[espen]

So, finally someone proved it! Everyone keeps telling me it's bull..
High octane fuel releases more power!

I've been "feeling" it on all my bikes and cars for several years. It's even pretty noticable the gf's 105 bhp BMW 316. I'm always filling the highest octane fuel awailable on all my vehicles.

So, the 2009 August issue of "Performance Bikes" tested a 2009 Suzuki GSX-R 1000 on the dyno with different types of fuel. The difference was a staggering 4 bhp on top in favor of the highest octane fuel. But, there was also a significant gain through the entire rev-range.

Oh, and btw.. they rated the rear damper too stiff on the RSV4.. hehe.. toldya! The brits want softie bikes.

 

[airuhn]

awailable

 

[morefire]

Then i guess Diesel fuel would make the most HP since it has something like 700 octane. I havent read that article but higher octane does not always = higher HP. There are some exotic race fuels that will make more HP just by adding it in though.

 

[Chubbs]

Of course it makes more power in a GSXR1000....it requires it. It likely won't run quite right with a lower octane.

I'm not sure if bikes do the same thing, but cars that require high octane will usually retard ignition if they detect any detonation due to lower octane, thereby chopping horsepower considerably. High octane allows them to advance ignition timing for the best power possible.

Try putting it in you're '89 Cavalier and guess what happens....nothing. if it's not required, it doesn't do anything for horsepower. in fact you might be loosing some HP due to the slower burn rate.

 

[925stunna]

89 feels great in my 08 10r, cant tell a bit of diff between that and 91/92/93? But i can in my svt L.

 

[LouisZX10R]

well the Kawasaki Manual says the 10 requires a minimum of 90 Octane, I wont go lower then that.....

 

[abzx10r]

mine says 91+ technically

 

[10roller]

Of course it makes more power in a GSXR1000....it requires it. It likely won't run quite right with a lower octane.

:+1:

most bike now require the premium pump gas. and im guessing the article only tested pump gas and not racing fuel since the cover shows super unleaded...

 

[Chubbs]

In most cars the knock sensors control the timing....I thought the O2 just did Fuel mixture, not timing :dontknow:

Typically it will run on a preset ignition curve, until the knock sensor detects an unusual vibration (pre-ignition) and then it retards ignition until it returns to normal.

If there's no pinging/knocking, lower octane fuel should make more power (probably negligible though, and not cause any harm at all.

I figure 91 octane is cheap insurance for a hot day though. I don't really miss the extra .25 horses.

 

[roadrunner]

i dont think most folk would notice any difference....if there was one

 

[mr_honez]

I have never noticed the difference.

 

[Razor]

There already was a test 5years ago and it was proven (on dyno) that lower octane makes _more_ power because of higher burn rate. But bike must be set up for that lower octane.

Actually octane number has nothing to do with power, but with ability to resist to detonation. Thats it.

For cars it is a little bit different because cars have automatic ignition advance.

There are some fule types that are higher octane AND they have more additives. Now these added components and make more power but not the "higher octane" feature.

 

[Tee's Kawa55]

I will stick with the manual on this one.....91 or higher

 

[espen]

In most cars the knock sensors control the timing....I thought the O2 just did Fuel mixture, not timing :dontknow:

Typically it will run on a preset ignition curve, until the knock sensor detects an unusual vibration (pre-ignition) and then it retards ignition until it returns to normal.

If there's no pinging/knocking, lower octane fuel should make more power (probably negligible though, and not cause any harm at all.

I figure 91 octane is cheap insurance for a hot day though. I don't really miss the extra .25 horses.

It seems (atleast on the Gixxer) that the high octane fuel burns better/cleaner than the low-octane fuel, making the bike run leaner and making more bhp. The biggest difference was actually where the ecu is set to optimize for emissions (4-6k range, or something), where high octane fuel made the engine run much better.

I don´t know if this is the same with the 10R, but I guess if the fuel burns better, the engine should produce more bhp.

I never tested anything but the highest awailable octane on my 10R, so I wouldn´t know.

"As the article states, whats the point of tuning a bike, if you´re running it on crappy fuel?"

 

[espen]

Actually octane number has nothing to do with power, but with ability to resist to detonation. Thats it.

Yeah.. that´s what everyone keeps telling me. Then, can someone explain why all my vehicles run noticably better on high octane than on low octane? (I never tested the 10R on nothing but the highest octane).
And, this article also "proves" my observations.

 

[10 ninja r]

i know mr9 is what a lot of the dragguys use and it adds 3or 4 mph in the 1/4 mile but you most drain the tank afterwards or it will f-up the fuel pump, over 50 bucks for a 5 gallon can

 

[Crazi]

...in fact you might be loosing some HP due to the slower burn rate.

Higher octane gas resists ignition better than lower octane gas. The burn rates are independent factors and might even be the same for different octanes of gasoline.

That resistance to ignition is so that things like hot spark plug ground straps, sharp edges in combustion chambers, etc, won't ignite the mixture before the actual spark does. :wink:

 

[tittermary]

It seems (atleast on the Gixxer) that the high octane fuel burns better/cleaner than the low-octane fuel, making the bike run leaner and making more bhp. The biggest difference was actually where the ecu is set to optimize for emissions (4-6k range, or something), where high octane fuel made the engine run much better.

I don´t know if this is the same with the 10R, but I guess if the fuel burns better, the engine should produce more bhp.

I never tested anything but the highest awailable octane on my 10R, so I wouldn´t know.

"As the article states, whats the point of tuning a bike, if you´re running it on crappy fuel?"

post the test, the whole test. I suspect there are is some fine print like maybe the higher octane stuff was similer to u4.2 or something along those lines

higher octane fuel does not "burn better" it burns slower so for higher compression engines or higher rates of timing advance this will indeed help.

Unless a state side zx10 has been modified with higher compression or more timing advance there is no increase in power to be had from higher octane fuels like 100-104. Use the lowest octane quality fuel that does not produce spark knock, for me and were I get my gas this is 89-90 octane.

 

[Razor]

Yeah.. that´s what everyone keeps telling me. Then, can someone explain why all my vehicles run noticably better on high octane than on low octane? (I never tested the 10R on nothing but the highest octane).
And, this article also "proves" my observations.

What do you mean by saying "all your vehicles" ?

If these are cars, they have automatic advanced ignition timing and can adjust for better performance. And if factory recommends higher octane (98) it would benefit from such one.

Another thing, the difference in power is only ~5hp or so so you can not feel such small difference. So it probably is in your head and not on the road When you really want to feel "the difference", you might feel it....even if you forgot to fill higher octane

 

[tittermary]

Yeah.. that´s what everyone keeps telling me. Then, can someone explain why all my vehicles run noticably better on high octane than on low octane? (I never tested the 10R on nothing but the highest octane).
And, this article also "proves" my observations.

what do you mean noticably better? Go to the dyno and see for yourself. Stop guessing. This isn't really a debatable thing dude the facts and research behind it is out there.


http://popularhotrodding.automotive.com/98344/0901phr-difference-between-pump-race-gas/index.html

http://www.bajajusa.com/High Octane.htm


http://www.factorypro.com/tech_tuning_procedures/tuning_fuel_octane_vs_power.html

http://www.faqs.org/faqs/autos/gasoline-faq/http://www.faqs.org/faqs/autos/gasoline-faq/
http://www.superhunky.com/articles/gas-tech_part1.php

Some reading for you if you really want to know the truth

dt