Whats the deal with these Lucas Octane Booster bottles I hear about on the SPEED channel? Anyone use these before? They worth it?

 

no octane booster is worth it.. only racing fuel

 

Its very worth it if used at the right time, in the right condition(s).

We have 93 here in St. Louis, but when we go on our spring and fall runs, all thats available in the other areas of Missouri are 91... and ALOT of our members said their car ran worse when putting in the 91 instead of the 93. I don't think theres any point in putting it in if you run 93 anyways, but Im definatley taking a few bottles with me on our runs.

And I've ALWAYS loved Lucas Oil products... nothing but praise from me.

 

some octane boosters work better than others (NOS octane booster is one of the best) but they only increase octane rating by maybe 2 points. however, unless you're detonating for some reason, there is no need for it. higher octane does not = more power. that's a common fallicy

 

[QUOTE=Wisconsin S2k,Mar 19 2006, 05:21 PM]some octane boosters work better than others (NOS octane booster is one of the best) but they only increase octane rating by maybe 2 points.

 

hehe, NONE of them add 7 points. the one that adds the most points is the NOS octane booster racing and street (contrary to what the bottle says, both add about the same). either one will add about 2 points at best.

 

My understanding is that each "point" of octane is one tenth of an octane "point" Meaning if they quote raises 10 gallons seven points, when added to 91 octane will raise it to 91.7 octane and not 98 octane.

You can go to a paint store and buy a gallon of toluene (which is an ingredient in gasoline blends and used in most octane boosters) for about $8. Use about a quarter of that per tank during really hot periods if you feel it is necessary.


Keep in mind that more octane than needed to defeat knock is a complete waste so higher is not always better. Most racing fuel sold has lead which is VERY bad for your car. (injectors and cat) And that if you add toluene it is a very effective solvent, dont get it on your paint and high concentrations can do harm to rubber o rings.

You could also try to mix in a gallon of e-85 per tank if you can find it but too much ethanol can gum up your fuel system.

 

WTF?

DO NOT PUT E85 IN OUR CARS!!!!! WTF are you thinking? Do you know the kind of damage and havoc that can cause on the S2k? This car is NOT a flexible fuel vehicle!!!!!

As for the toluene, why? You run the risk of detonation if you're adding more to it than what's already in the pump gas.

Also, there are unleaded race fuels. Usually leaded and unleaded race gas is available at any 1/4 mile track.

 

The mod just unlocked the thread after I sent him a PM.

I want to clarify some of the "advice" on fuel additives I posted above and the following is an except of the PM I sent to WI S2k. I do not claim to be an expert on these additives as someone with a chemical engineering degree might be but here is what I understand from the reading I have done on the subject.

Please keep in mind that if you do add anything to your fuel besides gasoline, you are taking a risk so do it in moderation. Of the two additives I posted about, I would be more careful with ethanol as an additive, not in small amount but going overboard with it.

If anyone knows something to the contrary of what foolows, feel free to correct me, I don't have a problem with being proven wrong.




First off, e-85 is 85 percent ethanol as you most likely know and 15% dinosaur gas. Since our cars are warranteed to run on 10% ethanol, those states that do not use ethanol as an oxygenate could use e-85 at a gallon per tank and be below the 10% level. Ethanol is I believe, 110 octane if memory serves and used as an additives by many street cars across the contry with no deliterious effects if used in moderation. I only suggested a gallon per tank, and what someone does as an experiment in their own car would be their own responsibility.

Our state is mandating a 20% ethanol blend as a political payoff to farmers under the guise of energy efficiency and our university has been testing 20% blend in various non-flex fuel vehicles with no problems reported so far except for a slight drop in MPG as ethanol has higher octane but lower energy content than gas.

Ethanol has been shown to cause problems in 70's and 80's carbuerated cars and small engines with gaskets not made to use ethanol. Automobile manufaturers have been using materials that are tested against high concentrations of ethanol for some time. Ethanol is also in heavy use by NASCAR for its octane properties. It would only raise octane and if that caused a problem with a fixed computer program, it could be discontinued after one tank, and diluted at half a tank by the user.

As for toluene, it is a widely used ingredient in nearly all pump gasoline blends, and used to bring up the octane factor. It is also the most common component of most auto octane boosters. Adding too much will not add any perfomance benefit but will not produce knock as you suggested, especially in the quart of toluene per tank that I recommended.

You are the mod so you can lock the thread, and I realize some people will post crap about putting mothballs and acetone in your tank, but niether are industry accepted components of gasoline as ethanol and toluene are.

Not trying to be to critical, I just think that incomplete information is the same as bad, and the thread could have been helpful to those spending $8 for 10 oz of octane booster when they can get the same ingredient by the gallon for the same price.


Later,
Vader




And lastly a PS........if your computer is not detecting knock, octane boosters will do NOTHING but cost money. Use enough to bring the octane up and reduce knock but no more would be the most desired outcome. Experiment at your own risk. Since cool air also helps prevent knock, cold months will probably not require any raising of octane and you most likely will only get real benefit when temps are high in summer months.