octane boost
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 313
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From: San Mateo, CA.U.S.A california
octane boost
Do octane boost really work I have an L79 freshly tuned to specs but get a ping at lower rpms. going to try a boost in octane to see if this helps.Anybody ever use a boost???? If this does not work then will play with timing but would rather not.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 2,489
Likes: 32
From: New Smyrna Beach FL
Originally Posted by NINETNINEVETT
Do octane boost really work I have an L79 freshly tuned to specs but get a ping at lower rpms. going to try a boost in octane to see if this helps.Anybody ever use a boost???? If this does not work then will play with timing but would rather not.
Do not buy octane boosters.
Your car should run fine on pump gas. If you are getting some knock, reduce your timing a degree or two.
If you want octane, find some racing fuel and mix it with super unleaded to get the octane you need.
If you need more information, search the forum for 'octane booster' and 'racing fuel'. We have discussed this many times over the years.
Race Director
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 12,712
Likes: 2,270
L-79s have 30 degrees of centrifugal, so even though the initial is probably recommended at 10, you only need 6 to 8 to get the desired 36-38 total WOT advance.
Retarding you timing as little as 2 degrees could do the trick. Also, someone may have quickened the centrifugal curve, so check it against spec and slow it down if necessary.
"Octane boosters" are a waste. If you really need more octane, blend in some 100LL avgas ofrhigh octane race gas. As little as a ten percent blend could do the trick.
Duke
Retarding you timing as little as 2 degrees could do the trick. Also, someone may have quickened the centrifugal curve, so check it against spec and slow it down if necessary.
"Octane boosters" are a waste. If you really need more octane, blend in some 100LL avgas ofrhigh octane race gas. As little as a ten percent blend could do the trick.
Duke
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,142
Likes: 54
From: Taylor Michigan
Originally Posted by SWCDuke
L-79s have 30 degrees of centrifugal, so even though the initial is probably recommended at 10, you only need 6 to 8 to get the desired 36-38 total WOT advance.
Retarding you timing as little as 2 degrees could do the trick. Also, someone may have quickened the centrifugal curve, so check it against spec and slow it down if necessary.
"Octane boosters" are a waste. If you really need more octane, blend in some 100LL avgas ofrhigh octane race gas. As little as a ten percent blend could do the trick.
Duke
Retarding you timing as little as 2 degrees could do the trick. Also, someone may have quickened the centrifugal curve, so check it against spec and slow it down if necessary.
"Octane boosters" are a waste. If you really need more octane, blend in some 100LL avgas ofrhigh octane race gas. As little as a ten percent blend could do the trick.
Duke
all thats necessary.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 14,984
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From: CT
I don't agree that all octane boosters are a waste. Some do raise the octane of gas, especially those with analine oil (not sure of spelling). It's not an over the counter item, but it is used in some brands of octane booster (in some it is nothing but analine oil). It is proved to raise the the octane by 2 to 4 points (not .2 or .4)
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Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: eville in
Originally Posted by GCD1962
I don't agree that all octane boosters are a waste. Some do raise the octane of gas, especially those with analine oil (not sure of spelling). It's not an over the counter item, but it is used in some brands of octane booster (in some it is nothing but analine oil). It is proved to raise the the octane by 2 to 4 points (not .2 or .4)
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 38,897
Likes: 1,925
From: Washington Michigan
When the "snake-oil" octane boost peddlers advertise "points increase", it's in tenths of an octane point, not full points. The stuff is mostly alcohol and "petroleum distillates", which is not friendly to standard gaskets, and will eat the protective plating off the inside of your float bowls (then the alcohol content attracts moisture - it's extremely hygroscopic). Unprotected zinc and water isn't a good thing. 
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 26,118
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From: Greenville, Indiana
Long paper on the search for anti-knock formula
Originally Posted by GCD1962
I don't agree that all octane boosters are a waste. Some do raise the octane of gas, especially those with analine oil (not sure of spelling). It's not an over the counter item, but it is used in some brands of octane booster (in some it is nothing but analine oil). It is proved to raise the the octane by 2 to 4 points (not .2 or .4)
http://www.runet.edu/~wkovarik/papers/kettering2.html
Aniline oil is mentioned several times starting with "early research".
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: eville in
Originally Posted by MikeM
http://www.runet.edu/~wkovarik/papers/kettering2.html
Aniline oil is mentioned several times starting with "early research".
Aniline oil is mentioned several times starting with "early research".
a difference, shade tree i know but had to
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 108
Likes: 1
Originally Posted by JohnZ
When the "snake-oil" octane boost peddlers advertise "points increase", it's in tenths of an octane point, not full points. The stuff is mostly alcohol and "petroleum distillates", which is not friendly to standard gaskets, and will eat the protective plating off the inside of your float bowls (then the alcohol content attracts moisture - it's extremely hygroscopic). Unprotected zinc and water isn't a good thing.
Once again, thank you guys (especially you senior members who provide such a wealth of knowledge)...this is great info., it's nice to save $$ and treat your mid-year better at the same time!!!
Racer
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 371
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From: California Missouri
I have L-79 that likes good gas
I am playing with the timing on mine to check and see if I can get Amoco 93 to work and still have a decent responding engine or not.. I have played with timing and weights and spring in the distributor and etc. right now I think I'm at around 12 degree's at 800 . What I have noticed is the car gets really lazy if I drop down into the 8 or 10 initial advance range, but my ping does go away. I have also noticed that my car pings more in warm weather. I put a full tank of 110 octane in the tank and I'll guarantee it didn't ping then but,, honestly it was leaded racing fuel and it left a white powdery substance all over my rear bumpers. Duke says 30 degree's of centrifigal and I believe him. but last time I checked all I could get was 20. I probably didn't rev High enough. I don't think I'm helping much but,, my engine may not exactly be stock,, I really don't know.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 3,596
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From: Grosse Ile MI
With the timing (i.e., initial and centrifugal) are set to spec my '65 L76 is stock and runs fine on 94 octane with no detonation . Your L79 should not need any octane booster if everything is set up correctly.
Last edited by stingrayl76; Oct 29, 2004 at 08:56 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 313
Likes: 0
From: San Mateo, CA.U.S.A california
Originally Posted by NINETNINEVETT
Do octane boost really work I have an L79 freshly tuned to specs but get a ping at lower rpms. going to try a boost in octane to see if this helps.Anybody ever use a boost???? If this does not work then will play with timing but would rather not.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,003
Likes: 38
From: Scottsdale Arizona
Same problem here in Arizona with 91 octane - I mix 3-4 gallons of race fuel (available at a local 76 station - $4.50 gallon!) per tank with my L79 and it works great - each area of the country is different - of course sea level vs high alitude is a different story....... 
