[AlanHo]

Four weeks ago I brimmed the car at a local BP garage. I noted that as usual, after the pump first tripped, I was able to get a further 6 litres into the tank in order to fully brim it up to the filler neck.

I wondered whether this was consistent – so very early for the past three Sunday mornings (when the forecourt is deserted and I can take my time without delaying anyone)  I have gone to the same service station and to the same pump to brim the car - irrespective of how much fuel is showing on the gauge. 

This is the result

12th August : Pump tripped at 8.92 litres
                     A further  4.81 litres were added to brim the tank
                     Total fuel added 13.73 litres

12th August : Pump tripped at 13.37 litres
                     A further  7.27 litres were added to brim the tank
                     Total fuel added 20.64 litres

12th August : Pump tripped at 17.45 litres
                     A further  6.26 litres were added to brim the tank
                     Total fuel added 23.71 litres

This convinces me that calculating fuel economy for each fill, by filling the car until the pump trips, is not accurate because the amount short of a full tank is significantly different each time.

I do appreciate that if you calculate the total distance covered and the total fuel added over say 10 tanks (when you fuel to the first click) the error will be less obvious.

Hence I will continue to monitor my fuel economy by brimming the tank to the filler neck every time.

             

[Dazzler]

 

[Doggie 1]

So we're either first clickers or brimmers.
I'm definitely a brimmer. 

[bryanj86]

second click and i tend to get a very consistant fuel economy reading.

[Dazzler]

second click and i tend to get a very consistant fuel economy reading.

We are starting to get quite "clickey" around here.. (I had hoped that would never happen) 

[eye30]

Interesting scenario you put forward.

But why the difference from the click to brim.

Now is that another project for you to find the answer too.

I tend to do the opposite.

I'll let the red light come on, note the ode and just put in an amount and record the details.
Fill up as required, noting the ode the after a while I'll let the fuel drop until the red light comes on and note the ode again.

I then do my calculation and I'm getting a consistent 36 to 38 MPG.

PS
A slip of the digits as all on the same date.

[Doggie 1]

I would think that the difference between click and brim could be down to fuel flow at the particular time, atmospheric conditions, build-up of air in the filler pipe, etc.

[rustynutz]

 

[baroudeur]

I wondered whether this was consistent – so very early for the past three Sunday mornings (when the forecourt is deserted and I can take my time without delaying anyone)  I have gone to the same service station and to the same pump to brim the car - irrespective of how much fuel is showing on the gauge. 

This is the result

12th August : Pump tripped at 8.92 litres
                     A further  4.81 litres were added to brim the tank
                     Total fuel added 13.73 litres

12th August : Pump tripped at 13.37 litres
                     A further  7.27 litres were added to brim the tank
                     Total fuel added 20.64 litres

12th August : Pump tripped at 17.45 litres
                     A further  6.26 litres were added to brim the tank
                     Total fuel added 23.71 litres
             

Total fuel added has no bearing as the amount in the tank  before fuelling is not known.  The amount to brim would vary according to foaming before first click although the variation in the amount for the three fills is considerably larger than I would have expected.
Presumably you top up very slowly after the first click?   I fill to brim by the third click method.

[eye30]

Just two points worth adding:

(i) the pump may not 100% accurate and the user may operate the pump flow differently at each use - slow, medium slow, fast etc..

(ii) between uses the pump may have been recalibrated, nozzle been subjected to trauma or a different formula of fuel added due to temperature/weather etc.

PS around here BP is always 8 - 10 ppl dearer than others.  Is that the same where you live?

[ajmount88]

In Birmingham, BP Regular Diesel was about 2-4p dearer than others as far as I could see. BP Ultimate Diesel was about 8p dearer than regular elsewhere. Persuaded my mom to see if it was worth paying extra for.

I think it has been covered before, but what are other people's experiences with premium diesels over regular? I don't know if it was just a duff tank I got at Morrison's, but I could not get the fuel economy over 50mpg on the motorway, yet with a tank of Total Excellium I can get it up to 56-57 (and each trip is increasing that slowly). Based on this, the 5% higher cost was well worth the 10-15% better economy. I also have some Millers Ecomax, but haven't got around to trying that yet until my warranty runs out in March, seeing as I'm a bit wary of voiding it if there are any fuel system issues.

