MR2 Roadster Owners Club

The Workshop => Performance Related => Topic started by: shnazzle on August 11, 2016, 19:38

Title: STP octane booster
Post by: shnazzle on August 11, 2016, 19:38
Thought I'd put a mini review of this stuff on here.

A few weeks back we drove 900 miles through Scotland in Helen's sp240 (with solenoid disconnected).
Tried to fill up with vpower but on one occasion there just wasn't a choice.
Filled it with 95, should be fine we reckoned if we're on stock boost (6psi max) and driving moderately.
WRONG!
From the second I turned the engine after getting 95 the engine wasn't happy. Revs all over during idle, knock sensor freaking out over a certain load, stalling constantly on overrun (which happens a lot in the Scottish Highlands on single-track roads).

I was dealing, Helen was furious with the car; "don't know how you can stand this [cutting out all the time]".

Decided to pull over and pour in a bottle of STP Octane Booster which I purchased earlier just in case.

By the next bend, the car was running miles better. I could pull hard again, no stalling at all anymore for the entire tank of fuel, and no burbly idle.


Moral of the story is; if you have a car that is finely mapped with high timing advance values and high(er) octane fuel.... ALWAYS carry a bottle of this stuff. We do now.
Title: Re: STP octane booster
Post by: s12vea on August 11, 2016, 19:45
Both My sp240s never suffered like that with standard unleaded. I would agree they ran better with super but never terrible like yours. Must be down to the map I guess. Good idea keeping octane booster just incase.
Title: Re: STP octane booster
Post by: shnazzle on August 11, 2016, 19:49
Oh it's 100% not right. We know this.

Figured the situation might apply to others who's maps may be work in progress or not done yet.
Or hell, even highly strung stage2 cam 1zz and the like.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
Title: Re: STP octane booster
Post by: s12vea on August 11, 2016, 19:56
From what I've seen your car had loads of money spent, so it's prob had the best of the best. It will prob be something simple might be worth a trip to redline of they mapped it.
Title: Re: STP octane booster
Post by: shnazzle on August 11, 2016, 20:03
Spoke to ChrisGB and it sounds like it's suffering from either a stuck actuator or bad map, or both.
So yeah, we're going to to down to Redline sometime soon-ish to get it sorted.
In the meantime, solenoid is staying firmly disconnected.

It did very well for the whole trip through Scotland. Really got to know the car. Sadly Helen didn't as her ankle is screwed and couldn't handle much of the super heavy clutch.

Just this little hiccup that was resolved by the STP stuff.

I discussed it with the lady at the fuel station and she says the "boys from the Evo clubs" come down every year and fill up at their pump, then pour a bottle of this stuff in. I'm assuming some of those engines are a lot more heavily modified and octane-dependent than ours

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
Title: Re: STP octane booster
Post by: s12vea on August 11, 2016, 20:05
It will be interesting to see what the "fix" will be. When they run well it's a powerhouse!
Title: Re: STP octane booster
Post by: 1979scotte on August 12, 2016, 07:25
I have a low power map that is safe on 95RON.
Have never not been able to find 97/99 but have been worried a few times.
Title: Re: STP octane booster
Post by: shnazzle on August 12, 2016, 07:34
Quote from: "1979scotte"I have a low power map that is safe on 95RON.
Have never not been able to find 97/99 but have been worried a few times.
That's what you want (and what we'll be after when we go down to Redline); a well-mapped car with selectable maps for at the very least 95-compatibility, medium power (winter use) and max power (nice dry day full on power)

Until then... Bottle of stp in the glove box  s:) :) s:)