Performance Car Fuel.

[Von Smallhausen]

As a Japanese import the ECU is mapped for the 100 ron fuel the Japs get. Running 95 ron won't just cause you to 'simply lose peformance', you run a high risk of detonation. Severe Detonation = dead engine.

SUL/Optimax is the least you should run it on. Ideally you should add octane booster (or thinners ) to take it up to the 100 ron it is mapped for.

Seriously ? Add off the shelf paint thinners ?

 

[Dogbreath]

Celulose Thinners is basicaly Toluene and Xylene, and will increase octane. It's actually present in many pump fuels in low levels. Be carefull though, it can attack some rubber fuel pipes, and it's generaly not very pleasant stuff to get on your skin too often (though I use it for degreasing all sorts of stuff).

 

[Von Smallhausen]

Celulose Thinners is basicaly Toluene and Xylene, and will increase octane. It's actually present in many pump fuels in low levels. Be carefull though, it can attack some rubber fuel pipes, and it's generaly not very pleasant stuff to get on your skin too often (though I use it for degreasing all sorts of stuff).

I used to work as an industrial chemist and have worked with both solvents. I just didn't think they could be used as an octane booster.

Toluene and Xylene and both of the Benzene group as i recall and therefore known as potential carcinogens and linked to damage of the nervous system.

 

[monkeyspank]

The performance decrease you will see from using 95 RON fuel will be due to the ECU retarding the timing of the engine to protect it.

Stick with the Optimax dude It seems to work nicely for most of the tubby owners I've spoken to.

 

[MrMoon]

im sure adding paint thinner will be great for the environment and must effect the emissions

 

[Bear]

im sure adding paint thinner will be great for the environment and must effect the emissions

Its not much difference from octane booster you buy off the shelf tbh.

 

[TomO]

mmmmm.....

toluene.

never got round to putting it in the 200, but worth some research. nice high octane and you can part mix it with normal UL.

 

[panthro]

You might thnk Penski is joking, standard thinners are 114 Octane and run like petrol in a petrol engine. I have run my Vespa on it and it's completely happy.

Add 10% to your cheapo petrol and you will be knocking on 100 Octane and in those quantities it is considered a fuel additive by Customs and Excise so legal as you like too.

At £13 for 25 litres it's cheap too.

Wicked! lol

on the inside of my Clio, it has written "only run on 98 RON superunleaded. I doubt that is true.

I work for a global engineering contractor specialising in oil and gas with some of the countries top process and chemical engineers. I will go and quizz them about performance car fuel tomorrow.

 

[Pug]

Toluene and Xylene and both of the Benzene group as i recall and therefore known as potential carcinogens and linked to damage of the nervous system.

Nah, close, but nah. Benzene is a carcinogen, because its planar (flat/2D) and can get between strands and links in DNA and cause mutations (cancer).

Toluene is benzene with a CH3 (Methyl group on) as such it is no longer planar and cannot interfere with DNA. Xylene is "Benzene" with 2 of these CH3 groups on, so is also not planar, and doesnt interfere with DNA.

Still wouldnt want either on my skin tho tbh, same goes for ANY organic solvent.

 

[William]

Nah, close, but nah. Benzene is a carcinogen, because its planar (flat/2D) and can get between strands and links in DNA and cause mutations (cancer).

Toluene is benzene with a CH3 (Methyl group on) as such it is no longer planar and cannot interfere with DNA. Xylene is "Benzene" with 2 of these CH3 groups on, so is also not planar, and doesnt interfere with DNA.

Still wouldnt want either on my skin tho tbh, same goes for ANY organic solvent.

Yarrr ye discount equilbria in that being pedantic there will always be some benzene in there making it carciongenic!

 

[Jonny69]

Don't know about thinners being carcinogenic but it bloody stinks and every time I got a whiff it made me gag

Basically most modern engines have knock sensors so as I understand it they will push the ignition further advanced which will mean more efficiency and slight increase in power. It's especially the case in a modern jap turbo motor which will also increase the boost until it sees detonation so using higher octane will make it use higher boost.

If you want to run it in an older motor get the block/head machined to increase the compression to 14:1 and change the jet in the carb to one or two steps richer

 

[Bear]

Basically most modern engines have knock sensors so as I understand it they will push the ignition further advanced which will mean more efficiency and slight increase in power. It's especially the case in a modern jap turbo motor which will also increase the boost until it sees detonation so using higher octane will make it use higher boost.

AFAIK and I could be wrong (wouldnt surprise me ) Most cars dont advance the ignition past the base timing but retard the ignition when it detects knock. It just retards it less when higher octane fuel is used as its less likely to detect knock.

Also AFAIK most turbo cars run a fixed boost accept some that run lower boost in the first couple of gears to protect the drive train and aid traction. Of course running higher octane fuel might help in raising the boost as a modification with supporting mods.