Has a client ever told you that their engine isn’t performing well enough, or when they press on the gas pedal, a shock sensation happens? If so, you might have suggested they start exploring octane boosters. Octane is a measurement of fuel that demonstrates how much compression fuel can withstand before igniting. If a vehicle’s fuel compression is too high, this has a range of negative effects on the engine’s components. With octane boosters, high fuel compression can be prevented, improving the lifespan of the engine.
At ATC Cambridge, students have the opportunity to learn about different types of octane boosters and how to properly use them. They will also learn how to determine a vehicle’s needs and install an octane booster accordingly. Read on to discover a brief guide to help you successfully work with octane boosters in the future.
How to Tell if a Vehicle Needs an Octane Booster After Auto Mechanic Training
If you’re pursuing auto careers, you’ll want to know how to check and measure a car’s octane level. Often the instructions can be found in the owner’s manual, but you can also check the gas cap. However, not all cars need octane boosters and not all drivers should be encouraged to purchase them. Many people use octane boosters to maximize their horsepower without breaking their engine. If an engine is already running high on octane, an octane booster might give clients the results they were hoping for, instead damaging the engine with excess octane. As an auto mechanic, you’ll be able to determine the vehicle’s specific needs by checking the gauge, seeing whether additional octane is the right way to improve its performance.
Using the Right Kind of Octane
After auto mechanic training, it’s important to understand what to look for when examining octane. The first thing to look for is the rating on the bottle. Typically, it’s only safe to raise the amount by a unit of 3 octane, resulting in a level of 89, 91 or 93. However, some vehicles can take more octane, so make sure to check before you cause any damage.
Another thing to remember is RON, a rating used in measuring octane which stands for Research Octane Number. People often make the mistake of thinking that one RON is one additional octane unit, but one RON is actually equivalent to 10 octane units. When measuring how much octane to use in your customers’ vehicles, you’ll want to keep these figures in mind.
Installing the Octane Booster
After you’ve determined how much octane the vehicle can handle, you’ll need to know how to install the octane booster correctly. To start with, it’s important to add the booster when the fuel tank is empty. Adding the octane on an empty tank will allow fuel to mix well with it, resulting in better performance. Next, you’ll add the gasoline, keeping in mind that your client’s octane rating is equivalent to the gasoline plus the amount of octane booster that increased the levels. For example, if you’re working with a fuel of 93 and add a booster of 3, your octane is now at 96. A higher octane gasoline burns more slowly, which reduces the chance of engine damage in the long run.
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