How does octane booster help my car?

[alfa147x]

So today a guy at my dads work told me to put some STP octane booster and it actually helped my car! 1994 Altima

This is what the problem was, i would have to pump the gas pedal just to get the car to start then when I would stop at a stop sign on a cold engine the car would idle low as though it were going to cut off but after he added the octane booster i no longer have the problem
He added the octane booster to a cold engine

Is there crap in the fuel line?
Should I fill up with higher octane gas then?

 

[Zenmervolt]

Most "octane boosters" also contain concentrated cleaning agents that will help clean up fuel injectors which can help idle and cold-start a good bit; the extra octane did nothing.

I would suggest running a bottle of Techron cleaner through your next tank of gas and possibly replacing your car's fuel filter. Chances are you're due to replace the filter anyway.

ZV

 

[LTC8K6]

What do you mean he added it to the engine? Where and how did he add it?

 

[lurk3r]

If you've been running 87 octane in the altima the engine probably hates you right now. Run several tanks with a fuel injector cleaner, then stick to 89, you car will be alot happier. Changing the fuel filter, and a general tuneup will certainly help too on a car that old.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: lurk3r
If you've been running 87 octane in the altima the engine probably hates you right now. Run several tanks with a fuel injector cleaner, then stick to 89, you car will be alot happier.

Sorry, no. The recommended octane for a '94 Altima is 87. There will be zero benefit to using 89.

OP, use 87 octane unless you enjoy wasting money.

ZV

 

[Throckmorton]

Originally posted by: lurk3r
If you've been running 87 octane in the altima the engine probably hates you right now. Run several tanks with a fuel injector cleaner, then stick to 89, you car will be alot happier. Changing the fuel filter, and a general tuneup will certainly help too on a car that old.

I wouldn't think a 1994 Altima would require 89 octane.

 

[alfa147x]

Originally posted by: LTC8K6
What do you mean he added it to the engine? Where and how did he add it?

I added it when i added gas
and I just changed the fuel filter in october, should I do it again?
and at that time i got new fuel injectors

thanks a bunch for the help

 

[chucky2]

Most cleaning agents aren't going to do a lot to actually clean out the combustion chamber or fuel system. After you run that tank down and say another tank through, try and find a bottle of Redline SI-1, that's some pretty powerful stuff and may actually make a difference.

You could also try Seafoam'ing your engine through a brake booster line or some other such method, but if you're not familiar with how to do that, it's probably best left alone.

Seafoam through a brake booster and then a tank of Redline SI-1 (add the whole bottle) would be about as good as you're going to do...

...hint on the Seafoam though, you might want to find a backroad to go do that on...most cars it really produces a cloud of smoke...neighborhood folks most likely won't like that...

Chuck

 

[alfa147x]

Originally posted by: chucky2
Most cleaning agents aren't going to do a lot to actually clean out the combustion chamber or fuel system. After you run that tank down and say another tank through, try and find a bottle of Redline SI-1, that's some pretty powerful stuff and may actually make a difference.

You could also try Seafoam'ing your engine through a brake booster line or some other such method, but if you're not familiar with how to do that, it's probably best left alone.

Seafoam through a brake booster and then a tank of Redline SI-1 (add the whole bottle) would be about as good as you're going to do...

...hint on the Seafoam though, you might want to find a backroad to go do that on...most cars it really produces a cloud of smoke...neighborhood folks most likely won't like that...

Chuck

Thanks for the tips chuck

Ill look into the SI-1 stuff, can i find it advance, autozone, napa? or is it an online order?

I did read about the Seafoam and might look deeper into it, lets first see how the next tank runs

 

[alfa147x]

I was reading this:
http://forums.nicoclub.com/zerothread?id=126583

what if i just use the two parts and not the 3rd ?

1) use 33% on gas tank with 9-10 gallons of fuel. Cleans fuel injectors, fuel lines, removes moisture from fuel lines. Put it in gas tank at the gas station, then fill it with 9 gallons of fuel, so it can mix well. Just read the bottle for the normal mix ratio.

