Shell Nitrogen Enriched Gasoline?

[lewis15498]

Now we all know gasoline contains additives and detergents to help clean our engines. However since around march, Shell has been pushing their new Nitrogen Enriched gasoline. Now I am not a chemist, but I took a Chemistry class last year, and we spent like 3 weeks talking about detergents in general. Now while the concept of cleaning a motor may be different, I fail to see how nitrogen can clean carbon based deposits. I did some poking around the internet and all i could find were shell advertisements. Even howstuffworks.com lacked and data of real substance on the topic.

The only thing I can come up with is that the nitrogen is attached to a strong detergent, the detergent grabs the deposits, and then the nitrogen acts as a carrier to suck it out with the exhaust gases. I came up with the poor analogy of a rescue sailboat, where the detergent is the boat, the carbon deposits are the people that need saving, and the nitrogen is the sail that helps carry it out of the engine.
This Theory seems kind of loose but its the best i could come up with.

SO, did i:
-Kinda get the right idea
-or did i miss the fuckin boat because im completely wrong
-or did i miss the fuckin boat because their was no boat and this nitrogen thing is nothing more than a marketing scheme

lets hear some educated opinions, or even better, someone that actually knows whats up

 

[Mk3runner]

I'm no brain on the subject but actual nitrogen? Isn't the bpu rating higher then gasoline? But the idea behind this is emissions... So what the hell is this gonna do but make a exercise to pump the rates up.

 

[suprarx7nut]

I wondered this the first time I saw the ad for it. It seems like a marketing scheme, but Shell is rather respected in the industry and does not seem likely to promote a "snake oil" type of product.

I'm very curious to find out what the deal is.

 

[x10secondzx2]

Shell is one gas station that I refuse to purchase gas from.
But on the topic it just seems like a way for them to justify their ridiculously high prices.

 

[suprarx7nut]

Shell is one gas station that I refuse to purchase gas from.
But on the topic it just seems like a way for them to justify their ridiculously high prices.

Trying to keep the side-convo brief; any reasoning behind not buying shell? With my shell card, shell is actually the same price as the cheap stuff here. And it is one of the Top Tier fuels, unlike many of the cheap stations like Sinclair and the no-name stations.

I found this on howstuffworks:

A major byproduct of combustion is carbon deposit build-up, or what Shell has hereby dubbed in their ad campaign "gunk." Gunk is essentially what it sounds like -- it's black soot that can harden on the cylinders, pistons and valves of an engine. If too much collects, this gunk can negatively affect engine performance, causing your car to burn more oil, overheat and even burn gasoline less efficiently. Valves inside an engine are designed to let in a specific amount of air and fuel, and when this process is interrupted by carbon deposit build-up, your car won't be performing up to its potential.

So what does Shell's nitrogen-enriched gasoline have to do with this? The nitrogen formula in this specific type of gas functions as a detergent. Special detergents or additives are added to fuels to help clean engines. When Shell's nitrogen-enriched gasoline runs through your engine, it passes over and comes into contact with the system's valves. Shell claims that nitrogen-enriched molecules chemically react with carbon deposits that have collected on the valves. These nitrogen-enriched molecules then clean the valves and permit maximum gasoline and air compression within the cylinder.

So, is Shell's nitrogen-enriched gasoline a big deal? Is it really something to get excited about? Shell certainly seems to think so.

I'm still not entirely convinced, but I always buy shell or bp gas regardless of their current ad campaigns...

 

[Poodles]

I run shell or chevron regardless as they both contain detergents...

 

[x10secondzx2]

Trying to keep the side-convo brief; any reasoning behind not buying shell? With my shell card, shell is actually the same price as the cheap stuff here. And it is one of the Top Tier fuels, unlike many of the cheap stations like Sinclair and the no-name stations.

I found this on howstuffworks:


I'm still not entirely convinced, but I always buy shell or bp gas regardless of their current ad campaigns...

I know it sounds dumb but I read somewhere that Shell gets ALL of their oil/fuel from the Middle East. Sunoco gets NONE. Sunoco gets most of their oil from off the coast of North America. So I choose to buy Sunoco fuel. Sounds dumb but thats what I do. And if I can't find a Sunoco I get BP. They get none from the Middle east as well but a large part of theirs comes from Russia.

 

[jetjock]

Fwiw after refining nearly all gasoline in the US (except in California) is distributed through just a few pipelines. It doesn't become Shell or any other brand until each firm's additives are put in at the tanker farm. Where the oil it's refined from originates is a different story of course.

