Illegal octane boost?
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
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From: Western NY
Melting Slicks
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In my opinion fuel that meets GM's requirement of 91 octane rating or more is better than fuel that doesn't.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2022
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From: In the woods
2024 C5of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
This is also my question. I usually run Shell 93 with 10%, I do have a Citco about the same distance that offers 90 ethanol free which I run all my yard things and generator with. Last time I went to Shell they were out of the good stuff so I filled up with 90 corn free, and honestly I could not feel a difference.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,361
Likes: 1,592
From: Western NY
This is also my question. I usually run Shell 93 with 10%, I do have a Citco about the same distance that offers 90 ethanol free which I run all my yard things and generator with. Last time I went to Shell they were out of the good stuff so I filled up with 90 corn free, and honestly I could not feel a difference.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
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All Octane Booster-in-a-can products are a waste of money. If that stuff actually worked, for less money that the usual additive packages do, the oil companies would add it to their existing fuels There are no new chemicals is this world, everything we have today, we've had, and studied for 50 years.
Adding 104octane boost to a tank of gas t, will at best raise the octane of your fuel 0.04 octane (also known as 4 points).
Adding 104octane boost to a tank of gas t, will at best raise the octane of your fuel 0.04 octane (also known as 4 points).
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
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This is also my question. I usually run Shell 93 with 10%, I do have a Citco about the same distance that offers 90 ethanol free which I run all my yard things and generator with. Last time I went to Shell they were out of the good stuff so I filled up with 90 corn free, and honestly I could not feel a difference.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 12,864
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Drifting
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From: In the woods
2024 C5of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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Race Director
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I believe it is in my area, too. But you still run the risk of having timing pulled, because the octane isn't there. 10% alcohol harms nothing in port/direct injected engines, or you wouldnt see OEM engines like the LS and Buick 3.8L V6s going 400,000 miles with no fuel issues. My '03 Buick LeSabre went 400,000 with original injectors. Only a deer collision took it off the road. It's more problematic in carbureted engines, especially seasonal use carbureted engines. When you are forcing it thru injectors at 58psi to thousands of psi, there's not many, if any issues. Of course, if you would store the car for several years, with no fuel preservative, it may be better with no alcohol. That I don't know. But if I did store a car for several years, Id drain the fuel out and dump it in my daily....
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,361
Likes: 1,592
From: Western NY
I believe it is in my area, too. But you still run the risk of having timing pulled, because the octane isn't there. 10% alcohol harms nothing in port/direct injected engines, or you wouldnt see OEM engines like the LS and Buick 3.8L V6s going 400,000 miles with no fuel issues. My '03 Buick LeSabre went 400,000 with original injectors. Only a deer collision took it off the road. It's more problematic in carbureted engines, especially seasonal use carbureted engines. When you are forcing it thru injectors at 58psi to thousands of psi, there's not many, if any issues. Of course, if you would store the car for several years, with no fuel preservative, it may be better with no alcohol. That I don't know. But if I did store a car for several years, Id drain the fuel out and dump it in my daily....
No Hostility Be Happy
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From: South Hill Wa
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Pro
Joined: Jan 2001
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From: San Jose CA
I'm not supporting octane boost companies, but there's far more to the story than you're posting as to why the oil companies don't buy it and use it. First, how do you know that they don't use it in a modified form from the off the shelf stuff we have available??? Second, in its off the shelf form, some brands can destroy converters. I dont use it, but you're making a Helluva blanket statement. One brand I did use years ago was NOS booster, which actually contained a small amount of Nitromethane!!! Used it in my 800cc 3 cylinder Polaris snowmobile. That stuff was some good stuff. But its no longer available, at least AFAIK. I think we can all guess why, lol......