few questions on octane and additives
03-01-2014, 06:22 PM
#11
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Michigan
Posts: 1,329
An octane that is to high will cause issues, back in the late 90's I had a stock Camaro SS and I put in $40 bucks worth of 104 octane at the race track and within a day my check engine light came on and I ruined my oxygen sensors and had to replace them so, high octane could cause havoc on some parts. The car ran a little bit crisper with the high octane but, not worth the damage it caused me.
03-01-2014, 06:32 PM
#12
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 352
no because Ford recommends premium for the 5.0. If you run 87 you won't hurt anything but you won't make rated power (probably dials back the timing a bit to prevent pre-ignition.)
It most likely wasn't the octane rating per se that caused your problem, but the additives used to get the fuel to 104. Leaded race gas can still be sold, as well as with MMT. Lead will and MMT can foul O2 sensors and catalysts.
It most likely wasn't the octane rating per se that caused your problem, but the additives used to get the fuel to 104. Leaded race gas can still be sold, as well as with MMT. Lead will and MMT can foul O2 sensors and catalysts.
03-01-2014, 07:35 PM
#13
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: CT
Posts: 1,472
no because Ford recommends premium for the 5.0. If you run 87 you won't hurt anything but you won't make rated power (probably dials back the timing a bit to prevent pre-ignition.)
It most likely wasn't the octane rating per se that caused your problem, but the additives used to get the fuel to 104. Leaded race gas can still be sold, as well as with MMT. Lead will and MMT can foul O2 sensors and catalysts.
It most likely wasn't the octane rating per se that caused your problem, but the additives used to get the fuel to 104. Leaded race gas can still be sold, as well as with MMT. Lead will and MMT can foul O2 sensors and catalysts.
lol....it was unleaded, I'm sure of that. I was younger back then and wanted the new car to do well on the track so, I intended to put only $4 bucks worth of high octane....to boost it up a little but, I misread the gas pump and put $40 bucks in and it pretty much filled the tank...sh*t....but, not much I could do because the track is in NJ and I live in CT a 2 hr drive away, the car actually ran fantastic, very crisp and then the next day i was either going to work or coming home from work and the engine light came on and the dreaded codes left bank and right bank 02 codes were on....I guarantee it was the high octane but, lesson learned.
03-01-2014, 08:07 PM
#15
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: CT
Posts: 1,472
Dude....are you ok or are you taking medicine? it's the high octane gas and whatever the *** is in it. If you wanna break it down scientifically to what exact substance/elements and how it corresponds to the periodic table of elements is ok with me and please post, I'll read it but, I'm not worried about what it is exactly in the gas....it's gas at the race tracks and whether you buy it here or there it's gonna be close to or the same ingredients depending on lead or unleaded. You may be a bit to analytical but, have fun and research. Since you like to discuss fuel ingredients how many different mixes are out there for 104 octane unleaded and what are there availability to the high octane consumer. Please post and I'm sure we will both be amused!
03-02-2014, 01:34 AM
#16
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: CA
Posts: 2,073
Dude....are you ok or are you taking medicine? it's the high octane gas and whatever the *** is in it. If you wanna break it down scientifically to what exact substance/elements and how it corresponds to the periodic table of elements is ok with me and please post, I'll read it but, I'm not worried about what it is exactly in the gas....it's gas at the race tracks and whether you buy it here or there it's gonna be close to or the same ingredients depending on lead or unleaded. You may be a bit to analytical but, have fun and research. Since you like to discuss fuel ingredients how many different mixes are out there for 104 octane unleaded and what are there availability to the high octane consumer. Please post and I'm sure we will both be amused!
03-02-2014, 07:05 AM
#17
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: RI
Posts: 690
"Octane" is a measurement of resistance to detonation, period. The higher the number, the more resistance. Additives are used to increase that resistance. If the use of higher octane gas fouls things, then it is caused by the additives that were in that particular gasoline. Use of high quality unleaded race fuel (i.e. VP, etc) will not hurt O2 sensors or converters.
03-02-2014, 11:46 AM
#18
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: MN
Posts: 117
Dude....are you ok or are you taking medicine? it's the high octane gas and whatever the *** is in it. If you wanna break it down scientifically to what exact substance/elements and how it corresponds to the periodic table of elements is ok with me and please post, I'll read it but, I'm not worried about what it is exactly in the gas....it's gas at the race tracks and whether you buy it here or there it's gonna be close to or the same ingredients depending on lead or unleaded. You may be a bit to analytical but, have fun and research. Since you like to discuss fuel ingredients how many different mixes are out there for 104 octane unleaded and what are there availability to the high octane consumer. Please post and I'm sure we will both be amused!
Torco is a very effective octane booster. It will tinge the sparkplugs red.
03-02-2014, 05:10 PM
#20
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Michigan
Posts: 1,329
If you maintain your car, there should be no carbon or sludge to clean out. If you do have carbon/sludge problems, it's going to take far more than dumping a can of junk in your gas tank or crankcase to fix it.