BOOSTING OCTANE | FerrariChat

BOOSTING OCTANE

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by arkferrari, Sep 12, 2010.

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  1. arkferrari

    arkferrari Karting
    BANNED

    Feb 9, 2004
    211
    Hot Springs, AR
    Full Name:
    B.F. Mitchell
    Any advantage/disadvantage to adding a gallon or two of jet plane leaded 100 octane when filling up with 91 octane with 10% alcohol?
     
  2. Glassman

    Glassman F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    I ran it in the last XKE I had without any problems other than one day I splashed the stuff on a diamond ring my Grandfather gave me and the diamond fell into the tank. I wound up selling the car with the diamond still in the tank. It wasn't that valuable anyway.
    I would think twice about pouring that into a Ferrari however.
     
  3. ferrarilou

    ferrarilou Formula Junior

    Apr 13, 2004
    513
    US
    Full Name:
    Lou Menditto
    Your profile shows you own a 355. It is my understanding that leaded fuel (which is what you mentioned) will kill your cats and/or OBDII sensors. There are unleaded 100 fuels available - I would search those out instead and play it safe.
     
  4. don_xvi

    don_xvi F1 Rookie

    Nov 1, 2003
    2,934
    Outside Detroit
    Full Name:
    Don the 16th
    Agreed, go get some 100 no lead race gas.
    You can google reasons not to use avgas in your car as well as reasons not to use leaded fuel in your catalyst/O2 sensor-equipped car. The latter are expensive.
     
  5. Dave

    Dave F1 Rookie

    Apr 15, 2001
    2,722
    Little Rock
    Full Name:
    David Jones
    100 octane unleaded is available at the pump in Fayetteville, and toluene can be added to boost octane numbers. Are you having knocking issues or just trying to gain performance?
    A 355 should run fine on pump 93 unleaded.

    Dave
     
  6. BDCVG

    BDCVG Formula Junior

    Apr 9, 2007
    262
    Cincyish
    Full Name:
    Brad
    If Your car is designed for 100 LL then use that , if its designed for 91 pump gas, use that.The myth of " more octane=more horse" is just that...myth, if You don't have the compression ratio or the ability to advance Your timing its a waste of $$$.
     
  7. Mitch Alsup

    Mitch Alsup F1 Veteran

    Nov 4, 2003
    9,742
    A) lead will kill various engine parts (expensive ones)
    B) No more power is produced beyond 96 octane
    C) there is plenty of 104 noLead gas available
     
  8. Raricar

    Raricar Karting

    Jun 17, 2010
    246
    Greenwood Village CO
    Full Name:
    Bill M
    I have the same talk with my wife and son they want to put Premium gas in the Jeep from time to time to make things run better... I tell them spend the extra money by washing the car it has the same effect.
     
  9. 4ZA ITALIA

    4ZA ITALIA Karting

    Dec 17, 2009
    171
    PDX OR
    Full Name:
    Brad Lee
    A chipped 997 Turbo might benefit from some no lead 100 octane.

    Lead will kill the cats in a modern car quick, and cat killing is expensive, what with their platinum innards.
     
  10. arkferrari

    arkferrari Karting
    BANNED

    Feb 9, 2004
    211
    Hot Springs, AR
    Full Name:
    B.F. Mitchell
    Thanks. I'll run down some 100 unleaded octane.
     
  11. 355tsr

    355tsr Formula Junior

    Mar 9, 2010
    322
    In Ft. Smith Fenneys on Towson has 106 unleaded real pricey (7.50)
    mostly sell it to the guys for the stock cars, I put some in my mercedes could not really tell the difference other than the exhaust odor
     
  12. SMOKDU

    SMOKDU Karting

    Aug 9, 2010
    116


    i raced boosted cars for yrs. adding race fuel and not advancing timing will make you slower. why do it? most people think race fuel will make you faster because it says race in it. you only need it to control detonation. if you had a high compression motor than yes but 11 to one is not high compression. adding boost raises your compression and that's why you need race fuel to keep the burn controlled so you do not detonate and blow a head gasket your melt a piston.

    save your money. i ran 10 to 1 with 36psi that needed 116 to be safe but i ran 19 psi with 100 octain. you can go just as fast with lower octain with the right tune. ulness you are tuning your car for it your waisting your money IMO..

    good luck.
    Mark
     
  13. 335s

    335s Formula Junior

    Jan 17, 2007
    870
    SF Bay Area
    Full Name:
    T. Monma
    Octane ratingsa on pump gas is ONLY an indicator of the fuels ability to avoid/prevent DETONATION-it in NO WAY is an indication of added/increase thermal energy increase in terms of BTUs available to be captured via a flame front....
    ITS JUST THAT SIMPLE.
    Also, ddetonation is dealt with in 2.7 and later systems utilizing pizeo-electric sensors known as "Knock" sensors and will retard timing at a rate of 2 degrees untill sensor says its stopped...the rreste in 2.7 is incredibly slow by todays standards, but is a good benchmark indicator of 20 year old application of technology...
     
  14. 328turbo

    328turbo Formula Junior

    Jun 15, 2009
    306
    nyc
    AV gas is refined to be a lighter fuel as aircraft are weight conscious vehicles. The 100 octane rating will burn cooler and reduce detonation but as a fuel it is not a true power builder like race gas.
    you stole my thunder!

    Your definitely are not getting your moneys worth without the compression, boost, & timing. But the engine will still run cooler smoother and better.
     
  15. GTHill

    GTHill F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jul 1, 2006
    14,054
    Double Wide
    Full Name:
    GT Hill
    If you were to really split hairs, higher octane fuel actually has less energy. As has been mentioned, race cars run it so the fuel doesn't ignite from as a result of air heating up during compression.


    GT
     
  16. rynoshark

    rynoshark Formula 3
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 6, 2004
    1,035
    Pacific Northwest
    #16 rynoshark, Oct 12, 2010
    Last edited: Oct 12, 2010
    Why is there a difference between the two in regards to power?
     
  17. bill308

    bill308 Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    May 13, 2001
    1,225
    Windsor, CT
    Full Name:
    Bill Sebestyen
    arkferrari,

    Please don't use jet fuel in your Fcar. Jet fuel is a form of kerosene (JP4, JP5, JP8, etc.,). 100+ octane aviation gas is for piston engines and I believe it uses lead to get there. Lead will poison your cats (make them ineffective) after a short period of use.

    As others have indicated there is no more energy in high octane gas. Octane is a measure of a fuel's ability to avoid detonation or preignition. Horsepower and torque come from an allowable increase in CR, which helps everwhere, and allows more advanced (earlier) ignition timing, up to a point. It is my understanding the high octane gas burns more slowly and does not have as much tendency to explode A/F remnants toward the end of the power stroke.

    Bill
     
  18. bill308

    bill308 Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    May 13, 2001
    1,225
    Windsor, CT
    Full Name:
    Bill Sebestyen
    328turbo

    You posted "AV gas is refined to be a lighter fuel as aircraft are weight conscious vehicles. The 100 octane rating will burn cooler and reduce detonation but as a fuel it is not a true power builder like race gas."

    AV gas may be a lighter fuel. I do not know if this is correct. the density liquids are normally measure by specific gravity, this is a percentage of the weight of water under standard conditions. Any weight savings do to specific gravity in gasoline are probably insignificant even for an aircraft.

    Bill
     

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