Octane booster for trackday use?/
- Thread starter johnsy
- Start date
No - just use VPower.
http://www.racecar.com/story.asp?NewsID=13298
im sure you may find these at BP close to race tracks, so need
im sure you may find these at BP close to race tracks, so need
johnny gtir
Well-Known Member
i melted my piston on my nifty 50 when i was 16 using octane boosters. it was a road bike not a scooter stop laughing. shell v power is the best fuel several tests have proved it better than BP better than tesco 99 ron etc
Other fuel test have proved tesco 99 to better than optimax. I think Teso has improved their fuel over the years as I remember comparing it in the past and prefering optimax. I switched recently on my daily commuter that's non-turbo as I prefer tescos. The Sunny is still off the road so can't say.
For trackdays. Many people don't bother with octane boosters but I always used a can of this stuff for peace of mind:
http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-818-fuchs-silkolene-pro-boost-octane-improver.aspx
(Free plug for site sponsor :lol
I would avoid anything that comes in a small plastic bottle as next to pointless. Even a litre is only a 2% mix.
I also used to knock back boost and ignition as well to help. That was all done from the ECU for me so pretty easy but not impossible with a timing gun.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Silkolene-Pro-Boost-Octane-Improver-Booster-1-ltr_W0QQitemZ250528933433QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Motorcycle_Parts?hash=item3a54b02639
I know people have their own preferences, but around here I can only see one producer of 99RON fuel, and that's Shell Stanlow. - I'm pretty sure it's all coming from there because I don't see a Tesco refinery anywhere.
I know some will say "they put different stuff in it", but when it comes to the crunch there are only so many things you can put in fuel to make it 99RON. - Even VPower varies with season based on the crude they use and what other fractions they're selling off (for example if Shell are selling a lot of aliphatics for something, you can bet all the petrol will be heavy with the aromatics they don't want). - Forget what you've seen on CSI, it's damn near impossible to fingerprint petrols because they don't make it the same twice.
It's bucket chemistry really. Yes, Shell will always put the best stuff in their own tanks, but they can't get away with selling complete shite to Tesco etc.
I'd like to see some of these studies and check them for statistical significance. My guess is that the variations seen that "prove" one is better than the other will be within the statistical error of the testing. - Pseudo-science annoys the crap out of me. Sorry /rant
I know some will say "they put different stuff in it", but when it comes to the crunch there are only so many things you can put in fuel to make it 99RON. - Even VPower varies with season based on the crude they use and what other fractions they're selling off (for example if Shell are selling a lot of aliphatics for something, you can bet all the petrol will be heavy with the aromatics they don't want). - Forget what you've seen on CSI, it's damn near impossible to fingerprint petrols because they don't make it the same twice.
It's bucket chemistry really. Yes, Shell will always put the best stuff in their own tanks, but they can't get away with selling complete shite to Tesco etc.
I'd like to see some of these studies and check them for statistical significance. My guess is that the variations seen that "prove" one is better than the other will be within the statistical error of the testing. - Pseudo-science annoys the crap out of me. Sorry /rant
skiddusmarkus
Active Member
I used to travel 8 miles each way to a shell garage to fill up on optimax.Since then, Tescos have started selling it 1 mile down the road so that's where my hard earned goes.If you get your car remapped just get it done on whatever is closest to you.It won't make a massive difference and at least you know you can reliably get it.
It's a good point george and I worked at Stanlow for a few months on my year out so I've even seen the pumps they fill the tankers from.
I just checked and what I said wasn't total tosh but Shell don't make optimax so technically it was garbage. The test I read for my other car was tecos 99 vs optimax (98ron) You'll be right and V-power is probably the same as the 99-ron stuff from Tesco.
The difference I think I felt could be the station themselves. Aindsale Shell garage surrounded by old people who don't buy v-power. Tescos Southport passed by loads of boy racers getting a fresh batch of "Tescos momentum"?
I'll have to try some V-power from maghull and see if I notice a difference.
Sits back and waits to be slammed by George again
I just checked and what I said wasn't total tosh but Shell don't make optimax so technically it was garbage. The test I read for my other car was tecos 99 vs optimax (98ron) You'll be right and V-power is probably the same as the 99-ron stuff from Tesco.
The difference I think I felt could be the station themselves. Aindsale Shell garage surrounded by old people who don't buy v-power. Tescos Southport passed by loads of boy racers getting a fresh batch of "Tescos momentum"?
