Race Car Tech Discuss anything related to road racing and auto X.

Octane booster

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 05-21-03, 11:54 AM
  #1  
Full Member

Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Lompoc, CA
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Octane booster

Hey, 91 Octane out here in Cali ain't supposed to cut it with higher boost levels, right? Is there a such thing as a good octane booster out there, or is there gonna be a need for a mix of higher octane gasoline?
Old 05-21-03, 12:34 PM
  #2  
Ex fd *****

 
maxpesce's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Ventura CA USA
Posts: 1,782
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Toluene - 1 gallons/ tankful (20 gal) gets you up to about 95 octane iirc, buy it at any professional paint store in 1 or 5 gal cans. all the other based "Boosters" on the market only give a 2-3% boost (ie 91x1.03 = 93.7) in "Octane Effect" most of which is due to the CLEANING effects of the Methanol/Ethanol and not an actual increase in octane rating. do a search on Toluene it has been discussed on the Forum alot in the past.

Last edited by maxpesce; 05-21-03 at 12:38 PM.
Old 05-21-03, 02:07 PM
  #3  
Rotary Enthusiast

 
tims's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: North Hollywood, Ca USA
Posts: 1,289
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
toluene "trick" is still not a good substitute for proper racing fuel. all other over the counter "octane boosters" are worthless.
Old 05-21-03, 04:03 PM
  #4  
Lives on the Forum

 
rynberg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: San Lorenzo, California
Posts: 14,716
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes on 8 Posts
How much boost on what kind of turbo are we talking here?
Old 05-22-03, 09:14 AM
  #5  
Full Member

Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Lompoc, CA
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Not sure yet...ordered my ECU and HOPE to get it someday! HA!HA! Just want to be safe though...that must be a pretty good money making scheme though, if that's true about over-the-counter octane boosters.
Old 05-22-03, 09:42 AM
  #6  
Rotary Enthusiast

 
tims's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: North Hollywood, Ca USA
Posts: 1,289
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I wish I had saved the info I got off another forum from an engineer who did some specific testing for a fuel company. they tested all the available brands of octane boosters and checked to see if they did anything. the results showed that things like toluene and a couple other simple chemicals did a better and cheaper job. but all the additives had problems that made race fuel still a better choice.
Old 05-22-03, 09:52 AM
  #7  
Full Member

Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Lompoc, CA
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I honestly had never heard of that chemical before...is it bad for the car though? I honestly don't think I'll be needing any "extra octane", but I was just curious.
Old 05-22-03, 10:46 AM
  #8  
Rotary Freak

 
Jerk_Racer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Okinawa, Japan
Posts: 2,149
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
It's a nasty chemical. Do not breathe it or let it get on your skin. Prolonged exposure is bad, mmmkay?

Over the counter octane boosters are snake oil. The gas stations that sell race gas around here won't let you simply drive up and start pumping it into your car. You have to pump it into something like a drum that will let you take it offsite.
Old 05-22-03, 04:48 PM
  #9  
Lives on the Forum

 
SleepR1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: IN
Posts: 6,131
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Octane booster seems to keep my knock levels in check (from Power FC Commander) with 0.85 kg/cm2 (12.1 psi) @ the track? I use Snap Octane Booster. One bottle treats 20 gallons. It's $2/bottle (yellow). Cheap insurance if you ask me...

Toluene is the non-carcinogenic version of the organic solvent, benzene (which is carcinogenic--cancer-causing). Only difference structurally is that toluene has a methyl group (CH3) attached to the benzene ring.

Both have very good anti-knock properties, but will also dilute your gasoline if enough is added.

If you're running high boost, 1 kg/cm2 (14.22 psi) or more, then I'd stick with race fuel (104 unleaded Sunoco GT).

Last edited by SleepR1; 05-22-03 at 04:58 PM.
Old 05-22-03, 07:31 PM
  #10  
Rotary Freak

 
Jerk_Racer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Okinawa, Japan
Posts: 2,149
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
It's non-carcinogenic? Hmm, I'll believe you (I don't really know much about chemistry) but I'm still not going to use it on my Corn Flakes all the same.
Old 05-23-03, 01:10 AM
  #11  
W. TX chirpin Monkey

 
fastrotaries's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Mesquite, TX
Posts: 2,684
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
according to my wife who is a Bio-environmental Engineer for the USAF, says "proper care should be taken when handling that crap, it's really nasty stuff......you're not using that stuff are you?"
Old 05-23-03, 04:11 AM
  #12  
Rotary Freak

 
Jerk_Racer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Okinawa, Japan
Posts: 2,149
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Just in my coffee first thing in the morning, but not after dinner. Otherwise I'd never get to sleep at night.
Old 05-23-03, 08:15 AM
  #13  
Senior Member

iTrader: (2)
 
Jack's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Boston, MA 02130
Posts: 495
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
SleepR1

The tests I read about most octane boosters give you barley .25 -.50 of octane increase ie 93 octane + Booster =93.25. Most of the cheap brands have Methanol while the more expensive VP, NOS, Amsoil have MMT which will give over 1 point.
Old 05-24-03, 08:24 AM
  #14  
Lives on the Forum

 
SleepR1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: IN
Posts: 6,131
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
I use Sunoco 94 unleaded, so if the Snap Octane booster takes me to 95, that one point is enough to decrease my knock readings (Power FC Commander display)...

Of course octane booster is no substitute for the real thing, Sunoco 104 unleaded race fuel; I could run 1 kg/cm2 (14.22 psi) @ the track with 104 race fuel!

With 94 unleaded and octane booster I run 0.80 to 085 kg/cm2 (11.4 to 12.1 psi) @ the track with knock levels in the low 100s. Without octane booster I've seen knock levels as high as 180 to 190 with Power FC Commander. Like I said octane booster is cheap insurance...

Last edited by SleepR1; 05-24-03 at 08:27 AM.
Old 05-24-03, 11:03 AM
  #15  
Mad Man

 
Carl Byck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Big Island Hawaii
Posts: 2,758
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Try the threads on toluene on supraforums, they have reams of info, not the least of which is the fact that F1 used it to keep their motors in one piece back in the day of the 40psi Turbo engines. There are guys here running 30psi on California gas, and toluene mix. The ratios are ALOT higher than what you guys are talking about though. Carl
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Wicked93gs
2nd Generation Specific (1986-1992)
42
10-07-15 11:58 PM
Tem120
3rd Generation Specific (1993-2002)
4
09-07-15 09:53 AM



Quick Reply: Octane booster



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:59 PM.