So - what is the best octane booster? And like the acetone and trans fluid home-brewed penetrant, is there a home-made alternative that might be cheaper than the commercially available brews?
BEST OCTANE BOOSTER? HOME MADE EVEN?
- Thread starter Ross Wooldridge
- Start date
This I remember being used and talked about in the past. I never used it though.
Toluene - additive for racing fuels, fuel octane booster
I still think you can get it at the hardware store.
Toluene - additive for racing fuels, fuel octane booster
I still think you can get it at the hardware store.
Fury Pursuit
Senior Member
VP Racing
Interesting. Toluene...
Thanks for that link!
I wonder what ratio of gas to toluene is best, as it's not really indicated in the article.
Thanks for that link!
I wonder what ratio of gas to toluene is best, as it's not really indicated in the article.
I will poke around and try to find some user info tonight. I remember very well guys I knew that were using it in their Chrysler turbo 4 cylinder cars especially if I recall the guys with no intercoolers and also the non intercooled Grand National guys. For sure some with higher than normal boost. They were also messing around alot with water methanol injection. Anyway I would also be interested in it's use because it is readily available and could be a good cheap alternative when needed.
twostick
Senior Member
Toluene 99%- 5 Gallons 53 bucks
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Looks similar to the ratio of toluene. Maybe it is also toluene with added lead? Very expensive stuff!
Qty Description
Price each
1 Quart metal can Plus Shipping $24.95
1 Case Quart metal cans (6 ea.) Plus Shipping $145.00
Multiple case pricing below reflects lower shipping costs
2 Cases Quart metal cans (6ea.) (2X6 = 12 total) Plus Shipping $290.00
3 Cases Quart metal cans (6ea.) (3X6 = 18 total) Plus Shipping $435.00
4 Cases Quart metal cans (6ea.) (4X6 = 24 total) Plus Shipping $580.00
6 Cases Quart metal cans (6ea.) (6X6 = 36 total) *** FREE Shipping *** $860.00
Qty Description
Price each
1 Quart metal can Plus Shipping $24.95
1 Case Quart metal cans (6 ea.) Plus Shipping $145.00
Multiple case pricing below reflects lower shipping costs
2 Cases Quart metal cans (6ea.) (2X6 = 12 total) Plus Shipping $290.00
3 Cases Quart metal cans (6ea.) (3X6 = 18 total) Plus Shipping $435.00
4 Cases Quart metal cans (6ea.) (4X6 = 24 total) Plus Shipping $580.00
6 Cases Quart metal cans (6ea.) (6X6 = 36 total) *** FREE Shipping *** $860.00
Yeahrightgreer
Senior Member
Turbo - completely off topic but are you on the Turbododge site? If so what’s your screen name? I’ll have to look out for you
commando1
Old Man with a Hat
Wait until you see the freight charge.
You can look for me all you want "turboomni" but I really haven't been on there in 15 years or so. Just for kicks I hit it tonight and did post about a 86 GLHS Omni a guy was getting into. Actually no small feat these days. All that primitive computer stuff that is all but forgotten. Kinda like the Voyager spacecraft. I will say my Omni GLHS still scares the **** out of me when I drive it. LOL!
When the octane booster stuff started and progressed, it seems like the "104" product gave good results with people in this area.
As for Toluene . . . it CAN be dangerous to handle. There was one report of a guy that was using a popular octane booster to clean engine parts with, bare-handed, as he might have previously done with gasoline. A friend came over to see what he was doing one afternoon. He'd gotten the octane booster on his arm and it was turning BLUE. His friend freaked and rushed him to the ER, as a result. The first guy had not noticed anything really wrong, but he soon did! They had to de-tox him of the octane booster. So, observe ALL handling precautions of these things! Seems like toluene was a key component in that mixture?
Can you purchase a drum of race fuel at the local drag strips or otherwise? Might be a pain to mix, but might end up being a better deal?
Just some thoughts,
CBODY67
As for Toluene . . . it CAN be dangerous to handle. There was one report of a guy that was using a popular octane booster to clean engine parts with, bare-handed, as he might have previously done with gasoline. A friend came over to see what he was doing one afternoon. He'd gotten the octane booster on his arm and it was turning BLUE. His friend freaked and rushed him to the ER, as a result. The first guy had not noticed anything really wrong, but he soon did! They had to de-tox him of the octane booster. So, observe ALL handling precautions of these things! Seems like toluene was a key component in that mixture?