I'll have to try some V-power from maghull and see if I notice a difference.
Sits back and waits to be slammed by George again
Braveheart
New Member
I asked my mapper (mapping next week) what would be best to stick in the tank and shell V power came first but he's seen very good results with Tesco 99. I normaly lift the RON for track use but now that I have EMU I will get it mapped with Tesco I can then swing both ways... ;-)
red reading
Active Member
Why not just get the car mapped on shite fuel and not worry about it?
My experience is that it's actually the garage which makes the difference rather than the brand, so I agree with you Jim. - I know in Australia I used to buy the Ultimate98 from BP, and on at least two occasions it had water in it. That was the garage I was buying it from either having a tank with a leak in it, or not sealing the refilling points. Buying it elsewhere I had no problems. I think it's equally true that if the garage doesn't sell much high octane fuel, then the tank doesn't get refilled very often and is therefore not very "fresh". One that shifts a lot (because of the boy racers?) will always have fresh fuel, which might be what makes all the difference.
Plus I can't dispute that BP won't be buying their fuel from Shell either, they do have their own refinerys.
I apologise if I sounded a little brash and psychotic. I just find that people often fall for some "evidence" that's presented on the internet, but that doesn't actually stand up to scrutiny; just look at those bloody fuel magnets!
I suppose that if it tells someone what they want to hear, then they don't bother looking any closer. - Truth be told, this is one of the better places for people not taking things at face value and actually thinking about (and debating) the facts and empirical evidence before reaching a consensus opinion.
Plus I can't dispute that BP won't be buying their fuel from Shell either, they do have their own refinerys.
I apologise if I sounded a little brash and psychotic. I just find that people often fall for some "evidence" that's presented on the internet, but that doesn't actually stand up to scrutiny; just look at those bloody fuel magnets!
I suppose that if it tells someone what they want to hear, then they don't bother looking any closer. - Truth be told, this is one of the better places for people not taking things at face value and actually thinking about (and debating) the facts and empirical evidence before reaching a consensus opinion.
warpspeed
Well-Known Member
LPG is 106ron standard :-D
I have my pulsar engine in my gti converted to run LPG, just in the process of getting it running again after raising the cr to 10:1.
Last time i had it running on my rolling road with standard cr it was making over 200hp at 4psi @ 4000revs and that was with what turned out to be a knackered piston! My own fault though, i should have stripped and rebuilt the engine before using it.
I'm about to use liquid injection soon as well, very new to the market but seems that in tests so far on n/a engines their making around 20% more power/torque due to the chargecooling effect of converting from a liquid to a gas at the injectors, sounds promising for turbos :twisted:
I have my pulsar engine in my gti converted to run LPG, just in the process of getting it running again after raising the cr to 10:1.
Last time i had it running on my rolling road with standard cr it was making over 200hp at 4psi @ 4000revs and that was with what turned out to be a knackered piston! My own fault though, i should have stripped and rebuilt the engine before using it.
I'm about to use liquid injection soon as well, very new to the market but seems that in tests so far on n/a engines their making around 20% more power/torque due to the chargecooling effect of converting from a liquid to a gas at the injectors, sounds promising for turbos :twisted:
RON just relates to the anti-knocking (i.e. DET) properties of the fuel. More RON does not mean more power, just that the engine won't knock as you advance the timing etc.
Also, although the calorific value of LPG is higher than that of petrol, because it's a gas the value per litre is lower. - The net effect of that is that you need to use more to achieve the same power as petrol.
This liquid injection you speak of... I know nothing of it. Perhaps it's the solution to the problem of lower energy from using a gas.
EDIT: No, I've just found something that suggests the improvement is so good that you have to detune the liquid injection to stop it damaging the engine in other areas.
Please don't think I'm trying to put you off. I'm just saying that octane ratings aren't the whole story.
Also, although the calorific value of LPG is higher than that of petrol, because it's a gas the value per litre is lower. - The net effect of that is that you need to use more to achieve the same power as petrol.
This liquid injection you speak of... I know nothing of it. Perhaps it's the solution to the problem of lower energy from using a gas.
EDIT: No, I've just found something that suggests the improvement is so good that you have to detune the liquid injection to stop it damaging the engine in other areas.
Please don't think I'm trying to put you off. I'm just saying that octane ratings aren't the whole story.