Q16 vs. C16

[NV2L8ULUZ]

This is just another one of my long drawn out post, err...actually a copy of my long drawn out post that I posted on another thread.
I figured I'd do this for the people that don't go through looking at random posts for this type of info.

I tried Q16 mainly on curiosity. Alot of guys said that they've picked up power, and some say it didn't change they're power output at all. So I figured-both fuels are similar in octane, and alot of turbo guys like it-so...why not try it for myself? I had only 5 gallons of C16 left in my drum anyways so if it were time to change fuels, now would be the perfect time, and if I didn't like it-I'll just buy another drum of C-16 (I've also searched our forums for info on people that have tried it and I didn't really find anyone that has really tried it on a Mod Ford which is another reason I volunteered myself). So I went ahead and bought two 5 gallon pails of Q16 and scheduled a dyno appointment.

I'm not usually the dyno type of guy (numbers through autos aren't typically too impressive vs. their manual trans counter parts and I always felt that the number that really counts is the one at the end of the track anyways...) but I figure for a test I would do a dyno with Q16 to have a before and after comparison of the two fuels, so I could have some hard numbers (I had already dyno tuned my car prior with C16 when I replaced the Eaton with the Whipple so I kind of had an idea of what it should-at least-make). The results kind of shocked me, and I'm glad I did the comparison.

Here are the results.

I just dynoed my car with a Baby Whipple 2.3 last week with Q16 and it made 692.48HP through my unlocked 4R70W and on 28x10.5 slicks with 18psi of air in them, which is almost 40hp over my previous best of 655HP with C16 (same conditions). I am thoroughly impressed with this fuel, I didn't think it would give me such a gain! My car actually made a tad bit more power than my homie SVTBoy's Hellion T76S car at 25psi (691hp before his intercooler upgrade; he was going 9.9@140s) through his unlocked auto when we dynoed it last year and he was on 17" drag radials too vs my slicks.

Oh for people that are wondering I have to note that I haven't been any quicker with Q16 but I have been faster (I have this bad habit of shifting early, I'm too use to my Eaton running out of steam early that brought on this habit). Once I overcome my nasty habit I should see ET gains.

My best ET with the Whipple so far is a 9.92 when I made 655HP through the auto/unlocked with C16.

My best mph is 138 so far (after I switched over to Q16). Here's my dyno sheet. I'm only pushing around 19 psi or so though.

Another question that I have got about the fuel is the smell.The fuel smells nothing like C16, it almost smells like VP-Import for those of you that have smelled that. It use to smell wierd to me in the beginning, but now-since I've gotten use to it, it kinda smells like Creme-de Menthe.

I do have an issue with the fuel though, everything if fine and dandy but the car has problems hot starting. I even asked a local expert tuner to help me with this issue but we haven't quite figured it out. It's fine cold starting, so I just leave it be between rounds. Maybe it's a "returnless" thing, perhaps the fuel is boiling in the rails or something resulting in vapor-lock.

Oh-and Last but certainly not least. I would also like to thank Dyno Dan from Dynojet for getting me in so quickly and helping me with my car! Thanks Dan!!!

Anyways, I figure I would share this with you guys.

[soap]

Good info. Isn't the Q16 an oxygeneated version of C16 (similar octane ratings)?? Were the air/fuel ratios similar or did the car lean out a bit with the Q16??

--Joe

[Sneeks2nv]

Originally Posted by soap

Good info. Isn't the Q16 an oxygeneated version of C16 (similar octane ratings)?? Were the air/fuel ratios similar or did the car lean out a bit with the Q16??

--Joe

id like to know if it leaned out also.

[shhakg]

How do they compare as far as price? Is the Q16 a little more than the C16?

[03RedCobra]

Better watch out in switching from C to Q-16. Like someone said above, it has more oxygen content. The reason for "more power", is that you are able to (and actually HAVE to) put more fuel into the tune to keep the A/F ratio in check. Better check this out before you blow something up.

This is straight off VP Fuels website:

"Q16 will work well in any drag racing or circle track application -- naturally aspirated, nitrous or blowers. Q16 is highly oxygenated, requiring a 4-6% increase in fuel flow, which will make 3-5% more power than competitive 116 octane fuels. Q16's oxygenation will significantly expand the range of air/fuel ratio acceptability, so performance will be more consistent and won't vary as dramatically with altitude or density changes."

[NV2L8ULUZ]

The C16 tune wasn't remotely close to the Q16 tune, and for me, it wasn't just adding 4-6% like VP said...As a matter of fact, I don't think the car would have even started spinning the rollers, let alone make it through an entire pull if the car wasn't completely retuned. That's how different the tunes are.

Yes, the fuel is oxygenated and you have to burn more of it which is where the power comes from (nothing is free). The prices are similar to C16 but that's just comparing a gallon of C16 to a gallon of Q16. However if you calculate how much more you would have to burn, it actually cost a little bit more.

I agree with "03RedCobra", don't try to just substitue this fuel with Q16, because you probably won't be happy.

[er306]

I'm glad it worked for you... unfortunately i didn't pick up anything. I tried it on my car and it picked up 0. When i put the BS3 on my car, i finished up all the tuning on the dyno and it repeated the same number several times on the c-16. The next day my buddy called me and said that we should try the Q-16 since he was thinking of putting it in his pro street car. We knew what my car made from the day before, so we said what the hell. We made a pull with Q-16 knowing that i would need at least 5% more fuel, and it ended up picking up nothing. it made the exact same power and the air/fuel ended up exaclty the same with the 5% i added. here's the dyno sheets of both.

[NV2L8ULUZ]

Hmm...Interesting, I just found a post from JR and he picked up nothing as well going to Q16 from C16 with his 8 second snake.

Quite strange...it just proves that all setups are different.
It was actually hard for me to believe that the car picked up so much power as well...until I saw that my car physically picked up MPH with my own eyes.

You have a really bad ass car btw!