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Anyone run 93 octane with tune?

T

Teal4Banger

CEG'er
Joined
Jul 30, 2007
Messages
220
Location
Iowa
I'm going to be getting a 93 octane tune in addition to a couple of others and I was just wondering if anyone else has run 93 octane before with the corresponding advanced timing. Any success stories?

I'm just wondering if there is a noticeable difference. I never really considered the idea of 93 octane before, but one of our local Wal-Mart (Murphy USA) gas stations carries 93 octane.

This would be more for special instances rather than daily use.

Thanks

-Teal
 
well my understanding is the higher octane helps prevent pre-detonation or pinging. since the fuel is harder to burn to can advance the timing and be more agressive and be able to make more power.

so you will not see a difference just from the higher octane fuel but that in combination with a tune will net you some power
 
Teal4Banger said:
Based on the lack of response I'm assuming no one has run 93 octane. :rolleyes:
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I do. but i have to cause of the turbo. You have to remember that Hector and I are really the only 2 that have done anything to our zetecs. He has since moved on to the Evo so im really the only one left. ButtonPuncher has plans but is moving rather slowly as, i believe, he has other priorities right now.
 
Yep it's winter and I'm being lazy. :laugh:

A while back Ddavis was running a tune on his NA Zetec and got some great power out of it. I don't know if he's still on the forums or what his handle is. The gains were really impressive. IIRC, he gained 20HP. (I tried getting the same tune from Arizona Dyno Chip and they screwed it up so I had to send it back.)

The stock tune from the factory is really conservative. Also, the timing on our 'tours can be vastly different form the factory. If you want to see some real gains, get your xcal, some cam gears, and go to your local dyno. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see you gain 30HP over stock.

BTW, I didn't have the PRP software and my xcal2 long enough before I wrecked it to play around with the timing and whatnot. :blackeye:

BP
 
striker2 said:
I do. but i have to cause of the turbo. You have to remember that Hector and I are really the only 2 that have done anything to our zetecs. He has since moved on to the Evo so im really the only one left. ButtonPuncher has plans but is moving rather slowly as, i believe, he has other priorities right now.
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Man, I'm sad to here that. These are good engines with plenty of stuff available for the hobbiest (like me :laugh: ) . :nonono:


ButtonPuncher said:
Just found Darrell's original post (unfortunately the dyno graphs are gone)...

http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/s...age=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=93&fpart=all&vc=1

With a chip, intake, and cam gears, he got 30HP. :shocked:


BP
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That's truly impressive. I'm hoping to gain 50 hp with an intake, header, exhaust, opt TB, UDP, headwork, and a tune via x-cal3. Maybe I'm being a little conservative then.
 
That rocks. I want to see what a NA Contour Zetec can do.

You may want to start trolling the Focus For Sale forums for a FRPP head. That right there would get you 40HP. 70HP with the FRPP intake and a set of stage 3 cams.

Hopefully by the end of '08, I will have a supercharged Zetec and a turbo Zetec. I'm really convinced that the pre-98 Zetec was built for boost. Just look at all of the signs...

Massive maincaps
Obvious oil return location in the oilpan right under where a turbo would sit
Cast iron block
Cast iron header that a turbo will bolt right to with only an adapter plate
Water cooling bypass that runs right where the turbo would sit
Plenty of room between the block and radiator fans
Undrilled EGT bungs in the cast iron manifold

My "Project Timebomb" will find out just how much boost a 180k+ Zetec can take. ;)

BP
 
ButtonPuncher said:
That rocks. I want to see what a NA Contour Zetec can do.

You may want to start trolling the Focus For Sale forums for a FRPP head. That right there would get you 40HP. 70HP with the FRPP intake and a set of stage 3 cams.

Hopefully by the end of '08, I will have a supercharged Zetec and a turbo Zetec. I'm really convinced that the pre-98 Zetec was built for boost. Just look at all of the signs...

