high octane gas | FerrariChat

high octane gas

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by mikeg, Nov 3, 2003.

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  1. mikeg

    mikeg Rookie

    Nov 3, 2003
    24
    There is a gas station near me that has started selling 100 octane gas. I am thinking about trying it in my mondi cab qv. Has anyone tried it?
     
  2. Napolis

    Napolis Three Time F1 World Champ
    Honorary Owner

    Oct 23, 2002
    32,118
    Full Name:
    Jim Glickenhaus
    Putting 100 octane into a Mondial is like throwing $5 bills into the East River. Once again using higher octane than an engine was designed to run on will do nothing but waste $.
     
  3. mk e

    mk e F1 World Champ

    Oct 31, 2003
    12,899
    The twilight zone
    Full Name:
    The Butcher
    I agree, waste of money. A QV engine will run perfectly on 87 octane....unless of course you've add a turbo / blower or changed pistons to get the CR up into the 11 or 12:1 range.
     
  4. Wildwarrior

    Wildwarrior Formula Junior

    Mar 26, 2003
    280
    PA
    Full Name:
    Glen Winters
    With out higher static compression you will loose performance and waste you'r money.
     
  5. jr328gtb

    jr328gtb Karting

    May 10, 2003
    96
    New Jersey
    Full Name:
    John Roberts
    waste of money...no direct link between high octane and increased performance...
     
  6. rexrcr

    rexrcr Formula 3

    Nov 27, 2002
    1,572
    Kalamazoo, MI
    Full Name:
    Rob Schermerhorn
    with 100 (ron+mon)/2, don't forget to buy the "gas saving Intake Tornado". :)

    I agree (and search this topic for much more great information previously posted here on FC), the engine must be designed for the fuel to take proper advantage of it.

    However, that said, I have run 100 unleaded in 348/355/360 Challenge race cars, but this is because I wanted consistent fuel quality while traveling across the country and had no need for cold-start capabilities. It just removed one variable out of the performance/reliability equation.

    It did not 'add' any power, but was insurance against potentially poor quality local pump fuel.

    Best regards,

    Rob Schermerhorn
     
  7. ferrari355gtb

    ferrari355gtb Formula 3

    Nov 3, 2003
    1,600
    UK
    Full Name:
    R
    I can certainly notice the difference between 95 and 98 Ron here in the UK - the 98RON is Shell Optimax. The car feels a touch quicker and 'ticks over' smoother.
     
  8. CraigFL

    CraigFL Formula Junior

    Jan 17, 2001
    954
    Panama City, FL
    Full Name:
    Craig
    Some cars with computer controlled engine management systems will allow more advance until the engine just knocks which may increase performance slightly. Of course this would depend on the software. But, for the most part, I would say that it is like throwing money away...
     
  9. LRPMAN

    LRPMAN Formula Junior

    Oct 31, 2003
    383
    Aiken S.C. & FL.
    Full Name:
    George Pavlisko
    Tried Union 76 Racing gas in our Vette, V12 jag, 5.0 Mustang. The ONLY car that was better was the Vette. Engine ran cooler with a better bottom. The only way to inprove the 5.SLOW mustang was PUSH IT OFF A CLIFF!.
    IMHO I WASTED about $100.00 on fuel for those cars.
    Take Care
    George P.
     
  10. Robert Johnson

    Robert Johnson Karting

    Dec 8, 2001
    57
    San Diego
    Full Name:
    Robert Johnson
    100 octain may not be of any help if your timing is not advanced. More advance requires more octaine to prevent predetination. Another option os a boost to about 95 octaine with toluline. Search the archives for a great article "Rocket Fuel". Try that first, it works.
     
  11. Morrie

    Morrie Karting

    Nov 4, 2003
    207
    Sarasota/Asheville
    What is an adequate octane rating for a 328 running primarily at sea-level?
     
  12. Napolis

    Napolis Three Time F1 World Champ
    Honorary Owner

    Oct 23, 2002
    32,118
    Full Name:
    Jim Glickenhaus
    What ever the manual says should be fine.
     
  13. Crawford

    Crawford Formula 3

    Mar 5, 2003
    1,294
    Nashville, TN
    Full Name:
    Crawford White
    Was tracking the 328 at Roebling Road over the weekend. I bought some 100 octane gas at the track (at $5.50/gallon - felt like I was in friggin' europe!).

