Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 10 October 2018, 17:38:05

Title: Octane booster.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 10 October 2018, 17:38:05
It isn't always easy to find super unleaded 99 octane fuel around here.

Will octane booster work when added to supermarket petrol, or is it snake oil?
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: Nick W on 10 October 2018, 17:46:51
Of course it will work.
But why would you bother?
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 10 October 2018, 17:53:44
Of course it will work.
But why would you bother?

Because my car (according to the handbook) is designed to run on super unleaded. It may be the placebo effect but the car does seem more lively and less sluggish when filled with Shell Vpower or similar.
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 10 October 2018, 18:32:05
See, if you had a car that runs on DERV you wouldn't have worry about such stuff!  ::)  ;D
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: TheBoy on 10 October 2018, 18:34:23
The highest octane shit over here seems to be 91.  No wonder they only manage about 250bhp from their 6.5l wagons.
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 10 October 2018, 18:59:39
The highest octane shit over here seems to be 91.  No wonder they only manage about 250bhp from their 6.5l wagons.

It has more veggie juice mixed in over there as well I think?  ???  :-\
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: STEMO on 10 October 2018, 19:30:17
Of course it will work.
But why would you bother?

Because my car (according to the handbook) is designed to run on super unleaded. It may be the placebo effect but the car does seem more lively and less sluggish when filled with Shell Vpower or similar.
A 5.0 supercharged, I believe? Feels sluggish unless fed on rocket fuel. You couldn't make it up  ;D
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: biggriffin on 10 October 2018, 19:31:30
It isn't always easy to find super unleaded 99 octane fuel around here.

Will octane booster work when added to supermarket petrol, or is it snake oil?

Go to Tesco and use there 99. :y
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: zirk on 10 October 2018, 19:38:45
Used to run my Cosworth on AvGas from the local Airfield, it really liked that stuff.  :)

God, I really miss that Car now.  :'(
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 10 October 2018, 19:55:11
See, if you had a car that runs on DERV you wouldn't have worry about such stuff!  ::)  ;D


On it's knees before 4000 RPM. No thanks. I'd rather eat coal. :)
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 10 October 2018, 19:57:51
Of course it will work.
But why would you bother?

Because my car (according to the handbook) is designed to run on super unleaded. It may be the placebo effect but the car does seem more lively and less sluggish when filled with Shell Vpower or similar.
A 5.0 supercharged, I believe? Feels sluggish unless fed on rocket fuel. You couldn't make it up  ;D

It's all relative.  :)
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: Nick W on 10 October 2018, 20:05:15
See, if you had a car that runs on DERV you wouldn't have worry about such stuff!  ::) ;D


On it's knees before 4000 RPM. No thanks. I'd rather eat coal. :)


When was the last time you revved anything other than a tiny hatchback to 4000rpm, let alone past it?
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: STEMO on 10 October 2018, 20:05:33
Of course it will work.
But why would you bother?

Because my car (according to the handbook) is designed to run on super unleaded. It may be the placebo effect but the car does seem more lively and less sluggish when filled with Shell Vpower or similar.
A 5.0 supercharged, I believe? Feels sluggish unless fed on rocket fuel. You couldn't make it up  ;D

It's all relative.  :)
Just been having a read about your motor on autocar. It really is something. I would have a permanent semi if I owned one.  ;D
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 10 October 2018, 20:10:50
See, if you had a car that runs on DERV you wouldn't have worry about such stuff!  ::) ;D


On it's knees before 4000 RPM. No thanks. I'd rather eat coal. :)


When was the last time you revved anything other than a tiny hatchback to 4000rpm, let alone past it?


Every day that ends with the letter Y.

Not in top gear though as the Tata pulls almost 50MPH for each 1000 RPM in top (8th) :)
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 10 October 2018, 20:17:21
Of course it will work.
But why would you bother?

Because my car (according to the handbook) is designed to run on super unleaded. It may be the placebo effect but the car does seem more lively and less sluggish when filled with Shell Vpower or similar.
A 5.0 supercharged, I believe? Feels sluggish unless fed on rocket fuel. You couldn't make it up  ;D

It's all relative.  :)
Just been having a read about your motor on autocar. It really is something. I would have a permanent semi if I owned one.  ;D

I have  Autocar on subscription. It works out at less than £2 an issue delivered. Cover price is £3.80. :y

In it's day the XFR was 'a properly quick car '...........  It still feels nippy but car performance has moved on since then.

With regard to your semi I'd rather not dwell on the mental image. :-X 
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: STEMO on 10 October 2018, 20:19:43
Of course it will work.
But why would you bother?

