Problem with Shell Premium Gasoline

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jrcowboys

Joined
Nov 16, 2005
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Location
Round Rock Texas
Guys:

Noticed some sluggishness with 99 Lexus SC300 and switched to Chevron Supreme,saw significant improvement in performance. I had thought Shell was best gasoline I could buy so I am confused. Note: I live just north of Austin TX and Shell is the number 1 gasoline sold here. Wondering if they use a lot of ethonol or maybe mix in some regular with the premium.

Have any of you guys experienced similar problems?

JR
 
Originally Posted By: SrDriver
Try another Shell station.

They may have gotten regular in the tank by mistake.



+1


That's what I'm thinking...
 
Chevron is my gasoline of choice, but it sounds like you may have gotten a bad tank of Shell.
 
I use around here mainly Cumberland Farms/Gulf and occasionally the HESS. We lived in maine and we got a bad tank of BJs gas once. It created issues identical to what the faulty Ignitiojn coils did, including the CEL. But as soon as we put some midgrade in it, and after the next tank, it was fine.
 
I do not know of any gas station that uses more than 10% ethanol in its gas and why would they mix in regular with premium? There are lots of other reasons besides just gas that could cause sluggishness.
 
Since ethonol costs more than gasoline it wouldn't be done on purpose, but mistakes do happen and a tanker could be filled with regular and labeled mid grade or better.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Bob Woods
but mistakes do happen and a tanker could be filled with regular and labeled mid grade or better.

Is there even such a thing as mid grade anymore? From all I've read, there is only regular and premium. Then, when you select mid grade at the pump, the distributor just mixes regular with premium in desired proportions.
 
You have a lot of good brands of gasoline around Austin: Chevron, Shell, and I think Texaco and maybe Phillips 66, all teir II. I was in Austin for a little while and it seemed like I would sometimes get bad gas from good brands. Maybe the particular gas station(s) have a problem? I have yet to get bad gas from a Shell station where I am, and I use it exclusively. Chevron is a good brand equal to Shell. If I could get Chevron where I am now, I'd use it.
 
I wasn't aware ethanol cost more than gasoline. That doesn't make sense because a gallon of e85 costs a dollar something, and E10 cost $2.85 here right now.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
I've been hearing good things about BP premium. Supposedly it's ethanol free. Anyone confirm/deny?


Its not ethanol free in Florida...Its mixed with corn juice [10%] like all the others.
 
Originally Posted By: jrcowboys
Guys:

Noticed some sluggishness with 99 Lexus SC300 and switched to Chevron Supreme,saw significant improvement in performance. I had thought Shell was best gasoline I could buy so I am confused. Note: I live just north of Austin TX and Shell is the number 1 gasoline sold here. Wondering if they use a lot of ethonol or maybe mix in some regular with the premium.

Have any of you guys experienced similar problems?

JR


I lost all repect for Shell back in 2004 when Florida and Louisiana had major issues with Shell...They dumped more sulfur then normal into the gasolines and it caused a lot of issues with gas gauges causing the gauges to go belly up or give the wrong readings...They didn't want to pay for the repairs...A class action law suit was filed but not sure how that came out.

When Shell finally got the new [good batch] of gasoline instead of draining out the old sulfur gas they dumped the new gas on top of the bad sulfur gas...Nice going Shell.

I am sorry to say the Florida Turnpike recently went from Citgo to Shell..I was hoping it would go to Mobil or Chevron...I did not like Citgo and will not use Shell.

Though the years I have got bad gas from Citgo,BP,Mustang [somewhere in Kentucky years ago]Gulf and Chevron...But it wasn't enough for me to take the car in for major repairs...I guess you can get a bad tank of gas anywhere from time to time...I just stay with major brands at this point and go to high volume stations.
 
BP with ethanol does return better knock retard numbers on my car than Shell. Lots better.

So if your modern day, knock sensor equipped, factory premium calibrated auto got some [censored] it could be retarding the timing.

But there are so many other variables. Like summer/winter formula, etc.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete

Is there even such a thing as mid grade anymore? From all I've read, there is only regular and premium. Then, when you select mid grade at the pump, the distributor just mixes regular with premium in desired proportions.


There is still "mid grade". The refineries do not make a specific mid grade but just mix the regular and premium before delivery to your local station. It is trucked in already mixed and not "blended" at the pump.
 
The last 2 times I filled up with Shell, my truck ran very rough.
I have run Shell in the past many times with no issue until I noticed that the gas now has "nitrogen" in it.

I don't know if this may be the issue or not, or if this is just a regional thing.

When I run Chevron or 76, it runs like it normally should.
 
I use Shell about 80% of the time. Great gas here. We run our Lexus ES350 on regular...no detonation and excellent mpg results. I run my Harley on 94 Vpower and my boat on mid grade 89. Never an issue. You may have gone to a station with contaminated tanks.
 
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