Octane booster question.......

Posted By: BFASTER

Octane booster question....... - 07/29/11 12:18 AM

......if I put 91 octane and octane booster in my tank, would it somehow make the motor run hotter? She ran a little hot last night for no apparent reason.

I've been running Union 76 100 octane race gas, but had a bottle of O'Reilly Auto Parts brand booster in my garage that I wanted to try. Race gas is $7.79/gal here. Trying to save a little money. (please, no lectures) :

Mild 440 street motor, normal aspiration.

Posted By: Dcuda69

Re: Octane booster question....... - 07/29/11 12:26 AM

I doubt the booster made it run hot. Exactly how "mild" is your 440 that you need race gas over pump 91??

Posted By: BFASTER

Re: Octane booster question....... - 07/29/11 12:49 AM

Quote:

I doubt the booster made it run hot. Exactly how "mild" is your 440 that you need race gas over pump 91??

Don't NEED to....but it runs a helluva lot better than with anything else. Besides, 100 octane is really just "super Premium". (91 isn't what I would call Premium; used to be it was 93-94 octane)

Engine has MP .484 cam, aluminum Stealth heads, .030 over, Eddy RPM intake, stock elec. ignition and an old holley 750. About 9:1 cr.

Posted By: Plum440

Re: Octane booster question....... - 07/29/11 01:00 AM

....My freshly built 440 ran terrible with an octane booster

! Once I ditched it she ran perfect

Posted By: BFASTER

Re: Octane booster question....... - 07/29/11 01:54 AM

Quote:

....My freshly built 440 ran terrible with an octane booster ! Once I ditched it she ran perfect !

Me thinks I'll do the same!

Posted By: Mr.Yuck

Re: Octane booster question....... - 07/29/11 02:27 AM

heres what i use. no problems easy install and it works. Not only can you run 91-93 and as much advance as you like, it adds about 25-40HP

http://www.snowperformance.net/product.php?pk=31

Posted By: Dcuda69

Re: Octane booster question....... - 07/29/11 02:50 AM

Quote:

Quote:

I doubt the booster made it run hot. Exactly how "mild" is your 440 that you need race gas over pump 91??

Don't NEED to....but it runs a helluva lot better than with anything else. Besides, 100 octane is really just "super Premium". (91 isn't what I would call Premium; used to be it was 93-94 octane)

Engine has MP .484 cam, aluminum Stealth heads, .030 over, Eddy RPM intake, stock elec. ignition and an old holley 750. About 9:1 cr.

OK...I fail to see how a alum. headed 9:1,484 cammed 440 runs "better" with 100 octane. But if it works for you..go for it!
My 10.3:1 Eddy headed,solid roller 470" runs fine on 91 pump swill

Posted By: BFASTER

Re: Octane booster question....... - 07/29/11 03:14 AM

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

I doubt the booster made it run hot. Exactly how "mild" is your 440 that you need race gas over pump 91??

Don't NEED to....but it runs a helluva lot better than with anything else. Besides, 100 octane is really just "super Premium". (91 isn't what I would call Premium; used to be it was 93-94 octane)

Engine has MP .484 cam, aluminum Stealth heads, .030 over, Eddy RPM intake, stock elec. ignition and an old holley 750. About 9:1 cr.

OK...I fail to see how a alum. headed 9:1,484 cammed 440 runs "better" with 100 octane. But if it works for you..go for it!
My 10.3:1 Eddy headed,solid roller 470" runs fine on 91 pump swill

My 440 also runs fine with 91, never said it didn't. Seriously....do I need a "race" motor to benefit from running 100 octane?

Posted By: Dcuda69

Re: Octane booster question....... - 07/29/11 03:32 AM

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

I doubt the booster made it run hot. Exactly how "mild" is your 440 that you need race gas over pump 91??

