Power Gains with higher Octane Levels?

[94_camm]

What are the power gains with using higher octane?

[2000GTP]

Using higher octane gas will not automatically add extra power to your car. If your car requires a higher octane then what you are using, it is most likely costing you power. By using the correct octane rating, you are simply recouping whatever you are normally losing.

[Injuneer]

Octane has nothing to do with power, unless it enables you to run the engine with a combonation of timing and A/F ratio that produces more power. A stock CR engine is not going to see more power with very high octane fuels. Anything over 93-octane (at sea level) is overkill. And, octane requirement is reduced with increasing elevation (that's why they don't pump 93 in Denver), colder intake air temperatures, colder coolant temperatures, richer A/F ratios, higher humidity, etc.

Octane has nothing to do with energy content or burn speed. Its simply a measure of how well the fuel resists knock (detonation) and ping (pre-ignition).