172PH1 Struggling to start - Fixed

[Ex-User (27949)]

Hi

I have posted a few times on here about my car not starting all the time. I , as recommended, changed the spark plugs , checked TDC sensor etc with no luck. It also has been to Renault 4 times in the hope that they can catch it 'faulting' so something shows up, but they never find anything wrong.

Then when reveiewing it all, the only difference to the way i was running it was the fuel i was putting in, VPower rather than normal unleaded.

I have since gone back to normal unleaded and bingo, i havent had a problem for over a month, starts first time every time?

So normal unleaded it is, im happy car is happy no more problem?

Any idea why this would be? Car has nearly always been run on normal unleaded but i swapped in the hope it would be good for the engine, looking back it was shortly after doing this i started to have problems?

Cheers

 

[Nickharding]

What made you think it would be good for the engine? the engine was designed to run on Petrol!

 

[dave120]

u defo wouldnt think vpower would cause the problem your describing mate.

if anything it would start easier/quicker due to it being a higher octane rating therefore exploding quicker with less of a spark.

 

[regi james]

i had exactly the same thing wouldn't start very well on v power but works fine on ultimate, tesco 99, excellium etc strange

 

[*matt*]

what ron is v power? it says on the inside of my petrol cap to use 98ron. im having abit of trouble with mine on start up at the mo too. i use sainsburys super unleaded.
matt

 

[caister]

V-Power is 99ron

 

[SkidMarx]

V-Power is 99ron

Thought it was 97?

 

[caister]

http://www.shell.co.uk/home/content/gbr/products_services/on_the_road/fuels/v_power_pkg/overview/overview.html

 

[minisuper666]

u defo wouldnt think vpower would cause the problem your describing mate.

if anything it would start easier/quicker due to it being a higher octane rating therefore exploding quicker with less of a spark.

afaik octane is a retardant, so it makes sense that a lower octane fuel works the other way around.

I´ve also switched to lower octane last winter and it made for better morning startups

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

The higher the octane, the less prone to detonation (explosions) it is, as it is more stable.

The reason (I think) Renault recommend this, is because it's a very high compression ratio engine .. ~11.8:1 ?

Odd that you've had problems with this but if other people are experiencing it too... very strange...!