Because my car (according to the handbook) is designed to run on super unleaded. It may be the placebo effect but the car does seem more lively and less sluggish when filled with Shell Vpower or similar.
A 5.0 supercharged, I believe? Feels sluggish unless fed on rocket fuel. You couldn't make it up  ;D

It's all relative.  :)
Just been having a read about your motor on autocar. It really is something. I would have a permanent semi if I owned one.  ;D

I have  Autocar on subscription. It works out at less than £2 an issue delivered. Cover price is £3.80. :y

In it's day the XFR was 'a properly quick car '...........  It still feels nippy but car performance has moved on since then.

With regard to your semi I'd rather not dwell on the mental image. :-X
What could you buy that was quicker that doesn't rattle your skeleton and that you could practically use as a daily driver?
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 10 October 2018, 20:23:57
Of course it will work.
But why would you bother?

Because my car (according to the handbook) is designed to run on super unleaded. It may be the placebo effect but the car does seem more lively and less sluggish when filled with Shell Vpower or similar.
A 5.0 supercharged, I believe? Feels sluggish unless fed on rocket fuel. You couldn't make it up  ;D

It's all relative.  :)
Just been having a read about your motor on autocar. It really is something. I would have a permanent semi if I owned one.  ;D

I have  Autocar on subscription. It works out at less than £2 an issue delivered. Cover price is £3.80. :y

In it's day the XFR was 'a properly quick car '...........  It still feels nippy but car performance has moved on since then.

With regard to your semi I'd rather not dwell on the mental image. :-X
What could you buy that was quicker that doesn't rattle your skeleton and that you could practically use as a daily driver?





Er....probably not a lot. Roughly speaking it has lost about £7000 in depreciation in the year I've owned it. I've decided not to concern myself with such things. Life is too short. ;)
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: STEMO on 10 October 2018, 20:26:14
Of course it will work.
But why would you bother?

Because my car (according to the handbook) is designed to run on super unleaded. It may be the placebo effect but the car does seem more lively and less sluggish when filled with Shell Vpower or similar.
A 5.0 supercharged, I believe? Feels sluggish unless fed on rocket fuel. You couldn't make it up  ;D

It's all relative.  :)
Just been having a read about your motor on autocar. It really is something. I would have a permanent semi if I owned one.  ;D

I have  Autocar on subscription. It works out at less than £2 an issue delivered. Cover price is £3.80. :y

In it's day the XFR was 'a properly quick car '...........  It still feels nippy but car performance has moved on since then.

With regard to your semi I'd rather not dwell on the mental image. :-X
What could you buy that was quicker that doesn't rattle your skeleton and that you could practically use as a daily driver?





Er....probably not a lot. Roughly speaking it has lost about £7000 in depreciation in the year I've owned it. I've decided not to concern myself with such things. Life is too short. ;)
£140 a week. You couldn't hire a 3 cylinder Skoda Fabia for that, so well worth it.
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 10 October 2018, 20:27:48
Of course it will work.
But why would you bother?

Because my car (according to the handbook) is designed to run on super unleaded. It may be the placebo effect but the car does seem more lively and less sluggish when filled with Shell Vpower or similar.
A 5.0 supercharged, I believe? Feels sluggish unless fed on rocket fuel. You couldn't make it up  ;D

It's all relative.  :)
Just been having a read about your motor on autocar. It really is something. I would have a permanent semi if I owned one.  ;D

I have  Autocar on subscription. It works out at less than £2 an issue delivered. Cover price is £3.80. :y

In it's day the XFR was 'a properly quick car '...........  It still feels nippy but car performance has moved on since then.

With regard to your semi I'd rather not dwell on the mental image. :-X
What could you buy that was quicker that doesn't rattle your skeleton and that you could practically use as a daily driver?





Er....probably not a lot. Roughly speaking it has lost about £7000 in depreciation in the year I've owned it. I've decided not to concern myself with such things. Life is too short. ;)
£140 a week. You couldn't hire a 3 cylinder Skoda Fabia for that, so well worth it.

