Who uses Torco fuel additives?

[Gearbanger 101]

Heading to the track this weekend and looking to boost the octane leve of my 91 grade fuel. The track I normally go to down South sells legitamate race fuel right at the track, but the event I'm heading to this weekend up North sells nothing at all.

A local guys here sells both race fuel (110-octane @ $85/5-gal) and Torco Octane additive (up to 103-octane at $35/32oz can). My question is, is that additive sufficient (legitamate), or is it similar to the snake oil additives that are sold over the counter at most auto parts stores?

Normally, I wouldn't question the race fuel (as I have run it before), but it does contain lead and I would preffer to run it as little as possible to extend the life of my cats and sensors. That and it's more than twice the price compared to the Torco?

 

[CobraRed_96_GT]

Jeez, when I sold Sunoco it was around $4.85 a gallon with employee discount and like $5.15 retail. If you don't want lead look for a 104 unleaded, our Sunoco 104 was blue liquid and the 110 was purple.
Those prices are crazy, but i never suggest relying on additives. What level are you needing the fuel?

 

[TURBO80LXCOUPE]

i agree with CobraRed_96_GT buy un leaded race gas granted some times its more expensive but additives are a waste of money and make your plugs look nasty.with my old fox body i found it to be 10x better to mix in 2 gallons of 100 oct unleaded
to 8 gall of gas instead buying octane boosters.depends on what octane you want though

 

[bhuff30]

I am also on turboford and there are a good number of people there that run torco. Yes, it really works. You really do increase the octane to the levels advertised. They've had great results, but of course you have to re-tune to take advantage of the extra octane (more boost ).

The other octane boosters are basically snake oils. They advertise XX points of octane increase, but a point is .1 octane (so from 91 to 91.1)

 

[Gearbanger 101]

Jeez, when I sold Sunoco it was around $4.85 a gallon with employee discount and like $5.15 retail. If you don't want lead look for a 104 unleaded, our Sunoco 104 was blue liquid and the 110 was purple.
Those prices are crazy, but i never suggest relying on additives. What level are you needing the fuel?

Let me clarify. This was a last minute decision to run the race gas and my choices are the Torco additive, or the leaded 110-octane fuel. I haven't got access, or time to buy anything else on this short of notice.

And I'm not sure what you mean by "what level are you needing" Are you referring to my projected octane goals? If that's the case, Probably somewhere in the 100-107 range. Whichever will get me there the cheapest and safest.

They've had great results, but of course you have to re-tune to take advantage of the extra octane (more boost ).

Well, I won't be "retuning" so much as I will be adding a pile of timing. What do you guys figure....think she'll handle 22-23 degree's or so at 100-octane? I think I'm running about 16-deg now on 91....but I'm sure even with 91-octane in that tank, I should be able to handle a little more than that, no? Seems pretty conservative to me?

 

[CobraRed_96_GT]

I would say additive in that case since adding leaded to non leaded does not = low lead - it equals a poor mixture of leaded and non leaded (yet octane level remains stable: see "mid-grade" which is a mix of premium and reg). I rarely would recommend an additive - but i've never used or sold Torco, is it technically a fuel? Like could you run an engine on it solely?

 

[blksq10psi]

i run the torco additive alot i usually mix with sunoco 93 the car seems to like it but you get like a light "dust" on my plugs but the car seems to like it

 

[bhuff30]

Extra timing can be a lot of fun. You'll just have to play around with your particular engine to see where the sweet spot is for timing. The 2.3 likes around 24-26* total timing under full boost. Adding timing beyond that doesn't make anymore power or just makes a slight bit of power that isn't worth the risk in the tune.
If you get to make a bunch of runs, it'd be interesting to slowly bump the timing 2degrees at a time to see where your sweet spot is, to make the most power on the safest tune.

I don't believe Torco is a fuel. It is the common octane additive used in our fuel currently, MTBE or whatever it is.

Well, I won't be "retuning" so much as I will be adding a pile of timing. What do you guys figure....think she'll handle 22-23 degree's or so at 100-octane? I think I'm running about 16-deg now on 91....but I'm sure even with 91-octane in that tank, I should be able to handle a little more than that, no? Seems pretty conservative to me?