Higher octane can result in higher HP numbers. On higher compression engines, or engines with boost (running over atmospheric pressure), you can reduce engine knock by using a higher octane fuel. Eliminating premature detonation will in turn allow your engine to put out more horsepower.

 

Are you being serious???

Same question?^^^

 

How will nitrous not work in your scenario???

 

Can't we all just get along??!

 

umm... yeah this makes no sense... but that bubba logic thing was hysterical... and nitrous is just a chemical reaction... (NO2) two atoms of oxygen per one atom of nitrogen... when combusted it breaks apart... hence the added oxygen... more oxygen means more fuel can be burned = greater power output... hence the wet system fuel and nitrous soloniods to add more fuel to equal the oxygen created... it is not I repeat not a form of forced induction... it is a power adder like the rest, but only a chemical one... I hope this puts this to rest.

 

WTF do you think octane means? Read up junior:

Octane is a relative measurement of a mixture of fuel. 87 octane fuel performs as a mixture of 87% isooctane and 13% n-heptane would. This stems logically from the fact that the octane ratings of isooctane and n-heptane are 100 and 0, respectively (hence the term for the scale, "octane rating"). 100 octane fuel would then theoretically perform in a manner similar to a 100% isooctane fuel... the reason it's measured this way is because isooctane has a very high resistance to premature detonation during compression (due to the types of molecular bonds). This is why higher compression engines (and engines running f/i) usually require higher octane fuels to run properly (properly = without premature detonation, or engine knock).

So with that said, go dyno a staged supercharged Cobalt on 87 octane fuel. Then dyno it on 94. We'll see which one puts out higher numbers.

Thanks, class dismissed. Toolbag.

EDIT: In an effort to give you the benefit of the doubt, higher octane fuel will not ALWAYS guarantee more power. Only in cases where you can see detonation due to compression will higher octane fuel benefit your engine. However, you said that this was completely untrue... I'm simply pointing out that it can be true in the right situation.

 

Apparently Cobot can't figure out that since you aren't compressing the nitrous, and that in fact a chemical reaction takes place instead of mechanical compression it's not forced induction. He also refuses to beleive that in high compression applications I.E. f/i higher octane fuel means higher horsepower number. I suppose if I decided to arbitrarily disregard proven facts I could be just like him. I read the little howstuffworks.com bit and I'm still unconvinced of your points Cobot. But I do stand corrected on top fuel dragsters, they use nitromethane, not gasoline. But I was also right, nascar doesn't use 87 octane for a reason.

 

Its as simple as this, air is around 80% nitrogen, your engine requires oxygen mixed with gasoline i.e. fuel to produce power. Nitrous simply provides a **** load more oxygen through a chemical reaction so that your engine can make more energy from combustion. IN NO WAY IS NITROUS FORCED INTO THE CYLINDERS UNDER PRESSURE!!! It is drawn into the cylinders through vacuum just like normal air. Where turbos and S/C's do force air by compressing it.

There is a similiar concept between the two in that you are providing more oxygen in the cylinders to burn to increase horsepower. The reason nitrous is not FORCED (which means it has to be under force) induction is they way this air is delivered. One is delivered chemically i.e. NITROUS OXIDE and the other is delivered mechanically(forced).

 

Of course..you might be LOSING power on the lower octane due to KR....

 

Haha... losing/gaining... relative to perspective.

 

Well, yeah, but at the same time, if on 92 you run, say (just random numbers) 200 whp, but on 87 you run 190 whp due to KR, then the 92 is the way you want to go.

 

Exactly my point. By using the 92 you gain 10 whp compared to when you use 87 octane.

 

Nice to clear it up a little! Some people (Self+CoBot) can not see how wrong they are! The moment I saw Self arguing with no valid points is the moment I knew this thread would turn to ****! Infact if you do a post history on this clown you will notice that is what happens when this wingnut chimes in! I guess since the nitrous is being forced in under pressure this automaticly makes it forced induction?

 

Now that isn't quite fair... I have a buddy with a civic here in missouri! And BELIEVE me it is a worthy fight! Lightweight car, B16 (jap spec) header, full exhaust, intake and it's chipped.... 8700 RPM!! It is a worthy battle.... I DO STILL WIN.... but it's closer than I thought!

 

To get you to stop sounding like a shortbus reject.

Octane does not mean more power.(<---really big period) The reason a Cobalt makes more power on 94 compared to 87 is due to the computer pulling timing as to not blow up the motor. Go put 110 octane in your stock Cobalt and compare it to 94 and look at the numbers then put 116. I bet without supporting mods and a TUNE the car won't make a bit MORE power it will probably LOSE power.

This is basic car knowledge 101.

How are the muffler bearings on your Cobalt doing??




To everyone else, if nitrous is not forced into a motor than why does bottle pressure matter so much?

SS4Me dude, I know that nitrous does not fit the definition of forced induction, I am just showing the similarities between the two and how they can be considered the same.

 

that is a good question...I can think of why in my head but I can't really explain it. Does it have to do with nitrous being in its purest form (liquid) when the bottle is at its optimal pressure? So when the bottle pressure drops the nitrous is turning from a liquid to gas and thus giving you a weaker shot? I have no idea, just throwing that out in the dark.

Also what other reasons is higher octane needed? In the case of the LSJ, its not a high compression motor at 9.5:1 so why do you need to worry about premature detonation and knock?

