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Re: [Tigers] Octane Booster Question

To: Steve Sage <fastsage@cox.net>
Subject: Re: [Tigers] Octane Booster Question
From: Steve Laifman <SLaifman@SoCal.rr.com>
Date: Sun, 19 Oct 2008 12:04:43 -0700
Steve S.,

The old saying "You get what you pay for" isn't, necessarily, the case 
in gasoline purchases. 

The multi grade pumps, where you select the type of gas you want, will 
give that to you, eventually!  If the last user pumped regular, and you 
selected premium, you will have to "purge the lines" until the last 
customer's line filling is dumped in your tank, and the better grade 
comes in.  I have even found some off-brand (but only available gas) at 
Big Bear was very substandard, even in Premium.

If your engine requires "Super", and you use "Regular", you will get a 
lot of pinging.  On the other hand, if you do not need Premium, it will 
not give you any benefit.  The mandatory use of alcohol blends is NOT a 
benefit to performance cars.  Of course your timing may not be properly 
set to get the best performance.

Recommendation: Try to use a pump that had the last customer using 
Premium.  The cost/gallon is still on the pump meter. Check your timing.

Steve

___
Steve Laifman
Editor - TigersUnited.com
<http://www.TigersUnited.com>



Steve Sage wrote:
> I've advanced the timing a bit on my Tiger 289 engine. Using regular 
> 87 gas, under full load I can induce some pinging and knocking. I 
> tried a tank of premium 92 octane at my local gas station and the car 
> ran worse. Still pinged (maybe more) but the car also seemed 
> noticeably slower. Nowhere near the torque as before. I ran that tank 
> down and re filled with regular from the same station and it runs fine 
> again, but with the same pinging under full load. I'm sure my local 
> station does not sell very much premium, so it's probably old gas. I 
> understand octane degrades the longer it's in those big tanks in the 
> ground. For all I know the "premium" I bought had lower octane by this 
> process than the usual regular I buy. Some other hot roders I've 
> talked to have mentioned similar experiences on occasion.
>
> Which brings up octane booster products. Has anyone done any 
> studies/experimentation as to which brands work or don't work, and are 
> worth the money (and maybe won't dissolve the sealers in our fuel tanks)?
>
> Steve Sage
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