kiessig@idi.UUCP (Rick Kiessig) (04/25/85)
Well, in my search for high octane unleaded fuel,
I've managed to learn some things which I thought
I'd pass on.
1. It is possible to use methanol as an
octane booster. However, in order
to see any appreciable change you will
need to run with at least 10% alcohol.
If your fuel is exposed to water, you
run the danger of the fuel layering
so that the methanol and gasoline are
no longer a "single" fuel. Alcohol can
also cause fuel aluminium fuel injectors
to go out of alignment fairly quickly.
2. An aniline compound like that made by
Moroso is reasonable, although it's
not approved for use with catalytic
converters. You can expect an increase
of about 2 to 2.5 research octane points
(motor points are much harder to come by)
when running with around 100cc/gallon.
3. "104" by Octane Boost Corp. is "as close
to snake oil as your going to get", according
to a fuel R&D person I talked with who has
studied additives extensively. He claims
he has seen this stuff leave horrible yellow-ish
deposits on the inside of the combustion
chamber, requiring the engine to be stripped
down and cleaned of this junk regularly. "104"
uses a magnesium oxide compound to do its thing.
Sounds like really bad news.
4. There is a fuel additive in the works which
will safely boost research octane about 7 to 8
points. Watch this space for more news in
about two months. It is a higher volume
product, though - requiring about 1 gallon
of additive to 10 gallons of fuel (vs. 1 liter
to 10 gal. of Moroso, even less for 104).
5. Shell SU2000 is 95 research octane, 89 motor,
the average of which is 92, which is what's
on the pump.
6. You can buy 110 octane leaded racing fuel for
$3.50/gal. Many people with bad pinging problems
use 1 gal. of this to 10 gal. of regular fuel,
even though it destroys their catalytic converters.
7. No one currently makes a high octane unleaded
fuel, although there are rumours of a major
fuel manufacturer producing some for possible
use in racing. 92 octane is as good as you're
going to get right now.
8. Another fuel expert said that although you can
get 100 octane low-lead aviation fuel, it is
not recommended that you use this stuff in
car engines because of different "vapor
characteristics" - not to mention the fact that
the lead will destroy your converter.
--
Rick Kiessig
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