Driving a high-horsepower turbocharged car can make any adrenaline junky smile. However, if you are an owner of one and are trying to increase horsepower, you need to be aware of engine knock.
Octane boosters can help avoid detrimental engine damage, but how much octane booster should you use? For your convenience, we brought you the answer.
Typically, when you purchase an octane booster, you will use the whole bottle. Therefore, be sure to add the octane boost first when the gas tank is empty.
Once you add the bottle of octane boost, then fill your vehicle with gas or diesel, depending on your vehicle.
Always be sure to read the instructions for the octane booster before ad2ding it to your vehicle.
If you are trying to increase your horsepower on your car, then an octane booster will help you avoid engine damage. However, an octane booster isn't for every vehicle on the market.
In this guide, we will help you understand how and when to use an octane booster. Without further ado, let's get into it!
How Much Octane Booster To Add
Octane boosters are typically only used for high-horsepower engines that have a turbocharger or superchargers. Octane boosters won't help much with naturally aspirated vehicles, so don't waste your money.
Vehicles with a turbocharger or supercharger put more air into the combustion cylinder, causing more compression. Adding an octane booster to your fuel tank will help suppress the compression, which will help avoid engine knocking.
Vehicles with high horsepower can benefit from adding an octane booster. However, it's essential to know that an octane booster will not increase your car's speed, horsepower, or torque. All the octane booster will do is help the engine avoid knocking or pinging.
It's pretty simple to add an octane booster to your vehicle. Most octane boosters like the one made by Lucas Oil will treat up to 15 gallons of fuel.
To add the octane booster, be sure that your fuel tank is close to empty, and add the whole bottle of octane booster. Then fill your vehicle full of fuel. Be sure to read the instructions of any octane booster to be sure of the recommendations.
When should I use an octane booster?
Octane boosters will help increase your car's octane rating. As mentioned, this means it will help your engine avoid knocking or pinging.
If you are trying to get more horsepower out of your vehicle without piston issues, you can use an octane booster with a turbocharger or supercharger.
The boost in the octane rating will help suppress the compression in the cylinder, which allows you to run higher power levels without damage to the engine.
If your vehicle has a turbocharger or supercharger, an octane booster can be used when necessary. However, if your engine is using high-octane fuel, it might not need any octane boost at all.
More than likely, your owner's manual isn't going to tell you if you should use an octane booster or not. The best thing to do is speak to a vehicle's performance professional.
If you have a project car that has high horsepower, then octane boosters will help avoid engine knock. But remember that there can be damage to your engine if you don't use it correctly.
Moreover, some vehicles do not require an octane boost at all. Therefore, it wouldn't hurt to speak to a performance shop for advice.
Any mechanic shop that specializes in increasing the performance of turbocharged or supercharged vehicles will be able to help you out.
In addition, they will probably be able to check your gauges and computer to see how the engine is running and improve its performance.
Can you use too much octane booster?
Yes, you can use too much octane booster. Octane boosters are used to help slow the burning of fuel. If you add too much octane booster, your engine will run slow or sluggish because the fuel is burning too slowly.
An Octane booster is an additive for gasoline engines. So it should be used to increase octane rating and eliminate knock or ping in your vehicle's engine.
Adding too much octane booster over time will cause problems with your system. For example, if you add too much octane booster, the additive will cause piston rings to stick.
The pistons rings are what make your engine continue to run smoothly. The octane boosters with enhancers are made of non-leaded gasoline additives like Alkylate, which reduces harmful emissions.
You should only add the octane booster when you are experiencing engine knock or ping. Octane boosters won't increase your vehicle's horsepower, torque, or speed either. However, it will allow your engine to function correctly without damaging itself.
Mixing octane boosters won't help your car's performance. The only thing that will happen if you mix octane boosters is that it could damage or ruin your engine.
You should use a single type of octane booster at a time. When you use a single type of octane booster, it can improve your gas mileage and performance. However, if you use more than one octane booster, it will only lessen the benefits of each additive.
Is octane booster bad for your engine?
Using an octane booster won't be bad for your vehicle's engine. The point of using an octane booster is to avoid engine damage, so it is safe to use. However, using too much of the additive can cause problems.
Octane boosters with enhancers like Lucas Oil are made of non-leaded gasoline additives, so it helps reduce harmful emissions in your car's engine.
However, keep in mind that in some states, octane boosters are not street legal. So check with your state before using octane boosters in your engine.
Is it cheaper to use an octane booster instead of premium gas?
It is going to be cheaper for you to buy premium fuel. Octane boosters aren't cheap, and the costs can add up since you need to use them every time you need fuel.
If your vehicle can run off of 91 octanes or 93 octane fuel at a gas station, then don't waste your money on an octane booster.
However, if your vehicle specifically recommends using an octane booster, you don't have a choice. If your vehicle or trusted mechanic recommends using an octane booster, then do it. You don't want to risk blowing up your ending because the repairs will be astronomical.
Are octane boosters street legal?
Octane boosters are not street legal. Nonetheless, every state is different when it comes to its driving laws.
Be sure to check with the laws of your state before using an octane booster. An octane booster should only be used in a professional and legal race track. Street racing and using octane boosters can be subject to fines or worse.
Will octane booster fix bad gas?
Octane boosters can help fix issues with bad gas. The problem with using bad gas is that it will cause vehicle problems over time.
Read more: Best Fuel Additives For Old Gas In Cars
However, you can dilute the bad gas by adding a premium fuel and adding an octane booster. Then run your vehicle until the fuel tank is empty. Then add the octane booster followed by premium fuel.
Bad gas occurs when your vehicle's fuel system becomes contaminated with water or moisture. Water and moisture will cause rust in your fuel system components. This is what causes bad gas and is unhealthy for your engine.
It would be best to use an octane booster after you drain the system of water or moisture. Otherwise, you'll have a bigger problem on your hands when the rust in fuel system components spreads.
In closing
Overall, if you are a car enthusiast and enjoy building high-horsepower vehicles, an octane booster can be beneficial.
High-powered turbocharged or supercharged engines can be damaged if they are pushed too hard. Use an octane booster to help avoid knock or engine ping. As always, be safe and follow your state's laws!
If you enjoyed this article, you should also check out:
19 Types Of Diesel Fuel Additives
How To Add Fuel Additive To Ford F-150 [A Complete Guide]
What type of octane booster do you use? Leave us a comment below!
Hey. In my country the only fuel available has a low octane rating of around 85. And my bmw’s engine has a high compression ratio of 12. Without adding anything, the car clearly knocks. When I add 1 bottle it helps but knocking may still occur. Do you recommend me to add a second bottle to help eliminating it completely or will it damage the engine over time? Thanks
@Edwin, depending on what oct your bmw calls for, you may have to run some test to see how much oct your fuel is actually producing.
But running higher oct shouldn’t hurt it, unless you are running E 85 or higher E content fuel.
If your BMW calls for 91, running 93 wouldn’t hurt it. You just don’t want to over do it by a substantial amount.
You can try adding more oct booster, if the knock goes away then you should be good.
It will do more damage to your car, running it with a knock then over doing the oct a little bit.
The average price difference between regular and premium, in my area, is 80 cents per gallon. So it is definitely cheaper to regular gas with an Octane booster