Boosted octane...can it take it?

Tim Gedney · 10-22-2006, 09:48 PM

It's not street rod, but I was wondering if I can use special fuel in my relatively stock 2002. There is a race shop nearby that sells pretty sophisticated fuels and I'm curious to see how the car might react with something more than 91 octane in the tank. Thoughts?

s2000isu · 10-22-2006, 09:54 PM

the exact same as it acts right now. As far as i know the s doesnt have different maps to turn up timing with higher octane. Huge waste of money. Now give it some boost and the higher octane gas may help to stop pre detonation

s2000isu · 10-23-2006, 05:57 AM

oh and also if you decide to do it just cause you have that much money i think 103 octane is the highest legal one you can use on the street not that we care about silly laws. i used to throw in some 103 in the boosted car i built and my buddy said it was terrible to drive behind me with the windows down his eyes burned like crazy but also I didnt have a cat my exhaust went dp then dumped right behind the front wheel

Halo · 10-23-2006, 09:22 AM

I tried some 103 from Unocal after I got the SC installed because it had a grinding noise that I wondered (though seriously doubted) if it could be detonation. It didn't do anything noticeable with the butt dyno since the system is designed to run on 91. (Turns out the grinding noise is just gear lash and most of the Comptechs have it).

Anyway, the only theoretical problem with running race gas is that it is so high octane that it might not fully ignite during the combustion phase and some of it might still be igniting around the exhaust valve as it exits the chamber. I say theoretical since this probably doesn't happen with 103. The point of using 103 would only be if you are tuned to run very high compression and very lean and to prevent detonation. Since our cars are tuned to run on 91, higher octane won't help boost performance by itself.

s2000isu · 10-23-2006, 02:28 PM

ya we run 11.1 compression or something like that so no problems using 103 but its not gonna help anything

pecetrn · 10-28-2006, 10:55 AM

I have a SC and regularly would put high octane in my car but a couple of months ago my catalytic convertor burnt out (which honda was cool enough to replace under 'extended' warranty). Just regular 91 for me now.

10-22-2006, 09:48 PM	#1 (permalink)
Tim Gedney Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 76	Boosted octane...can it take it? It's not street rod, but I was wondering if I can use special fuel in my relatively stock 2002. There is a race shop nearby that sells pretty sophisticated fuels and I'm curious to see how the car might react with something more than 91 octane in the tank. Thoughts?

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Oil & octane	tullymars	Engine Tech / Drivetrain	18	02-27-2007 12:54 PM
Boosted octane...can it take it?	Tim Gedney	Engine Tech / Drivetrain	14	02-02-2007 02:08 PM
High octane Gasoline	apostolos	All Other Honda S2000 Related Discussions	2	08-24-2005 05:41 AM

10-22-2006, 09:54 PM	#2 (permalink)
s2000isu Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: pa Posts: 1,019	the exact same as it acts right now. As far as i know the s doesnt have different maps to turn up timing with higher octane. Huge waste of money. Now give it some boost and the higher octane gas may help to stop pre detonation

10-23-2006, 05:57 AM	#3 (permalink)
s2000isu Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: pa Posts: 1,019	oh and also if you decide to do it just cause you have that much money i think 103 octane is the highest legal one you can use on the street not that we care about silly laws. i used to throw in some 103 in the boosted car i built and my buddy said it was terrible to drive behind me with the windows down his eyes burned like crazy but also I didnt have a cat my exhaust went dp then dumped right behind the front wheel

10-23-2006, 09:22 AM	#4 (permalink)
Halo Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 610	I tried some 103 from Unocal after I got the SC installed because it had a grinding noise that I wondered (though seriously doubted) if it could be detonation. It didn't do anything noticeable with the butt dyno since the system is designed to run on 91. (Turns out the grinding noise is just gear lash and most of the Comptechs have it). Anyway, the only theoretical problem with running race gas is that it is so high octane that it might not fully ignite during the combustion phase and some of it might still be igniting around the exhaust valve as it exits the chamber. I say theoretical since this probably doesn't happen with 103. The point of using 103 would only be if you are tuned to run very high compression and very lean and to prevent detonation. Since our cars are tuned to run on 91, higher octane won't help boost performance by itself.

10-23-2006, 02:28 PM	#5 (permalink)
s2000isu Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: pa Posts: 1,019	ya we run 11.1 compression or something like that so no problems using 103 but its not gonna help anything

10-28-2006, 10:55 AM	#6 (permalink)
pecetrn Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 49	I have a SC and regularly would put high octane in my car but a couple of months ago my catalytic convertor burnt out (which honda was cool enough to replace under 'extended' warranty). Just regular 91 for me now.