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Octane Boosters

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 12:58 pm
by Gary57
Has anyone had any experiance with octane boosters?? I have been thinking about this trackday that is coming up and I suggested to Rat that he should use some just as a safety precaution against pinging.

Now I had a read and NF RACE looks good, but then so do oil additives :? . Guys do these things work, any performance gains??

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 1:05 pm
by Sokar
Fifth Gear did a test a while back of 6 popular boosters on a MKV GTi

ALL of them resulted in a net loss in power (2 - 10%) and only 1 left power exactly the same.

They might help lower knock, but only if you specifically tuned for it.

Not worth it in my opinion...... use good quality highest octane fuel and have the car tuned for it.

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 1:12 pm
by HancoB
I have heard of people using acetylene with the normal 95 octane and 102 octane and somehow it changes the molecular structure of the fuel and that it can handle more "stress" or compression(thus harder to ping) and when it burns its more potent!

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 1:35 pm
by Gary57
But what brands did 5th gear test??

I can make racing fuel which will give me the same power and a bigger safety margin, so I am sure you can buy a product that will.

I am sure Toby said to me that the stock ECU will advance timing gradually till it "hears" a ping then retards it X amount. If this is so the these products will work becuase the ECU can advance the timing more without picking up the knock.

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 1:48 pm
by Sokar
Gary57 wrote:I am sure Toby said to me that the stock ECU will advance timing gradually till it "hears" a ping then retards it X amount. If this is so the these products will work becuase the ECU can advance the timing more without picking up the knock.
This is the case with a Stock CA ecu as well as the MKV GTi, in fact they drained the tank and re-set the ECU between each test and it STILL resulted in a loss of power.....

Not sure of the brands, but it was the top 5 recommended by tuners that side, off the shelf stuff...

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 1:52 pm
by Sokar
Found a similar clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jbcCr2ll3c

Watch it, you dont get more of a thourough test than that.

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 2:07 pm
by HancoB
Dammit I was about to post the same thing!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 2:24 pm
by WarrenS13
Wow, now thats an eye opener! :shock:

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 2:35 pm
by rat
cant watch it at work :evil: can someone give a quick summary of it?

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 2:41 pm
by HancoB
Well its a load of junk! Makes you perform less and you pay more!

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 2:46 pm
by rat
so what do i do for the track day? Just run on pump fuel? i can maybe get racing fuel but costly so could i mix it 50/50 with pump fuel?

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 2:48 pm
by HancoB
Rather get 40 ltr (2 cans) of racing fuel and run that.

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 2:49 pm
by HancoB
Racing fuel is R210 for 20l so its about R20 a liter.

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 2:50 pm
by rat
Leaded / Uneaded

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 2:51 pm
by HancoB
My BP 102.6 was leaded, I think you only get it in leaded!