Octane Booster stuff might actually work...

[maxsideburn]

Well I was having this issue to where when I'd really get on the throttle the car would boost hard, but then past like 5000rpms or so it would feel as though it was "cutting out", or losing that power the boost was giving it.

Well just for the sheer hell of it I noticed some octane booster bottles on sale at the dollar store near the house. I poured one into the tank, and low and behold, I'm not having this problem anymore...or at least not NEARLY as noticeably. The car feels much more powerful now and even the idle seems quieter, no more of that "ticking" sound.

I normally run 93 octane, as high as I can find. I won't even put 92 in it if that's the best a station has to offer. I've always believed these octane booster things were total crap, but it seems I have finally found a situation where it actually helped.

 

[marcmsj]

Octane boosters don't really boost octane that much, usually around 3 points or so (if you have 92 octane in your car, your octane would go up to about 92.3) not that much of a difference right?

Have you tried data logging your car to see what's actually going on?

This ticking that you are getting, is it under boost or at idle? If it's at idle then more then likely it's your lifters and any octane gas won't cure it or make it worse.

 

[bmwisthekey]

Try doing a boost leak test, as well as checking the gap on your spark plugs, any mods done to the car? what boost are you running etc...?

 

[Echo5Zulu]

You may be predetonating and knocking hard killing timing and power. You may want to do some tuning so you can run without the added octane booster.

 

[maxsideburn]

I also suspect boost leak actually. So soon I'd like to upgrade to some metal piping. Also what is the correct spark plug gap? I found a gap on this forum when I changed the plugs but that may have been incorrect.

Also, I'm running about 15psi. Comp cams, custom pistons, rebuilt engine (20k ago). that's about it.

 

[spinninfwdlaser]

A good octane booster is toulene, and thats about it. But, is quite dangerous to mix in your garage.

 

[eclipsegsx1736]

It's well known that most octane boosters really don't do much (6 points means 91 to 91.6, not 91 to 97), but there are a few that really work. The NOS Racing formula and Torco octane boosters really do work. The NOS stuff can be found at most autoparts stores. The NOS claims to raise the octane 6 full numbers, not points, as described on the bottle, and I wouldn't doubt it based on my results. On staight 91 octane before meth injection I could only run 18 psi or so with 16* timing. I added a bottle to a 1/2 tank and could run 21 with 18* of timing with room to spare. I've talked to others who swear by the stuff. One thing to note: It coats your plugs with this brown soot buildup. It doesn't seem to affect anything but using it all the time may foul the plugs eventually.

 

[romeen]

I also suspect boost leak actually. So soon I'd like to upgrade to some metal piping. Also what is the correct spark plug gap? I found a gap on this forum when I changed the plugs but that may have been incorrect.

Also, I'm running about 15psi. Comp cams, custom pistons, rebuilt engine (20k ago). that's about it.

.028"

 

[romeen]

A good octane booster is toulene, and thats about it. But, is quite dangerous to mix in your garage.

True. Xylene has an even higher octane value but is more expensive and a little harder to find.

 

[MyÜberFastGSX]

If you're going to run octane booster, you might as well buy a 30 gallon barrel of C16 for $250 and just mix in a gallon or 2 everytime you fuel up.

 

[maxsideburn]

hmm, I did notice the problem more after switching plugs. And that was going from crappy champions to NGK plugs. I did gap them to .028" but that seems awfully small of a gap. They came gapped to like .036" or so.

I still suspect boost leak as the major culprit though (although I still say I notice a difference with the octane booster). I noticed most metal intercooler piping I found though says it's for the Greddy BOV. Are there any that work with the stock BOV? Or are the Greddy ones worth a damn? (Any benefit to having one?)