[Bay Area] Race Gas in Saratoga, CA???

[GrussGott]

I was filling up before a canyon drive today and ... holy crap! 100 Octane??

After a quick search here I found you should mix at most 2:1 91:100 since anything more won't help you with a stock ECU ... not sure if that's right or not and I didn't try it but I'm thinking I should!

Anybody else run across 100 Octane just laying around at the gas pump?

[skiborsy]

It's also available at the 76 on Woodside Road in Redwood City. Also found this helpful (if old) list: http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...=1#post4985990

[GrussGott]

Originally Posted by skiborsy

It's also available at the 76 on Woodside Road in Redwood City. Also found this helpful (if old) list: http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...=1#post4985990

Wow, great, thanks! I had no idea ... i thought anything over 91 was illegal but after some searching it turns out just very hard to find because west coast drivers consume so much premium compared to, say, the midwest so the delivery system standardized on 91. Seems very odd.

Anyway, I'll try an online octane calculator to calculate my mix to 94 next time I have to fill up and see what happens.

Good to know there are options.

[crimson49er]

the sunoco on the sunol grade has a couple pumps with high octane in them.

[Jbook]

I live very close to that station and every once in awhile will run a 4 gallon 100 oct blend with my 91. I feel a significant difference, but I do have the blower on

[radiantm3]

To be honest there are far better ways to spend your money. You'll probably be faster running your car with 1/4-1/2 a tank of gas (weight reduction) over filling it with with higher octane.

[crimson49er]

Originally Posted by radiantm3

To be honest there are far better ways to spend your money. You'll probably be faster running your car with 1/4-1/2 a tank of gas (weight reduction) over filling it with with higher octane.

true. you actually want to run the lowest octane you can that doesn't detonate. octane rating is essentially the resistance to burn so running high octane in a car not tuned for it will actually rob you of power because your motor won't be able to fully combust it.

[crispy tofu]

Originally Posted by GrussGott

I was filling up before a canyon drive today and ... holy crap! 100 Octane??

After a quick search here I found you should mix at most 2:1 91:100 since anything more won't help you with a stock ECU ... not sure if that's right or not and I didn't try it but I'm thinking I should!

Anybody else run across 100 Octane just laying around at the gas pump?

Where in Saratoga is this? I want to head over there…been looking forever, as VP Racing is no longer on Camden Ave.

[iturbo_bmw]

Originally Posted by MRM55

Where in Saratoga is this? I want to head over there…been looking forever, as VP Racing is no longer on Camden Ave.

pretty sure thats the one right before the entrance of highway 9

you could also go to the 76 Station at Almaden and Foxworthy in san jose

[Z K]

Originally Posted by crimson49er

true. you actually want to run the lowest octane you can that doesn't detonate. octane rating is essentially the resistance to burn so running high octane in a car not tuned for it will actually rob you of power because your motor won't be able to fully combust it.

The problem is the M3 is tuned to run on the 93 octane that is available in some parts of the USA. It'll run on 91 octane fine but it isn't running at peak efficiency.

[italyix]

Several reasons why this gas station (corner of big basin and saratoga-sunnyvale rd) offers 100octane:

1. Its Saratoga which borders high end towns, which have high end cars which see track time.
2. The only other gas station at the time this one started offering 100 octane was the one off of Foxworthy in San jose
3. Highway 9 is right up the road...the unofficial Saratoga racetrack! Opens every night after 12am, right when the local Saratoga 5-0 is having their nightly briefing

[Jbook]

Originally Posted by italyix

Several reasons why this gas station (corner of big basin and saratoga-sunnyvale rd) offers 100octane:

1. Its Saratoga which borders high end towns, which have high end cars which see track time.
2. The only other gas station at the time this one started offering 100 octane was the one off of Foxworthy in San jose
3. Highway 9 is right up the road...the unofficial Saratoga racetrack! Opens every night after 12am, right when the local Saratoga 5-0 is having their nightly briefing

Saratoga is a high-end town itself as well. Anyways, I'll be adding a 4-6 gallons of 100oct today before I get on the dyno. We'll see what it does for me

[BESTNDA416]

Wow need some gas stations like this in Toronto

[Boo-E]

Originally Posted by Jbook

Saratoga is a high-end town itself as well. Anyways, I'll be adding a 4-6 gallons of 100oct today before I get on the dyno. We'll see what it does for me

Interested to see if it makes a significant difference

[crispy tofu]

Originally Posted by iturbo_bmw

pretty sure thats the one right before the entrance of highway 9

you could also go to the 76 Station at Almaden and Foxworthy in san jose

Thanks. Just picked some up right now at hwy 9. love it.

[catpat8000]

Originally Posted by GrussGott

I was filling up before a canyon drive today and ... holy crap! 100 Octane??

After a quick search here I found you should mix at most 2:1 91:100 since anything more won't help you with a stock ECU ... not sure if that's right or not and I didn't try it but I'm thinking I should!

Anybody else run across 100 Octane just laying around at the gas pump?

The 76 station at 3010 Almaden Expressway, San Jose had 101 octane on tap this past Saturday (02/15/2014). It was pricey though ($7.65/gal, IIRC)

I've been buying racing gas from this station for at least 6 years.

Pat