Quote:
Originally Posted by Crash
Right. But ping/detonation is the key reason for hp loss... If they're making 332HP on 91-92 at the crank, then really, the motor is making MORE hp without detonation. So, yes, you're right, there's not REAL gain from it, but it is finding that extra hidden HP.
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This is the first time ever that I've heard someone say that detonation reduces HP... The only reason you would ever get more HP out of race fuel is if you tune for it. The advantage of race fuel is that the higher the octane the more resistant it is to ignite prematurely. You technically could lose HP, but that is the last of your worries if your engine is knocking.
Might as well use this opportunity to help out the less technically inclined crowd who does't know what pinging/detonation/knocking is...
Engine knocking - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For those of you who don't like to read and like things simplified. Here is the way I explain it: There are many causes for it, however in simplest terms knock is the premature ignition of the air/fuel mixture inside your engine/cylinders. Because it ignites at two different places within the cylinder, the shockwaves from the separate combustions smash into each other creating a "ping" sound. Sounds a lot like marbles bouncing around inside your engine. Unfortunately this produces a huge amount of stress on the internals of the engine...eventually one of them breaks.
Higher octane fuel, as I said, is harder to ignite and therefore more resistant to igniting prematurely.
Voila, now you know the point of race fuel.
EDIT: I see now that this fuel is oxygenated, I could see how it could theoretically produce gains. Why wouldn't all our gas be oxygenated? My best guess would be that the oxygen makes more power, however it also increases heat and stress therefore making it more prone to knocking. That is why this fuel also needs to be higher octane. It's a cool idea for a quick power booster...