Hi All

Is there any easy way of testing the octane of fuel?

I would like to take some super unleaded and actaully test it.

Then test the fuel out of my car (with octane booster), to see what the real difference is.

Cheers

Simon

 

In the Nov/Dec 99 edition of fast fours there is an extensive test of octane boosters.
The test equipment used looks quite archaic - single cylinder 2 valve four stroke with variable compression between 5.0-1 to 15.0-1
The results of the test were as follows:

1.NF Octane booster& Nulon pro strength +2.8
2.Toulene @ 20 % dosage +2.5
3.Amsoil series 2000 +2.0
4.Elf 330 fuel stabiliser +1.8
5.NOS octane booster racing formulae +1.8
6.VP racing c5 +1.3
7.Super 104+ Octane boost +0.9
8.Wynss octane 10+ Power booster +0.8
9.STP Octane booster +0.6
10. Power fuel maxrace nitro based +0.2
11. Power fuel super street nitro based +0.2


VP motorsport 103 fuel 107 ron @ A$70/20L
could now be a viable alternative!

 

Damn..

The didn't test Millers! Typical

 

there is an industry standard 'engine' for testing fuels - a small single cylinder device with very accurate measuring equipment - this is what the petrochemical companies use themselves. I believe Leeds University (+ some others probably) have one of these and have probably got some published results somewhere. Someone with access to the JANET/Superjanet backbones could probably find the related research work in the university libraries - I also believe that they did some testing of the broquet catalysts too - I would deraly love to read that too.

maybe someone out there can dig this up?

Paul W

 

Don't get sidelined by just the RON octane ratings.

It is a massively complex area revolving around complex molecular structure alterations to control flame front propagation and other factors.

I am going to arrange a local meet, East Midlands and get the Technical Director of Millers to come and give a talk on the subject.

Mike.

 

Anyone interested in heavyweight stuff on octane measurement and all things combustion should visit Bruce Hamilton's FAQ site. There are 4 parts and octane issues are covered in Part 3. I think the link is

 

I have a test which I tend to use often.

1)Fill up with fuel from the pupmp marked "super unleaded".
2)Keep an eye on my knocklink and hope it doesn't light up like a christmas tree.
3)Get annoyed on those all to frequent occasions where the barstewards have sold me unleaded or worse at super plus price... oh, and switch the motec into 95 ron safety mode. Give up on the idea of confronting the manager and asking for some kind of explanation.

It would be so much nicer if there was a cheap, accurate and readily available test so that could back up your "well, the engine is detting on the fuel you sold me, it doesn't det on real super unleaded" argument. I suspect if it was that easy to prove, the likeleyhood of buying bad super-unleaded would drop astronomically.

Oh, and I use Methanol or similar alchohols as octane booster... but please don't just pour these into the petrol tank!

Moray

 

I can see it now. Dear Scoobynet - I poured some vodka into my tank to make it go faster and it all went horribly wrong. What should I do?

 

Simon

Try contacting a local fuel supplier,and tell them that you want to test some fuel.
They should be able to test it for you. They usually ask for a sample of 1 litre in a metal container as it has to be transported.
Warwickshire Oil Storage carry out fuel testing, but i`m not sure whether they do it there or send it away.
Hope this is of help.

Paul

 

SimonDB, I've no idea how you check octane but I'm fairly sure I know a man who does.

Ian Mulliner of ATOL supplies and tests all the 'control fuel' used in national kart racing championships. He covers bike racing as well, I think.

He has a van full of diagnostic stuff which can check a fuel sample in a few minutes. He's based in Dorset but travels around the country most weekends. For example, he'll be at the Shennington Circuit on Sunday 24th Sept (off the A422 from Banbury). That's the final round of the Super One Seniors national championship. Apart from fuel testing, you might want to go and watch the F1 stars of tomorrow and some fantastic racing, overtaking like has never been seen on TV, lunatic lunges and spectacular crashes, not to mention the odd punch-up in parc ferme! Maybe I'll see you there.

ATOL's number is 01202-890088.

Hoppy