Whats the deal with Shell's new nitrogen enriched gasolines

thestigenator

Junior Member
Mar 8, 2009
6
0
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Is it worth something or just a load of bull shit.

Yes I did fill a tank of that in my car, usually I fill chevron but there was none in the direction i was traveling so i ended up filling shell. On this tank i dont feel a difference. In fact i think chveron gives me more power. I use 91 octane cause thats what my car requires (2009 Acura TSX).

I think its a marketing ploy in sense 78% of atmospheric air is nitrogen. Nitrogen is kinda inert, it doesnt react with things. They cant introduce nitrogen in its gaseous form so they got to either modify the long carbon chain with an nitrogen atom on one end but wouldnt that make the gasoline a different type and not gasoline. Further more isnt this going to increase NOx emissions and then we got to deal with more NOx pollution.

All the promo material i see claims it cleans out injectors and valves as it loosens up gunk and what not. Not sure how it does that.

I'd like to see your thoughts?
 

Zenmervolt

Elite member
Oct 22, 2000
24,514
42
91
Supposedly the nitrogen is bonded to the detergents and prevents the detergents from breaking down at high temperatures, enabling them to clean more effectively.

ZV
 

adlep

Diamond Member
Mar 25, 2001
5,287
6
81
Wouldn't that make more sense to sell Oxygen enriched gasoline?
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,395
8,558
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Originally posted by: adlep
Wouldn't that make more sense to sell Oxygen enriched gasoline?

sorta like putting 10% ethanol in it?
 

Bignate603

Lifer
Sep 5, 2000
13,897
1
0
Originally posted by: Dman877
Put 93 in your TSX if you can, higher octane = more power.

I really don't want to explain why this is wrong.

If your car isn't designed to take advantage of that octane you'll see no difference.
 

Bignate603

Lifer
Sep 5, 2000
13,897
1
0
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Supposedly the nitrogen is bonded to the detergents and prevents the detergents from breaking down at high temperatures, enabling them to clean more effectively.

ZV

If that's the point you won't see a difference in day to day driving. You'd only see a difference over long periods.
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,561
969
126
Originally posted by: Bignate603
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Supposedly the nitrogen is bonded to the detergents and prevents the detergents from breaking down at high temperatures, enabling them to clean more effectively.

ZV

If that's the point you won't see a difference in day to day driving. You'd only see a difference over long periods.

If even that.
 

Bignate603

Lifer
Sep 5, 2000
13,897
1
0
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Originally posted by: Bignate603
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Supposedly the nitrogen is bonded to the detergents and prevents the detergents from breaking down at high temperatures, enabling them to clean more effectively.

ZV

If that's the point you won't see a difference in day to day driving. You'd only see a difference over long periods.

If even that.

If you're planning on owning a car for 100,000+ miles it's not a terrible idea to use higher detergent gas. Deposit build up is a real issue.
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,561
969
126
Originally posted by: Bignate603
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Originally posted by: Bignate603
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Supposedly the nitrogen is bonded to the detergents and prevents the detergents from breaking down at high temperatures, enabling them to clean more effectively.

ZV

If that's the point you won't see a difference in day to day driving. You'd only see a difference over long periods.

If even that.

If you're planning on owning a car for 100,000+ miles it's not a terrible idea to use higher detergent gas. Deposit build up is a real issue.

I've owned my current car for 75,000 miles and I plan on owning it for at least another year and maybe more. I give about as much of a crap about the gas I put in it as I care about the quality of air I put in the tires.

Follow the maintenance schedule set out by the manufacturer and your car should last a good many years regardless of what brand of gasoline you fill your tank with.
 

Bignate603

Lifer
Sep 5, 2000
13,897
1
0
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

I've owned my current car for 75,000 miles and I plan on owning it for at least another year and maybe more. I give about as much of a crap about the gas I put in it as I care about the quality of air I put in the tires.

Follow the maintenance schedule set out by the manufacturer and your car should last a good many years regardless of what brand of gasoline you fill your tank with.

