Additive to protect classic cars from E5 & E10 fuel

[NJSS]

I have two MGs & have for a while been using Classic Valvemaster Plus a petrol additive which protects against valve seat recession and contains Etha-Guard an ethanol stabiliser which combats harmful effects of ethanol fuel, and prevents corrosion in fuel system & acidity in ethanol fuel.

I have no complaints about Classic Valvemaster Plus but wonder what experience others have with similar products.

I should add the RAC says:-

Quote:​

Some 600,000 car owners could be affected by the new blend [E10], and as a general rule cars built before 2002 should stick to E5 (which will gradually be phased out on forecourts over the next five years).

NJSS

 

[Bellow]

There's this >> Is it worth trying a petrol additive? | Engine
But I don't recall Valvemaster being mentioned. There is a bit of a discussion (in the final page(s) re valve saver fluid for motors running on LPG though.

 

[Chrishazle]

@NJSS hope you don't mind, I've copied the opening part of your post onto the 968uk forum I still frequent, as 968's are definiitely not E10 compatible without major and expensive modification, so there's been a lot of discussion on that forum about "what if I have no choice but to put some E10 in until I can find a petrol station with E5?" I'm now Porscheless for the past 2 years after 25 years of FE Porsche ownership, 21 of them with 968's, now have the SLK instead with wider doors, lower seat bolsters thus easier ingress/egress - but far less useable luggage space particularly in the cabin (pure 2 seater instead of 2+2).

 

[NJSS]

Thanks Bellow

I had browsed that & other threads, but felt the issue of much older petrol cars had not been addressed - hence this thread.

Regards

NJSS

 

[NJSS]

Thanks Chris

Regards

Nigel

 

[Rich764089]

Quote:​

Some 600,000 car owners could be affected by the new blend [E10], and as a general rule cars built before 2002 should stick to E5 (which will gradually be phased out on forecourts over the next five years).

I hadn't realised E5 was being phased out so soon

 

[Chrishazle]

General opinion on the 968uk and PCGB forums is that IF you cannot get E5, then put E10 in to get you to the next place you can tank up with E5, even if it means nigh on a full tank of E10. Limited time exposure of your fuel system to E10 should not do any serious damage.

 

[NJSS]

I wonder if there is an app. which shows filling stations which still sell Super Unleaded &/or E5 ?

NJSS

 

[baxlin]

General opinion on the 968uk and PCGB forums is that IF you cannot get E5, then put E10 in to get you to the next place you can tank up with E5, even if it means nigh on a full tank of E10. Limited time exposure of your fuel system to E10 should not do any serious damage.

That’s the thinking among the 3 wheeler club I belong to. My (old bike engined) car has a relatively small tank, so I’m alternating tankfuls between E10 and the expensive stuff.

 

[Bellow]

That’s the thinking among the 3 wheeler club I belong to. My (old bike engined) car has a relatively small tank, so I’m alternating tankfuls between E10 and the expensive stuff.

Have you considered a small reserve tank for the E5 premium fuel? You could do all the running from the main E10 tank and switch to the reserve in the final few miles of the journey. That would flush the E10 from the system and leave the less corrosive fuel in for when the trike is parked up.

 

[NJSS]

I have been doing some on-line research regarding E5 availability.

Shell

Shell V-Power will be the company's "protection grade" fuel - meaning it will remain as E5.

It will be available to the "vast majority" of Shell's around 1,000 UK forecourts.

BP

BP's Premium Ultimate grade will continue to be E5 and will remain available at BP sites that carry two grades of petrol. This is the "great majority" of BP garages.

Esso

Around 200 of Esso's 1,200 branded service stations in the UK will no longer sell E5 petrol.

The remaining 1,000 sites will continue to sell E5 as Synergy Supreme+ 99 premium petrol much of which contains no ethanol at all.

The only exceptions are in Devon, Cornwall, North Wales, North England and Scotland "where for technical supply reasons it may contain up to 5% ethanol".

Texaco

E5 will continue to be available at many forecourts in Texaco Supreme Unleaded, the company said in its guidance to customers.

Petrol will be clearly labelled as either E10 or E5 to avoid confusion.

You can find your nearest Texaco petrol station online.

Sainsbury's

Most of its more than 300 sites will continue to sell E5.

Tesco

Tesco will offer E5 petrol at around 90% of its 600 garages.

Asda

None of Asda's 320 forecourts will offer E5 petrol !!

NJSS

 

[shabazmo]

I filled up my tank yesterday with E5 super unleaded from Esso. It was £159.9p/ltr. Thats a massive premium over E10 unleaded, about 22p or about £17.00 per tank full.

 

[grober]

I have been doing some on-line research regarding E5 availability.

Shell

Shell V-Power will be the company's "protection grade" fuel - meaning it will remain as E5.

It will be available to the "vast majority" of Shell's around 1,000 UK forecourts.

BP

BP's Premium Ultimate grade will continue to be E5 and will remain available at BP sites that carry two grades of petrol. This is the "great majority" of BP garages.

Esso

Around 200 of Esso's 1,200 branded service stations in the UK will no longer sell E5 petrol.

The remaining 1,000 sites will continue to sell E5 as Synergy Supreme+ 99 premium petrol much of which contains no ethanol at all.

The only exceptions are in Devon, Cornwall, North Wales, North England and Scotland "where for technical supply reasons it may contain up to 5% ethanol".

Texaco

E5 will continue to be available at many forecourts in Texaco Supreme Unleaded, the company said in its guidance to customers.

Petrol will be clearly labelled as either E10 or E5 to avoid confusion.

You can find your nearest Texaco petrol station online.

Sainsbury's

Most of its more than 300 sites will continue to sell E5.

Tesco

Tesco will offer E5 petrol at around 90% of its 600 garages.

Asda

None of Asda's 320 forecourts will offer E5 petrol !!

NJSS

This is often related to the supplying refinery- for example most of Scoland is supplied by Grangemouth [Ineos] whatever brand its marketed under!

 

[ToeKnee]

It does seem that the price difference between E10 fuels and those that pertain to have E5 or lower have increased recently, it's almost as if the fuel companies know that some people can't or won't use the E10 and are ramping up their profits at drivers expense.