Toluene to boost Octane

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erhan28

Member
I was surf the net on car topics and came across a couple interesting websites.
Toluene is a chemical used in many applications like paint thinner. It is also a main ingredient in octane booster.
One can buy a 5 gallon bucket for around $25-35. instead of a 16oz bottle for $5.
Since the VQ35DE engine is a 10.3:1 it would be able to combusted the high octane.
This would be a cheaper and safer ( knowing what you put in your engine), than mysterious racing fuel.
Here is a link to some articles.
I am thinking of probably adding 2-3 gallons and 3oz of transmission fluid to lubricate the piston heads. Of coarse adding 16-17 gallons of 92 gasoline.
here is my math on boosting octane.
(16gallons X 92oct.gas) + (3g X 114Toluene) / 19(total gallons to add) = 95.5 octane.
I think this would be nice to clean the engine.
LINKS: http://members.rennlist.com/951_racerx/RocketFuelFAQ.html
http://bbs.clubplanet.com/cars-bikes/141798-how-make-relatively-cheap-octane-boost-race-fuel.html
Comments???
 
it sounds really cool, but i know i would mess something up, and cant mess up the FX. would like to see if it works for you though.
 
xylene is another option that i read.
xylene has a flash point of around 65F-75F deg and gasoline is around -45F.
I don't think that is an issue for me. :rolleyes:
Did anyone add other things in it like mineral spirits, or xylene.
 
trainerKEN said:
okay, but how would this effect my TS reflash?
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As far as I know, it doesn't affect much.. Raising octane while keeping everything the same gives you a smoother running engine but since you still get the same amount of air, the power difference won't be much, unless you're boosted. On a boosted engine though it will allow the compressed air to be burned more effectively resulting in better power gain..
 
On a side note. my bro has an RDX that I use some times. I know it is a i4 with a ratio of 8.8:1 and stock turbo.
Would 92octane help out instead of 87? or what if I use a higher octane, would i have to modify the turbo to push out more psi?
 
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so if i put high ocatne in already (91,92,93) and add in a an octane booster (say even just an off-the shelf) it'll make my engine run smoother and stuff? is this ultimately good or bad to have extemely high octane. say the boster makes the 93 into 100, woudl this be good or bad...

I've always thought it would be good but lol
 
erhan28 said:
On a side note. my bro has an RDX that I use some times. I know it is a i4 with a ratio of 8.8:1 and stock turbo.
Would 92octane help out instead of 87? or what if I use a higher octane, would i have to modify the turbo to push out more psi?
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You don't have to modify the turbo to use higher octane but in fact you get that engine tuned, you can get it tuned to a higher octane to get more power..


jbaker1121 said:
so if i put high ocatne in already (91,92,93) and add in a an octane booster (say even just an off-the shelf) it'll make my engine run smoother and stuff? is this ultimately good or bad to have extemely high octane. say the boster makes the 93 into 100, woudl this be good or bad...

I've always thought it would be good but lol
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I believe to get the total octane rating to 100, you'll have to use about 10-15% xylene. That's about 2-3 gallons and from the performance/price perspective, paying almost twice the gas cost to get 100 octane is not that logical.. Personally, I tried adding both 1 gallon, 1x16 oz xylene. It definitely feels smoother and a little faster but that's about it.. I didn't feel any good boost like I did get when I did the plenum spacer..
 
well i mean they have those $15 bottles aof whatever at auto stores that add like 8 octane.... so liek if i were takign a road trip would it be good to fill 'er up, and pop in the bottle of octane booster
 
jbaker1121 said:
well i mean they have those $15 bottles aof whatever at auto stores that add like 8 octane.... so liek if i were takign a road trip would it be good to fill 'er up, and pop in the bottle of octane booster
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Those "boosters" use Xylene and/or toluene + other things to boost octane.
If you only put in on can 16oz with a full tank of 92gas it would increase it to like 92.3 octane.
I would not waste money on those bottled octaneboosters... Some contain alcohol or ethanol which is already in gas and is not good for the fx.
Go buy a 5 gallons of xylene or toluene and put like 2-3 gallons in a full tank of 92.
That should increase it to around 96-98ish Look at the math above.
 
o0o. so i guess the STP stuff i just brought and threw in my full gas tank wasnt really worth it....?
 
jbaker1121 said:
o0o. so i guess the STP stuff i just brought and threw in my full gas tank wasnt really worth it....?
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Definitely not worth it, store bought octane boosters only raise octane by points from 91 to 91.2 or so, if the store bought octane booster states "raises octane 7 points" that would only be 91 to 91.7. Toluene or Xylene on the other hand can raise octane from 91 to 94+ depending on how much you use.
 
fxlr8 said:
Definitely not worth it, store bought octane boosters only raise octane by points from 91 to 91.2 or so, if the store bought octane booster states "raises octane 7 points" that would only be 91 to 91.7. Toluene or Xylene on the other hand can raise octane from 91 to 94+ depending on how much you use.
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oh so the "points" is really just the fractions...that sucks...:confused:
 
jbaker1121 said:
oh so the "points" is really just the fractions...that sucks...:confused:
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Hahaha you kill me Jordan - in a good way though:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:
I thought when you said goin from 93 octane to 100 from the store shelf stuff was just an example.....i see now that you were being serious.:eek::eek::eek:
 
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