Race Fuel
09-29-2014, 05:57 PM
#2
Rennlist Member
Wow, that's expensive! You probably go through 20-30 gallons a day depending on how many sessions... that's way too much money for relatively small gains. I don't think unless your ECU is tuned to work with race fuel, you can gain much performance.
09-30-2014, 10:57 AM
#5
Three Wheelin'
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I think it is well documented that this engine is tuned to maximum performance at 93 or 94 octane. Running 100 is not going to do anything other than cost you money.
No different than running 93 in a Toyota designed to run on 87 octane.
That race fuel is really only useful for custom built race engines with extreme compression ratios that are just not designed to ever run on street gas.
No different than running 93 in a Toyota designed to run on 87 octane.
That race fuel is really only useful for custom built race engines with extreme compression ratios that are just not designed to ever run on street gas.
10-04-2014, 10:21 AM
#7
I think it is well documented that this engine is tuned to maximum performance at 93 or 94 octane. Running 100 is not going to do anything other than cost you money.
No different than running 93 in a Toyota designed to run on 87 octane.
That race fuel is really only useful for custom built race engines with extreme compression ratios that are just not designed to ever run on street gas.
No different than running 93 in a Toyota designed to run on 87 octane.
That race fuel is really only useful for custom built race engines with extreme compression ratios that are just not designed to ever run on street gas.
The difference between race fuel and street fuel is a lot more than just octane. Depending on the blend, the energy density can be significantly higher, which will result in more power - but this often goes hand-in-hand with a change in the stoich point that requires the engine to run much richer. There is a reason that SCCA banned some of the high-$$$ race fuels from competition - some of them will generate as much as 8-10% more power, even in a street-tuned stock engine set up for street fuel.
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10-05-2014, 04:52 PM
#8
Race Director
Placebo effect...you're wasting your money!!!
But try it out at the track and see if lap times improve...they won't but it's your money to waste.
But try it out at the track and see if lap times improve...they won't but it's your money to waste.
10-05-2014, 08:21 PM
#9
That said, for 99% of the guys doing track days, there is no real benefit, and there is real risk of damaging your engine with an over-lean condition. When you're getting your laptimes within a few tenths of the fastest guys in your class consistently, then it may be worth looking into. Before that, it's a waste of money.
10-07-2014, 02:18 PM
#11
thanks for the great advice. glad to hear it has some effect but it doesn't sound like I even would need it. sounds like I should concentrate on learning to drive around the track better.
10-08-2014, 01:55 PM
#12
Race Director
Even if you can get 93 octane gasoline where you live, as an engine ages its octane requirement goes up.
On the street given reasonable usage this doesn't matter.
On the track, though, is a different story. By running a bit higher octane than called for the engine will be less likely to manifest detonation signs and the DME will then not have to dial back the timing any.
No need to go all crazy and fill the tank with 100 octane, but I would advise you to add enough racing gasoline -- unleaded of course! -- to raise the octane rating of the fuel in the tank by an octane point or two.
4 gallons of 93 and 4 gallons of 100 would give you something close to 96.5 in the tank which is probably overkill (but I would rather err on the side of too much octane rather than too little in this case) so you can up the amount of 93 in the tank to say 8 gallons of 93 while then adding 4 gallons of 100 which will give you something like 95.3 octane in the tank.
Play with the amounts of 93 and 100 to arrive at a reasonable higher octane rating of fuel in the tank and enough fuel in the tank that you do not run out at the track and possibly have to add more 100 octane to the tank in order to have enough fuel to get home.
Oh, and regardless of the octane rating of whatever is in the fuel tank, you should always seek to improve your driving.
10-08-2014, 06:16 PM
#13
Rennlist Member
I believe more importantly, ethanol-free gas would work better than just race fuel... locally we have 94 Octane, ethanol free gas and whenever I goto WA, and use 93 with ethanol, I get a hit in performance.
HOWEVER, if it's for DE driving, the difference is significantly less than a late entry into a corner, or missing your braking point, or any other minor driver error on track, so it's absolutely not worth the costs mentioned unless the ECU is tuned for it!
HOWEVER, if it's for DE driving, the difference is significantly less than a late entry into a corner, or missing your braking point, or any other minor driver error on track, so it's absolutely not worth the costs mentioned unless the ECU is tuned for it!
10-08-2014, 08:43 PM
#15
Race Director
Keep in mind...going with too high an octane you could lose power. Octane rating is basically a number telling you how volital the fuel is. Higher the number the less volital the fuel. With high compression engines you want the fuel to be less volital so it doesn't detonate before the piston reaches its max stroke. So getting the most volital fuel...lowest number....that doesn't pre-ignite before it should will give you the most power and full fuel burn.
This is the basic thinking on this...there are more variables to this though but we are not running F1 cars.
This is the basic thinking on this...there are more variables to this though but we are not running F1 cars.