Hi all !
I think I am narrowing it down: E10 PETROL!!!
After my car running really well for a few weeks on premium unleaded with 90 mls pure acetone per tank and then still running well on some 95 octane fuel I got at a Mobil (eg 430kms off 37 litres, mixture of city and hwy driving with car fully laden for at least 140kms!), I just filled up an almost empty tank with E10 and to my dismay, the car would barely start!
Have had the problem return on me and have no power!
I was able to change from 2nd to 5th and car had pick up, and now it feels like i have the hand brake on!
I just did some googling ("E10 car problems") and found a few things:
1. E10 is not suitable for all cars - even many cars made in the last 5 years
2. E10 is generally not suitable for cars pre 1986, or with carbies
3. E10 has a high water content and corrodes steel tanks (like those present in cars pre 1986) and can corrode other engine parts
4. E10 corrodes gas station tanks and pumping equipment, unless specially designed to take this watery gunk!
I read tons of forum posts of motorcyclist and car owners who all complained about it, and then an NRMA article saying "E10 will be replacing unleaded petrol from July 2011".
CHOICE magazine also has done an online article about it...
So - E10 is SHIT.
Mind you car was still not totally perfect: Starting was harder when warm, and it has some flat spots occasionally in 1st or 2nd when flooring it, but the problems of stuttering I originally posted about had vanished! - I suspect there was still some E10 in my tank and it was gradually being flushed out by the better petrol, or as suggested, maybe I do have some carbie probs which are minor when compared to the carnage caused by just one full tank of E10.
Anyone else used E10in their rolla? (mine is carbie - a 4AC)