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How to make (relatively) cheap octane boost/race fuel


joeg

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Go to sherman williams and ask for a 5gallon drum of "xylene"

last summer i got 5 gallons for $25... recently it was $35...

get a big bottle of marvel mystery oil and a bottle of ATF...

xylene is 118 octane, and the mmo and atf is to lubricate/clean...

if i'm not racing, i usually throw the 5 gallons in with about half a tank (8 gallons in my case)... and it cleans out the chamber and stuff and feels like you just bolted on a new piece of hardware... MAJOR seat of your pants difference....

obviously, if you're racing, use less gas, less xylene... unless you like racing with a full tank for some reason....

definately good stuff... you can use "Toluene" aswell, but its lower octane... 114 i think... but a little cheaper...

(toulene and xylene are the main components of any "octane booster" in stores, except you pay $5 for 16oz instead of a gallon....)

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Homebrew Gasoline Octane Boosters

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Editor's note: I would NOT suggest that a person use the following fuel mixtures without considering the detrimental effects on your engine, vital engine components (O2 sensor, etc), and other potential damage. That said, the information is interesting.

Original published in:

GS-Xtra

1213 Gornto Road

Valdosta, GA 31602

(912) 244-0577

Editor: Richard Lasetter, president Gran Sport Club of America (GSCA)

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

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.

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That clarifies things a bit...

So what are the downsides. Kill your O2 sensor?

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some more insight on a 944 guru, very very smart guy.

Also do not mix in anything other than xylene or toluene with your gas. Trying to replicate the mix of those little bottles of octane booster by adding ATF and mineral-spirits/thinner/solvents is pointless. The only reason those useless octane boosters adds those is because they use organometallics to enhance octane. Besides being highly carcinogenic and clogging your catalytic, these will create tons of harmful deposits inside your engine (might as well throw fishing weights down your spark-plug hole). The solvents try do dissolve these deposits before they build up too badly and the ATF lubricate your cylinder walls to help your rings slide over the deposits without too much damage. Just say NO to those little bottles of octane-boosting CR*P!

Since you're using pure hydrocarbons by adding xylene/toluene, this is a clean-burning mix and you don't need solvents & extra lube in your gas. In fact, xylene & toluene are the principal components in race-gas anyway.

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so wait... don't use atf and MMO???

i've always read that the MMO is what stops it from killing the o2 sensor... because it has minterals and things that normal gasoline does and xylene doesn't... and atf lubricates everything...

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the more shit you put in, the worse it gets.

let's just stop being lazy assholes. For the money you'll spend making your own homebrew and the trouble you'll go through mixing it, you midas well pick up C16 race gas and shove that in your tank. It's proven, it works and yes it is leaded i believe, so it will adversely affect your O2 but who cares.

These fuels will not provide more power necessarily by themselves, but will increase the detonation threshold and prevent the car from visiting the knock sensor as much during timing advance. Hence, on a hot summer day, running high boost with C16 in the tank may prevent knock so that decent ignition advance (and hence power) can be made. Again, it depends highly on your engine's state of tune.

Gratuitous intercooling and proper ignition/fuel mapping will make the most of high octane gas. The better the intercooling, the less the need to use higher octanes to keep the combustion chamber temps down..

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Originally posted by joeg

well yeah, i should have noted i have a turbo car, and i probably have a high knock count seeing as how i haven't tuned it yet... so the xylene probably got rid of my knock....

I think everyone knows that already... But last I checked you were running stock boost no?? Gotta invest in a knock sensor on the 944. That and a wideband O2 and i'm set.

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Originally posted by teklord310

I think everyone knows that already... But last I checked you were running stock boost no?? Gotta invest in a knock sensor on the 944. That and a wideband O2 and i'm set.

nah, i'm running around 15-16psi.... (i took out the BCS restrictor)

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Originally posted by cintron

15-16psi on a T25? Dead Turbo.

go get a bigger one. ;)

nah, it supports 17 and sometimes 18 efficiently (yes, that word is used loosely)... thats what all the t-25 guys run on dsms... anything above that is hot air and a broken turbo...

but yeah, i want a bigger one

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