control_67 Posted August 29, 2010 Report Share Posted August 29, 2010 My bandit 600 usually runs really well, pulls strongly and smoothly all the way up the rev range and accelerates at a decent pace (for an old B6 anyway). However it HATES supermarket fuel. Every time I have filled up from a supermarket it develops a big flatspot, bogs for ages when you crack the throttle then eventually catches up with itself, annoying in the dry but downright dangerous in the wet as the power all comes in at once, not in a linear fashion. This happens with regular and super unleaded too. The other day I filled up at the only open garage on the way to work, a Tesco/Esso. I thought that as it had the Esso fuel it would be Ok but no, straight back to the bogging and rough running. So what can I do, short of running the tank dry and refilling or topping up as I go? What is it about the supermarket petrol that makes this happen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom_1991 Posted August 29, 2010 Report Share Posted August 29, 2010 Nearly always fill up with Supermarket petrol and had no problems. Whereabouts are you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
control_67 Posted August 29, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2010 I'm in Brighton now, but this has happened at a Tesco in London and a few in surrey. Seems to be only Supermarket stations and every one I have filled up in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daytona63 Posted August 29, 2010 Report Share Posted August 29, 2010 There is a reason supermarket fuel is cheaper or at least i was told so by a mechanic acquaintance. It's bought in bulk from anywhere they can get it cheapest so is not from a consistent source and as a result can vary in quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fran9r Posted August 29, 2010 Report Share Posted August 29, 2010 There is a reason supermarket fuel is cheaper or at least i was told so by a mechanic acquaintance. It's bought in bulk from anywhere they can get it cheapest so is not from a consistent source and as a result can vary in quality. An oil company would have a different answer to that! It's made to a different spec, but it's not lower. In many cases, you may find BP ESSO or any other branded petrol at a supermarket. You will also find that not all the BP, ESSO, Shell...is refined by those companies, with the exception of the premium product -I don't know the name as I'm too tight to buy it. For the OP, are you buying super unleaded, or regular? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srad34 Posted August 29, 2010 Report Share Posted August 29, 2010 There is a reason supermarket fuel is cheaper or at least i was told so by a mechanic acquaintance. It's bought in bulk from anywhere they can get it cheapest so is not from a consistent source and as a result can vary in quality. Pretty sure that was not the case. Used to work for retail team at head office at Asda & now Sainsbury's, we buy from the same places on long term contracts with the big oil refineries , its cheaper so we can pull in the shoppers, not a quality thing. Having said that I have had issues with Tesco fuel but the staff said the delivery driver pumped fuel into the wrong tank months ago and its been an issue ever since?? I guess it affects bikes more due to fine tuning of the bike engines - I changed to Asda and all was fine once again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
control_67 Posted August 29, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2010 An oil company would have a different answer to that! It's made to a different spec, but it's not lower. In many cases, you may find BP ESSO or any other branded petrol at a supermarket. You will also find that not all the BP, ESSO, Shell...is refined by those companies, with the exception of the premium product -I don't know the name as I'm too tight to buy it. For the OP, are you buying super unleaded, or regular? Usually regular, but one time when I had to go to a supermarket as there was nowhere else open at the time I put in Tesco Super and it still bogged. Was fine with a fill from a proper garage after I got through half a tank though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
control_67 Posted August 29, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2010 Shouldnt affect things too much, but saying that I've always encountered problems with Texaco fuel, so I avoid that. You might like to try getting the carbs balanced, incase that is causing problems. You could also try adding something like silkolene PRO FST or a similar fuel additive, although I cant comment on other products as I;ve only used PRO FST before (but it is really only for carb icing) BTW, I am in brighton frequently, and have always had a good experiance with the fuel from ASDA down the marina. Have balanced the carbs pretty recently, and the current rough running came on pretty quickly after the last fill and the bike had been running like a dream the last time I rode (a few days before). I use the Marina ASDA for diesel usually as it's often 5p a litre cheaper than the Texaco across my road, and when you're running a 2.5l TD any saving helps. Probably gonna use the bike for work for a few days and keep topping up with fuel from the local Shell, never had a problem with their fuel and their prices are pretty fair too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fran9r Posted August 29, 2010 Report Share Posted August 29, 2010 Usually regular, but one time when I had to go to a supermarket as there was nowhere else open at the time I put in Tesco Super and it still bogged. Was fine with a fill from a proper garage after I got through half a tank though. I was wondering if using supermarket super (which may have been in the tanks a while) was the cause. Sounds like it isn't. I'm at a loss to explain that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregtrx Posted August 30, 2010 Report Share Posted August 30, 2010 My van runs really well on Morrisons diesel, it's got 9% biodiesel in for what it's worth. It's less smoky and I get slightly more milleage. I've had bikes that didn't get on with ASDA petrol, not sure why just felt worse and not as bad as you seem to get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexp5 Posted August 30, 2010 Report Share Posted August 30, 2010 I don't think I've ever had a problem with supermarket fuel. We have an Asda and a Texaco a stones throw from each other so they're always locked in a price war... nice to have a choice. I did notice that my '02 'Blade and my old YZF would seem to run better on Texaco super un-leaded instead of the Asda stuff. Maybe the PC/Dynojet gubbins was more sensitive to shitty petrol? My Fazer would most probably run quite happily on paraffin... it doesn't seem fussed on either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaighn80 Posted August 30, 2010 Report Share Posted August 30, 2010 tesco's sainsbury's asda all buy their fuel from the same place as bp shell and esso, its the bp refinery at coryton (also known as petroplus) (atleast round here in essex they do and i know that they ship it out quite far. oh the place is also known as the shell refinery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonesy Posted August 30, 2010 Report Share Posted August 30, 2010 An Oil company rep told me a long time ago that all branded and supermaket fuels come from the same place, it's just that less additives go into the supermarket stuff hence it's cheaper. I've avoided supermarket fuels ever since. They make too much money already anyway. Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
control_67 Posted August 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2010 It's now cured. All it took was a ride to work via the scenic route and a fill up from a reputable station. Now the bike's running as before and I now have another filling station to add to the "avoid on the bike" list. Good news is its actually cheaper at the local shell than the Tesco/Esso so no great loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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