UsafaRice

I found this over on another forum about corvettes, it's a DIY octane booster rundown. I don't know if it will be useful to anyone, but I might as well share.

Octane boosters,, all the ones I have ever read about hardly bring the octane rating up more than 1 point,, if that. You can make your own that works from toluene,, found at most paint stores. Heres some formulas,, copied from another site I frequent. The first formula is toluene then there are some others,,,

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.

Sharif@Forged

iTrader: (92)

Yup...good stuff. I actually cleared its safe use with newer cars with my Dad. He is a petroleum engineer. (retired). I knew exactly what Toluene and Xylene were...and said they were prefectly safe, and they are currently used in many different fuel blends around the world. Of coure, they are banned in so-cal due to the increased hydro carbon emissions they produce. We use methanol and other cleaner buring additives to boost ocatant here.

But of course, that doesn stop us from going shopping at the paint store!!! Good work..and thanks for sharing. For the price of one gallon of racing fuel, you can have a full tank of 95'ish octantant fuel...magicialy transformed from the **** 91 octant we get here in LA.

By the way....if anyone does try this at home. Do NOT buy painter thinner from "mineral spirits". This is mostly alcohol and other things....not good as a fuel additive. You need pure Toluene "paint thinner" or xylene...which seems to be easier to find than pure Toluene. Just read the ingredients carefully and make sure it is pure, and not blened with other crap.

SQUILL

wow great info to know! so running toluene or xylene as an octane boosting agent mixed with fuel is completely safe?

also if this is what you are doing do you have some gas tank ratios you are using?

For example: if you have 1/2 full tank and add 1/2 gallon of xylene and you will get 95 octane ?? something like that ?

In colorado we have the same problem 91 octane is the best you can get at any gas station and in winter they ship in a different fuel with some kind of high ethanol content state wide which they say is oxygenated and reduces emissions but is just even worse than the $hitty gas we normally get in the spring / summer months

Mean Gene

Guys - Just be careful with the chemical handling ( especially the toulene ). I am a petroleum engineer for Shell & our offshore facilities have been known to use toulene as a solvent. It works great but just handle it with care.
Also, some of ya may remember one of our Members ( mjedens )having problems with his nitrous kit after using Nitrous Xpress' "Chemical X" octane booster? I spoke with his installer & he said that the key ingredient in it was methanol which will cause the rubber O-rings to swell & ultimately fail to seal. He said it takes another O-ring material to work with methanol
( Buna, I recall ) so keep that in mind as well.

shanedog

For the guys out there who use this, how often do you use it? Is it every fill up or just when you go out and run your car hard. Also, if I was to add just 1 gallon or so to each full tank, are there any long term ill affects? Is there anything I should know? I am a little bit sceptical right now because this seems to good to be true. If not I will be going to the paint store with a pick-up truck and buying TONS of the stuff

sausage5000

i personally would never think of using anything to boost octane unless i had actual pinging or whatever. i might do it if i was driving a POS. octane booster won't increase performance any provable measurable amount on a n/a car that's running good already.

in FI applications, octane boost can be helpful in stopping detonation issues, otherwise it's extremely gay.

shanedog

Do you think it will be benificial if I am going to the track and running nitrous? Won't it make it a little bit "safer"

sausage5000

i'm no FI/nitrous expert, but i think that if you are running lower octane because of being in cali or if you notice any pinging or detonation you would want the extra octane. it makes sense that because of the altered fuel/air ratio, nitrous may need more octane, just as turbos do.

SQUILL

Mean Gene please let us know since you are a petroleum engineer if running xelene and toulene is safe to run in the 350z and any good ratios you reccomend for safe use as well thanks in advance

zh.guitar

iTrader: (1)

I ran a tank of racing fuel that was 101 octane. It cost an arm and a leg but I was racing a friend so what the heck. Anyway, I notice NO DIFFERENCE whatsoever. I usually run 91 and have no knocks or pings. It may make you faster or burn leaner or whatever but one thing I can say is, it's not a big difference if any. IMO.

sausage5000

yes, being a petroleum engineer qualifies you to speak on the specifications and requirements of all known types of gas powered engines. if basic chemical theories say it's okay, it must be fact in all applications.

little_rod

Well, I am a chemical engineer. Toluene and xylene are safe for your car, I have ran it in my Z in the past. Just to let you know, it is already in your gas.

Now, some things to remember. They are both corrosive, so they can damage your paint. ALWAYS use a good funnel when putting this in your car. Toluene can be hard to find, in these parts it is also used to make meth(the drug).

