A question about octane boosters.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 135
Likes: 0
From: Pickering Ontario
A question about octane boosters.
I have a question to ask the people out there with regards to octane boosters and the home-made octane boosters I read about on the internet. They indicate that you can use toulene or xylene with a small amount of mineral spirits and transmission fluid to raise the octane rating of pump gas. At this time, I am having a problem with detonation on regular gasoline. I am using 91 octane with my base timing set at -2 degrees and under full throttle, I am still getting some pinging. My compression ratio is 10.9 to 1 and I am looking for a way to advance my timing into a more normal area as I'm sure that this is affecting the performance. I have tried adjusting the fuel pressure to different ranges, with no measurable difference. Do these home-made octane boosters work and are there any drawbacks to them? 
Thank you for any help.
Roocars
Thank you for any help.
Roocars
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 5,214
Likes: 65
From: Queensland, AUSTRALIA
Whats the highest octane fuel you can get there? Its 98 octane here, regular is 91, premium is 95 and ultimate premium is 98. I wouldnt put transmission fuild in your fuel, as this doesnt compress very well at all,and thats one drawback right there. Is your knock sensor working properly? Are the injectors all injecting properly? Is your fuel filter clean?
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
Likes: 33
From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by Casethecorvetteman
as this doesnt compress very well at all,and thats one drawback right there.
RACE ON!!!
Pro
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 603
Likes: 0
From: 84 383 XFire Chandler, AZ
Have you tried just backing off the timing a point or two in the tune? It would seem to me that you would not want to run your timing -2 degrees. The initial timing is just used for startup anyways..... After that it is controlled by the ecm and your base timing in the prom and mechanical timing need to match. As an example with the 7747 in my 84 the Initial Spark Advance is set to 10.2 degrees in the prom and I have the mechanical timing set at 10 degrees.
Just a thought and something to consider.
Just a thought and something to consider.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 5,214
Likes: 65
From: Queensland, AUSTRALIA
Originally Posted by CFI-EFI
No liquid compresses, at all, not just, "not very well". The toluene, xylene, and even the gasoline, won't compress any better than the trans fluid, which is,... it won't.
RACE ON!!!
RACE ON!!!
Well thats a bloody good point too mate yeah...
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,923
Likes: 0
From: GA
Sounds like you're running a modified engine but not a modified PROM. If you back off the initial base timing you're really skewing your entire table.
You need to put the base timing back to factory spec, get a scanned and find out where the pinging is happening (RPM, LV8, MAP or MAF flow area etc.) and play with removing some timing in those areas via PROM editing.
You need to put the base timing back to factory spec, get a scanned and find out where the pinging is happening (RPM, LV8, MAP or MAF flow area etc.) and play with removing some timing in those areas via PROM editing.
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Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Xylene and toluene will increase the octane number, but transmission fluid is predominently 10W petroleum oil and won't do squat to the octane number and it will cause smoking exhaust and carbon buildup inside the combustion chamber. Don't put transmission fluid in your fuel tank !
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,085
Likes: 7
From: Kanata ON.
Originally Posted by Casethecorvetteman
Whats the highest octane fuel you can get there? Its 98 octane here, regular is 91, premium is 95 and ultimate premium is 98. I wouldnt put transmission fuild in your fuel, as this doesnt compress very well at all,and thats one drawback right there. Is your knock sensor working properly? Are the injectors all injecting properly? Is your fuel filter clean?
91 is high test, Sunoco sells 93 and is the only one that sells 93 octane on the street, and it is pricey!!!!!!!!! Typically, regular is 89, or is that 87, I'm not sure???
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,830
Likes: 1
From: atlanta Georgia
here premium is 93. regular 87 and plus is 91.
sunoco here sells like i think 106 or 105 out of the pump but theres only like a few around and they are way outta the way.
idk about your prob but there is always water/alky injection to supress detonation while allowing for advanced timing.
sunoco here sells like i think 106 or 105 out of the pump but theres only like a few around and they are way outta the way.
idk about your prob but there is always water/alky injection to supress detonation while allowing for advanced timing.
i agree with setting it back to base and working out the chip
