octane booster rubish

I decided to get wise and fill up with 87 octane gaz then purchased some octane booster from Canadian tire. The label on the bottle said " good for 5 fill ups of 60 liters" ( 16 gallons ).

Needles to say my engine is pinging like crazy, after using 5 times the amount recomended still pinging like crazy.

I dont know about other brands but Canadians be aware of Motomaster octane booster, it does not work...

Can i damadge anything burning off one tank of 87 octane fuel? the engine was rebuilt 400 miles ago.

Just adjust your timing so that it doesn't ping. I've never run anything other than 87 octane in my '73.

Is ther loos of power when backing up the timming?

Nick, you'll likely notice a little less peppieness for now, but once you get down to a quarter tank or so, just fill it up with premium and reset to your normal timing. shouldn't be any problem, long term.

FWIW, I tried that stuff too - got the same result. I didn't adjust the timing, just drove gently until it was all burned off. I wasn't using the car as a daily driver, though, so I could pick and choose how and where I drove while burning the stuff out.

Just how much compression do you guys have?

Curtis, my engine was just recently rebuilt - 10:1, mild cam, .020 over. Gotta take the timing way down for it to guzzle regular. The car pings when I add mid-grade.

Have to wonder that too... I have HC 160+ comp engines in the 72 and the 77.. run timing at full advance of 32 and with 87 oct. I get very little pinging and then only when luging in too high of a gear.. Runing up the 4k before shifting I get no pinging..

BritishV8 Wrote:

10:1.. no wonder..

RSS Wrote:

Yeah, it's like I can blow over a jet airplane if I blip the gas. Drives nice, and I get mileage in the 28-32 range - more on long drives - but I get to use the good stuff.

I've done the numbers, though: It's cheaper to drive the B full time than the Vue, because of the difference in mileage.

bumped mine up to 9:0 to1, but everytime it pinks my teeth grind.
Guess i'l have to re-time

I have found some octane boosters that do work--in my SAAB, which has a knock sensor so ignition will advance more if it does not detect knocking. and the stuff worked, delivering a little better fuel mileage but not enough to warrant the cost.

9 to 1 runs well on 89.....

Jerry Wrote:

I'm a bit over 9:1. 87 works fine.

Remember that when using octane booster that the advertised increase in the number of CR points claimed is actually TENTHS of a percentage point.

104 0ctane booster is the only booster I will use, but it's $$$$$$ at $7 for 12oz. It does work. I have been using it in my Midget 1275, with no ping which, has 235 lbs of compression.

It's hard to get an A series engine to ping anyway. At least in my experience.

This one will, and it will run on using 93 octane without 104 booster..

Tom,

I am sure that it is a fun engine/car, and well worth the little extra for good fuel!!

http://www.elektro.com/~audi/audi/toluene.html

Just be aware that you can get sensitized to Toluene if you are over exposed and have a variety of alergic reactions ( I get hayfever) .
It can be 10 or even 20% of High octane blends, so you've encountered it before for sure.

Tom Bedenbaugh Wrote:

I found a place, Batterystuff.com, that sells tetraethyl lead as an additive. I have always had pinging problems unless I retard my ignition. I spoke with them the other day, and they swear that it works, and that people always come back and buy it by the case. I am going to try some and report back.

JimmyHilton Wrote:

Peter-Sherman Wrote:

Toluene isn't easy toi buy in some places but it certainly works. Some people use acetone - don't.

Toluene, cost effective? depends on local taxes and availability. The governmenrt likes to get their fuel tax, and arn't particularly nice about doing so. I suspect alot of "for cleaning purposes" toluene is being sold, just don't get caught.
When I used to do octane testing our standards were made up of a mix of Toluene and heptane. Works by definition.
TEL, tetra ethyl lead, certainly will work, the orrigional lead that went into leaded petrol, but be careful with this, it will soak straight through your skin like water through paper, and do awful things to you fairly quickly. Wear a couple of pairs of nitrile gloves and don't breath it. I'm not sure what you're going to do with the empty containers. I used to hate working with it (standards for testing av gas) and put it in the category of not worth the risk.
http://www.scorecard.org/chemical-profiles/summary.tcl?edf_substance_id=78-00-2
Ignoreing the advice/warnings of Chemists this was first added to petrol by Thomas Midgley, Jr, an engineer who also invented CFC's. Truely a candidate for the Ignoble award for services to the environment!