Also, I noticed that my car did idle and run smoother. Performancewise, don't really know if it made a difference though. It also doesn't burn as well as gasoline, so I noticed that the tailpipes were blacker from unburnt fuel. Also, I noticed a slight(real small) decrease in mpg, cause again, not all of the fuel burns as effiiciently.

There was an article in a magazine recently that showed a slight increase in power with higher octane fuel. Don't really know where it is though.

byebyeDSM

I've ran Toulene/Xylene in my turbo eclipse lots of times, and didn't have ANY problems. Car ran great on the stuff. I always put in about a capfull of Marvel Mystery Oil for extra lubrication into the gas can where I mixed the stuff.

SQUILL

Thanks Little Rod.. since im N/A right now im not to concerned however when i throw the twin turbos on its good to know there is an easy way to run higher octane to help control detonation.

What chemical is the easiest to find in most paint/hardware stores that is safe to run in your car?

little_rod

Well, I would encourage you to do your own research before you put it in your car, a google search will come up with alot of sources (not taking responsibility for your car ). Here is a good one:

http://evo.jedinite.com/toluene.html

I have used xylene, cause it is real similar to toluene and is easliest to get. I felt comfortable using it, but do your own research to see if you are comfortable enough to use it.

SQUILL

Thanks for the info if the f1 race team uses it must be ok. The fuel here in colorado is just terrible so its good to know of a good fix thanks!

UsafaRice

Well, we also don't have any air either. I'm at 7,200 ft. When I head to NC next month, it'll be so nice. I've heard it's like a 20-25% difference. Wahoo, 50 free HP.

SQUILL

This is why we need Twin ball bearing TURBOCHARGERS!!!!!!!
I love the 350Z but i miss that boost bad (traded my s4 in on the Z)

Sharif@Forged

iTrader: (92)

Toluene and Xlyene are the additives of choice. As mentioned, methanol, enthanol and the other alcohols will also increase octane, but they are hard on all-things-rubber in mixtures greater than 10%.

Xlyene is $8 at home depot, but I will find a chemical supply shop that can sell it for less. I am still looking for this. Toluene is difficult to find due to substance abuse, but read the ingredients...many true "paint thinners" are at least 75% Toluene, and the rest is Xylene. If unsure of the contents, just use Xylene.

As the chemist mentioned, both of the ingredients are already in most unleaded fuels outside of the "smog challegned" areas.

Last thing, Toluene and Xylene are aromatic hydrocarbons, but what they lack is lubricatants and other fuel system conditioners. So I would suggest using 7-8oz of ATF fluid and add that to the mixture. This will give you some lubrication, and will not harm your motor....again..its all petroleum based, and perfectly fine in your automobile.

Regarding my mixture of choice, I would fill up my Z with 14 gallons of 91 octante\, with 2 gallons of Xylene and achieve about 94-55octane fuel. Simply, cheap, and easy.
Here is a neat little octant booster calculator....bookmark this puppy now.

http://www.easyperformance.com/Octan...d_Frameset.htm

Guys, you are all correct. F/I and other highly tuned cars will benifit the most from higher octant fuels. Detonation is always the enemy of F/I cars, and this is cheap insurance, and will allow you to run more boost and less ignition retard safely. 91 octane is just brutal on aftermarket F/I cars...I cant stress that enough. N/A and lightly modded cars would likely see minimal benefit.

Lastly, yes..this stuff is HIGHLY toxic when inhaled. It is actually not very readily absored through the skin. But is it EASILY absored through your lungs....even worse. So always dispense the stuff outside...NOT in your gargage. Wear gloves at all times, stay upstream of the breeze, so the fumes don't hit you. And keep the stuff off your paint. If you spill any on your paint, wash it off immediately!

Regading fuel mileage effects...MPG gains/losses are negligible. Chances are, you folks will be a little accelerator pedal happy for a while...and you may appear to reduce your MPG. Technically, lower octant fuels burn slower than lower octanes....so maybe there is some merit to this...but again...I think the MPG reduction issue is too inconclusive.


although I feel this is safe, obviously, use at your own risk, and I am not responsible for any damage to your car.

downforce

There was absolutely too much information in an article about injector sizes that i read in GRM magazine, so you'll have to get it or go to there website to read it, basically addressing the issue of injector size. In short it stated that engineers use the smallest injectors for the target hp. (for multiple reasons; fuel efficiency, smooth idle at low rpm and emissions) If you start adding hp with bolt-ons you could be running too lean (regardless of the octane) and not getting the full benefit of your hard earned money you spent on all those parts and eventually ruin your engine in the process! So basically if your adding hp you need to use the formula they give, which they state is an industry standard, get the appropriate size INJECTORS adjust your timing and get an ecu flash as necessary.