Hi,
Short version:
Without Octane Performance Booster in gas HP ~ 300 (GTech)
With Octane Performance Booster in gas HP ~ 270! (I could hear it knock)

Long version:
I added STP Octane Performance Booster on the way to the Drags. I was looking for a little insurance against knock while using CA 91 octane gas. I have had good results using STP’s Fuel Injection Cleaner so I thought that this would workout OK. The car ran a disappointing 13.4 @ 106.

When I got home I took the car to my “test road” so that I could repeat a few HP runs using the GTech. The runs showed ~27 hp loss over my baseline and I could hear the engine knock. I took the car and filled it with gas to dilute the additive. I then repeated the hp test which climbed to ~295.

Moral of the story:
Vette’s are adaptive and continuously tune themselves for the current conditions. It takes some time and the use of various combinations of load and rpm to update the tune. I shouldn’t have spiked the gas so close to the strip. I got greedy and it backfired. So shoot me, please. I ran the car hard going to the strip trying to tune it but it didn’t make any difference as now it knocked.
Maybe it was the first tank of gas and not the booster? I don’t remember it knocking before the Booster.
I am only going to try experiments well before I go the strip.
I really like the GTech Pro.

Comparison of GTech to dyno baseline:
Dyno = 310-312 hp max
GTech = 298 hp
The GTech runs a little low because it also subtracts the power needed to overcome aero drag. HP ~ Drag * Velocity, aero drag is about 6 hp at 50 mph which is about peak hp.

Bye for now,
Steve :seeya

 

Thanks for the tip! I'll never use any form of octane booster again. I put some in my supercharged Z28 once and it cost me almost $400 to fix all the sensors it screwed up. But to actually see a horsepower loss just plain sucks. I just wish there was a gas station around that sold 100+ octane fuel. Oh well, the Sunoco 94 will just have to do. Thanks again!

 

Hate to hear it. Glad you got it fixed.

But....there are octane boosters that really work.

 

toluene or xylene....try it next time....

 

Saw a recent article that had research data showing that "booster" only helps with low (87) octane gas and that it is conterproductive when used with gas above this rating. Your experience supports that!! :bb :sad:

 

Well ...

Here's another article with different conclusions: http://www.gtatech.com/news_au_articl.html

It's well supported with laboratory testing.

It would seem like in everything, there's products that work and those that don't.

Mallet recommends the NOS street and offroad octance boosters, and is evaluating the NOS Racing Additive. I'm planning to switch to Amsoil because it's more effective (at least according to the above tests), costs less and is easier to get out here in the sticks. I'll be pulling the plugs after a while to check for deposits.

CA only allows 91 octane so finding a good octane booster is critical.

 

i go to my nearby airport for 100 octane

 

Hi,
Thanks for the info on the Octane Boosters. Maybe a good test would be to run the car on Auto Tap to check the timing values then try some of these Boosters and see if the timing and hp go up.
Thanks again,
Steve :rolleyes:

 

Aviation 100 octane low lead fuel still contains a lot of lead.
It could do your Cats harm.


:seeya