Do Octane Additives Really Work ?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,597
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From: READING PA
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10
Do Octane Boosters Really Work ?
Yesterday i purchased a bottle of "LUCAS OCTANE BOOST".
After reading the label it indicated up to 25 gal w 1 15oz bottle.
After searching i found out that there is no practical way to
boost octane say from 93 to 96 on a full tank of gas in a c6 corvette.
It simply indicates pour 1 bottle into a tank of gas. Thats kind of vague for me.
Any of you guys have any experience with this? would appreciate any comments on this.
After reading the label it indicated up to 25 gal w 1 15oz bottle.
After searching i found out that there is no practical way to
boost octane say from 93 to 96 on a full tank of gas in a c6 corvette.
It simply indicates pour 1 bottle into a tank of gas. Thats kind of vague for me.
Any of you guys have any experience with this? would appreciate any comments on this.
Last edited by LSCHLEM; Oct 6, 2007 at 11:57 AM. Reason: wrong wording
Race Director
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From: CA
2017 C5 of the Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '08
I've been using Torco for over 5 years, and have tested it on the dyno, track, road, and lab! It kills knock retard, and allows you to run more timing, which in turn lets you make more HP!!
I just got off the dyno a few hours ago with my new 08 C6 Z51. I mixed in just over a can per tank, and, well lets just say I'm Z06 hunting!!!
A bone stock one anyway...Torco/tune/VR/Headers/exhaust:
I'll post up #s soon...
Pro
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: springfield missouri
I've been using Torco for over 5 years, and have tested it on the dyno, track, road, and lab! It kills knock retard, and allows you to run more timing, which in turn lets you make more HP!!
I just got off the dyno a few hours ago with my new 08 C6 Z51. I mixed in just over a can per tank, and, well lets just say I'm Z06 hunting!!! A bone stock one anyway...
Torco/tune/VR/Headers/exhaust:
I'll post up #s soon...
I just got off the dyno a few hours ago with my new 08 C6 Z51. I mixed in just over a can per tank, and, well lets just say I'm Z06 hunting!!!
A bone stock one anyway...Torco/tune/VR/Headers/exhaust:
I'll post up #s soon...
Have found very little from fuel additives and you could add the cost of what you spend on them for a year or two and buy some HP.
Race Director
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From: CA
2017 C5 of the Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '08
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,597
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From: READING PA
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10
The lucas product is really octane booster not just something to clean
injectors etc. Is there any one who tried this with results. Its like $9.00 a 15 oz bottle.
injectors etc. Is there any one who tried this with results. Its like $9.00 a 15 oz bottle.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Austin Texas
Ask jbsblownC5 about Torco, he knows that it works. The Torco Unleaded will bring 10 gallons of 93 Oct. to 104 Oct. with one 32 oz. can. I used it for thousands of miles it my SRT4 with no ill effects.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: CA
2017 C5 of the Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '08
I had some lab tests done, and the results with 91 octane were:
10 gallons of 91 mixed with one quart of Torco is 96.5 octane!!
JB
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Team Owner
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From: Texas
CI 1-4-5-8-9-10 Vet
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '10, '17
I've been using Torco for over 5 years, and have tested it on the dyno, track, road, and lab! It kills knock retard, and allows you to run more timing, which in turn lets you make more HP!!
I just got off the dyno a few hours ago with my new 08 C6 Z51. I mixed in just over a can per tank, and, well lets just say I'm Z06 hunting!!! A bone stock one anyway...
Torco/tune/VR/Headers/exhaust:
I'll post up #s soon...
I just got off the dyno a few hours ago with my new 08 C6 Z51. I mixed in just over a can per tank, and, well lets just say I'm Z06 hunting!!!
A bone stock one anyway...Torco/tune/VR/Headers/exhaust:
I'll post up #s soon...
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 60
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From: Atlanta, GA
I don't think he ever said beat. From what I have seen the LS3 with the mods list above is very close in HP as the LS7 on the dyno. Some don't want to believe but whatever.
Race Director
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St. Jude Donor '08
As far as HP, my 08 is right there with a BONE stock Z06. My Tq seems a bit higher in some cases. It would come down to driver. Now most Z06 owners might have a problem with this, but it's all for fun anyway!! Yes the Z06 is lighter, but my car has more TQ. I'm pretty sure the tranny and diff are the same as well...
No offense taken, but if he did edge me out for some reason, I'd just line back up with the 98 and say BYE BYE!!!
Team Owner
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From: Texas
CI 1-4-5-8-9-10 Vet
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '10, '17
That's assuming I believe the dyno numbers. And yes, that's what he implied by saying he was looking for Z06's. I don't think it was hunting Z06's so he could admire the wide body. BTW, take a look at what I own. I'd love to believe his car could beat a Z06 w/ those mods, but I don't.
As far as HP, my 08 is right there with a BONE stock Z06. My Tq seems a bit higher in some cases. It would come down to driver. Now most Z06 owners might have a problem with this, but it's all for fun anyway!! Yes the Z06 is lighter, but my car has more TQ. I'm pretty sure the tranny and diff are the same as well...
No offense taken,
No offense taken,
Race Director
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2017 C5 of the Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '08
So you are saying you don't believe the dyno, or you don't believe that if two equal drivers lined up the one with more power would win???