2) another 33% goes to your crankcase. so open your oil cap and pour it in. *WARNING: It thins out your oil. DRIVE FOR ABOUT 10 MILES, THEN CHANGE YOUR OIL. KABISH??

3) Rest 33% goes to the intake manifold. It cleans intake valves, cylinder, top of the piston, exhaust valves, etc. To do this, you have to use any vacuum line that goes to the intake manifold. In s13, brake booster line is perfect.

 

[chucky2]

Originally posted by: alfa147x

Thanks for the tips chuck

Ill look into the SI-1 stuff, can i find it advance, autozone, napa? or is it an online order?

I did read about the Seafoam and might look deeper into it, lets first see how the next tank runs

Well, it used to be at Advanced up here in the Chicago area and then they cleared it out...nothing like getting a $10 product for $2 on Manager's special clearance... I've seen it at Pep Boys up here, never at Autozone, and not sure about NAPA. If you have a Pep Boys by you, drop on in and look for it there...they probably have it. Just go with the whole thing in your tank as a shock dose.

I was reading this:
http://forums.nicoclub.com/zerothread?id=126583

what if i just use the two parts and not the 3rd ?

<<1) use 33% on gas tank with 9-10 gallons of fuel. Cleans fuel injectors, fuel lines, removes moisture from fuel lines. Put it in gas tank at the gas station, then fill it with 9 gallons of fuel, so it can mix well. Just read the bottle for the normal mix ratio.

2) another 33% goes to your crankcase. so open your oil cap and pour it in. *WARNING: It thins out your oil. DRIVE FOR ABOUT 10 MILES, THEN CHANGE YOUR OIL. KABISH??

3) Rest 33% goes to the intake manifold. It cleans intake valves, cylinder, top of the piston, exhaust valves, etc. To do this, you have to use any vacuum line that goes to the intake manifold. In s13, brake booster line is perfect.

Actually I would go with nothing in the tank except the Redline, and would forego the Seafoam in the crankcase (no reason to do a solvent based flush in place of a real cleaner like Auto-RX).

The only thing I'd use Seafoam for is the step 3, and I'd use the whole thing as described. Couple of common tips I've seen when using it are 1.) don't let the car suck it all up too fast to begin with, let it just use it so it's not sputtering and dying (might have to manually hold your throttle open a small amount to accomplish this), and 2.) at the end of the Seafoam, let the engine suck it up enough to stall out. Then you let that soak in for 10 minutes or something like that and start it up and drive.

If you're going to do this, I'd do it like:

1.) Run your current tank down to E, fill it back up, and run that tank down to E.
2.) Put one bottle of Redline SI-1 in and fill the tank up with 89 octane fuel.
3.) Do the Seafoam thing.
4.) Run the tank w/ Redline down to E, fill it back up, and run that tank down to E.
5.) Fill tank back up and change your oil (so if you're able, do all this about 4 tankfuls of gas before your next oil change...that, or just extend your oil change if you run short OCI's or short change the OCI).

Personally since I go overkill, on the oil change I'd go with an Auto-RX run, but then I tend to take things to the nth when I do sh1t like that...

Chuck

 

[M2008S]

octane booster= fuel additive

boosts octane level say from 87 regular to 93 or so, higher octane = burns hotter and better= better performance

if your issue was messing with the pedal and getting on it to start up octane booster probably isnt going to do much, or if it does itll be temporary. put fuel injecter/intake valve cleaner in with the gas, check for a clogged fuel filter and any fuel leaks. if all that is good to go then youre fine

seafoam works also. it turns the carbon deposits into a liquid that can be burnt off. theres many ways to use it, certain areas target the top end (intake, valves, etc) or bottom end (crankcase area) or fuel system. read the can, its easy. if you do it through a vacuum line for top end cleaning (highly suggested) be SURE to shut the car off and let it sit a little longer than it says on the can (maybe 15 mins) as soon as the liquid is sucked through. if you use that method the car will most likely be hard to start, when starting hold the gas to the floor and crank until it starts. it will smoke using that method.