That's the ticket. I'm glad to see the old Dunkirk spirit is alive and well. :y
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 10 October 2018, 21:57:51

Er....probably not a lot. Roughly speaking it has lost about £7000 in depreciation in the year I've owned it. I've decided not to concern myself with such things. Life is too short. ;)

That's cheered me up no end, as I get depressed at the thought of the £500-600 that my Mundano has lost in just over a year since I've had it!  ;D

Cheers M'lud!  :y
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: TheBoy on 10 October 2018, 22:19:55
See, if you had a car that runs on DERV you wouldn't have worry about such stuff!  ::) ;D


On it's knees before 4000 RPM. No thanks. I'd rather eat coal. :)


When was the last time you revved anything other than a tiny hatchback to 4000rpm, let alone past it?
Last time I drove a petrol.  I think the question should be, when was the last time you didn't rev a petrol beyond 4000rpm ;)
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: STEMO on 10 October 2018, 22:22:43
That must be why my cars don't break. I don't like to hear my engine stressed.
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: Nick W on 11 October 2018, 07:08:33
See, if you had a car that runs on DERV you wouldn't have worry about such stuff!  ::) ;D


On it's knees before 4000 RPM. No thanks. I'd rather eat coal. :)


When was the last time you revved anything other than a tiny hatchback to 4000rpm, let alone past it?
Last time I drove a petrol.  I think the question should be, when was the last time you didn't rev a petrol beyond 4000rpm ;)


Hardly ever. The Omega, being an auto needed to be driven hard to change up at more than about 3500 and that required open, empty roads. The Metro is manual, and if I give it 3500rpm in each gear off a second gear dual carriage way roundabout, it's accelerating through 95 in fifth as it passes the 200 yard marker for the next roundabout 2/3 of a mile away. This means I rarely have anything close behind, so I can still stop easily if traffic on the roundabout demands it. If you pay proper  attention to the traffic and conditions, there is no need to constantly brake and accelerate to flow with(or even through) traffic.


As for overtaking, power helps but a small, narrow car is a much better solution. Although most motorists today have been trained to think that even a well executed overtake is unacceptably dangerous.
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: Keith ABS on 11 October 2018, 07:53:15
 Nick, your statement that motorists are trained to think is misleading. I don't believe they are trained to think at all judging by the standards of driving nowdays.
With BMW,s using an adjusted version of the old Toyota advert, "the car that has to be in front", Audis full of BMW drivers who realise that the BMW is now "as common as a Cortina", another saying from back in the day.
Volvo drivers have always been on another planet, drivers of French cars angry that they have not got something better, Mercedes have a greater proportion of older drivers, some who should not have a licence so no change with them

But, going back to the original thread, My old Senator 3.0S used leaded fuel.
When I had to change to unleaded, I used Castrol valve master as a lead additive.
My MPG dropped to 23. Shortly after, Castrol brought out the additive with octane boost. Using that put me back to 30 MPG
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: henryd on 11 October 2018, 10:20:56
Of course it will work.
But why would you bother?

Because my car (according to the handbook) is designed to run on super unleaded. It may be the placebo effect but the car does seem more lively and less sluggish when filled with Shell Vpower or similar.

Less sluggish,for Christs sake its got 500 bhp,so losing a few isn't going to blunt it by much :P
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: deviator on 11 October 2018, 12:02:18
It isn't always easy to find super unleaded 99 octane fuel around here.

Will octane booster work when added to supermarket petrol, or is it snake oil?

Go to Tesco and use there 99. :y

I thought tesco 99 was not regarded very highly?

I will add, ever since Shell started 'Fuel Save Unleaded' I've stopped going to Shell. Within the space of a week, a few years ago, both my Vectra and the Wifes Escort conked out after being filled with Shell. Neither car liked it and I hate getting phone calls saying 'I've broken down on the motorway' from a distressed wife.
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: aaronjb on 11 October 2018, 18:17:41
The highest octane shit over here seems to be 91.  No wonder they only manage about 250bhp from their 6.5l wagons.

Assuming you're in the US then don't forget they measure "octane" differently, they quote AKI while we quote the (higher) RON. Like quoting "peak power" for an amplifier instead of RMS power.

In other words, that 91 would be called 97 in the UK..
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: TheBoy on 11 October 2018, 20:58:20
The highest octane shit over here seems to be 91.  No wonder they only manage about 250bhp from their 6.5l wagons.

Assuming you're in the US then don't forget they measure "octane" differently, they quote AKI while we quote the (higher) RON. Like quoting "peak power" for an amplifier instead of RMS power.

In other words, that 91 would be called 97 in the UK..
Ah, thanks for that, I was unaware.