[constipated]

I also tend to find that the click is related to how much the fuel foams so is different each time you fill up and I would not trust it as much for accurate calculation.

[Lester]

So, the 2011 i30 petrol has a fuel capacity of 53 litres, according to the manual, right? So if we 'brim' the tank, with up to 7 litres over capacity, as indicated on this topic by others, we should/could have 60 litres on board right?  A very good range then.
Hyundai claims 6 l/100km, highway driving, which is most of my driving down here, so with 60 litres of Premium onboard one may get 1000km from a tank? 

Amazing if true, but how can it be, in a Diesel yes, but 2L petrol engine?   Personally I  believe I would be doing very, very well getting 800km from a 'brimmed tank.'

I hate going into 'Servo's as we call them here, so I am a 'double clicker/Brimmer.'

What say ye?

[AlanHo]

My experience with premium diesel is disappointing.

I tried using it on 3 successive tanks with my 2010 i30 and got slightly worse economy than when using regular fuel. I posted the figures on the forum at the time. Neither did the car feel any more lively or the engine smoother.

Being a glutton for punishment, I have done the same with the new car - the first tank seemed slightly better but the two others were worse.

I have therefore given up wasting my money and use BP regular diesel when possible. Last Sunday I paid £1.40/litre - Sainsbury supermarket 500 yards away were charging £1.39.

BP were charging £1.48 for the premium diesel - fuel consumption would have to be 6% better to break-even.

[Lester]

Do we have premium diesel in Australia?

I think I paid around £1.40 per litre for petrol in England when I was there, I just bought it where I could, same as here, don't go searching for cheap fuel.

Price today in Batemans Bay, NSW is  $1.55 for Caltex regular 95, just got some in the i30.  I do volunteer work for Meals on Wheels one morning  a week, packing and delivering, so get a $20 fuel voucher a week for the i.30.

[Doggie 1]

Caltex & BP have premium diesel fuels in Australia.

[Phil №❶]

Caltex & BP have premium diesel fuels in Australia.

Er, what's it called.

Diesel is diesel isn't it 

[Doggie 1]

Not all service stations have the premium fuels.

Caltex Vortex Premium.

http://www.caltex.com.au/productsandservices/pages/vortexpremiumfuels.aspx

BP Ultimate Diesel.

http://www.bp.com/retail/sectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=9038053&contentId=7070005

[Phil №❶]

Does that mean they have nozzles that are not Vortex or Premium eg a choice 

[Doggie 1]

Does that mean they have nozzles that are not Vortex or Premium eg a choice 

Some servos have standard diesel, some have premium.
I haven't seen one that has a choice of both.
Where I live, the closest Caltex has standard diesel but one about 15 munutes away has always had premium diesel.
My local BP didn't, but then they upgraded and now only sell the Ultimate.

[Phil №❶]

We have 1 Bees P++s and 1 Caltex, it's all too confusing for me, I just stick it in wherever I am 

[Doggie 1]

it's all too confusing for me, I just stick it in wherever I am 

 

[Shambles]

...I just stick it in wherever I am 

You'd get locked up for doing that over here

Either that, or you'd get £250 on "You've Been Framed"

[Phil №❶]

Some of us walk on the wild side sometimes 

[ajmount88]

Maybe the additives that are the difference between the premium and standard diesel are having an effect for me because the injectors in my i30 were pretty clogged, seeing as I have no idea what quality diesel the previous owner was using. If Alan is using BP regular most of the time, rather than regular supermarket diesel, perhaps this has kept the injectors etc in better condition, meaning the only benefit he would see is from a higher cetane rating? Might test this theory by going back to supermarket fuel for one tank and see if I get any better than my first 2 tanks with it.

[Doggie 1]

The fuel producers claim that the premiums keep your injectors etc cleaner than regular.

[eye30]

The fuel producers claim that the premiums keep your injectors etc cleaner than regular.

They will say anything to get you to pay a few cents more.