Don't NEED to....but it runs a helluva lot better than with anything else. Besides, 100 octane is really just "super Premium". (91 isn't what I would call Premium; used to be it was 93-94 octane)

Engine has MP .484 cam, aluminum Stealth heads, .030 over, Eddy RPM intake, stock elec. ignition and an old holley 750. About 9:1 cr.

OK...I fail to see how a alum. headed 9:1,484 cammed 440 runs "better" with 100 octane. But if it works for you..go for it!
My 10.3:1 Eddy headed,solid roller 470" runs fine on 91 pump swill

My 440 also runs fine with 91, never said it didn't. Seriously....do I need a "race" motor to benefit from running 100 octane?

Theoretically....yes. The only benefit you would see would be lead, is the 100 octane leaded?? If not I would doubt you'll see a difference in a 9:1 motor. Again just my

Posted By: 340SHORTY

Re: Octane booster question....... - 07/29/11 04:34 AM

octane booster

pure bul- sh-t

Posted By: 73rrak

Re: Octane booster question....... - 07/29/11 06:09 AM

I run a 3:1 premium 91 octane gas / race fuel mix in my 512 (11.3:1 compression stealth heads) Challenger. My car runs better with it but my 1/4 mile times went from 11 seconds to 11 minutes because I had to stop every 50 feet to get out and smell my exhaust....... God I love that smell.

I was only kidding about the 1/4 mile times I have no idea what it runs in a 1/4

Posted By: DennisH

Re: Octane booster question....... - 07/29/11 12:25 PM

9.5:1 440. 91. When 100 is in it, it seems to get quieter. Or maybe it's phsycological. Wish I could get Sunoco 94 Ultra out here in green land.

Posted By: Mr.Yuck

Re: Octane booster question....... - 07/29/11 01:42 PM

"OK...I fail to see how a alum. headed 9:1,484 cammed 440 runs "better" with 100 octane. But if it works for you..go for it!"

you know what's wierd. My 5.2 5 speed 95 dak sport w/ nothing more than a computer upgrade and headers ran much better on 104 (unleaded) mix w/ 93 than straight 93. The truck picked up a little over a tenth and It seemed to run smoother. I only did it because a buddy of mine suggested it. I was thinking it was over kill as well. Maybe because it was a hot day????

Posted By: Dcuda69

Re: Octane booster question....... - 07/29/11 01:51 PM

Quote:

"OK...I fail to see how a alum. headed 9:1,484 cammed 440 runs "better" with 100 octane. But if it works for you..go for it!"

you know what's wierd. My 5.2 5 speed 95 dak sport w/ nothing more than a computer upgrade and headers ran much better on 104 (unleaded) mix w/ 93 than straight 93. The truck picked up a little over a tenth and It seemed to run smoother. I only did it because a buddy of mine suggested it. I was thinking it was over kill as well. Maybe because it was a hot day????

I might understand that. Your computer(esp upgrsded)may add timing till it recognizes spark knock from a knock sensor. The 440 in the OP does not have that ability.

Posted By: Mr.Yuck

Re: Octane booster question....... - 07/29/11 01:53 PM

Quote:

Quote:

"OK...I fail to see how a alum. headed 9:1,484 cammed 440 runs "better" with 100 octane. But if it works for you..go for it!"

you know what's wierd. My 5.2 5 speed 95 dak sport w/ nothing more than a computer upgrade and headers ran much better on 104 (unleaded) mix w/ 93 than straight 93. The truck picked up a little over a tenth and It seemed to run smoother. I only did it because a buddy of mine suggested it. I was thinking it was over kill as well. Maybe because it was a hot day????

I might understand that. Your computer(esp upgrsded)may add timing till it recognizes spark knock from a knock sensor. The 440 in the OP does not have that ability.

got ya... his should run fine on 93 even at 38* total.

Posted By: radar

Re: Octane booster question....... - 07/29/11 10:16 PM

Octane is a measure of knock resistance. More octane will burn slower and not want to explode (knock). A higher octane will not produce more power. More powerful engines run the high test to match wild compression ratios, not because the gas has more bang in it.

