Supermarket diesel

Third Opinion · 31 Oct 2011 at 19:43

I know there has been lots of discussion about supermarket petrol but I do believe I am having a genuine problem with Tesco's diesel.

Basically I own a 2008 Fiat Sedici 1.9JTD. It has covered 56k trouble free miles until recently. As I have had it since it was 4 months old I can say that it has rarely, if ever used supermarket fuels due to convenience of filling stations in my area (about 3 in 10 miles).

My local station closed (independent) so Tesco became the most convenient to use. I filled up and within 24 hours and 200 miles the emission or engine management light came on. I booked it in with the dealer but in the mean filled up again in a Shell garage and within 24 hours the light went out.

The car went to dealer who could find no fault with it. At this point I made no connection with fuel until I used Tesco again and the same thing happened, now I can regularly make the light come on or stay off just by choosing filling locations.

Anyone else aware of a difference in supermarket diesel I know petrol contains different additives or is suppose to.

Princey · 31 Oct 2011 at 19:53

Coincidence, nothing more nothing less.

Antipasti · 31 Oct 2011 at 19:58

Most of our drivers at work use Tesco diesel in their vans. There are 6 vans and each van covers 40/50k a year. In the 4 years I have worked for the company none of the vans have ever had a problem with Tesco diesel.

Raymond Lin · 31 Oct 2011 at 19:58

Princey said:
Coincidence, nothing more nothing less.

I was thinking that but if he can make the light come on & off from alternating from tank to tank?

233 · 31 Oct 2011 at 20:01

nothing in it,

my vectra runs the 16v 1.9 Fiat lump albeit remapped to 190bhp and has done 200k on mainly tesco diesel. and its been fine. had an inlet manifold due to the usual bar failure at 120k and a clutch/flywheel at 140k other than that its had nothing bar servicing and an alternator.

Tinders · 31 Oct 2011 at 20:03

Been using Tesco diesel in all the famillies cars for the best part of 10 years, that includes a merc CDI, BMW 525D,Civic and CRV diesels not one problem in around 300k's worth of miles. Could be something particular to your local tesco perhaps?

Duke · 31 Oct 2011 at 20:28

Used Tesco diesel in my Fiesta Van when I had it, seemed fine (as a diesel could be

).

Django x2 · 31 Oct 2011 at 20:37

I get more miles to a tank from shell diesel, but that's it. Not ill running when using tesco fuel

Scania · 31 Oct 2011 at 22:28

I would guess that particular garage has a suspect storage tank with contaminated fuel, had a similar issue with an HGV bunkering (fuel station) site a few months back, every time I filled up there, the truck's emission light came on.

went there a few weeks later and one of the pumps was closed due to a split storage tank.....

Third Opinion · 31 Oct 2011 at 23:04

R420LA6X2/4MNA said:
I would guess that particular garage has a suspect storage tank with contaminated fuel, had a similar issue with an HGV bunkering (fuel station) site a few months back, every time I filled up there, the truck's emission light came on.

went there a few weeks later and one of the pumps was closed due to a split storage tank.....

Interesting I might mention it to them. My partner used my car today and has only just come back, she admitted running the car very low on fuel and has just filled up at that supermarket. Within 10 mile trip home low and behold the light has come on again. Luckily she has only stuck a tenner in it so I am gonna get it into the dealer tomorrow whilst the fuel is still in there.

a1ex2001 · 1 Nov 2011 at 09:53

Try a different super market.

ShakenNstirred · 1 Nov 2011 at 09:55

never had any problems with supermarket diesel
in the years i used it

ubersonic · 1 Nov 2011 at 10:47

If its anything like supermarket petrol it will be lower quality than branded stuff but shouldn't cause any problems, might be a duff batch or probs with the filling station /shrug

Firestar_3x · 1 Nov 2011 at 12:14

ubersonic said:
If its anything like supermarket petrol it will be lower quality than branded stuff.

Please expand on this.

ubersonic · 1 Nov 2011 at 12:15

Firestar_3x said:
Please expand on this.

Well as supermarket stations use lower quality petrol than say Esso or BP, it stands to reason they would use lower quality diesel too, thought my point was a bit obvious tbh...

Firestar_3x · 1 Nov 2011 at 12:16

No, what do you mean by lower quality petrol, how is it lower quality?

vanandjuanunited · 1 Nov 2011 at 12:17

ubersonic said:
If its anything like supermarket petrol it will be lower quality than branded stuff but shouldn't cause any problems, might be a duff batch or probs with the filling station /shrug

Maybe they are watering it down :confused:

Surely it all comes from the same central source?

ubersonic · 1 Nov 2011 at 12:24

vanandjuanunited said:
Maybe they are watering it down

Surely it all comes from the same central source?

Its complicated but basically when you buy normal/super from BP its 95/97 octane, when you buy it from somewhere like sainsburys its something like 93/95 octane mixed with an octane booster called ethanol to raise it to 95/97. Its cheaper than petrol of X grade but as ethanol has a lower calorific value than petrol (there's less energy in it) your car will not go as far on say Tesco unleaded as it would on BP unleaded. Tescos 99 sounds great but its 5% ethanol (the maximum allowed under EU law) so unless you really need 99 octane you would be better on BP/Esso super.

Arnie · 1 Nov 2011 at 12:32

Get yourself some Waitrose Organic Diesel.

Raymond Lin · 1 Nov 2011 at 12:34

ubersonic said:
Its complicated but basically when you buy normal/super from BP its 95/97 octane, when you buy it from somewhere like sainsburys its something like 93/95 octane mixed with an octane booster called ethanol to raise it to 95/97. Its cheaper than petrol of X grade but as ethanol has a lower calorific value than petrol (there's less energy in it) your car will not go as far on say Tesco unleaded as it would on BP unleaded. Tescos 99 sounds great but its 10% ethanol (the maximum allowed under EU law) so unless you really need 99 octane you would be better on BP/Esso super.

If that is true then I might as well go to Shell, it costs the same as Sainsbury's stuff here and the only reason I go to Sainsbury is because of convenience.