Can you purchase a drum of race fuel at the local drag strips or otherwise? Might be a pain to mix, but might end up being a better deal?
Just some thoughts,
CBODY67
Thanks everyone for their responses.
The original question was posted due to the remaining "trace detonation" I still experience after increasing the vacuum advance onset by tweaking the can on the distributor. Things are much improved just by that tweaking, but it was suggested to me to try a carbon cleaner and octane boosters to deal with the remaining trace detonation. I'm starting with Seafoam Engine Treatment.
After I've run a couple of cans of Seafoam through my fuel system to clean out any deposits, I'm going to see how the car runs with just using the same gasoline I've always used (Shell 91 or PetroCan 94). Things are already much improved from the first can of Seafoam - I'll see what happens with the 2nd. I have a long cruise planned with @Mike66Chryslers on Saturday, plus I took it for a long drive yesterday.
FWIW, Toluene is very very expensive in Canada - typically on the order of $30 per gallon, so I likely won't be going down that road unfortunately, as interesting and productive as it looks.
The original question was posted due to the remaining "trace detonation" I still experience after increasing the vacuum advance onset by tweaking the can on the distributor. Things are much improved just by that tweaking, but it was suggested to me to try a carbon cleaner and octane boosters to deal with the remaining trace detonation. I'm starting with Seafoam Engine Treatment.
After I've run a couple of cans of Seafoam through my fuel system to clean out any deposits, I'm going to see how the car runs with just using the same gasoline I've always used (Shell 91 or PetroCan 94). Things are already much improved from the first can of Seafoam - I'll see what happens with the 2nd. I have a long cruise planned with @Mike66Chryslers on Saturday, plus I took it for a long drive yesterday.
FWIW, Toluene is very very expensive in Canada - typically on the order of $30 per gallon, so I likely won't be going down that road unfortunately, as interesting and productive as it looks.
1966newport
Well-Known Member
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104 is useless junk
According to the twostick's link to toluene ,104 is toluene. They state one little bottle will raise octane 2 or 3 points. They do not say where the decimal point is. It is actually .2 or .3 octane points not 2 or 3 points,,,,maybe worse depending on how much gas you add it to. So you go from 90 octane to 90.2 or 3 best case scenario.
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To work ultimately more efficient on today's V power or ULtra 94 a recurve in the distributor will be a huge advantage.
Mike66Chryslers or Halifaxshops can set that up for you.
Goal is more initial timing and less or delayed full mechanical advance all in at cruising RPM.
The BoaB,66 300 and the Waygun all have recurved dizzys.
No ping and all have more initial timing than factory recommended settings.
I do not use octane boosters. I do use Seafoam for winter storage and freshen the gas when burning it off in the spring.
Sometimes years of carbon build up will cause ping no matter what you try to do.
I tried using Delco Combustion Cleens and wiorked to a certain extent.
The Waygun for example during the teardown/rebuild there was so much carbon I had to hot tank the block and spend hours cleaning the pistons and heads..
Hope this helps.
Mike66Chryslers or Halifaxshops can set that up for you.
Goal is more initial timing and less or delayed full mechanical advance all in at cruising RPM.
The BoaB,66 300 and the Waygun all have recurved dizzys.
No ping and all have more initial timing than factory recommended settings.
I do not use octane boosters. I do use Seafoam for winter storage and freshen the gas when burning it off in the spring.
Sometimes years of carbon build up will cause ping no matter what you try to do.
I tried using Delco Combustion Cleens and wiorked to a certain extent.
The Waygun for example during the teardown/rebuild there was so much carbon I had to hot tank the block and spend hours cleaning the pistons and heads..
Hope this helps.
70bigblockdodge
Old Man with a Hat
A gallon or 2 of E85 will bring you up a few numbers. Just make sure you run it out before winter storage.
twostick
Senior Member
You would have to jet up a few numbers probably for that much ethanol but that would dispatch the rattle for sure.
Kevin
Old trick that worked on my old 87 318 Diplomat run water through the running engine.
Decarboned it in a hurry lol!!!
Decarboned it in a hurry lol!!!
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