Favorite Octane Booster?

[biomedtechguy]

101LL for $4.05 gal

That's a great price.

no need for me to go with anything else.Been running is straight for 30 + years,never any issues.

Have you or anyone else heard about AVgas being a "dry" fuel? Something about it not having the inherent lubrication aspect of gasoline?

 

[Bill Monk]

That's a great price.

Have you or anyone else heard about AVgas being a "dry" fuel? Something about it not having the inherent lubrication aspect of gasoline?

I have heard that but I'm no expert on the topic so I can't say for sure. I have also heard that the "LL" (low lead) in avgas is actually a lot higher than the old high test but again, hearing it doesn't confirm anything

 

[Ernie ingling]

Good to see nobody has mentioned mothballs. Until now

 

[RJRENTON]

Good to see nobody has mentioned mothballs. Until now

Adding moth balls to the gas tank was an old time "trick" to increase the octane level of the fuel. Moth balls are a crystalline form of petroleum NAPTHA or napthalene C10H8 or a hydocarbon. Did it work? The proponents say YES; the pessimists say NO.....draw your own conclusions. Another "snake oil" proposition st best.
BOB RENTON

 

[biomedtechguy]

@RJRENTON
Do you have a professional background in chemistry?
I have enjoyed your detailed posts in this thread.

 

[turbine68rt]

I am fortunate enough to have an airport 8 mi. from my home,can buy 101LL for $4.05 gal,no need for me to go with anything else.Been running is straight for 30 + years,never any issues.

I live about 7 miles from an airport. They get 5.87 for 100LL. Might have to try that. Thanks

 

[RJRENTON]

@RJRENTON
Do you have a professional background in chemistry?
I have enjoyed your detailed posts in this thread.

THANK YOU for your comment. I'm a registered Professional Electrical Engineer, I also hold a BS in Electrical Engineering and a MS degree in Macroeconomics. I've run a 75 man maintenance department in a large chemicial plant, where I had to know how all the various processes worked both chemically, mechanically electrically and all how all the control instrumentation interfaced and operated. I've set up several sulfuric acid alkylation processes at a west coast refinery. I've also built and started up an electrolytic detinning plant in the U.S. as well as U.K. Knowing how all the various pieces of equipment operate and coordinate with the overall objective of the operation is imperative to the success and profitablity of the organization. I'm a detailed oriented person...perhaps to excess...but it helps to know how something works and the expected results to be able to be successful. Thanks again for your comment.
BOB RENTON

 

[biomedtechguy]

I've also built and started up an electrolytic detinning plant in the U.S. as well as U.K.

I have to restrain myself when someone misnames a metal "tin". Otherwise I would have to educate them, first about the MUCH higher cost of tin vs say, aluminum, which is one of the metals that local dialects in the deep South tend to interchange the 2 for.
Thanks for the peek into your background.

 

[turbine68rt]

THANK YOU for your comment. I'm a registered Professional Electrical Engineer, I also hold a BS in Electrical Engineering and a MS degree in Macroeconomics. I've run a 75 man maintenance department in a large chemicial plant, where I had to know how all the various processes worked both chemically, mechanically electrically and all how all the control instrumentation interfaced and operated. I've set up several sulfuric acid alkylation processes at a west coast refinery. I've also built and started up an electrolytic detinning plant in the U.S. as well as U.K. Knowing how all the various pieces of equipment operate and coordinate with the overall objective of the operation is imperative to the success and profitablity of the organization. I'm a detailed oriented person...perhaps to excess...but it helps to know how something works and the expected results to be able to be successful. Thanks again for your comment.
BOB RENTON

That's quite a resumé Bob! Glad you're here to share your knowledge.

 

[RJRENTON]

I have to restrain myself when someone misnames a metal "tin". Otherwise I would have to educate them, first about the MUCH higher cost of tin vs say, aluminum, which is one of the metals that local dialects in the deep South tend to interchange the 2 for.
Thanks for the peek into your background.

TIN whose chemical symbol is Sn, for the Latin word STANNIUM. Tin is plated on steel to make a tin can or in other compounds like sodium stannate, sometimes used as a food preservative or in tooth paste as stannous fluoride to prevent tooth decay. Or as an intermediary to make plating chemicals to plate more tin on steel. To recover the tin, it is DETINNED either chemically by leaching or electrolytically. It is re-refined and reused chemicially to plate more tin on steel to make more "tin" cans or in the food preservation process. Tin has been around for a long time. Aluminum has also been around for a long time as well and is extremely versatile as well as is easily recycled thru the secondary aluminum processes. All cans are not tin nor are they aluminum...the term "tin can" is a throwback term that is used interchangeably.
BOB RENTON

 

[lilcuda]

What "good things" have you heard? Do you use it in your csrs?

