The Best Octane Boosters For Your Engine (Review) in 2018

There are a few handy tips that you need to bear in mind before narrowing down on the octane booster you require.

First and foremost, it is important to fully appraise the benefits octane boosters can have. To expect them to be some sort of a magical cure is unrealistic and it does not make up for poor engine maintenance. Rather, using an octane booster is a part of engine maintenance routines. It is easy to get fooled by ads that promise you the skies, but it is suggested to temper expectations.

To give an objective rule of thumb, octane boosters do not enhance octane ratings by much more than 5%. The median increase in RON is around 3%. These numbers are still sufficient enough to fulfill at least some of the purported promises of octane boosters. Prevention of engine knocking, better throttle reactions, healthier spark plugs and ignition times are commonly observed.  

Another important point to keep in mind is that all engines do not require an octane booster. It is imperative to meet high-octane fuel engine requirements to keep fuel quality at desired levels. On the other hand, smaller engines with higher revving powers can do without them.

What are Octane Boosters?

Octane boosters are best described as additives that are meant to enhance the fuel’s octane rating. While these may not be as effective in normal vehicles as they are in race cars, vehicle owners still consider them worthy of investment owing to their ability to multiply power and improve efficiency.

What the octane rating of gasoline indicates is the compression that the air/fuel mixture can handle before the mixture spontaneously combusts. Technically speaking, octane is a hydrocarbon compound in the fuel itself. Highly volatile, the eight hydrocarbon chains smoothen out the process involved in the combustion happening in the engine. This has a far-reaching impact on the acceleration generated and also provides a measure of knock resistance of the gasoline used.

Octane rating is dependent on several factors such as the spark timing, the engine temperature controls as well as the engine’s compression ratio. Simply speaking, quicker vehicles require a higher octane rating than vehicles with less powerful engines, and this is where an octane booster comes in. That being said, smaller engines may not even require octane boosters.

Benefits of Using Octane Booster

Octanes are measured in RON, which stands for Research Octane Number. Any modern gasoline engine is designed to be run on fuel with 91 RON, 95 RON or 98 RON. Higher octane ranges such as 100 RON are definitely present, but they usually find place only in high-demand engines such as those of race cars and boats, and are not meant for passenger cars. Since it is easier to have a common fuel standard, vehicle manufacturers adhere to these specifications.             

As a result, problems can arise when the fuel itself has an octane rating of less than 91 RON. This may be due to a variety of reasons ranging from poor production quality in the refinery itself to the presence of contaminants in the barrel used to store gasoline. If this misbalance is left unchecked, the engine can suffer from something referred to as engine knocking. In fact, engines today are designed to monitor fuel quality and adjust engine management routines to try and combat the onset of knocking.

In such a situation, the engine will be performing in a low-power phase and will still be under stress. Plus, fuel economy will take a hit. This is where the octane booster can be a fantastic tool. By lifting the RON index of the fuel, it will prevent the engine from feeling distressed for want of a higher-grade fuel. In fact, octanes come with several other functionalities such as fuel stabilising as well as cleaning up of clogged fuel system components.

Related Post: BG 4kk Fuel System Cleaner 

Essential Factors to Consider with Octane Boosters

The primary consideration should be identifying the specific requirement that the octane booster is intended to solve. Lots of octane boosters come with a variety of functions in addition to increasing the octane rating. For example, some serve as great cleaning agents while others allow for a more stable fuel mixture which helps the fuel retain its energy stores for extended periods of disuse. An important factor to take into consideration here would be type of engine that is used. After all, it is the engine that determines the fuel requirements of your vehicle.

Of course the next most important consideration is the budget. While the lower end boosters will not serve their purpose, it is not necessary that the most expensive will either. This flows from the earlier consideration about narrowing down the specific requirements. Depending upon the needs, an accurate assessment of the price spectrum can be made. One crucial factor to consider here would also be the frequency with which octane boosters will need to be used. Typically, octane boosters need to be used repeatedly, so factors such as packaging size and quality also become relevant considerations.

Lastly, another facet to take into account is reviews. Independent reviews go a long way in helping you to consider octane booster choices. Often the best way to determine is whether the advertised benefits are actually achievable or if they are merely claims made arising out of controlled tests only. In fact, exploring other reviews as well is strongly recommended because there are a variety of blends in which octane boosters can also be used.

Moreover, there are unique approaches in which these boosters are used and you will be able make a more reasoned choice before spending your money on any product. Experimentation also holds the key with regards to determining what works best for your engine specifications and the manner in which your vehicle is used. There is a school of thought that argues that driving styles have a significant impact on the octane requirements from the fuel.