I have a 12:1 d16a6 build with dual Weber DCOE 45s. It hasn't been dynoed yet, but I have been running 31 degrees total timing from 3000 rpm on. The only fuel I have been using is Cam 2 (Sunoco 100 octane unleaded) which is available locally but its $7.99/gallon where I am. I want to be able to take full advantage of the compression, I don't want to have to pull back timing --it sorts of negates the advantage of the higher compression. If I was planning to fully run this car on 93 octane pump, I probably would have went with 11:1--11.3 tops. The car is not a daily driver, I use it some evenings and on the weekend. I went to pick up some Cam 2 yesterday and they were out and aren't getting any to earliest Wednesday. Not only is this very inconvienent, its expensive. I am still braking in the motor and at some point am planning to mix the Cam2 with 93 octane and see what I can get away with. In the mean time, I was looking at Octane boosters. Now most of them say "raises octane 7 points"--sounds great, but 7 points equals 0.7 octane, so adding the proper amount to 93 would give 93.7--pretty useless. I came across the NOS brand "racing formula" which claims adding the whole bottle to the specified amount of fuel (16 gallons) would raise it 60 points. That would be 6 octane numbers. Now assuming that is true, would it raise the same amount even if I started with premium pump gas? I mean, it would probably raise 87 to 93, but would it raise 93 octane to 99? I am thinking the higher octane you start out with, the less the booster effect. I figure if I start out with 93, adding the NOS race formula would maybe give me 96 or 97? Does that sound right? I know 95% of the octane boosters are bs, but I think Torco has something out that is a real booster--IE can give you 100 octane plus in the proper amounts. Anyone have any personal experience using these boosters?


Modified by d16dcoe45 at 3:07 PM 11/26/2006

 

I know about Toluene and Xylene (and how the fuel used in the 900-1000 hp 1.5 liter turbo F1 cars of the late 80s was like 90% Toluene!!)--but do they alter the fuel curve at all? Meaning, will I have to rejet if using a gas/toluene mix? What is nice about using one brand and type of fuel like Cam 2, is that its always the same--same specific gravity--so the tune can stay the same....

 

Just in case anyone is interested--I did some research and it seems that the NOS race version is pretty much the best of the conventional octane boosters. It seems to boost 92 octane fuel up to around 94-95 when using 12 oz. to 16 gallons. There is a Torco booster which claims to increase 93 octane up to 102+.

 

D-Sport did an article on this a few issues back (maybe more). Maybe someone on here can scan it for you. I read it at the store and it had some good info and comparisons.

 

It's really just a waste of money if you have to know. A bottle of octane booster would do nothing in increasing your over all octane rating of your gasoline.

 

Actually--doing some research as I said before--the NOS "race" octane booster advertises increases up to 60 points--which is 6 actual octane numbers. From the tests I have seen with 91 and 92 octane, the NOS booster increased it to around 94-95--which may be enough for some applications. I do want to find out more about the Torco stuff--which is supposed to be real stuff. They say from 92-93 to 100 + using their treatment, although I haven't seen any tests for it. I actually just went to the same place I went to a few days ago that told me they were out--the owner said I could try to squeeze some out--I managed to fill up my 5 gallon container with the Cam 2 100 octane--then the owner offered me some 110 leaded he has in a 55 gallon drum--I didn't take it because I was concerned with the lead ruining my o2 sensor. Does anyone know the truth to lead affecting o2 sensors?