Boosting Octane, anyone ever try this?

[Project Ski]

Link to original info -->http://www.torquecentral.com/archive/index.php/t-21629

homebrew boosters..

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
After playing around with a few mixtures this one works great for me (this 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 toulene 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, eight bottles for under $3.00, works fine in my 427 cobra, 350 t bucket, 1983 454 truck, 4cyl jeep and the bad a$$ed snapper riding mower..........heck of a profit margin huh ?

 

[Project Ski]

Please note, this is not my information and i dont put this in my 427 cobra. Someone on torquecentral posted this info.

Im just wanting to see if anyone does this instead of buying race gas. I cannot find racing fuel near me and cannot get my hands on AV gas due to laws around my area. I thougth someone may have tried this already and can comment.

 

[demolition_x]

back when i had my audi a bunch of people use to run toulene in their car. it works great but it makes all the hoses expand, so hoses would slip off fittings. its fine for using it one time but after a few uses most their fuel lines needed to be replaced.

it was kinda funny going to paint stores and buying them out of toulene, im sure they thought we were huffing it or using it in meth or something

 

[Matt_E]

Well, I have read and heard this before, too.
I find it very interesting, but:

Anyone want to volunteer? Because I am not betting my topend on it.uttahere:

 

[Cannibal]

When mixing your own additives, you have to be careful. It can be done safely, but you must watch your base gas:

AM/PM adds 10% MTBE to their gas,

Others add 10% Ethanol. Adding additives on top of these could get you mixture you were not planning on and issues to go along with them.

You can make your own safely by adding 10% additives that will yeild a higher octane rating. Tulene and Xylene are common in octane boosters and Ethanol is common in fuel dryer as has been stated.

 

[vitaly]

Tested all that about 15 years ago.
That info is 100% correct.

As for the Audi fuel lines... I had to replace all 5 injector lines after adding simple injector cleaner to the gas in my 1987 Audi 90.

 

[the only couch rider]

i will stick with the $5 a gallon race gas rather than risk a motor on some backwoods moonshine fuel

 

[madoyster]

I asked this very question to a very well known and respected engine builder on the board. He did not think that it would be a very good idea to use octane boosters .

 

[yamaslut]

I was warned to not use Octane additives (Lead) by my engine builder.
I used Kemco brand a couple times...

 

[yamaslut]

I asked this very question to a very well known and respected engine builder on the board. He did not think that it would be a very good idea to use octane boosters .

:sneaky: :sneaky: :sneaky: :sneaky: :sneaky:

uh..... Mr. Lehr?

 

[Stu Carr]

Toluene is great for getting the glue residue of your ski when doing mats.

The problem with 'most' octane boosters is they are not guarenteed to work everytime.
For example, if you boost 97ron fuel to about 99, most of the time you will get 99 some of the time it will do nothing.
If your running a compression that requires 97ron you will be fine, the times it does work you will feel the difference in throttle response. When it doesn't work it will feel the same as normal.

BUT if you run a compression that requires 99ron, the time the boosted fuel doesn't work is the time your motor pre combusts and blows a big hole in your piston crown.

I had good experiences using it the first way. Smells a bit funny when engines running. Don't use it in competitions where they dip your fuel.

 

[SkiDaddy]

I'll be asking that certain powerplant builder about 50/50 Avgas/93 octane next week - If he doesn't post first. He's probably getting ready fro the premiere.:sneaky:

 

[njfl]

I'm not sure if everyone has dealers available around them, but the guaranteed way to go with regard to boosting octane is mixing race gas with pump gas. Most of us do not need to be running straight race gas and there is a linear mixing rule that can help you determine the final octane number.

I usually focus on the Motor Octane number when calculating. The unknown factor comes from the fact that you really do not know the actual motor octane of pump gas as they are always stated as the average (R+M/2), but if you err on the safe side, you will be fine.

The equation is (vol% pump gas)x(Motor octane of pump gas) + (vol% race gas)x(race gas motor octane) = final motor octane number

I always run 93 octane pump gas and make the semi-educated guess that the motor octane is 91 (erring on the safe side).

For example, If you use VP C14, which has a motor octane of 114 and mix in a 80pump/20race ratio (4gal pump/1gal race) you end up with:

(0.80)(91) + (0.20)(114) = 95.6

A 50/50 mix with C14 yields (for example 2.5gal pump/2.5gal race)

(0.50)(91) + (0.50)(114) = 102.50

Talk with your builders to see what motor octane number they recommend and then you can safely achieve it this way.

