well.

Incidently the exhaust that was too loud found it's way into the JCW sound kit!

My car produced just shy of 141BHP on a rolling road day too on Optimax.

Oh and yes, I did need a new gearbox! Under warranty luckily!

When was the version you had out? Will have to look out for one Although to be honest, i hardly ever see any Coopers Works, never mind which version! There anyone else on M2 that has one?

Quote: Originally Posted by russyellocoops (original)

Filled up after a near crisis midway through the charity ball run with Tesco 99!

Gave it a good thrashing for 40 miles

Return home following the Miller's behaving in Convoy at 70 all the way home,

Just thrashed the pants of it over to Lytham and Back and recorded another new record on the way home!

New top Mileage of 330 miles!

Record low 230!

So is 350 - 400 achievable in a cooper???

It certainly looks like it with careful driving?

I have acheived 360 from mine on Tesco 97 But my usual mileage is around what you recorded. I suppose it also depends on what we class as "using a full tank"? The mileages I have recorded you see have been untill the red light comes on, but i believe there is around another 8 litres still in at this point so really there are loads more miles to be gotten out of the tank