Run the lowest octane that doesn't knock with your preferred spark advance.

Posted By: BFASTER

Re: Octane booster question....... - 07/29/11 11:42 PM

Quote:

Octane is a measure of knock resistance. More octane will burn slower and not want to explode (knock). A higher octane will not produce more power. More powerful engines run the high test to match wild compression ratios, not because the gas has more bang in it.

Run the lowest octane that doesn't knock with your preferred spark advance.

Thank you. A very sensible answer!

Posted By: roadrunner69s

Re: Octane booster question....... - 07/30/11 01:43 AM

My first GTX had a somewhat built engine though I never knew the exact specs. Maybe compression was between 10.1-10.5 to 1. It would ping at WOT on 93 octane and have a slight power lag at 1000-1400 rpm. Running a mix of Sunoco race gas to 93 octane boosted it to around 98-100. With that octane it had no pings, much improvement on the hesitation, and even ran a tad cooler.

I tried various octane "boosters" and none did a darn thing regardless of what they claimed. I'd even add the bottles when the tank was getting low to maximize the effect. A waste of $$. It was actually cheaper back then to add 1-2 gallons of race gas than it was to add an octane booster.
At least with the race gas you were getting a set qty of real octane.

RR69s

Posted By: rbstroker

Re: Octane booster question....... - 10/09/11 04:50 PM

Quote:

heres what i use. no problems easy install and it works. Not only can you run 91-93 and as much advance as you like, it adds about 25-40HP

http://www.snowperformance.net/product.php?pk=31

I have heard of alcohol and/or water injection for years. I think that some aircraft used it in the 40's. Do you use it on the street or at the track? Any associated issues whatsoever?

Posted By: MoparMarq

Re: Octane booster question....... - 10/09/11 07:50 PM

Quote:

I have heard of alcohol and/or water injection for years. I think that some aircraft used it in the 40's.

Garrett used water-methanol injection in their TPE-331 turboprop engine mounted in a Fairchild Metroliner. 60% +/- 2% methanol, 40% +/- 2% water mixture. Increased shaft horsepower from 1000 to 1100 at sea level. The aircraft are still being used to this day at FedEx/UPS cargo feeder airlines.

Posted By: autoxcuda

Re: Octane booster question....... - 10/09/11 08:37 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Octane is a measure of knock resistance. More octane will burn slower and not want to explode (knock). A higher octane will not produce more power. More powerful engines run the high test to match wild compression ratios, not because the gas has more bang in it.

Run the lowest octane that doesn't knock with your preferred spark advance.

Thank you. A very sensible answer!

We race circle track with crate ZZ4 chevy motors. These are untouched long blocks. Sealed from the factory.

We've done extensive dyno testing with the 93 and 100 octane available track gas.

The 93 and the 100 octane gave the same dyno numbers. BUT the carb jetting needed to be optimized for each gas.

Posted By: autoxcuda

Re: Octane booster question....... - 10/09/11 08:45 PM

Quote:

My first GTX had a somewhat built engine though I never knew the exact specs. Maybe compression was between 10.1-10.5 to 1. It would ping at WOT on 93 octane and have a slight power lag at 1000-1400 rpm. Running a mix of Sunoco race gas to 93 octane boosted it to around 98-100. With that octane it had no pings, much improvement on the hesitation, and even ran a tad cooler.

I tried various octane "boosters" and none did a darn thing regardless of what they claimed. I'd even add the bottles when the tank was getting low to maximize the effect. A waste of $$. It was actually cheaper back then to add 1-2 gallons of race gas than it was to add an octane booster.
At least with the race gas you were getting a set qty of real octane.

RR69s

The higher octane could have been making up for a carb and ignition tuning issue. And maybe the actual compression and dynamic compression factoring in cam timing needed more than 93 octane.