T25 2.1 DJ engine.
Planning a big trip and want to get some octane booster for times when crap fuel is all thats available.
So many brands to choose. Has anyone got any recomendations or know which ones to avoid?
A brand called HYDRA seems to have good reviews.
Many thanks
Octane Booster
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sarran1955
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- Location: 6, les Hauts de Sarran 19800, Sarran ,Limousin ,FRANCE
Re: Octane Booster
Hello,
A word from the 1990's archives...
Do octane boosters really work? Octane boosters claim to increase the performance of a vehicle. They are gasoline additives that have gained popularity over the years, to improve performance, reduce emissions, and save fuel. There is no magical elixir that is designed to improve the performance of an engine. The only time these additives work is when you are not using the right octane rating fuel as your vehicle requires, and you increase it with what is supposed to be an additive.
.....Before we go further, let me tell you about 'knocking'. When you start your vehicle, if the air/fuel mixture combusts before the spark plug is ignited, then this is called knocking or pinging. The best way to describe this sound is when you shake a spray paint can really hard. If the mixture combusts later, then your engine is normal and should be running smoothly. To prevent knocking, octane boosters are used in small quantities along with the gas in the tank. Adding lower octane fuel than what's required can also cause knocking. Knocking can actually destroy the engine....
Function of Octane Boosters
These boosters contain anti-knock additives, which when added to the fuel, prevent the onset of knock (pre-detonation or pinging). By preventing knocking, the octane rating of the fuel is raised. These boosters are made of active ingredients such as MMT (methyl cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl), kerosene and alcohols or aromatics such as Toluene. Overuse of these materials may cause lead poisoning. Octane increases the compression ratio. The higher the compression ratio, the better the horsepower of the engine...
Octane Rating
Gasoline has chemicals mixed in it to control how quickly it burns instead of spontaneously combusting. This property is called octane rating. It is a standard to measure the engine performance of the fuel. The octane number is measured in RON (Research Octane Number) and Motor Octane Number (MON). RON correlates with low-speed and mild-speed knocking conditions, while MON is related to high speeds. Every engine is designed so as to operate in its best performance with an octane rating. Most octane boosters increase the octane rating between 2 to 8 points. A typical octane booster will contain the following ingredients: glycerol, ethanol, or methylpropanol. All of these are octane-enhancing chemicals. Many also advertise their octane gain points, which are often 0.1RON. Whenever you think you're getting a 3.0RON increase, you're only getting 0.3RON...
Advantage of Octane Boosters
Octane boosters increase the engine combustion temperature. Engine combustion, which burns air and fuel inside, is significantly improved because of octane boosters. As fuel containing octane boosters enters a vehicle's cylinders, the spark from the spark plug ignites the fuel/air mixture. Due to a high octane rating, the resulting combustion is greater, and this results in more engine power and efficient fuel burning...
Disadvantage of Octane boosters.
The use of octane boosters increases engine combustion and temperature. This increased combustion temperature causes the fuel to be burned in combustion heat, instead of whole fuel being released through the exhaust system and exiting the tailpipe.
The simple truth is that these boosters don't always offer what they are supposed to, and end up harming the motor and the environment. Gasoline additives can be used to inhibit corrosion and lubricate the upper cylinders, though these should not be used often. If you use lower octane in your Volkswagen, then you could get premature detonation or 'pinging', which will hurt the performance and engine. It is advised that octane boosters be added to an empty or near-empty fuel tank before filling in gas. It's safer if you use the octane rating appointed for your car instead of the premium gasoline that you see used at various pumps...
***************************************************************************************************************************************
By the way, Hydra..made in France, makes products mostly for diesel engines. The ones I have used on the farm are the biocide for fuel bunds, the cetane booster for old fuel and the injector cleaner. Nearly all their products are for diesel.
My suggestion:
Get your timing set and marked at 5° 8° btdc, (IIRC yours is at 10°) and then use 95 RON.
In the days, when you drove to Eastern Europe, petrol went as low as 88 RON, I would have my timing gun and a bottle of toluene, The dizzy would have 3 Tippex marks
on the body :Low, med, high
Buy from a branded petrol station, not from a tanker on the side of the road...
If you are going to North Africa, use Total and Agip petrol stations.
Get a PROPER funnel with a chamois leather filter.
Oh,and fit new fuel hoses throughout, silicone type preferably, I know it is expensive, but T25 don't need much, change your fuel filter and carry 2 spares.
Hope this is of help..
Cordialement,
LewisMac wrote:T25 2.1 DJ engine.
