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Octane Boosters


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Good info:

 

Editor's note: I would NOT suggest that a person use the following fuel mixtures without considering the detrimental effects on your engine, vital engine components (O2 sensor, etc), and other potential damage. That said, the information is interesting.

Original published in:

 

GS-Xtra

1213 Gornto Road

Valdosta, GA 31602

(912) 244-0577

 

Editor: Richard Lasetter, president Gran Sport Club of America (GSCA)

 

Formula #1 - Toluene

R+M/2.........114

Cost...........$2.50/gal

Mixtures with 92 Octane Premium

10%...........94.2 Octane

20%...........96.4 Octane

30%...........98.6 Octane

Notes: Common ingredient in Octane Boosters in a can. 12-16 ounces will only raise octane 2-3 *points*, i.e. from 92 to 92.3. Often costs $3-5 for 12-16 ounces, when it can be purchased for less than $3/gal at chemical supply houses or paint stores.

 

Formula #2 - Xylene

R+M/2.........117

Cost...........$2.75/gal

Mixtures with 92 Octane Premium

10%...........94.5 Octane

20%...........97.0 Octane

30%...........99.5 Octane

Notes: Similar to Toluene. 12-16 ounces will only raise octane 2-3 *points*, i.e. from 92 to 92.3. Usually mixed with Toluene and advertised as *race formula*.

 

Formula #3 - Methyl-tertiary-butyl-ether (MTBE)

R+M/2.........118

Cost...........$3.50/gal

Mixtures with 92 Octane Premium

10%...........94.6 Octane

20%...........97.2 Octane

30%...........99.8 Octane

Notes: Oxygenate. Very common in octane booster products. Has lower BTU content than toluene or xylene, but oxygenate effect makes the gasoline burn better and produce more energy.

 

Formula #4 - Methanol or Ethanol

R+M/2.........101

Cost...........$0.60 - $1.75/gal

Mixtures with 92 Octane Premium

10%...........94.3 Octane (Methanol)

10%...........94.7 Octane (Ethanol)

20%...........Not Recommended

Notes: Methanol is wood alcohol. Ethanol is grain alcohol and found in Gasohol in 10% ratios. Both alcohols are mildly corrosive and will eat gas tank linings, rubber and aluminum if used in excessive ratios. Main ingredient in "Gas Dryers", combine with water.

 

Formula #5 - Isopropyl Alcohol and Tertiary Butyl Alcohol

R+M/2.........101

Cost...........$0.60-$1.50/gal

Mixtures with 92 Octane Premium

10%...........94.5 Octane

20%...........Not Recommended

30%...........Not Recommended

 

Notes: Similar to Methanol/Ethanol. Isopropyl Alcohol is simply rubbing alcohol.

 

Sample Mixture

To make your own octane booster, it is easiest to make up a large batch, and then bottle it up in "dosage-size" uses.

Below is the basic formula of one of the popular octane booster products. To make eight 16 ounce bottles (128 oz = 1 gal):

 

100 oz of toluene for octane boost

25 oz of mineral spirits (cleaning agent)

3 oz of transmission fluid (lubricating agent)

This product is advertised as "octane booster with cleaning agent *and* lubricating agent!". Diesel fuel or kerosene can be substituted for mineral spirits and light turbine oil can be substituted for transmission fluid. Color can be added with petroleum dyes.

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All these things are toxic, but the MTBE stuff is especially bad--that stuff call kill :evil: MTBE is all over in the environment now and they never should have used it as an oxygenate. A lot of respiratory problems have become worse because of it and it just does not belong in the water or food chain. Politicians and environmentalists are to blame for making engineerig decisions they should not be and "helping to clean up the air." I noticed my mileage going down, not up, when they introduced this stuff a number of years ago (1995?).

 

I do like toluene and xylene, though--they smell great :D

 

Davy

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MTBE is what makes your gas really"smelly." All that other stuff like xylene, toluene, etc, is in there in minute to about 1% quantities except alcohols because they're some of the chemicals that make up gasoline. I assayed gasoline via G.C. for years.

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Guest KillerZees

I always wondered if these octane boosting additives worked and were safe in the car. I have heard of some of these products messing up engines so I have never tried them in my TTZ. But im planning on running 350 in my 240 with about a 100 shot. So my question is would I be able to use an octane booster or am I goin to have to but expensive race fuel when I am using the nitrous.

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  • 2 years later...

"...Methyl Ethyl Ketone...close enough???"

 

HELL NO!!

