Octane explained (Newbies please read)
Thread Starter
I ♥ Acer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 5,928
From: Colorado- 8500 feet!
RE: Octane explained (Newbies please read)
Yeah but even if it did raise your octane it wouldnt matter. Waste of money. People see "octane booster" and they automatically think more power. Most of us don't have cars that can utilize that. If you're putting in premuim and you still knock first go run a can of seafoam through your car. If its still knocking then try the octane booster.
2nd Gear Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 264
RE: Octane explained (Newbies please read)
Well, octane booster is good if you are running a S/C and can only get 91. I know 91 is all we sell here, so to get 93+, you have to add octane, or step up to a racing gas(we actually have that here though LOL).
1st Gear Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 139
From: VA
RE: Octane explained (Newbies please read)
good original post, just my 2 extra cents, don't slit my throat if im wrong.
detonation is mainly caused by excessive heat. the excessive heat can come from any number of sources (pre-ignition, bad cooling, high temp, not enough oil, too high compression, etc). the octane # is actually how fast and controlled the fuel burns. i believe that higher octane fuel has a slower, more controlled, and slightly cooler burn that lower octane fuels. when you have extra compression like high compression motors, forced induction, advanced timing, etc., you need to keep the heat lower in the cylinder or knock, knock.
not sure if all that is %100 but i think that's what i remember learning.
detonation is mainly caused by excessive heat. the excessive heat can come from any number of sources (pre-ignition, bad cooling, high temp, not enough oil, too high compression, etc). the octane # is actually how fast and controlled the fuel burns. i believe that higher octane fuel has a slower, more controlled, and slightly cooler burn that lower octane fuels. when you have extra compression like high compression motors, forced induction, advanced timing, etc., you need to keep the heat lower in the cylinder or knock, knock.
not sure if all that is %100 but i think that's what i remember learning.
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 823
From:
RE: Octane explained (Newbies please read)
True on the heat part. A dirty engine with excessive carbon build up will actually cause that carbon to glow red hot and therefore create all kinds of predetonation. Simple get one of the newer fuel "system" cleaners that blasts carbon and other deposits out of your injectors, valves, pistons, etc. and you should be good to go back to 87 octane. In a round about way, octane does increase your HP simply because it will allow you to advance your spark much further than stock without knocking. By advancing the spark and using premium gas, you now have a much stronger engine with up to 15% more HP. That is the primary function of most of these hand held tuners. The biggest HP gains come from simply electronically advancing your spark to the point where you must now use premium fuel. Do not advance your timing without changing to premium fuel! Fill up with premium BEFORE you advance your spark/timing. That is also why a Steeda spark advance tool is a much cheaper option than any of the hand held tuners. You probably will realize up to 80% or more of the same power increase without having to shell out $400 for the tuner. If you have done extensive engine mods with aftermarket parts, then a hand held tuner makes much more sense. It can compensate for increased air/fuel mixtures, custom exhausts, rearend ratios, auto shift patterns, etc. XCalibrator II will address all those issues.
If you are experiencing predetonation and/or poor running and carbon build up is not an issue, explore the possibilities of a dirty MAF or bad oxygen sensors. They along with the IAC can cause all kinds of problems with your engine's running abilities. If you have more than 40,000 miles on you Mustang and have never checked or changed your oxygen sensors, consider it. Also, every 15,000 miles change your fuel filter!
If you are experiencing predetonation and/or poor running and carbon build up is not an issue, explore the possibilities of a dirty MAF or bad oxygen sensors. They along with the IAC can cause all kinds of problems with your engine's running abilities. If you have more than 40,000 miles on you Mustang and have never checked or changed your oxygen sensors, consider it. Also, every 15,000 miles change your fuel filter!
Thread Starter
I ♥ Acer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 5,928
From: Colorado- 8500 feet!