<shrug> To each his own. I'm rebuilding an engine and you should see the crap that was on the valves. You can follow the maintenance manual but if you're burning stuff that is leaving deposits normal maintenance won't get it off. You rely on the detergents in the gas to prevent deposits, the real question is if the minimum required amounts in cheap gas is enough to prevent heavy deposits.
 

jagec

Lifer
Apr 30, 2004
24,442
6
81
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
I've owned my current car for 75,000 miles and I plan on owning it for at least another year and maybe more. I give about as much of a crap about the gas I put in it as I care about the quality of air I put in the tires.

What? You don't fill your tires with nitrogen? I mean, it's only $10 a tire, and it prevents ALL KINDS of serious problems! You get better mileage, higher performance, never have to inflate your tires again, and it's safer!


:evil:
 

andylawcc

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
18,183
3
81
Originally posted by: jagec
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
I've owned my current car for 75,000 miles and I plan on owning it for at least another year and maybe more. I give about as much of a crap about the gas I put in it as I care about the quality of air I put in the tires.

What? You don't fill your tires with nitrogen? I mean, it's only $10 a tire, and it prevents ALL KINDS of serious problems! You get better mileage, higher performance, never have to inflate your tires again, and it's safer!


:evil:

you also had me here ;p
 

LS8

Golden Member
Jul 24, 2008
1,285
0
0
I pretty much only buy Shell gas. I tried gas from Racetrack once and the engine pinged at low RPMs and high RPMs (mid-range was ok). Half way through that tank I filled up with Shell gas and all the pinging went away.

Haven't been back to Racetrack.
 

Riverhound777

Diamond Member
Aug 13, 2003
3,360
61
91
I use Shell, but only cause they have two stations that are very close to me, and the price isn't more than a couple cents higher than the cheapo station next to it (compared to Mobil and Chevron which are like 15-20 cents more).
 

techs

Lifer
Sep 26, 2000
28,559
4
0
Originally posted by: jagec
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
I've owned my current car for 75,000 miles and I plan on owning it for at least another year and maybe more. I give about as much of a crap about the gas I put in it as I care about the quality of air I put in the tires.

What? You don't fill your tires with nitrogen? I mean, it's only $10 a tire, and it prevents ALL KINDS of serious problems! You get better mileage, higher performance, never have to inflate your tires again, and it's safer!


:evil:

And you'll never get a flat.
 

mb

Lifer
Jun 27, 2004
10,233
2
71
Originally posted by: everydae
Originally posted by: zerocool84
Originally posted by: Dman877
Put 93 in your TSX if you can, higher octane = more power.

Here we go again.

Well, in case of TSX, it's actually valid :)

True... to a degree. You'll gain an extra couple HP on a dyno, but it won't make any difference in driving.
 

thestigenator

Junior Member
Mar 8, 2009
6
0
0
Originally posted by: mb
Originally posted by: everydae
Originally posted by: zerocool84
Originally posted by: Dman877
Put 93 in your TSX if you can, higher octane = more power.

Here we go again.

Well, in case of TSX, it's actually valid :)

True... to a degree. You'll gain an extra couple HP on a dyno, but it won't make any difference in driving.

I live in CA, no chances of 93.. 91 only :(
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,561
969
126
Originally posted by: Bignate603
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

I've owned my current car for 75,000 miles and I plan on owning it for at least another year and maybe more. I give about as much of a crap about the gas I put in it as I care about the quality of air I put in the tires.

Follow the maintenance schedule set out by the manufacturer and your car should last a good many years regardless of what brand of gasoline you fill your tank with.

<shrug> To each his own. I'm rebuilding an engine and you should see the crap that was on the valves. You can follow the maintenance manual but if you're burning stuff that is leaving deposits normal maintenance won't get it off. You rely on the detergents in the gas to prevent deposits, the real question is if the minimum required amounts in cheap gas is enough to prevent heavy deposits.

My god, how did we ever get cars with over 100,000 miles 20 or 30 years ago without detergents in the gasoline?

God must have miracled them there.