I heard about it on another Mopar forum from a trustworthy member (may he RIP). He used it in his car and had great results with better idle and better driveability. I have thought about trying it in my car, but have not had the time.

 

[Ernie ingling]

Must use old formula mothballs I found 5 per tank. You know if to much if exhaust smokes black. Well that’s what we did in the 60’s

 

[dadsbee]

500 gallons in the yard most days... last fill was about $1.74CDN/liter all in. About $5.15US/US gallon.

 

[Ernie ingling]

Now that’s the way to do it!

 

[Slap Stick]

Avgas is not formulated for high revving engines.
Its made for slow turning, big bore, constant spèed engines.
Additive packages are different.

 

[biomedtechguy]

Avgas is not formulated for high revving engines.
Its made for slow turning, big bore, constant spèed engines.
Additive packages are different.

People use it, certainly as an octane booster when mixed with premium pump gas. I have before...
Having said that, it's my vague understanding that the additives are different, and not necessarily good for our purposes. It's been described as a "dry" fuel by a friend who should know.

 

[Photon440]

Avgas is not formulated for high revving engines.
Its made for slow turning, big bore, constant spèed engines.
Additive packages are different.

It might not be formulated for that, but it sure worked great with a 600 hp. 406 SBC on the race track at 7,000 rpm. for my friend's circle track car.

 

[biomedtechguy]

It might not be formulated for that, but it sure worked great with a 600 hp. 406 SBC on the race track at 7,000 rpm. for my friend's circle track car.

Straight AVGas?

 

[Photon440]

Yes. Straight Up.

 

[RJRENTON]

FYI.....av-gas From google
Can I run AvGas in my vehicle?
AvGas is short for Aviation Gasoline. AvGas is of interest to motoring enthusiasts because of its availability, octane rating and low price compared to commercial race fuels. AvGas might seem an obvious choice but closer study raises some doubt.

AvGas LL100 stands for "Low Lead 100 Octane". TEL (Tetra-ethyl-lead) is added to raise the octane. When used in a motor vehicle this fuel will leave a lot of lead deposits in the motor. 100LL has a high lead content (0.5 grams per litre), even higher than leaded race fuels. The deposits left when TEL(lead) is burned are corrosive and damaging to valves, valve guides, valve seats and cylinder heads. Lead deposits will also block oxygen(lambda) sensors and catalytic converters and foul spark plugs even after only a short use. Also, 100LL has a chemical package added to make it perform at high altitude, and that isn't the best thing for motor vehicle performance here on the ground.

AvGas is blended for large-bore, long-stroke, low RPM engines which run at high altitude. While AvGas' higher octane is useful, smaller-bore, shorter-stroke, high RPM engines will perform better on racing fuel or high quality octane boosters. AvGas has lower volatility so when used in proportions higher than about 40%, part-throttle drivability and cold starts may be compromised. AvGas has a lower specific gravity so it will require a change in air-fuel ratio calibration for the engine to perform at its best. LL100 is blended with a high percentage of aromatics causing reduced throttle response which is not an issue with an aircraft engine but certainly an issue in a high-performance automotive engine. These high levels of aromatics will also damage rubber components in automotive fuel systems such as fuel lines, fuel pump seals and injector washers.

The sale and use of AvGas is heavily-regulated. Most aircraft fuel dealers refuse to put AvGas into anything other than an aircraft fuel tank. There is a legal grey area that has some vendors willing to dispense AvGas into "approved" containers if they believe the end use of that AvGas is fueling an aircraft engine. This loop-hole is how some may obtain AvGas for automotive use. Because AvGas has no taxes and duties on it, use on public roads is illegal and if found could result in your vehicle being impounded.

The Bottom Line:
Avgas may be suitable for some race cars that don't have catalytic convertors or oxygen sensors and are rebuilt often enough that the TEL(lead) build-up is not an issue. For other applications use an unleaded race fuel or a good quality octane booster.
So....the result is: "use at your own risk"....or "you pay your money and take your choice". I've used it infrequently...several years ago... without any consequences...i'll stick with the Sunoco fuels ss noted previously....and not any octane boosters. Just my opinion of course.
BOB RENTON