Our love bus is getting the cheapest, 87 octane, so how does that work out.  Not that it matters, as I think its a 3-4l v6 with less power than the battlebus ;D
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: johnnydog on 12 October 2018, 00:22:02
The octane boosters such as Castrol Valvemaster and Millers VSPe (which I use and think it is one of the better fuel lead replacement additives) are intended for use with cars primarily designed for leaded fuel, and therefore pre catalytic converters. I would suggest that using them in cars with a cat will cause costly damage. There must be octane boosters out there suitable for later cars with cats, but it is an expensive way of boosting the octane rating, especially if it isn't entirely necessary. Usually cheaper making a round robin trip to fill up with Tesco Momentum 99 rather than buying the octane booster.
The general concencus is that Tesco Momentum 99 is one of the better super unleaded fuels available at sensible money, according to reports and tests done. Shell V Power is relatively quite expensive.
I know a chap who has a 2017 Audi RS6 Performance (605bhp), and he runs it ordinary 95 unleaded rather than any 97/98/99 Super Unleaded. And that car is undeniably quick irrespective of what octane fuel he puts in it.....
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: aaronjb on 12 October 2018, 09:23:53
The highest octane shit over here seems to be 91.  No wonder they only manage about 250bhp from their 6.5l wagons.

Assuming you're in the US then don't forget they measure "octane" differently, they quote AKI while we quote the (higher) RON. Like quoting "peak power" for an amplifier instead of RMS power.

In other words, that 91 would be called 97 in the UK..
Ah, thanks for that, I was unaware.

Our love bus is getting the cheapest, 87 octane, so how does that work out.  Not that it matters, as I think its a 3-4l v6 with less power than the battlebus ;D

Just add 6-7 to the AKI and you're roughly at the RON rating.. so 87 is somewhere around 93-94 RON, probably more ethanol so more resistant to knock than our fuel but slightly less energy per kg, IIRC? I could have that arse backward, though. I just remember that the turbo guys really like high ethanol fuels, so knock resistance must be good.

IIRC I put 87 in the V6 Mustang, too, and it didn't seem to care ;D I mean, it was a rental so clearly the fastest, most indestructable thing on the roads..
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: Kevin Wood on 12 October 2018, 10:34:11
The highest octane shit over here seems to be 91.  No wonder they only manage about 250bhp from their 6.5l wagons.

Assuming you're in the US then don't forget they measure "octane" differently, they quote AKI while we quote the (higher) RON. Like quoting "peak power" for an amplifier instead of RMS power.

In other words, that 91 would be called 97 in the UK..
Ah, thanks for that, I was unaware.

Our love bus is getting the cheapest, 87 octane, so how does that work out.  Not that it matters, as I think its a 3-4l v6 with less power than the battlebus ;D

Just add 6-7 to the AKI and you're roughly at the RON rating.. so 87 is somewhere around 93-94 RON, probably more ethanol so more resistant to knock than our fuel but slightly less energy per kg, IIRC? I could have that arse backward, though. I just remember that the turbo guys really like high ethanol fuels, so knock resistance must be good.

IIRC I put 87 in the V6 Mustang, too, and it didn't seem to care ;D I mean, it was a rental so clearly the fastest, most indestructable thing on the roads..

Hang on.. I think.. We have a problem...  :o
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 12 October 2018, 11:05:37
The highest octane shit over here seems to be 91.  No wonder they only manage about 250bhp from their 6.5l wagons.

Assuming you're in the US then don't forget they measure "octane" differently, they quote AKI while we quote the (higher) RON. Like quoting "peak power" for an amplifier instead of RMS power.

In other words, that 91 would be called 97 in the UK..
Ah, thanks for that, I was unaware.

Our love bus is getting the cheapest, 87 octane, so how does that work out.  Not that it matters, as I think its a 3-4l v6 with less power than the battlebus ;D

Just add 6-7 to the AKI and you're roughly at the RON rating.. so 87 is somewhere around 93-94 RON, probably more ethanol so more resistant to knock than our fuel but slightly less energy per kg, IIRC? I could have that arse backward, though. I just remember that the turbo guys really like high ethanol fuels, so knock resistance must be good.

IIRC I put 87 in the V6 Mustang, too, and it didn't seem to care ;D I mean, it was a rental so clearly the fastest, most indestructable thing on the roads..

Hang on.. I think.. We have a problem...  :o

Yep....against everything that is right and proper. Much like the 4 pot Omega. ::) ::) :)
Title: Re: Octane booster.
Post by: Raeturbo on 12 October 2018, 17:22:30
Yes it will work however it’s expensive, I’ve used fuchs pro boost at around £16 for a 1 litre tin before I had the Evo mapped for V power, but as said the Tesco 99 is well thought of in the Evo world, and we tend to use more boost than the jag to get big power ( 1.8 bar in my case) as unfortunately we don’t have such a big displacement.