Massive maincaps
Obvious oil return location in the oilpan right under where a turbo would sit
Cast iron block
Cast iron header that a turbo will bolt right to with only an adapter plate
Water cooling bypass that runs right where the turbo would sit
Plenty of room between the block and radiator fans
Undrilled EGT bungs in the cast iron manifold

My "Project Timebomb" will find out just how much boost a 180k+ Zetec can take. ;)

BP
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I looked at the FRPP head, but it is designed for a post 98 zetec. After doing some research into it and finding what would need to be modified I decided I'm going to just get my stock head worked. The shop that is going to do it said I could expect around a 20hp gain. No one around here has a flow bench nor do they use the newer method with some sort of putty that gets forced through the ports. I'm not sure if this is going to lead to less gains.

I agree with your observations though. The early zetecs are built for the enthusiast. I've come across a few websites that recommend the zetec for a Lotus Se7en project for this reason - the early zetecs can handle mods well.
 
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ButtonPuncher said:
Yep it's winter and I'm being lazy. :laugh:

A while back Ddavis was running a tune on his NA Zetec and got some great power out of it. I don't know if he's still on the forums or what his handle is. The gains were really impressive. IIRC, he gained 20HP. (I tried getting the same tune from Arizona Dyno Chip and they screwed it up so I had to send it back.)

The stock tune from the factory is really conservative. Also, the timing on our 'tours can be vastly different form the factory. If you want to see some real gains, get your xcal, some cam gears, and go to your local dyno. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see you gain 30HP over stock.

BTW, I didn't have the PRP software and my xcal2 long enough before I wrecked it to play around with the timing and whatnot. :blackeye:

BP
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You also have to remember, from what I can recollect he also had adjustable cam gears. Cam timing from the factory is the big "Xfactor" He gained alot from a tune and the gears....I had a tune but when I "tuned" the gears I had minimal gains. So many variables.:blackeye:
 
ButtonPuncher said:
The only real difference with the pre-98 and the 98+ head was the lifters and where the timing belt pulley(s) mount.

If you have some cash, and want something equivalent to the FRPP head, both Focus Central and Central Florida Motorsports CNC stock heads. You should ask them if they would want to do a Contour pre-98 head. Heck, I would donate one for the cause!

http://www.focussport.com/cylhead.htm

http://focus.c-f-m.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1221


BP
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I wouldn't mind have either of them do the headwork. I'm wondering what they would charge. I'm planning on spending about $1k now for headwork to include a 3 angle valve job, and working the ports by hand.

If they could do it for abou the same price and (I'm assuming) do as good of a job or better than my local guy, then I'm all for it. You have a pre-98 zetec head lying around? :shrug: :laugh:
 
FocusSport is $1250. Pretty steep but they CNC your head to flow as good or better than the FRPP.

I was thinking about my heads too. I'm retarded. The only spare that I currently have is the 98+ off of the HOC. I have a new pre-98 head but that is currently bolted to my new pre-98 Zetec. ;) That and my FRPP head.

I need to verify that my FRPP head will work with the pre-98 timing belt tensioner/pulley before I can give up my new pre-98 head. Sorry but that's not going to happen until after the HOC is finished this spring.

BP
 
94 octane and a brenspeed tune

94 octane and a brenspeed tune

I've committed myself to 94 octane fuel (sunocco gold baby!) and I had a tune from Brent at Brenspeed. I did not complete a dyno before and after, but I do attest to the butt dyno theory.

Really happy with the tune at 94, I did feel a difference. I know it's not impirical data, but it's all I've got.
 
stay tuned...... I've just started stripping the car down to do some body work and rebuild the motor. it's already had a build done on it at 70k and now has got a 140k so time for a refresh. I run a 100 octane baseline tune (non dyno'd) with the block and head both plained 5 over, 5/8" lift 268 duration exhaust cam and 278 duration intake cam with other asorted goodies and it outruns the fusion I have. (the black one at spring zing 08) I'm going to be rebuilding it and finally getting to the transaxle work I've been needing to do. I'll post pics of the build when I am able.

PS
when I say stay tuned I mean for a little while because I'm getting deployed again and will only be able to get through half of the teardown before I go.
 
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