Octane Boost
Octane Boost So i've been reading and what i have read says that Torco is good to boost the octane. I have used STP in the orange bottle for years and always thought I felt a slight difference. Some people say that it is not true you just think you feel something. Are there any Facts out there either for or against?
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 17
From: So.Cal.
You won't feel anything (literally) since this tends to prevent knock (so you won't hear or feel any detonation/preignition/knock)...
it will let you advance the ignition timing (which usually increases torque output), but you would still have to be careful when doing this (you should aim to run the least timing that produces the [almost] same peak torque... i.e. you can only do this effectively using a suitable dyno).
it will let you advance the ignition timing (which usually increases torque output), but you would still have to be careful when doing this (you should aim to run the least timing that produces the [almost] same peak torque... i.e. you can only do this effectively using a suitable dyno).
..I am not familiar with the Tuning processes, I am old school lol. You can see my build and I had my car tuned by pcm4less I believe. It has always been my belief, the more Octane the Better the Burn. The better the burn= more power. Is there something in this New Ignition Timing I am missing? I guess my question is what or how does the Timing advance to create more power.
Trending Topics
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 17
From: So.Cal.
Higher octane burns slower and has a lower BTU energy content than lower octane...
the purpose of higher octane is to allow timing to be advanced further which increases torque (without advancing so far as to move the peak cylinder pressure away from the crank angle where it has the most leverage).
Without any advance in timing, higher octane nets you nogains (it may actually lower your MPG since it has a lesser BTU energy content).
It will prevent or reduce the onset of knock (depending on how high the octane rating is).
the purpose of higher octane is to allow timing to be advanced further which increases torque (without advancing so far as to move the peak cylinder pressure away from the crank angle where it has the most leverage).
Without any advance in timing, higher octane nets you nogains (it may actually lower your MPG since it has a lesser BTU energy content).
It will prevent or reduce the onset of knock (depending on how high the octane rating is).
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo TECH Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 17
From: So.Cal.
unless you take that fuel injected car and get it tuned and up your ignition timing, there is absolutely no point in you purchasing the torco. If it was knocking before, torco will help, otherwise no helpy.
no tune, no helpy.
just saw you are in Charlotte, I'm right down the road in Harrisburg , keep going down 49. How far away are you?
no tune, no helpy.
just saw you are in Charlotte, I'm right down the road in Harrisburg , keep going down 49. How far away are you?
unless you take that fuel injected car and get it tuned and up your ignition timing, there is absolutely no point in you purchasing the torco. If it was knocking before, torco will help, otherwise no helpy.
no tune, no helpy.
just saw you are in Charlotte, I'm right down the road in Harrisburg , keep going down 49. How far away are you?
no tune, no helpy.
just saw you are in Charlotte, I'm right down the road in Harrisburg , keep going down 49. How far away are you?
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 17
From: So.Cal.
Octane boost will not make more torque/power;
to make more torque, you habe to advance ignition timing, but this make cause/allow knock to now occur, so you need to run gas with a higher octane number, so you pour a bottle of octane boost into your tank (or mix in some toluene as said above);
if you had existing spark knock then octane boost might stop it... but you should still fix the root cause;
does all that make sense...?
to make more torque, you habe to advance ignition timing, but this make cause/allow knock to now occur, so you need to run gas with a higher octane number, so you pour a bottle of octane boost into your tank (or mix in some toluene as said above);
if you had existing spark knock then octane boost might stop it... but you should still fix the root cause;
does all that make sense...?
OK I have NO knock or ping therefore I have NO problem to Fix. Let me ask this a different way and if I am in the wrong section please let me know.
Early cars had a distributor a mechanical devise that would advance the timing via counter weights and a set of points. Some would even prefer dual point setups. As the engine revved the distributor would spin and a mechanical devise inside would cause the timing to advance along with the use of vacuum.
On modern cars there are no more of these devises and needless to say we don't have a set of points. What cause the timing in our cars to advance?
I have had my car Tuned already, I do not have Pinging and I have NO issues with my motor. So why are you telling me by increasing the octane I will not get more power? You keep saying I need to have my car "Tuned" and I have said twice already "My car has been Tuned"
Early cars had a distributor a mechanical devise that would advance the timing via counter weights and a set of points. Some would even prefer dual point setups. As the engine revved the distributor would spin and a mechanical devise inside would cause the timing to advance along with the use of vacuum.
On modern cars there are no more of these devises and needless to say we don't have a set of points. What cause the timing in our cars to advance?
I have had my car Tuned already, I do not have Pinging and I have NO issues with my motor. So why are you telling me by increasing the octane I will not get more power? You keep saying I need to have my car "Tuned" and I have said twice already "My car has been Tuned"
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 17
From: So.Cal.
You had you PCM tuned for air and fueling... what we're saying is that to see the performance increase from running higher octane you have to get your spark tables increased...
but the only safe way to do this is on the dyno (you have to find how torque changes as you increase spark advance, and you want to run the lowest spark advance that produces the most torque without knocking...
now after your spark tables are modified (and you have a torque increase), you may find that your engine might respond with even more torque if you now modify the fueling.
but the only safe way to do this is on the dyno (you have to find how torque changes as you increase spark advance, and you want to run the lowest spark advance that produces the most torque without knocking...
now after your spark tables are modified (and you have a torque increase), you may find that your engine might respond with even more torque if you now modify the fueling.
Last edited by joecar; Sep 24, 2012 at 05:21 PM. Reason: clarification
You had you PCM tuned for air and fueling... what we're saying is that to see the performance increase from running higher octane you have to get your spark tables increased...
but the only safe way to do this is on the dyno (you have to find how torque changes as you increase spark advance, and you want to run the lowest spark advance that produces the most torque without knocking...
now after your spark tables are modified, you may find that your engine might respond with more torque if you now modify the fueling.
but the only safe way to do this is on the dyno (you have to find how torque changes as you increase spark advance, and you want to run the lowest spark advance that produces the most torque without knocking...
now after your spark tables are modified, you may find that your engine might respond with more torque if you now modify the fueling.
Wow some very interesting reading. Who said you can't teach an old dog new tricks lol. I'm going to try some lower octane gas to see where my ping starts, 10.5:1 is High but not too high. My only concern is that my Knock sensors were tuned out and if it starts to knock the car cannot help itself.
