Octane Booster?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 4,833
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From: Castle Rock CO
Cruise-In III Veteran
Octane Booster?
Is using Octane Booser :bs ? Since my 383 Stroker rebuild the mechanic told me to use it or the car could ping. For the first time, last fill-up I didn't use it and noticed no difference. What's the advantages/disadvantages of using it?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 8,183
Likes: 3
From: Santa Maria, CA
Re: Octane Booster? (Cam Potter)
Agreed. An engine only needs one point higher octane over the level where it "pings". Any higher might be unnecessary. An engine could ping at 87 for example, and a person could put 103 race octane but no horsepower is picked up because of the extra 5 octane points(one for the pinging and four difference). I suspect the ecm would retard accordingly. no? Amazing little motor ya got there BTW!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 7,391
Likes: 3
From: Chandler AZ
Re: Octane Booster? (89 Paul in cal)
Agreed. An engine only needs one point higher octane over the level where it "pings". Any higher might be unnecessary. An engine could ping at 87 for example, and a person could put 103 race octane but no horsepower is picked up because of the extra 5 octane points(one for the pinging and four difference). I suspect the ecm would retard accordingly. no? Amazing little motor ya got there BTW!
Race Director<br><img src="/forums/images/ranks/7k-10k.gif" border="0">
Joined: Feb 2001
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From: HOME OF THE FREE. BECAUSE OF OUR BRAVE. Babylon NY
St. Jude Donor '06 thru '20
Re: Octane Booster?
Your mechanic friend is probably telling you to use octane booster because the compression in your motor is thought to be to high. The use of octane booster is to create a comfortable margin so detonation dosen't start destroying thing's like head gasket's, piston's and bearing's. Just because the car dosen't run any better without the octane booster is no reason to say that detonation is not occuring. I put in 1 gallon of race fuel to a full tank of the high octane gas. The safe thing to do is to keep putting in the octane booster or preferably 1 gallon of race fuel per tank. Hope this help's.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 844
Likes: 3
From: Kennewick, Wa. USA
Re: Octane Booster? (GoodbyeGirl)
I may be wrong here, but as I understand it, even the best octaine boost you buy in the auto store will typically only add 3 to 5 points. It takes 10 points to increase one count of octaine, ie...from 92 to 93 octaine! Therefore, it would take 2-3 cans of boost to up one tank of gas by one number of octaine!
Someone tell me if I'm wrong!
Someone tell me if I'm wrong!
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 6,252
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From: Silicon Valley Kalifornia
Re: Octane Booster? (GoodbyeGirl)
Seriously, I've found that my plugs develop a red hue to them after using certain boosters. Misfiring can then occur because IMO this hue is electroconductive and starts shorting the plugs. My .02 :flag
Pro
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 730
Likes: 14
From: Wilmington N.C.
Re: Octane Booster? (GoodbyeGirl)
This is just an opinion--but i have done some research on this subject.Octane booster is a waste of money,if you follow the manuf.'s recommendation---it will add very little to your octane rating.If you really want to lower your chances of knock---splash a gallon of xylene or toulene with a fill-up and i promise you that you will be happy with the results.
I also disagree with the fact that ---if you can't hear knock or ping that it is not bad--there could be damage occuring before you get to the point of hearing knock.Octane is your friend.
Geoff Hall
I also disagree with the fact that ---if you can't hear knock or ping that it is not bad--there could be damage occuring before you get to the point of hearing knock.Octane is your friend.
Geoff Hall
Race Director
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Re: Octane Booster? (GoodbyeGirl)
The question here that hasn't been asked, what compression is your motor running? With a stock compression of 10.4:1 (LT1) you can obviously run premium without any trouble.
Pro
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 533
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From: Markham
Re: Octane Booster? (ghall)
I agree with GHALL. :yesnod: I've used Xylene (117 Octane) for years with great results. I buy it by the drum every spring.
Most GN owners (turbo guys) are familiar with this stuff.
Most GN owners (turbo guys) are familiar with this stuff.
Race Director<br><img src="/forums/images/ranks/7k-10k.gif" border="0">
Joined: Feb 2001
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From: HOME OF THE FREE. BECAUSE OF OUR BRAVE. Babylon NY
St. Jude Donor '06 thru '20
Re: Octane Booster? (TurboVette)
Hey their Michael !! How's that beautiful Turbo Vette running ?
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,143
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From: San Diego CA
Re: Octane Booster? (Aman)
Ping is the result of the expansion of the combustion mixture before the proper position of the piston is reached. In simple terms, the mixture is expanding while the piston is still on the upstroke.
Problems caused: the piston, connecting rod, heads and crankshaft are subject to extreme pressure (and stress) while still on an upstroke. Extended pings will usually result in one of these parts failing.
Higher octane causes the fuel to burn/explode slower allowing the piston to reach the proper position before maximum pressure is reached. Retarding the spark does the same thing by igniting the mixture later in the cycle and also reducing power.
There are probably a hundred things that cause pinging, none of them are good for your engine unless it's a diesel.
I hope this makes sense.
Problems caused: the piston, connecting rod, heads and crankshaft are subject to extreme pressure (and stress) while still on an upstroke. Extended pings will usually result in one of these parts failing.
Higher octane causes the fuel to burn/explode slower allowing the piston to reach the proper position before maximum pressure is reached. Retarding the spark does the same thing by igniting the mixture later in the cycle and also reducing power.
There are probably a hundred things that cause pinging, none of them are good for your engine unless it's a diesel.
I hope this makes sense.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Chandler AZ
Re: Octane Booster? (Nathan Plemons)
The question here that hasn't been asked, what compression is your motor running? With a stock compression of 10.4:1 (LT1) you can obviously run premium without any trouble.
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
Re: Octane Booster? (John Row)
I hope this makes sense.
This is probably a question for a new topic - but...
does the Engine Management System sense this may be going on and try to alter the speed of the pistons, or something?
Just plain old curiousty! :)
Al.
Pro
Joined: Oct 1999
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From: Markham
Re: Octane Booster? (Aman)
I hope this makes sense.
does the Engine Management System sense this may be going on and try to alter the speed of the pistons, or something?
does the Engine Management System sense this may be going on and try to alter the speed of the pistons, or something?