    Noticed a bit better performance due to less weight in my wallet.
     
  14. Jet-X

    Jet-X F1 Veteran

    Nov 2, 2003
    5,688
    Orange County
    Full Name:
    Brian
    Anyone consider saving the money over $4.50-$5.50 a gallon and just buy the highest grade (in California, ranges 91-93 octane) and add octane boost? It's definitely cheaper.
     
  15. 355fiorano

    355fiorano Formula Junior

    Oct 21, 2003
    781
    London
    Full Name:
    Philip
    I certainly notice the difference using Shell Optimax in the UK vs the standard 95 Ron fuels.

    There was of course the other time when I ran out of fuel at the end of a track day event. There was a racing team there who allowed me to fill up with their 'standard' fuel so that the car could get me to the next petrol station. I didn't drive off immediately but as soon as I left the track, the car was absolutely flying :D I raced back to the track to see if they were still there so I could offer to buy a tank full but no luck ... they had left :(

    There must be some merit to filling up with 100 Octane. This was in my 308QV rather than the 355 so maybe the ECU regulated later cars adjust to negate the effects
     
  16. mk e

    mk e F1 World Champ

    Oct 31, 2003
    12,899
    The twilight zone
    Full Name:
    The Butcher
    If you noticed an improvement in a QV by switching to race gas, it most likely means that your mixture was not set correctly. The specific gravities of fuels vary and do effect mixture, that a big part of the reason races like to pick a brand, preferably one they can buy at the track, and stick with it. Also, many racing fuels are also oxygenated, so you need to put more in than normal gas. If you pore that in the tank without retuning for it, you will be very lean.
     
  17. ART360

    ART360 Guest

    For you guys funning 100 octane: If you have your cats on the car, you stand to ruin them. Running leaded gas through the cats is a very good way to kill them. The latest cats for a 355 are $3200 EACH.

    Think about that the next time you run that gas through them.

    Art
     
  18. Birdman

    Birdman F1 Veteran

    Jun 20, 2003
    6,687
    North shore, MA
    Full Name:
    THE Birdman
    It is my understanding that octane values are computed differently in the UK than in the U.S. but I do not know the difference. (Meaning, 93 octane in the U.S. would be different than 93 octane in Europe, but I don't know which is "higher").

    I run 89 octane in my 77 GTB only because the 89 tends to have better detergents than the el cheapo 87 "bottom of the barrel" stuff and runs cleaner. The difference in price is about $1.00 a fill up. I can afford it, big spender that I am. With the compression ratios of standard 308's, there is no reason to put in anything higher than 87 in terms of knock control.

    Ironically, my little Honda Civic with a little inline 4 requires 89 octane minimum and definitely prefers 91-93 for heavy highway trips with a lot of crap in the car. The compression ratio is considerably higher than the Ferrari!

    Birdman
     
  19. DGS

    DGS Six Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    May 27, 2003
    60,048
    MidTN
    Full Name:
    DGS
    As I understand it, 93 in Europe is higher than US 93.

    The 100 octane is probably intended for the new generation of heavily turbo boosted ricers. The stock EVO runs a massive 19.0 psi of boost. The STi, in particular, (at 14.5psi) has been experiencing problems with 91 octane (max avaiil in CA), especially when its top-mounted intercooler gets heat soaked. (The EVO's I/C is front mounted. And it doesn't stay on boost long -- by the time the EVO gets full boost, it's time to shift. ;) )

    A US model QV, if memory serves, only runs 8.6:1 compression. 93 should be more than sufficient for that mill.
     
  20. mk e

    mk e F1 World Champ

    Oct 31, 2003
    12,899
    The twilight zone
    Full Name:
    The Butcher
    "A US model QV, if memory serves, only runs 8.6:1 compression. 93 should be more than sufficient for that mill"

    I run mine on 93.....now that I turned the supercharger up to 22 psi, it ran fine on 87 before that :)
     
  21. TOM B

    TOM B Formula 3

    Jul 24, 2003
    1,038
    Orange County, NY
    Full Name:
    Thomas Buckley

    Another point to remember ----- Even if your cat(s) was replaced by a test pipe----the O2 sensor can also be killed by leaded gas. Trust me, I know.
     

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