I recently read a thread on this forum about octane boosters so I thought this may be of interest to some.
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*,ie 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 ie 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 excessiive 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
20%.....................NOT RECOMMENDED
30%.....................NOT RECOMMENDED
Notes: Similar to methanol/ethanol. isopropyl alcohol is simply rubbing alcohol.
SAMPLE MIXTURE
To make up your own octane booster, it is easiest to make up 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.
DISCLAIMER USE THIS IMFORMATION AT YOUR OWN RISK I ONLY POSTED THIS BECAUSE I THOUGH IT WOULD BE OF INTEREST TO MEMBERS OF THE FORUM.


[Modified by black bart, 5:16 PM 9/25/2001]

 

I have used Toulene and Xylene both in my Grand National.I also have a scanmaster to monitor knock.I can tell a large diff. in knock retard when i use either octane bosster vs. straight pump gas.I buy both products buy the gallon and the best price in my neck of the woods is about $6.99/gallon from Sherwin Williams.I just don't have enough knowledgeon how this effects the need for octane in my vette vs. my gn.I know my gn LOVES octane and this can only help a vette----i am sure.I use 3 gallons of 93 oct. to 1 gallon of either to get 100 mixture to run my 100 octane chip.With that mixture----i get 0 KR at 21 lbs. of boost.Anyway---just ramblin cause i love this stuff.

Geoff Hall

 

Has anyone else tried this?

 

AHA- Thanks so much for this post! Where did you find this info?! I haven't experimented with this sort of thing since- (don't laugh) my 72 slightly modified pinto. I ran something in it called "Nitrobenzene". I don't honestly know if that was the proper chemical name for it, maybe it was just the brand name, but it made a huge difference in that tiny motor- particularly since it's compression was high (after the rebuild).

Someone told me that toluene is one of the main ingred. of the chevron techron injector cleaner, which is good to run through your injectors from time to time, but that Methanol can be harmful tothem if used in large quantity.

Interesting topic!- John

 

Questions:

Can you just add several ounces of one of these chemicals with each tankfull of gas or do you really have to mix and blend?

Are any of these chemicals harmful or incompatible with O2 sensors and catalytic converters? The reason I ask is because I was browsing at some of the octane boosters at Pep Boys and some (like Outlaw) say on the can that it is safe with O2 sensors and converters; others say it is not safe; and still others (Turbo 108) do not say anything.

 

From what i understand on turbobuick,com-----other oct. boosters that you buy at pep boys,advance auto, autozone etc are not that good.The two i talked about in my previous post are not cheap----but very effective if you have octane problems.They do great with o2's--but need to be mixed in seperate containers before putting in the tank.Without the use of alky injection or race gas--this is one of the best ways i have found to have proper octane in my octane sensitive MONSTER.Once again--i appologize for the lack of knowledge on the vette side---i have just recently look into making my vette go fast.This forum is an excellant source i must say.Make sure to add 4 oz. of marvel mystery oil to the brew :: as either "booster" has no lubricants in it.

Geoff Hall


[Modified by ghall, 7:09 AM 9/26/2001]

 

I don't know enough to speak to the O2 sensor and cat issues with regard to the lubricant additives, but xylene, toluene, and alcohols will burn relatively clean- so would not "gunk up" a cat or O2 sensor. Would they effect the heat of the exhaust to such a degree that they would cause damage? I don't think so, by the time the exhaust hits your O2 sensors or cats, the temp has come down quite alot. The temp might be higher at the cylinder though- I would think...? I know that when I ran the old pinto on the alcohols and that "Nitrobenzene" stuff, it did seem to run hotter- I ran 25-50 in it and didn't run it for very long with that stuff in the tank. I also had headers, and straight pipe to the cherry bomb in the back- (no cat). Maybe some chemical/petroleum engineer could answer these questions for us?

 

Cheapest horsepower gain around. I picked up 15rwhp across the dyno graph mixing 1 gallon of Toluene with 1/2 tank of Sunoco 93. I raised timing to 30 degrees with no water injection or aftercooler. I believe octaine was about 96.5 . Good stuff!!!

 

[QUOTE]Questions:

Can you just add several ounces of one of these chemicals with each tankfull of gas or do you really have to mix and blend?

You can just add any one of them but you need to know how many gals in your tank to get accurate mix.

 

i bought a tank full of 100 octain 76 racing gas on tuesday $4.00 a gal! worked great! back in the 70s i had a big block 67 vette built win street races. my mechanic would pour in a mixture of toluene and methol alcohol into a 1/2 tank of 100 octain. the car ran like it was on steriods.