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Hi
New member here, have had numerous Jaguars in the past, as worked in the car trade as was employed by Ixion owned by Tom Walkinshaw and worked at TWR Oxford. Anyway have just purchased a 1996 4.0 XJS for old times sake.
What do we think regarding fuel for these will E10 be OK or should one pay for the premium E5 brands.
Thanks for any advice received.

Simon

Hi Simon, in theory the E10 should be fine in your XJ-S, but there are stories circulating on various forums that in some cases all is not well. I use E5 for the XKR and RRS, but the Mini seems fine on the E10. Can only suggest you try out the E10, probably don't brim the tank, but ensure it is empty enough to allow the E10 to work its way through the fuel system to the engine. Also, do a careful check of the fuel pipes and system as one fall-out from E10 use seems to be its propensity to find weak points in the fuel system, resulting in leakage. Do not ignore any fuel smell.
If putting the car off the road (SORN) for longer term, brim it with E5, or if E10 already in place, ensure you use a fuel stabiliser additive, otherwise it can cause a few issues later when recommissioning.
I am sure others will be along shortly with their own take.

Jim Mann

Might just be me but I have always put E5 (99) in my car when it has been available, seems to run so much better.

Nick

Agree, stick with E5

Simon

I would suggest absolutely don't put any E10 in your XJS until you have to.

An AJ16 engine will run ok on E10 as regards combustion but there are so many other reasons not to use it - its ability to absorb water, cause corrosion in fuel tanks, attack ageing seals and 25 year-old fuel rubber pipes ( and your car WILL have a lot of original pipes!).

So put a good quality E5 in, preferably one with ZERO ethanol. The only one that is guaranteed zero ethanol is BP's E5 Ultimate.

Paul

Wouldn't that then be E0, not E5?

The only one that is guaranteed zero ethanol is BP's E5 Ultimate.

Paul, are you sure that BP Ultimate actually has no Ethanol, I've not heard that before anywhere? Also, it used to be only 97 octane, not 99.

Esso Supreme+ 99 octane definitely has no ethanol as they have confirmed this in an email reply (but unfortunately it's not available in Devon, Cornwall, Teesside and Scotland)
In answer to Steve_m's question, it would be E0 in theory but that is not a recognised category. E5 is used because the category can contain 0-5% ethanol, therefore this covers 0%.

Brian, et al,

Apologies! Yes you're right Brian, I meant to say Esso Synergy, not BP Ultimate!

And Brian is correct, ALL petrol in the UK has to be marked as E5 or E10. E5 can contain up to 5% ethanol but can theoretically have zero. I rang all the major suppliers a number of months ago; only Esso would definitively state that their E5 had zero ethanol. Except as Brian said, their distribution in small pockets of the country.

Oaul

Thanks all
Seems an emphatic no E10, still the way politicians jump on passing band wagons we will all have to convert our classics to electric when they ban the sale of petrol. Then they will wonder why the books don't balance with the loss of duty and VAT. That said anyone know of an electric XJS?
Regards all

Simon

I always tell the youngsters that my XJ-S is electric, well *mostly* electric, hell even the radio aerial is electric! Understandably I get some puzzled looks.

I've only seen electric E-Types so far, I'm sure that if there's no electric XJ-S it won't be long.

...Then they will wonder why the books don't balance with the loss of duty and VAT. ...

Be patient. They'll soon put duty and VAT on electricity for cars.

In that case I won't convert mine to electric just yet (was thinking, gas turbine being the way to go, hydrogen or steam).

Ps. Is it okay to run the diesel on peanut oil?

Nick

No, small nuclear reactor's the way to go. Or wait for in-car fusion power - only 30 years away from working...

........ Or wait for in-car fusion power - only 30 years away from working...

But don't get up to 88 mph - strange things happen!