BriteBlue
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I just got the new Car & Driver magazine & they have an article on octane. They tested 4 different vehicles with the recommended grade & with 93 octane. They tested on a chassis dyno and for 0-60 and quarter mile times.
All the vehicles had more horsepower with 93 octane and 3 out of 4 were quicker. For the most part they didn’t feel the small improvements were worth the price increase of using 93 octane.
Most sources say that using higher octane than specified is a waste & does not increase horsepower. To prevent knock the ECU changes valve & ignition timing if using too low of octane. But can the ECU change parameters in the other direction if higher octane is used? IOW if the timing can be retarded to optimize performance why can’t it be advanced to do the same? Maybe that’s what’s happening in the article.
One vehicle they tested was a 2019 Honda CRV 1.5L turbo.
87 octane: 164 hp, 168 lb-ft, 0-60 in 7.3 secs., 1/4 mile in 15.7 secs @ 90 mph, 0-100 in 20.4 secs.
93 octane: 172 hp, 168 lb-ft, 0-60 in 7.4 secs., 1/4 mile in 15.8 secs @ 90 mph, 0-100 in 20.2 secs.
The Honda was the one anomaly where it was slower 0-60 and 1/4 mile with 93 octane. There was no explanation why this was even though it had increased HP.
All the vehicles had more horsepower with 93 octane and 3 out of 4 were quicker. For the most part they didn’t feel the small improvements were worth the price increase of using 93 octane.
Most sources say that using higher octane than specified is a waste & does not increase horsepower. To prevent knock the ECU changes valve & ignition timing if using too low of octane. But can the ECU change parameters in the other direction if higher octane is used? IOW if the timing can be retarded to optimize performance why can’t it be advanced to do the same? Maybe that’s what’s happening in the article.
One vehicle they tested was a 2019 Honda CRV 1.5L turbo.
87 octane: 164 hp, 168 lb-ft, 0-60 in 7.3 secs., 1/4 mile in 15.7 secs @ 90 mph, 0-100 in 20.4 secs.
93 octane: 172 hp, 168 lb-ft, 0-60 in 7.4 secs., 1/4 mile in 15.8 secs @ 90 mph, 0-100 in 20.2 secs.
The Honda was the one anomaly where it was slower 0-60 and 1/4 mile with 93 octane. There was no explanation why this was even though it had increased HP.
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