Planning a big trip and want to get some octane booster for times when crap fuel is all thats available.
So many brands to choose. Has anyone got any recomendations or know which ones to avoid?
A brand called HYDRA seems to have good reviews.
Many thanks
A word from the 1990's archives...
Do octane boosters really work? Octane boosters claim to increase the performance of a vehicle. They are gasoline additives that have gained popularity over the years, to improve performance, reduce emissions, and save fuel. There is no magical elixir that is designed to improve the performance of an engine. The only time these additives work is when you are not using the right octane rating fuel as your vehicle requires, and you increase it with what is supposed to be an additive.
.....Before we go further, let me tell you about 'knocking'. When you start your vehicle, if the air/fuel mixture combusts before the spark plug is ignited, then this is called knocking or pinging. The best way to describe this sound is when you shake a spray paint can really hard. If the mixture combusts later, then your engine is normal and should be running smoothly. To prevent knocking, octane boosters are used in small quantities along with the gas in the tank. Adding lower octane fuel than what's required can also cause knocking. Knocking can actually destroy the engine....
Function of Octane Boosters
These boosters contain anti-knock additives, which when added to the fuel, prevent the onset of knock (pre-detonation or pinging). By preventing knocking, the octane rating of the fuel is raised. These boosters are made of active ingredients such as MMT (methyl cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl), kerosene and alcohols or aromatics such as Toluene. Overuse of these materials may cause lead poisoning. Octane increases the compression ratio. The higher the compression ratio, the better the horsepower of the engine...
Octane Rating
Gasoline has chemicals mixed in it to control how quickly it burns instead of spontaneously combusting. This property is called octane rating. It is a standard to measure the engine performance of the fuel. The octane number is measured in RON (Research Octane Number) and Motor Octane Number (MON). RON correlates with low-speed and mild-speed knocking conditions, while MON is related to high speeds. Every engine is designed so as to operate in its best performance with an octane rating. Most octane boosters increase the octane rating between 2 to 8 points. A typical octane booster will contain the following ingredients: glycerol, ethanol, or methylpropanol. All of these are octane-enhancing chemicals. Many also advertise their octane gain points, which are often 0.1RON. Whenever you think you're getting a 3.0RON increase, you're only getting 0.3RON...
Advantage of Octane Boosters
Octane boosters increase the engine combustion temperature. Engine combustion, which burns air and fuel inside, is significantly improved because of octane boosters. As fuel containing octane boosters enters a vehicle's cylinders, the spark from the spark plug ignites the fuel/air mixture. Due to a high octane rating, the resulting combustion is greater, and this results in more engine power and efficient fuel burning...
Disadvantage of Octane boosters.
The use of octane boosters increases engine combustion and temperature. This increased combustion temperature causes the fuel to be burned in combustion heat, instead of whole fuel being released through the exhaust system and exiting the tailpipe.
The simple truth is that these boosters don't always offer what they are supposed to, and end up harming the motor and the environment. Gasoline additives can be used to inhibit corrosion and lubricate the upper cylinders, though these should not be used often. If you use lower octane in your Volkswagen, then you could get premature detonation or 'pinging', which will hurt the performance and engine. It is advised that octane boosters be added to an empty or near-empty fuel tank before filling in gas. It's safer if you use the octane rating appointed for your car instead of the premium gasoline that you see used at various pumps...
***************************************************************************************************************************************
By the way, Hydra..made in France, makes products mostly for diesel engines. The ones I have used on the farm are the biocide for fuel bunds, the cetane booster for old fuel and the injector cleaner. Nearly all their products are for diesel.
My suggestion:
Get your timing set and marked at 5° 8° btdc, (IIRC yours is at 10°) and then use 95 RON.
In the days, when you drove to Eastern Europe, petrol went as low as 88 RON, I would have my timing gun and a bottle of toluene, The dizzy would have 3 Tippex marks
on the body :Low, med, high
Buy from a branded petrol station, not from a tanker on the side of the road...
If you are going to North Africa, use Total and Agip petrol stations.
Get a PROPER funnel with a chamois leather filter.
Oh,and fit new fuel hoses throughout, silicone type preferably, I know it is expensive, but T25 don't need much, change your fuel filter and carry 2 spares.
Hope this is of help..
Cordialement,
-
LewisMac
- Registered user
- Posts: 82
- Joined: 03 Mar 2017, 01:53
- 80-90 Mem No: 16637
- Location: Scotland
Re: Octane Booster
Great advice, thanks!