BP ultimate in a 2.0 16v?

[b9085 0]

I brought a 16v today, on the way back I had to fill up with petrol. I filled it with BP Ultimate without really thinking about it, I left the petrol station and got about 5 metres before my car spluttered to a standstill.

 

The AA came had a look at the car, he started it and kept it turning over for a bit revving it. Then had a look under the car and the cat was glowing red.

 

So he suggested that the high octane fuel was to rich and was getting into the cat and blocking it. Is this right?

 

I also should mention that the cat was about 2 weeks old as the previous owner had to have a new 1 to pass the MOT.

 

So is it the cat, fuel or is there some other problem I could be worrying about?

 

Not very happy at all, at the moment cost me £138 to get my car home and now got to get it towed to a garage on Monday morning.

 

Even I'm hoping it wasn't me that caused the problem it would king of be a relief if I just have to empty the tank and fill with standard unleaded.

[Jim 2]

Weird. The car should run better with ultimate in.. does for me! Something else is wrong there - I think the filling with ultimate is only a coincidence!

[jonnyboyo 0]

Got to echo the above. Ultimate is only 97 RON as opposed to regular unleaded 95 RON, so would not invisage any problem. Maybe the lambda sensor is faulty. I had a faulty one on a Renault 19 that was letting to much fuel through. The fuel ultimately choked the cat rendering it useless.

[nocrap 0]

as have i....perhaps something like a knock sensor has gone funny.....

[saysomestuff 0]

I would think unless you were completely out of fuel when you put the Ultimate in, the car wouldn't even be using the new fuel 5 metres down the road.

 

Could be any multitude of things, but at worst the bottom pulley on a 16v can be prone to shearing its key so your timing would go VERY wrong VERY quickly when mone was going I had a glowing red manifold.

 

Will it not start now at all?

[tonedef 9]

When I worked for a rally team we often used to use up any left over Shell Turbo Rally (it's really serious gear and cost £4.10 per litre at the time) in our cars. I had a 16v MkIII Golf and it used to run great on it so 97ron out of the pump would be no reason for your valver to run badly.

[craigowl 0]

I agree with those that say it is a coincidence.

Good luck, anyway, with your investigation.

[b9085 0]

thanks all,

 

Like I said the car had a new cat less than a month ago and also a new lambda sensor and starter motor. I'm hoping its just the cat that is buggered after all the suggestions, its getting towed to a garage tomorrow morning so I guess i'll find out then.

[Jim 2]

Hm.. could be a bad / incorrect lambda I guess? The lambda can affect the fuelling mixture and it sounds like the mixture has gone a bit haywire or something?

 

We'll wait and see what the garage says - really surprised the AA man said the fuel was too much for the car - if you look behind the the petrol flap cover you'll see it says 95RON is ok but that higher (97 or 98) is actually reccommended :)