 

There are two reasons bottle pressure matters but neither have to do with forced induction. In simple terms one reason is mass, you can fit more nitrous in a given size bottle if you compress it rather than simply fill it. When you compress it it becomes stored under pressure. In the case of nitrous once you hit a certain pressure it changes states to a liquid and when expelled turns back into a gas. So there is the first reason bottle pressure is so important, so that you can store more nitrous.

The second reason is that you have to have some means of delivery of the nitrous from the bottle to the intake. In normal atmospheric pressure nitrous would simply sit in the bottle and lines being slowly drawn into the intake through the natrual vacuum created by the intake stroke. Under pressure you tell the nitrous where to go because it is forced out of the bottle and through the lines and out the nozzle/jet. Now yes i am saying it is forced out of the bottle and through the lines and out of the nozzle/jet but not forced into the motor. Once it exits that nozzle no matter where it be (i.e. intake, port) it diffuses into the surrounding air in the intake and is DRAWN IN through vacuum.

Bottle pressure also matters because of the volume of nitrous that is able to be exhausted from the bottle. When the bottle starts to get low pressure drops and the nitrous is not expelled from the bottle regulator as fast as it was. Think about it, if nitrous was forced induction it would end up spewing out your air filter and into the open air because of the pressure built up inside of the intake system and nothing to force it into the manifold (i.e. turbo/super charger)

Once again nitorus is not forced into the motor it is drawn in by the vacuum created by the intake stroke.

 

Well, looks like somebody else has experience with the shortbus. Nowhere did I say that higher octane fuel ALWAYS meant more power. If you had actually read my post instead of just spitting out a reply... you'd notice that I said it can provide more power in high compression or boosted situations (to prevent engine knock because of the added pressure). Yes, at a certain point you reach a limit where you won't see gains. I know this. I explained it in my response.

And as far as "probably losing power" on too high octane fuel, probably not. At most, you'll waste some fuel that will be passed through without igniting and you may get some buildup of unburned fuel in the cat. Usually you can tell by the odor of your exhaust. It does put more strain on your emissions system, but probably not enough to notice a performance change. It's certainly not good for your emissions system though.

And to address your other idiotic statement, nitrous bottle pressure matters because that's how your nitrous is stored.... under pressure. If you think that the nitrous bottle pressure has anything to do with the pressure your intake system is under, then you're even dumber than you sound already. Cobi had it right... two reasons it matters:

1) Storage
2) Delivery

The pressure of the contents can tell you how much you have left (simple equation involving volume and pressure -- but common sense will tell you no pressure means no nitrous). Furthermore, do you think the nitrous magically travels from your bottle to your intake when you press the big red magic button??? That bottle pressure is what forces the nitrous through the lines and then sprays it into the intake system. Once in the intake system, your nitrous bottle pressure means nothing. The air traveling into your engine is under normal atmospheric pressure, or whatever boosted pressure you're running if you have a forced induction system (s/c or turbo), both independent of your nitrous bottle pressure.

Forced induction systems have a pressure gauge, which we know as boost, that tells you how much added pressure the air is under when entering the combustion chambers.

And with that, I give you my normal response to an idiot like you and retire from this thread:

 

Damn it Dan, you beat me to it.

 

As far as octane goes you still do not get it. Think about it like this take an old whatever year car that has no computer system or the computer in it doesn't adjust for different octanes that is suppose to run on 87 and dyno it using different octanes. Any amount of money says the car will dyno the same or less the higher you go in octane. Oh but wait accoring to you octane will "MAKE" more power. Facts are if you can TUNE for higher octane then yes your motor(read: not gasoline) will make more power, if not you will be losing power. Octane does not EVER mean more power.(<---Another big period)

And I guess you cannot read when it comes to the nitrous discussion. You just like to argue and call names and post pictures of your wet dreams. Pretty sad...

 

Contradict yourself much?

 

Show me where I resorted to name calling and/or posting gay ass pictures???

Chime in with nothing constructive much??

 

Did you fail to read the quote I included? Irony.
You have been told the facts, sources of information that proves your points invalid have been included in previous people's posts. The fact that you would like to continue to argue after all this information is provided to you is your choice. I'm not wasting time rehashing all the facts when you fail to read what has already been provided.

Edit: That was my weekly dose of feeding for the trolls, I'm done here.

 

Ummm... again... please read my post. I said in high compression engines, or in boost situations. I even said (a few posts back) that higher octane fuel does not always mean more power. I was simply stating that it COULD, in some situations, lead to your engine producing more power.

And as far as your engine "making" the power and not the fuel... ok... umm... WTF? You just made no sense there. It's common sense that the motor makes the power. Modifications and tweaks help your motor to make more power... No **** sherlock. Thanks for clearing that one up.... Round of applause please for the genius! I mean this guy clearly must have went for all four years of high school. He's so smart!

As for your comment on me not reading when it comes to the nitrous discussion... what the hell are you talking about? Looks like we have another "self" in the thread... "I am right, you are wrong. I don't have to explain why." When you support your argument with some facts or some reasoning, then you can talk. Until then, continue to make insults and insist you are right without actually providing a legitimate argument. So far your only contribution to the nitrous discussion was "bottle pressure". Yeah... BOTTLE PRESSURE. Wow. You're a toolbag.

 

I am one to agree that nitrous is not F/I! Cobot is correct on the octane thing though.