 

[chris7b]

Just stick to 87 and use an injector cleaner every few months!

 

[Zenmervolt]

Another "free" thing that can help is to actually run up through the gears with the throttle floored. A couple a full-throttle runs to get up to speed on entrance ramps every month or two can help "clean out" an engine. Obviously make sure that your engine is in good shape otherwise before doing this, but I've always found it good for a car to be run hard every now and then.

(Standard disclaimer: I do not advocate violating any traffic ordinances to do this, do not exceed the speed limit, do not put others in danger, blah, blah, blah.)

ZV

 

[SuperSix]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: lurk3r
If you've been running 87 octane in the altima the engine probably hates you right now. Run several tanks with a fuel injector cleaner, then stick to 89, you car will be alot happier.

Sorry, no. The recommended octane for a '94 Altima is 87. There will be zero benefit to using 89.

OP, use 87 octane unless you enjoy wasting money.

ZV

I love smart people.

Overall - Octane booster is useless, even for cars that actually benefit from higher octane gas. (High compression ratio, forced induction, etc)

If you want higher octane - but 91 or race gas (won't benefit your car at all, just burn money), octane booster may also fould plugs and O2 sensors.

 

[alkemyst]

octane booster is not useless for a car that can use it. Especially when you are borderline and 91 causes pinging / timing retard and 93 or better is not available.

 

[SuperSix]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
octane booster is not useless for a car that can use it. Especially when you are borderline and 91 causes pinging / timing retard and 93 or better is not available.

OK - I agree. But it has very marginal benefits. How long is someone THAT far away for a premium gas pump? Not to mention the added cost, the bad effects if has on O2 sensors.

There aren't a whole lot of cars that *require* 93, as most cars that request "Premium" are designed to tolerate 91 octane very well.

Overall, a large waste of money, with modest gains, if any.

 

[lurk3r]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: lurk3r
If you've been running 87 octane in the altima the engine probably hates you right now. Run several tanks with a fuel injector cleaner, then stick to 89, you car will be alot happier.

Sorry, no. The recommended octane for a '94 Altima is 87. There will be zero benefit to using 89.

OP, use 87 octane unless you enjoy wasting money.

ZV

My 2006 2.5L altima gets about 100 less miles on a tank and stalls constantly if I use 87 for 3 tanks in a row. The 94 is an older engine, but my manual does not specify 89 octane either.

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: lurk3r

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: lurk3r
If you've been running 87 octane in the altima the engine probably hates you right now. Run several tanks with a fuel injector cleaner, then stick to 89, you car will be alot happier.

Sorry, no. The recommended octane for a '94 Altima is 87. There will be zero benefit to using 89.

OP, use 87 octane unless you enjoy wasting money.

ZV

My 2006 2.5L altima gets about 100 less miles on a tank and stalls constantly if I use 87 for 3 tanks in a row. The 94 is an older engine, but my manual does not specify 89 octane either.

I've noticed that around here (North Texas), the quality of '87 octane can vary from station to station. For most vehicles, I stick with the 89 rated stuff, as it's less likely to dip to an unacceptable level of performance.

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: lurk3r

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: lurk3r
If you've been running 87 octane in the altima the engine probably hates you right now. Run several tanks with a fuel injector cleaner, then stick to 89, you car will be alot happier.

Sorry, no. The recommended octane for a '94 Altima is 87. There will be zero benefit to using 89.

OP, use 87 octane unless you enjoy wasting money.

ZV

My 2006 2.5L altima gets about 100 less miles on a tank and stalls constantly if I use 87 for 3 tanks in a row. The 94 is an older engine, but my manual does not specify 89 octane either.

Then something is wrong wiht your car and/or you have adjusted it from factory settings. The car was made to run off of 87.