Dyno-tab for those who need higher octane fuel

With the introduction of RON95 petrol this month and the price changes, Malaysian motorists have taken a greater interest in the subject of fuel octane and how it relates to their vehicle’s engine. Most will find that RON95 is adequate for their vehicle and RON97, which used to be the preferred grade – even though Peroduas and Hondas could run fine on RON92 – is going to be less favoured since its price has risen past RM2/litre.
 
While the majority of cars will run fine on RON95, there will be some which will require RON97, not necessarily to run smoothly but to be able to deliver the maximum power output the engine was designed to produce. Such engines may be able to run on RON95 but the lower grade of fuel would result in the ECU adjusting the ignition timing to prevent knocking (or pre-combustion) that could damage the engine. This would also mean a slight reduction in power output though in most cases, it is unlikely to be noticeable. 
 

High-performance engines often require higher octane to deliver their peak output

Then there are also cars with high-performance engines that need high octane fuel. Because of their high outputs, their operating temperatures are also high so the petrol has to have a higher octane to resist igniting before the correct moment. However, since the highest octane available at the pumps is RON97, these engines may not be producing as much bhp as they are designed to deliver. Their ECUs would have adjusted the timing to cope with the grade of fuel that is lower than optimum and some power loss would be likely.
 
Across the Causeway (or 2^nd Link) in Singapore, there may be higher octane grades but in Malaysia, anything higher than RON97 is not readily available. However, there is one way to get higher-octane fuel and that’s to use an octane booster. This is a chemical additive which increases the octane rating of petrol a few points.
 
One of the better known octane boosters is Dyno-tab, an American product which has been around since the mid-1990s. According to the company, its products are safe and will cause no damage to engines. Unlike many other additives, Dyno-tab comes in the form of solid tablets that are dropped down the fuel tank filler pipe while refueling. The tablets dissolve quickly and mix with the petrol to boost its octane value.
 
Being in solid tablet form is actually a smarter way of packaging for the manufacturer as well as the motorist. The additives that come in a liquid form are actually pretty much the same except that they have additional liquid as a carrier for the additives; Dyno-tab sees no point in selling liquid when the important component is the additive itself.
 
“A major benefit, and of primary importance to some customers, is the increase in power and performance due to the increase in octane. The typical octane improvement is in the range of .7 to 3 numbers (this is on a global standard), but this of course depends on the fuel used.  Some people report a noticeable improvement in driveability. Others comment on improved fuel economy,” said Dato’ Frank Steinleitner, a shareholder of Chemplex Continental Sdn Bhd which is the distributor of Dyno-tab in Malaysia. Some readers may recognize the Dato’s name as he was the person who established the Mercedes-Benz subsidiary in Malaysia (originally known as DaimlerChrysler Malaysia and today, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia).
 
He became involved in the business because he is convinced of the benefits of Dyno-tab and has a lot of technical and scientific data to back up the claims. “It’s been in the market for over 10 years now and is registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for both petrol and diesel engines,” he said. 
 

Two Dyno-tab products

Apart from octane-boosting, there are also Dyno-tab products for fuel-saving and this is something which Dato’ Steinleitner is very keen to promote. “With fuel prices going up, everyone wants to save money and using Dyno-tab regularly will give them that, I am positive,” he said. As evidence of the savings possible, he calculated that on the basis of the new pricing for RON95 at RM1.80/litre, a motorist with a 60-litre tank who wants to use RON97 (which now costs RM2.05/litre) would have to pay RM15 more in petrol costs. However, using a single table of Dyno-tab which retails for RM12.25, he can save RM2.75.
 
That’s a direct saving on the pump price but Dyno-tab is also claimed to enhance engine operating efficiency so fuel economy also gets better, reducing fuel costs. He said that depending on various factors such as driving style, driving conditions and engine tune, the fuel savings can be between 8% and 15%. 
 

Fuel-savings calculations provided by Chemplex

Other products available from Chemplex (all in tablet form) are for diesel treatment, injector cleaning, fuel stabilization (to keep fuel fresh if not used for long periods) and also windscreen cleaner. The products are available at various outlets and can also be purchased online from the company.