Home Made Octane Booster - Link

[Ekliptix]

http://www.vtr.org/maintain/gasoline-octane.html

[Abom]

uhhhhh, I'd still rather go with the octane booster you can buy in stores. Either the Pennzoil stuff, or the Holley brand stuff. It's not so much the "octane boosting" that I'm after, it's more the ingrediants that help get rid of carbon deposites and stuff. No need for me to mix it on my own, besides, you shouldn't use this stuff at every fill up, it can start to eat your gas tank if you use it too much. I use octane booster every second or third fill up, and fuel injector cleaner every month.

[silverEL]

ya
that shit is sketchy
that toluene stuff, you dont wanna fool around with, its used to make TNT
(tri nitro toluene)

[95TsiAWD]

I've used the 30% xylene mix before. It's good for race days when you're going to burn it all off. I wouldn't let it sit in the tank for any length of time though. Does an awesome job of cleaning out the fuel system too :)

[Vitesse951]

Here you go nonbelievers :)

http://members.rennlist.com/951_racerx/RocketFuelFAQ.html



Originally Posted by Abom
uhhhhh, I'd still rather go with the octane booster you can buy in stores. Either the Pennzoil stuff, or the Holley brand stuff. It's not so much the "octane boosting" that I'm after, it's more the ingrediants that help get rid of carbon deposites and stuff.

Most over the counter octane boosters contain Toluene or Xylene as the Octane boosting agent. A high octane fuel is what is responsible for cleaning carbon deposits.

They also add other stuff like automatic transmission fluid as a lubrication agent. This is not at all necessary. Its not a 2 stroke engine.

Toluene is actually present in pump gasoline. By adding more, you are just adding more of the stuff that is already responsible for increasing octane.

Read the Link I posted and you may feel differently. Also in regards to Toluene being dangerous because it is an ingredient in TNT... Just because it is an ingredient does not make Tolulene in any way chemically similar to TNT.

[4wheeldrift]

Originally posted by Vitesse951

Read the Link I posted and you may feel differently. Also in regards to Toluene being dangerous because it is an ingredient in TNT... Just because it is an ingredient does not make Tolulene in any way chemically similar to TNT. Toluene and xylene are both dangerous chemicals, and really should not be messed with unless you have a damn fine reason. Inhalation of large amounts of toluene and xylene fumes can result in death, and prolonged contact can cause damage to the kidneys, stomach and liver amongst other very painful ailments. Use extreme caution and take all application precautions when handling either material.

[Vitesse951]

From the site:


Toluene is denser than ordinary gasoline (0.87 g/mL vs. 0.72-0.74) and contains more energy per unit volume. Thus combustion of toluene leads to more energy being liberated and thus more power generated.


In the 1980s, the F1 racers used a brew of 84% Toluene in their cars. They would have used 100% but there was a octane cap of 102 RON.

Toluene is toxic in the same sense that pump gasoline is. It is in the same family of aromatic hydrocarbons.


You can get Toluene in bulk at any paint supply store. I think that diluting/removing paint with a chemical has a much higher risk of inhalation that pouring it into a gas tank.

[Abom]

Originally posted by 4wheeldrift
Toluene and xylene are both dangerous chemicals, and really should not be messed with unless you have a damn fine reason. Inhalation of large amounts of toluene and xylene fumes can result in death, and prolonged contact can cause damage to the kidneys, stomach and liver amongst other very painful ailments. Use extreme caution and take all application precautions when handling either material.


:werd:

[JustinL]

Originally posted by 4wheeldrift
Toluene and xylene are both dangerous chemicals, and really should not be messed with unless you have a damn fine reason. Inhalation of large amounts of toluene and xylene fumes can result in death, and prolonged contact can cause damage to the kidneys, stomach and liver amongst other very painful ailments. Use extreme caution and take all application precautions when handling either material.


Inhalation of large amounts of 87 octane gasoline fumes can result in death, and prolonged contact can cause damage to the kidneys, stomach and liver amongst other very painful ailments. Use extreme caution and take all application precautions when handling this material.

I think this is more a warning to people who are actually inhaling it.

Justin

[4wheeldrift]

Originally posted by JustinL



Inhalation of large amounts of 87 octane gasoline fumes can result in death, and prolonged contact can cause damage to the kidneys, stomach and liver amongst other very painful ailments. Use extreme caution and take all application precautions when handling this material.

I think this is more a warning to people who are actually inhaling it.

Justin Like it or not, mixing your own fuel is going to involve breathing fumes, both from gasoline and anything else you might be adding. Breathing in gasoline fumes for an extended period of time isn't that great of an idea either, even getting it on your skin isn't terribly benefitial to your health. Does it really hurt you at all to wear a mask and gloves when doing it? I think not.

[Vitesse951]

Well, I don't really mix the fuel. I basically open up 3 or 4 gallon containers of Toluene and pour them into the gas tank at the gas station. Then I fill up the rest with gas. But you are right, it couldn't hurt to wear a mask and gloves. I hope no one sees me.
:nut:

[Gripenfelter]

The Octane booster you buy in stores only raises your octane by 4 points.

So it you run 91 octane, with the octane booster you will be 91.4.

Xylene is a little safer than Toluene.

We need Sunoco!!

[Vitesse951]

Xylene is a little safer than Toluene.

What are you basing this on? If this is true, I may switch to Xylene, It has a higher natural octane than toluene (117 as opposed to 114). It also has a higher energy/unit volume, and also slightly cheaper. The only reason I haven't used it yet is that I have not heard anything conclusive about whether or not it is corrosive enough to corrode gas tanks and fuel lines.