RE: Octane explained (Newbies please read)
ORIGINAL: Deannostang
True on the heat part. A dirty engine with excessive carbon build up will actually cause that carbon to glow red hot and therefore create all kinds of predetonation. Simple get one of the newer fuel "system" cleaners that blasts carbon and other deposits out of your injectors, valves, pistons, etc. and you should be good to go back to 87 octane. In a round about way, octane does increase your HP simply because it will allow you to advance your spark much further than stock without knocking. By advancing the spark and using premium gas, you now have a much stronger engine with up to 15% more HP. That is the primary function of most of these hand held tuners. The biggest HP gains come from simply electronically advancing your spark to the point where you must now use premium fuel. Do not advance your timing without changing to premium fuel! Fill up with premium BEFORE you advance your spark/timing. That is also why a Steeda spark advance tool is a much cheaper option than any of the hand held tuners. You probably will realize up to 80% or more of the same power increase without having to shell out $400 for the tuner. If you have done extensive engine mods with aftermarket parts, then a hand held tuner makes much more sense. It can compensate for increased air/fuel mixtures, custom exhausts, rearend ratios, auto shift patterns, etc. XCalibrator II will address all those issues.
If you are experiencing predetonation and/or poor running and carbon build up is not an issue, explore the possibilities of a dirty MAF or bad oxygen sensors. They along with the IAC can cause all kinds of problems with your engine's running abilities. If you have more than 40,000 miles on you Mustang and have never checked or changed your oxygen sensors, consider it. Also, every 15,000 miles change your fuel filter!
True on the heat part. A dirty engine with excessive carbon build up will actually cause that carbon to glow red hot and therefore create all kinds of predetonation. Simple get one of the newer fuel "system" cleaners that blasts carbon and other deposits out of your injectors, valves, pistons, etc. and you should be good to go back to 87 octane. In a round about way, octane does increase your HP simply because it will allow you to advance your spark much further than stock without knocking. By advancing the spark and using premium gas, you now have a much stronger engine with up to 15% more HP. That is the primary function of most of these hand held tuners. The biggest HP gains come from simply electronically advancing your spark to the point where you must now use premium fuel. Do not advance your timing without changing to premium fuel! Fill up with premium BEFORE you advance your spark/timing. That is also why a Steeda spark advance tool is a much cheaper option than any of the hand held tuners. You probably will realize up to 80% or more of the same power increase without having to shell out $400 for the tuner. If you have done extensive engine mods with aftermarket parts, then a hand held tuner makes much more sense. It can compensate for increased air/fuel mixtures, custom exhausts, rearend ratios, auto shift patterns, etc. XCalibrator II will address all those issues.
If you are experiencing predetonation and/or poor running and carbon build up is not an issue, explore the possibilities of a dirty MAF or bad oxygen sensors. They along with the IAC can cause all kinds of problems with your engine's running abilities. If you have more than 40,000 miles on you Mustang and have never checked or changed your oxygen sensors, consider it. Also, every 15,000 miles change your fuel filter!
5th Gear Member
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,062
From: Pittsburgh/Dayton
RE: Octane explained (Newbies please read)
Honestly, if you're car is tuned for 87 and you use 93, i wouldnt be suprised if you lost power. That 'pickup' and gain of power you feel is completely BS. Its in your mind, hell i didnt even notice a pickup after i put on a full exhaust even though it was faster. I try not to let my head play games with me.
EXTREME Moderation
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 7,895
From: BLAM-O
RE: Octane explained (Newbies please read)
if you "need" anything higher than 87 to run your stock 4.6 2V, you have some type of engine problems. claiming that you should run higher octane fuels merely because it is "high performance" or cause "it's a v8" doesn't make sense. There is a reason to use higher octane fuels, and they are not based on the number of cylinders in your motor.
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 226
From:
RE: Octane explained (Newbies please read)
Here is a link to a good article on octane that backups what has been said here.
http://www.howstuffworks.com/question90.htm
http://www.howstuffworks.com/question90.htm
6th Gear Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 6,448
From: Ohio
RE: Octane explained (Newbies please read)
I think its funny when people say "running higher octane fuel makes their car run better". It does not make your car run better you are just wasteing your money. Higher octane fuel only benifits you if you have advanced your timing period! If you have not advanced your timing and you hear a ping and higher octane fuel stops it guess what, you are just covering up a problem that will lead to the failure of your engine. If you want to waste your money on fuel you don't need then thats fine, I'd rather buy a soda with that extra money, but don't try to tell people it makes your car run better because thats how these stupid stories start.