I took all the good advice & did my spring cleaning. Haven't got the car on the street yet but I'm concerned that it's 115 degrees here in Arizona & we don't have 93 octane available. What can/should I do to protect the engine from detonation under these conditions? The car has a scanmaster & a Turbotweak ECM- but I don't have any papers on the ECM, not sure how to tell what model or how it's programmed. Any suggestiopns?
91 octane
- Thread starter 86Gary
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Turn the boost down or stay out of full throttle.
With the temps being 115 degrees this weekend, it will not take much to do some damage with our crap 91 octane.
86Gary,
Living in Arizona in the past, I know first hand what extreme heat can do to a car. As Nick mentioned, stay out of it and make sure your cooling system is up to par. Going over your recent posts it looks like you are a new TurboBuick owner. My recommendation is to take it to Nick Micale (Member above) so he can go through a few things with you and make sure your GN is ready for the brutal AZ summer. He is located in Phoenix and I am sure he would be able to help you out if you need it.
Best of luck, sure do miss the AZ heat.
Living in Arizona in the past, I know first hand what extreme heat can do to a car. As Nick mentioned, stay out of it and make sure your cooling system is up to par. Going over your recent posts it looks like you are a new TurboBuick owner. My recommendation is to take it to Nick Micale (Member above) so he can go through a few things with you and make sure your GN is ready for the brutal AZ summer. He is located in Phoenix and I am sure he would be able to help you out if you need it.
Best of luck, sure do miss the AZ heat.
What about adding a bottle of either NOS or Lucas octane booster to the 91? That's what I use with the California heat and have had good results. I just make sure that my water temp (and my ATS temp) isnt in a crazy-high state if I decide to open the throttle up.
What kind of good results have you had with those products? What types of cars where you using them in? Just curious, I haven't had much luck with octane additives actually working when knock is monitored.
91 octane with NOS octane boost, 17-18psi boost in 101 degree heat while a/c on max with the TR water temp just under or at 180... No knock.
Watching your water temp like you are and being 100 vs 115* is the difference. You've tried the EXACT same setup without additive and you get knock? If so, I guess it works! Thanks for replying.
I wouldn't try anything in a hot climate especially with a few dollar additive. As far as we know Gary is a new TurboBuick owner and his GN might not even be up to snuff to drive in 115 degree weather. Let alone have him go WOT in these conditions.
ECMs are not modified except to run a special type of injectors(low impedance). Your modifications/tune/combo are in the Turbo Tweak Chip. Look on the TT chip and see if you find anything distinctive and contact Eric at Turbotweak.com
He might be able to pull the order history and see what gas/combo the chip was burned for.
I was just simply stating that this may help prevent detonation.. Octane booster obviously would not be a cure-all for problems that can arise due to driving in 115 degree weather. I was under the impression that he was bothered by the lack of availability of 93 octane, and like me being stuck with 91 being the highest available at the pump. The NOS and Lucas stuff works well for my car to raise the octane up a few points.
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Just because this worked for you and your build, on an "unknown" GN it is not smart to experiment in our extreme desert temperatures with crap summer blend gas we have locally which will detonate at 14 psi in a stock GN even with milder temps.
If 86Gary does not know exactly what mods, if any, he should not messing with fuel blends, and just "cruise" until he becomes more familiar with his new car.
Also, dealing with turbo Buicks since 1987 here in the desert, I have NEVER seen one that will run at "under 180 deg." with AC operating at 101 degrees ambient and this includes my original, very low mile stock T with a killer radiator and no antifreeze?
On a day like today with 116 degrees, the best you could hope for would be under 230 deg. no matter what radiator of fan set up, and I have tried them all. My turbo cars stay parked for now.
Sorry to confuse you.. I didnt mean add a bottle and go racing out in the desertJust because this worked for you and your build, on an "unknown" GN it is not smart to experiment in our extreme desert temperatures with crap summer blend gas we have locally which will detonate at 14 psi in a stock GN even with milder temps.
Isnt that common sense??If 86Gary does not know exactly what mods, if any, he should not messing with fuel blends, and just "cruise" until he becomes more familiar with his new car.
Now you can say you have at least heard of one... Im even running stock radiator and stock cooling fan.Also, dealing with turbo Buicks since 1987 here in the desert, I have NEVER seen one that will run at "under 180 deg." with AC operating at 101 degrees ambient and this includes my original, very low mile stock T with a killer radiator and no antifreeze?
I agree that it is possible to reach that temp.
Have you tried or have e85 near you at the pump? Could be a better and safer solution than 91+Octane Booster.
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