How to boost your octane using various formulas

[XK120]

Here are some common ways to boost your octane using off the shelf products. I pulled this off another car site.

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*, ie. 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 ontent 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.
~~NOTE:I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY HARM THAT MAY COME FROM WORKING WITH DANGEROUS CHEMICALS OR THE IMPROPER MIXTURE OF SAID CHEMICALS~~

[lucky4586]

Ethanol will not eat gas tank linings, rubber or alumium on any car since the early 90's and vechile from the 70's to late 80's can handle 30%. It really comes down the the grade of the rubber used ... ethanol doesnt eat any type of alumium used in cars

There was a big deal about this on a different forum and I found a guy that found goverment test reports on this. Also I had done some testing on this. I run E85 in my 1995 jeep cherokee for months now and have not had any rubber wear. I have checked my lines about every 6k miles and i drive about 2k a month. Before I had done that I had let rubber line set in E85 for about 2 months and nothing happened to them. The biggest down side to e85/ethanol is that you wont get very good gas milage... about 20-30% less.

[diablo2184]

do these octane booster formulas really work? anyone use them and anything bad happen?

what kind of car site did you get it from? any results?

[boostin@27]

yea i got to gas city once a month and 113 octane, gets the job done!!!

[diablo2184]

what?

[XK120]

Originally Posted by diablo2184

do these octane booster formulas really work? anyone use them and anything bad happen?

what kind of car site did you get it from? any results?

Yes they work, that's why I posted them. If you're unsure just try a batch in a portable tank and take it to a local refinery or any place that can analyze gas and get them to tell you the octane rating.

[diablo2184]

Originally Posted by XK120

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.

so for this one, i just need to go to a paint/chemical store and buy Toluene and throw it in the tank? 10-30 percent?

[Thegame]

All Sunoco's in PA now blend a 10% Ethanol Mix for all of their pump gasolines. They had to remove their 94 octane (The only 94 available around me) from PA's market because they told me that when gas is mixed with Ethanol, it is impossible to raise the octane level above 93. I called their customer service hotline and asked to talk to a representative. I was PO'd that there was no more 94. So what's the deal here? Is Ethanol an octane booster? If so, then why did Sunoco remove their 94? Maybe to cut costs? Also, in our owners manual it talks about using fuels with ethanol and MTBE, etc.

[Duby]

I'm going to have to try this out.

bump to spead the info

[XK120]

Originally Posted by diablo2184

so for this one, i just need to go to a paint/chemical store and buy Toluene and throw it in the tank? 10-30 percent?

Yep

[MitsuJoe]

Here is an off the shelf option for you guys:
http://torcoracefuels.com/index.php?...display&id=179

The biggest issue remains what octane the fuel your putting in, or the base fuel. Is it really 91/92/93? Does it already conatin ethanol or another type of chemical that will make the final product less effective? The base fuel is still the doubt here, not the additive.

[diablo2184]

Originally Posted by Joe's_EVO8

Here is an off the shelf option for you guys:
http://torcoracefuels.com/index.php?...display&id=179

The biggest issue remains what octane the fuel your putting in, or the base fuel. Is it really 91/92/93? Does it already conatin ethanol or another type of chemical that will make the final product less effective? The base fuel is still the doubt here, not the additive.

so what would we need to do to find this out? also send it to be tested?

[MitsuJoe]

Well there are places that test fuel/oil, etc. But the real problem is that you could test the base fuel one week and the next the same station could get it from a different distro. I think the only safe way is to take the worst premium fuel available in your large geographic area (probably 91) and use this when doing your calculations.

[superscout03]

Xylene, I have been using this stuff for a long time. I pick up a 5 gal drum once a month at "Sherwin Williams" paint store. I have never noticed any negitive effects. I will run a mix 93oct and about 25% xylene or a little more if needed. Its alot cheaper then buying 110+ octane at the dragstrip for $7.50 a gal I can get 5 gal drums for about 20 bucks.

[SophieSleeps]

Originally Posted by superscout03

Xylene, I have been using this stuff for a long time. I pick up a 5 gal drum once a month at "Sherwin Williams" paint store. I have never noticed any negitive effects. I will run a mix 93oct and about 25% xylene or a little more if needed. Its alot cheaper then buying 110+ octane at the dragstrip for $7.50 a gal I can get 5 gal drums for about 20 bucks.

So do you use xylene straight up and drop it into your gas tank with 93 or do you mix other stuff with it?