The problem with octane boosters is that you never know for sure what you're going to end up with. A sure way to minimize octane guessing is to use a blending chart. As long as you're sure that you're getting a 91-octane gasoline, you can blend your pump gas with 100-octane, knowing you will have octane numbers that are shown on the chart.
YEEE HAWWW! Cletus, pass me the Moonshine!
We've all seen those movies portraying slack-jawed yokels drinking Moonshine out of their homemade distillery while inbreeding with a local cousin. But more importantly, can we really power our vehicles with a little drinky drink? "Sorry...not in its pure form," says Wusz. A typical whiskey or vodka can be upwards of 40-percent alcohol, and it mainly consists of ethanol. (Ethanol is the drinking alcohol. Methanol is wood alcohol, and it will put you six feet under you if you take a sip.) "Yes, you could possibly sustain combustion, but it won't run well. It's better used for starting barbeques and stuff like that," stated Wusz. Methanol is also used in Indy cars and in some drag racing classes.
Fueling your engine's appetite
Engines equipped with nitrous oxide systems, turbochargers or superchargers develop a higher cylinder pressure than normally aspirated vehicles, therefore needing a higher-octane gasoline. A general rule is the higher the cylinder pressure, the more horsepower. Maximum potential energy and horsepower is created when gasoline is burned completely.
If the correct octane fuel is not used, the engine will experience pinging and detonation, eventually leading to engine failure. As you progressively go up in bore size to punch out your engine, your motor's appetite will desire more octane. It will also take longer for the flame to consume the volume, and for detonation conditions to occur. Detonation will occur more readily in a big bore engine than a small bore engine with similar compression ratios.
Colder weather = higher octane + increased horsepower
A general rule of thumb is for every ten degrees of temperature drop there is a one percent increase in horsepower. If engine temperatures rise above normal operating temperatures, there is a greater chance of detonation when the fuel heats. The key is to find a happy medium in temperature. The main goal for any vehicle is to efficiently vaporize the fuel. In order to vaporize, you must first warm up the liquid while maintaining a reasonable temperature. The most important thing in making horsepower is a low air inlet temperature. For every 25F you reduce air-inlet temperature, you reduce the octane appetite by one number.
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