Experiences good or bad with toluene as an octane booster?
03-22-2019, 09:32 PM
#1
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
Experiences good or bad with toluene as an octane booster?
I've been reading that solvents like toluene and xylene can be used as an octane booster, however I've also read that there's a catch - as I understand it the toluene doesn't burn as fast as gasoline and in too large a quantity can have the effect of causing your engine to run more lean, leading to detonation which is what you wanted to avoid in the first place. In my particular case I have a carb currently sitting on a Weiand 142 supercharger.
From the ratios I've been seeing you have to use a couple of gallons or so per tank to significantly boost the octane.
Has anyone done this and have you had any problems?
From the ratios I've been seeing you have to use a couple of gallons or so per tank to significantly boost the octane.
Has anyone done this and have you had any problems?
03-22-2019, 10:30 PM
#2
Le Mans Master
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Location: Las Vegas - Just stop perpetuating myths please.
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No I haven't used toluene but I believe that's what was banned from parts cleaner solvent by EPA.
With a super charger wouldn't you be better off using E85?
With a super charger wouldn't you be better off using E85?
03-22-2019, 11:14 PM
#3
Drifting
Both of these solvents are used in the laboratory for a number of applications. Both are not compatible with rubber or plastic, so your gas line in your car and any gaskets may not hold up well if you use them.
03-23-2019, 12:50 AM
#4
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
03-23-2019, 12:18 PM
#5
Melting Slicks
Both toluene and xylene are used in the gas you buy at the pump. Benzene, toluene and xylene are the most common chemicals used to improve octane rating by all the oil companies. All three of the chemicals are extracted from crude oil at the same time light gasses, gasoline, oil and grease are extracted in the distillation process. I have personally used both xylene and toluene as octane boosters back when they used to be cheap, they are not cheap anymore. I had zero ill effects using them.
Mike
PS: Bothe toluene and xylene are found in many octane boosters.
Mike
PS: Bothe toluene and xylene are found in many octane boosters.
Last edited by v2racing; 03-23-2019 at 12:25 PM.
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03-23-2019, 12:45 PM
#6
Le Mans Master
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Damn the torpedoes! Go Hydrazine
https://www.dragzine.com/news/flashb...led-hydrazine/
Get yours Now right here!
https://www.hydrazine.com/propellants/unsymmetrical
I'm on standby ... awaiting your rain of motor bits
https://www.dragzine.com/news/flashb...led-hydrazine/
Get yours Now right here!
https://www.hydrazine.com/propellants/unsymmetrical
I'm on standby ... awaiting your rain of motor bits
Last edited by jackson; 03-23-2019 at 01:03 PM.
03-23-2019, 01:10 PM
#7
Le Mans Master
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Yes but many of the replacement parts for fuel are upgraded. It's up to you to verify what you have is good with alcohol. Carb seals & float, fuel pump and flex lines. That's about it.
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03-24-2019, 08:59 AM
#9
Team Owner
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St. Jude Donor '05
Been using this for years, good stuff. Wear gloves and dont breathe it!!
http://www.wildbillscorvette.com/octanesupreme01.htm
jbsblownc5 is a Torco dealer here and can ship you any product you want. Look him up
Sometimes use his unleaded 100 if I dont want lead (if you have cats)
Auto parts store products are pure garbage
http://www.wildbillscorvette.com/octanesupreme01.htm
jbsblownc5 is a Torco dealer here and can ship you any product you want. Look him up
Sometimes use his unleaded 100 if I dont want lead (if you have cats)
Auto parts store products are pure garbage
Last edited by cv67; 03-24-2019 at 09:01 AM.
03-24-2019, 07:22 PM
#10
Team Owner
I have tried ever method! I had stainless steel lines, no diaphragm fuel pump, steel needles and all of the alcohol level Holley goodies!