You can get a 15 gallon drum of C14 for around $200.00 and then use it as a cool garbage can afterwards.

I did some research on VP fuels and for their leaded line, C14 gives the best bang for the buck as a mixer of the commonly stocked VP fuels.

 

[yamaslut]

I'm not sure if everyone has dealers available around them, but the guaranteed way to go with regard to boosting octane is mixing race gas with pump gas. Most of us do not need to be running straight race gas and there is a linear mixing rule that can help you determine the final octane number.

I usually focus on the Motor Octane number when calculating. The unknown factor comes from the fact that you really do not know the actual motor octane of pump gas as they are always stated as the average (R+M/2), but if you err on the safe side, you will be fine.

The equation is (vol% pump gas)x(Motor octane of pump gas) + (vol% race gas)x(race gas motor octane) = final motor octane number

I always run 93 octane pump gas and make the semi-educated guess that the motor octane is 91 (erring on the safe side).

For example, If you use VP C14, which has a motor octane of 114 and mix in a 80pump/20race ratio (4gal pump/1gal race) you end up with:

(0.80)(91) + (0.20)(114) = 95.6

A 50/50 mix with C14 yields (for example 2.5gal pump/2.5gal race)

(0.50)(91) + (0.50)(114) = 102.50

Talk with your builders to see what motor octane number they recommend and then you can safely achieve it this way.

You can get a 15 gallon drum of C14 for around $200.00 and then use it as a cool garbage can afterwards.

I did some research on VP fuels and for their leaded line, C14 gives the best bang for the buck as a mixer of the commonly stocked VP fuels.

is lead beneficial to a two stoke???
I always heard it's good for lubrication
(mind you, i know very little about this)

 

[Big Kahuna]

Octane boosters tend to deteriorate Carbon Reed Pedals

 

[Jr.]

As was stated, I personaly don't recomend doing as stated in the first post on a 2 stroke. Nothing like a cleaning agent to clean the pre-mixed oil in your fuel! :bigeyes:

I have seen many burnt pistons go to octaine boosters, I certainly don't recomend any of them. What I do recomend is a 50/50 mix of AVgas/Premium unleaded. The premium fuel will put the heavy molecular structure back into the AV gas. With that mix & using the oem static timing. You will be good under 200lbs compression. This is fine & totally safe on a rec freestyle boat. Going to higher comp levels & timing advancement will require the use of straight race gas.

This is a subject that has many variables. Most tuners will have their secret blend. But make no mistake, the cost of equipment is high, always error on the side of safety. Pay a little more at the pump now, or pay a lot more to the parts guy later!!!

 

[njfl]

is lead beneficial to a two stoke???
I always heard it's good for lubrication
(mind you, i know very little about this)

Not to the best of my knowledge. The main use of lead is that it is a cheap way to push up the octane numbers.

In automotive uses, it was a way to boost octane and used to lube the valve/valve-seat contact area if the valve rotated on its seat when different types of hardened valve seats were used back in the day, but newer cars have very different materials used for valves and seats now that do not require lubrication.

 

[vitaly]

Not to the best of my knowledge. The main use of lead is that it is a cheap way to push up the octane numbers.

In automotive uses, it was a way to boost octane and used to lube the valve/valve-seat contact area if the valve rotated on its seat when different types of hardened valve seats were used back in the day, but newer cars have very different materials used for valves and seats now that do not require lubrication.

I've used a lot of this stuff (what you call "lead") back in a day. Extremely toxic, stinks like naphthalene, causes headaches within minutes, gallucinations, etc.
Two of my friends got in the ER after the thing ate rubber seals of the jug in the trunk and we were exposed to the fumes for an hour or so.
It is THE octain booster, just don't use it with cat cons, it will destroy them.

 

[SXIPro]

As was stated, I personaly don't recomend doing as stated in the first post on a 2 stroke. Nothing like a cleaning agent to clean the pre-mixed oil in your fuel! :bigeyes:

Paul,
What about carb cleaner(Techron, b12 chemtool etc). Are these a bad idea on 2 strokes as well also? I've heard a couple of opinions, but I'd trust yours the most. :hail:

Thanks!!

 

[Matt_E]

Eh....the bad thing about carb cleaners and starting fluids is that they do not contain oil...you're premixed gas does.
In other words, you're running the engine without oil for a short while. Worse, the stuff dissolves any oil present inside the engine.

I stay away from carb cleaners and starting fluids for that reason.