Team Owner
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From: Texas
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St. Jude Donor '03 thru '10, '17
I'm saying I suspect that the dyno you used is "generous". I don't think that with the mods you have, with equal drivers, your car will beat a stock C6 Z06 in the 1/4 mile.
More specifically, I think the gains to be had from something in a can are minimal on a stock motor.
Former Vendor
Joined: May 2005
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From: Valencia Ca
I'm saying I suspect that the dyno you used is "generous". I don't think that with the mods you have, with equal drivers, your car will beat a stock C6 Z06 in the 1/4 mile.
More specifically, I think the gains to be had from something in a can are minimal on a stock motor.
More specifically, I think the gains to be had from something in a can are minimal on a stock motor.
It's my dyno and it is accurate. This car dyno'd 376 stock...that's totally in line with published factory specs and lower than many others reported on this forum.
The mods are a great combination that were chosen to take full advantage of an LS3 and they do just that.
Last, Torco is indeed a viable octane booster used by thousands to enhance octane and fight detonation. In California, where 91 octane reigns, one can of Torco will bring us up to 94....that's 30 points.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Eastern PA:ECS Paxton Novi 1500(676rwhp,585tq on stock engine),LG headers, 410's, Corsa Sports, ECS Alky Kit
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
I'm saying I suspect that the dyno you used is "generous". I don't think that with the mods you have, with equal drivers, your car will beat a stock C6 Z06 in the 1/4 mile.
More specifically, I think the gains to be had from something in a can are minimal on a stock motor.
More specifically, I think the gains to be had from something in a can are minimal on a stock motor.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2007
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From: Columbia Maryland
Higher octane does not translate into more power. A car is tuned to run on a specific octane rating. Using a lower octane gas means less power, but higher octane does nothing.
The tune sets when the spark plug fires before TDC, the closer to TDC the spark fires, the more power you get. Higher octane gas allows you to set the spark closer to TDC. The engine does not have a fuel analyzer to figure out the octane of the gas, so it can't move the spark advance forward. The engine can detect when you have gas that has a lower octane rating than it is tuned for via the knock sensor. Knock happens when the fuel spontaneously combusts (due to pressure and heat) BEFORE the spark plug fires. The engine detects the knock and fires the spark plug sooner, resulting in less power. The higher the octane the less likely it will spontaneously combust. Using fuel additives to raise the octane is a waste unless you have tuned the car to use that higher octane gas.
The tune sets when the spark plug fires before TDC, the closer to TDC the spark fires, the more power you get. Higher octane gas allows you to set the spark closer to TDC. The engine does not have a fuel analyzer to figure out the octane of the gas, so it can't move the spark advance forward. The engine can detect when you have gas that has a lower octane rating than it is tuned for via the knock sensor. Knock happens when the fuel spontaneously combusts (due to pressure and heat) BEFORE the spark plug fires. The engine detects the knock and fires the spark plug sooner, resulting in less power. The higher the octane the less likely it will spontaneously combust. Using fuel additives to raise the octane is a waste unless you have tuned the car to use that higher octane gas.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2007
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Higher octane does not translate into more power. A car is tuned to run on a specific octane rating. Using a lower octane gas means less power, but higher octane does nothing.
The tune sets when the spark plug fires before TDC, the closer to TDC the spark fires, the more power you get. Higher octane gas allows you to set the spark closer to TDC. The engine does not have a fuel analyzer to figure out the octane of the gas, so it can't move the spark advance forward. The engine can detect when you have gas that has a lower octane rating than it is tuned for via the knock sensor. Knock happens when the fuel spontaneously combusts (due to pressure and heat) BEFORE the spark plug fires. The engine detects the knock and fires the spark plug sooner, resulting in less power. The higher the octane the less likely it will spontaneously combust. Using fuel additives to raise the octane is a waste unless you have tuned the car to use that higher octane gas.
The tune sets when the spark plug fires before TDC, the closer to TDC the spark fires, the more power you get. Higher octane gas allows you to set the spark closer to TDC. The engine does not have a fuel analyzer to figure out the octane of the gas, so it can't move the spark advance forward. The engine can detect when you have gas that has a lower octane rating than it is tuned for via the knock sensor. Knock happens when the fuel spontaneously combusts (due to pressure and heat) BEFORE the spark plug fires. The engine detects the knock and fires the spark plug sooner, resulting in less power. The higher the octane the less likely it will spontaneously combust. Using fuel additives to raise the octane is a waste unless you have tuned the car to use that higher octane gas.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: READING PA
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10
If one would boost the octane say from 93 to 96 and put about 2 degrees of advance on the tune are you saying there would be no hp boost increase 
???
???
Race Director
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From: CA
2017 C5 of the Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '08
As stated a few times already, I had the car tuned with the specific amount of Torco/91 mix that I will run every time. We were then able to add more timing, and the car is able to be tuned to a more aggresive level, hence the sprite #s!!!
I will say this, from my direct experience and what I have SEEN first hand, A stock tune or a modified tune will be fine under normal or semi normal driving conditions. If one is REALLY into driving their car, roadcourses on Hot days, or hard mountain cruises on hot days, then the intial tune may not quite cut it. The computer will pull timing as it senses KR, and you will loose HP.
I agree, under normal condition, without the car being tuned for it, running Torco or mixing in 100 octane is of no value, and will not get you any more power.
JB