Most of the time, it did nothing except help run cooler! And I wasn’t always racing around, so just burned threw the brew! I ended up tuning performance out, and retuning and boosting when I was doing something! I tried these chemicals direct and I don’t feel I ever got the brew right, but went back to the store available brews, as those were more convenient, or I just ran 76 race gas! The one I used to dump, that seemed to get the best bang for the buck, was the Moroso brand!
Most of the time, it did nothing except help run cooler! And I wasn’t always racing around, so just burned threw the brew! I ended up tuning performance out, and retuning and boosting when I was doing something! I tried these chemicals direct and I don’t feel I ever got the brew right, but went back to the store available brews, as those were more convenient, or I just ran 76 race gas! The one I used to dump, that seemed to get the best bang for the buck, was the Moroso brand!
Last edited by TCracingCA; 03-24-2019 at 07:23 PM.
03-25-2019, 01:58 PM
#12
Melting Slicks
As Mike mentioned, Toluene is a good octane booster but no longer financially feasible as the price has gotten truly insane. David Redzsus is a true expert in fuels formulations and frequents Speedtalk, he mentioned that it's one of a few octane boosters that actually increases the efficiency of the fuel (add energy) -the exact opposite effect of ethanol as an octane booster. But as has also been mentioned here, when you use Toulene you need to use a LOT of it. mXylene has the highest octane rating of any compound, so you can use less of it.
The more I learn about the Boostane blended concentrated additive the more I like it. -You can have a case mailed to your door (unlike most race fuels) and it uses the minimum amount of phosphorous so you don't get plug and fuel system orange fouling like with Torco.
Beyond that, the cheapest "octane booster" is reduced temperatures - cold air intake, thermal barrier coated intake, oil cooler, etc... Blending with E85 at the pump is probably the cheapest way to go- install "Gas Buddy" so you can easily find fuel stations with E85 and just keep a couple bottles of Boostane in your car so you don't run into trouble if you can't find any E85.
Water injection would also be a cheap method in terms of recurring costs, anyway.
8 degrees of intake air temperature = a 1 octane equivalent increase in detonation resistance AND you get increased average power from the denser air charge.
Adam
The more I learn about the Boostane blended concentrated additive the more I like it. -You can have a case mailed to your door (unlike most race fuels) and it uses the minimum amount of phosphorous so you don't get plug and fuel system orange fouling like with Torco.
Beyond that, the cheapest "octane booster" is reduced temperatures - cold air intake, thermal barrier coated intake, oil cooler, etc... Blending with E85 at the pump is probably the cheapest way to go- install "Gas Buddy" so you can easily find fuel stations with E85 and just keep a couple bottles of Boostane in your car so you don't run into trouble if you can't find any E85.
Water injection would also be a cheap method in terms of recurring costs, anyway.
8 degrees of intake air temperature = a 1 octane equivalent increase in detonation resistance AND you get increased average power from the denser air charge.
Adam
Last edited by NewbVetteGuy; 03-25-2019 at 02:02 PM.
03-25-2019, 06:06 PM
#13
Melting Slicks
I would like to go to E85 myself, but I don't want to have to upgrade my fuel system again. I'm not worrying about ethanol attacking anything, I'm good there with what I put together, but you need approximately 30% more fuel supply. My fuel system should supply enough fuel for 700 to 750 hp. I figure my engine to be in excess of 600 hp. Needing 30% more fuel puts me just outside of supply capabilities. I like to have a little headroom in my fuel systems.
I could tee another Mallory 140 pump into the system that would only run under full throttle, but they run around $300 or more, and I need to buy new tires this year and finish my bodywork and paint.
Mike
I could tee another Mallory 140 pump into the system that would only run under full throttle, but they run around $300 or more, and I need to buy new tires this year and finish my bodywork and paint.
Mike
03-26-2019, 06:48 PM
#14
Drifting
in the old days we used water injection for lots of timing on really high compression or boosted engines .. mix 50% Methanol with water instead of just water.
03-26-2019, 07:29 PM
#15
Melting Slicks
http://nostrumenergy.com/water-injectors.aspx
Adam