All top-tier fuels and most of the off brands use PEA (polyether amine) in varying amounts as the primary detergent. The amount varies with the fuel price and brand. Top tier fuels (see the top tier website) use at minimum the amount suggested by the EPA while off brands use much less. Developed by Chevron PEA is currently the best cleaning agent available. You know it as Techcron. One good thing about Shell is in many places they don't oxygenate their fuel. You have to carefully check the pump labeling to know though.

As for nitrogen consider it's 78% of all the air that passes through the engine. It goes in and whatever is not converted to NOx goes right back out the tailpipe. Until I see some science behind Shell's claim I'd consider it nothing more than marketing aimed at an ignorant public...

 

[SupraMario]

Fwiw after refining nearly all gasoline in the US (except in California) is distributed through just a few pipelines. It doesn't become Shell or any other brand until each firm's additives are put in at the tanker farm. Where the oil it's refined from originates is a different story of course.

All top-tier fuels and most of the off brands use PEA (polyether amine) in varying amounts as the primary detergent. The amount varies with the fuel price and brand. Top tier fuels (see the top tier website) use at minimum the amount suggested by the EPA while off brands use much less. Developed by Chevron PEA is currently the best cleaning agent available. You know it as Techcron. One good thing about Shell is in many places they don't oxygenate their fuel. You have to carefully check the pump labeling to know though.

As for nitrogen consider it's 78% of all the air that passes through the engine. It goes in and whatever is not converted to NOx goes right back out the tailpipe. Until I see some science behind Shell's claim I'd consider it nothing more than marketing aimed at an ignorant public...

That's me, I always take what they say on their ads with a grain of salt...most is just bullshit they use to grab the people who don't understand the technology at all.
As far as this Nitrogen Enriched Gas...I'm gonna go out on a limb and say its total BS.

 

[Poodles]

Well, considering nitrogen is inert...

Unless it does something because it's part of the gasoline or changes in the combustion process, I don't see it doing much.

But like I said, both chevron and shell are top tier and use lots of detergent.

 

[lewis15498]

Trying to keep the side-convo brief; any reasoning behind not buying shell? With my shell card, shell is actually the same price as the cheap stuff here. And it is one of the Top Tier fuels, unlike many of the cheap stations like Sinclair and the no-name stations.

I found this on howstuffworks:


I'm still not entirely convinced, but I always buy shell or bp gas regardless of their current ad campaigns...

I read this article too. It says the nitrogen acts as a detergent but doesnt give an explination on how the nitrogen actually assists the cleaning which is uncharacteristic of howstuffworks. it seems to me that its almost like howstuffworks is afraid to call shell a liar.

 

[lewis15498]

Seems like were all on the same page. Shell provides top teir fuel and it is high quality, however the whole nitrogen enriched molecule thing is a crock of shit.

 

[adampecush]

I know it sounds dumb but I read somewhere that Shell gets ALL of their oil/fuel from the Middle East. Sunoco gets NONE. Sunoco gets most of their oil from off the coast of North America. So I choose to buy Sunoco fuel. Sounds dumb but thats what I do. And if I can't find a Sunoco I get BP. They get none from the Middle east as well but a large part of theirs comes from Russia.

You be wrong.

Shell has a pretty significant oilsands operation up here in Alberta which supplies synthetic crude throughout North America. All of their oil does not come out of the middle east.

Sunoco = Suncor, another oilsands giant in Alberta.

With that said, most of the upgraded oil just gets sent to the pipeline and sold at market rate to anybody.

 

[x10secondzx2]

I didnt say that what I read was right that is just what I have heard. Im still just going to get Sunoco Fuel.

 

[DsBetterHalf]

I try to only use Sunoco fuel. I've noticed my car seems to run better on it, and is a little more "peppy."

Never noticed any difference when I've had to use Shell's fuel. I only use it when I am down to fumes and really have no choice - it's too expensive for me, mostly.

 

[steveo]

I just stick with shell regardless of the ad campaign they've got going. As well they are the most reputable dealer nearess to my house.

 

[ForcedTorque]

We have a Shell station in our area that resides in a highly price competitive area. Their super unleaded is a 93 Octane while everyone else's is 92. I saw the nitrogen enhanced ad this last time there, and thought of it as pure advertising. In today's economy, any edge they can get over the others is well worth what they put in it. I would think championing the 93 would do more good, but ignorance is broadening at an alarming rate.