Can you add Octain Booster to fuel on a outboard motor

[KilroyJC]

Re: Can you add Octain Booster to fuel on a outboard motor

Too high octane in an engine that doesn't need it will cause a loss of power, because the fuel will not ignite properly, nor burn completely. I have a 1970 AMC with the original, stock, unmodified motor. I add 1 gallon of leaded race gas to every half tank -not for the octane, but for the lead for valve lubrication. One time, on a lark, I filled up on race gas (when it was still "cheap") and the car wouldn't get out of it's own way.<br /><br />The lead was put in the gas to prevent erosion of the valve seats, and the octane boost it gave was a secondary benefit. Since the early 70's, automotive cylinder heads have had hardened seats installed so that low-, then no-lead fules could be used.<br /><br /><br />BTW - if you can get race gas, it is a much better way to boost octane than those little cans - A gallon will raise it about the same amount, a gallon costs about the same, but a gallon will move your gas needle further than that little can!<br /><br /><br />Just another bit of info for the discussion...

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Can you add Octain Booster to fuel on a outboard motor

Higher octane fuel burns slower. The better octane boosters will contain MMT (don't ask-45 letters-basically Manganese), nitromethane or some sort of equivalent. Nitro is still burning 10 feet out the dragracers pipes, set off by 44 amps of power, so real hard to fire. Now, do octane boosters work? My take is in theory, yes. Amount is the question. Does ANY of this add power? Zero, probably less. It actually SLOWS DOWN combustion. And thats a extremely simple theory. Way to much involved to get into here. And any claim of "Power Adder" in snake oil is just that.