Turbo Blue and Trick have since been bought Sunoco and are blended by Sonoco. Trick was purchased by Phillips 66 and has continued to be blended by Phillips 66.
Trick brand was produced by Phillips 66 at their Philtex plant as a private label blend for a West Coast customer.
The only two companies I am aware of who "cracked" there own base product is Sunoco and 76. And as we all know, 76 race fuel is no longer available, leaving only one true manufacturer of Racing Gasoline....Sunoco.
Phillips 66 produced base stocks that were sold to race fuel blenders (including VP and 76), by their specialty chemicals division. They also produced certification and calibration gasolines for the automotive mfgs and remains as the highest quality producer of race gasoline in the country. But not for long.
Shelf life is NOT better. The reason pump gas won't last as long is because street gas has extremely lightend hydrocarbons to help your car start and idle.
The shelf life of AVGAS is much better than pump gas and race gas. ASTM D910, which defines the properties of AVGAS requires the use of an anti-oxidant additive. Unfortunately, this additive produces excessive combustion deposits.
Racing Gasoline does not have these light end hydrocarbons needed for idle and starting, hence the reason race motors start and idle poorly.
While this may be true for some race gasolines, it cannot be stated for all race fuels. In addition, additives are available to tailor the fuel to specific operating conditions.
Av Gas is NOT designed for low RPM motors. AV Gas is designed to not detonate/preignite causing detination. This would be the same design as race fuel.
The properties of AVGAS are not substantially different than pump gas in this regard. While the high octane may mitigate against detonation, it has NO effect on pre-ignition.
If you compare the "distillation curve" of AV Gas to Race Gas, you will find they are almost identical. The "distillation curve" controls the speed of burn across the combustion chamber.
The distillation curves are indeed similar but not identical. AVGAS has lower high ends to minimize engine deposits. The distallation curve does NOT control the speed of the burn across the combustion chamber; that is controlled by temperature and turbulence. The distillation curve will affect the ignition delay period and total burn time but not burn rate.
The LEAD (TEL) added to AV Gas is to increase the octane rating only.
Octane ratings for AVGAS are not very high, much lower than most race fuels. At octane levels of 100 or below, the ratings are the same as pump gas. At higher values they are called Performance Numbers and are given in grams of TEL that must be added. Example: 100/130, means a lean (stoich) rating of 100, and 130 means that 1.28 grams of TEL have been added to each gallon.
AV Gas is not formulated for High Altitude. and will have very little, if not any performance differences vs racing gasoline.
Well, actually it is. AVGAS contains a small amount of ethylene glycol (anti-freeze) to prevent gas line freeze at the temperatures experienced at higher altitudes.
On the other hand, commercial grade fuels (87, 89, 92) will definitely enhance your performance due to the commercial fuel being oxygenated. The Oxygen enhancers added to commercial fuel is only for California Smog laws.
Not true and no longer true. The oxygen content of a fuel, either pump gas or race gas, does not contribute to enhanced performance, as long as the stoich value of that fuel is the same. Most fuel blenders will adjust the fuel recipies to obtain consistent stoich values. Virtually, all metropolitan areas and most states now require the use of oxygenated fuels (ethanol), not just the Peoples Republik of Kalifornia.
Advancing timing on your motor will definitely help with AV Gas and Race Gas due to its slow burn characteristics
. Not true. Will depend entirely on the specific blend and engine state of tune.
Remember this...OCTANE is a measure of a fuels ability to resist detonation/preignition.
Not true as described above.
The higher the Octane number, the slower the fuel burns.
Not true by any means and never has been.
Technically speaking 87 Octane fuel will develop more power than 118 Octane fuel.
Not true. All hydrocarbon based fuels produce almost identical BTUs/lb air. Octane rating bears NO relation to heat production.
With this said, you should see gains in throttle response and HP by mixing commercial fuel and AV Gas/Race Gas.
Not true unless AVGAS is being added to low octane pump gas in a higher compression engine. But then it would be more beneficial to run straight AVGAS rather than a blend with pump gas (which is inconsistent junk). Better yet, use the proper grade of a premium race gas designed for your specific engines requirements.
Bottom line... use the most consistent fuel you can find and create horsepower by moving as much air as possible though the combustion chamber.
Moving as much air as possible is only the first step in the production of power. Now it is necessary to evaporate the fuel, ignite it timely, and burn it completely. Otherwise, you have simply created a large displacement fuel pump, in and out of the engine.