 

go to your local PROFESIONAL PAINT STORE, TOLUENE, is available at most of them in gallon cans,BTW TOLUENE can and frequently does compose far greater than trace amounts

 

http://europeancarweb.com/tech/0503ec_octane_boosters_tested/

 

things to read

 

http://www.vtr.org/maintain/gasoline-octane.html

 

http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/misc/octanebooster.html

 

http://www.team.net/sol/tech/octane_b.html

 

http://www.turbofast.com.au/racefuel8.html

 

http://www.turbofast.com.au/racefuel4.html

 

http://www.zhome.com/ZCMnL/PICS/detonation/detonation.html

 

http://www.vettenet.org/octane.html

 

now some of you guys may not realize it but theres a good deal of EXTRA hp available in a LARGER DISPLACEMENT STROKER ENGINE COMBO that runs higher than comon compression and a matching cam and better flowing cylinder heads , but that same combo can be loosing alot of power if you need to back off the ignition timing to prevent detonation,if your running close to detonation range you might need a little octane booster to keep you out of trouble

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The correct way to use these additives is not to put it in your tank but inject it into the mixture on demand. The financial aspect aside, putting it in your tank means it is going into the engine all the time, even when the engine is just idling! Sure you can elect to not put it in the tank sometime, but for the folks who like to clear out the combustion chambers on the street :rolleyes:, you cannot ask the guy next to you to wait up while you calculate how much you need to attain the 20% mixture and then pour it in :D :D. With a 16-gal tank, you would need 3.2 gals for a 20% mixture for each fill-up. I do not street race so I use almost none on the street. At the track I use about 12-13 ounces/pass, so that's about 10 passes/gal for a 560rwhp car. That is VP Methanol @ $3.39/gal with pump gas, 23* timing and 27psi boost from a t-66. Think I only have 94.3 R+M/2 when I am running as the article suggests?

 

I do not agree with the octane numbers he posted and what the article fails to mention is the incredible benefit that these additives provide related to heat, especially on a turbo engine. Last time I ran it was a 90* hot/humid night and I had an overheating problem. Went thru the traps with 27psi boost and a coolant temp of 210* but the intake temp measured behind the TB was 107*. As a comparison, Z-Gad goes thru the traps with an intake temp about 168*.

 

Yes, buying or building a progressive injection system is the way to go and it does cost upfront $$$. In the long run it will pay for itself by you buying less of the additives and not wasting it on warmup, idle and cruising, figuring out mixtures, and if the corrosive properties are true, potentially damaging components. What I can say is that VP methanol does have a slight oil additive and anyone who injects it and has ever pulled an engine apart sees components that look like they just came from the machine shop.

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Come on guys, quit relying on old links and info! Grumpy I see this posted all over the web...with the old prices. Using Toluene and Xylene at the current $13-15 gallon is NOT a bargin! Real race gas is a better buy and you don't have to risk your health and engine.

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For racing, I say HELL YES!

I miss the leaded fuels.

 

But for farting around downtown, isnt it unlawful?

So is speeding right? Im not a prude or a tree hugger for the most part but it would seem to be a race only option. Can one get busted for buring it on a daily baisis?

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Call me "Old Fashioned"' date=' but if you want to mix your own "Race Gas", why not use GENUINE TETRAETHYL LEAD (TEL).

 

Raise your actual octane rating a full 2-16 points!

 

This company http://www.kemcooil.com/product_info.php?pId=61 sells it in quarts and cases, free shipping too!

 

Mark

Have you tried this? Looks way cheap compared to tolulene/xylene or race gas, but seems far too good to be true.

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Have you tried this? Looks way cheap compared to tolulene/xylene or race gas, but seems far too good to be true.

 

No, I have not tried it.

 

Kemco is a Oil and Chemical company, so I ASSUME they make it! If so, then they can sell it cheaper by selling direct to the end user.

 

Mark

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Old fashioned is okay, but not for cars with 02 sensors, of course.

 

I've heard the same thing about lead and O2 sensors, but if your only running it for "track time" and not on a constant basis, I doubt it would cause a O2 senser to fail quickly. Kemco claims that "practically all the lead content is burned and deposited on the valves and valve seats". Some O2 sensors are very inexpensive, others are not. Carburated engines need not fear!

 

Mark

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What I can say is that VP methanol does have a slight oil additive and anyone who injects it and has ever pulled an engine apart sees components that look like they just came from the machine shop.

 

 

Personally, I've never seen methanol come with oil addative, Methanol does come with a list of contents on the MSDS sheet and is 99.8% methyl alcohol, if I have my chemistry terms correct. You can get a purer grade of alcohol which is 99.99% pure for extra$$$

 

Myself and most racers add top end oil to lube the upper cylinder and valves.

 

The combustion product of methanol is H2O, so yes scottie is right, when you tear down an engine running on alcohol it is mostly (99%) void of carbon with the exception of the exhaust ports on the head. It looks like the day you put it together. I think that is due to water vapor being present in the combustion chamber due to lack of complete extraction of burnt fuel.

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Guest zfan

I just break down and run race gas when needed. If I go to the track I run it close to empty then throw in 2-3 gallons of 110-112 and then drive around for a few minutes and presto!!

 

Of course I run a n/a sbc with 11 to 1 compression. On the streets I run on 93 octane with no ill effects. At 6.00 a gallon for 110-112 I figure it is worth it. You get alot of passes for the money.

 

Mike

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