Homemade Octane Boost ??

[RACER X #99]

Bob,
Was always wondering how your little six cylinder was turning such good times. And you said the magic words "Nascar Bush motor" hardly what I had in mind. Now it is very clear to me. In my non expert opinion, nobody makes more power with their engines than the Nascar engine builders.
I'll bet those BB boys get really pissed when you open the hood.

Keep up the good work, us sb guys got to stick together.

McCranky

[justa6]

Yes I've had some V8 guys simply laugh in my face when they saw the motor although most just "snicker" a little. I've got to say though that the guys at Run & Gun were very nice to me and my VSB (Very Small Block). At the end of the 4 days I had quite a few people come up and say they were sceptical about a 6 cylinder Cobra before they saw it run.

Couldn't have been a nicer group of folks and I highly recommend it to others.

And your right us SB guys to have to stick together. Those BB guys are out to "get" us

Regards,

[DAVID GAGNARD]

427sharpe;

I am a NASCAR fan and go to a number of races every year. The rule in Winston Cup is max. 12.0 to 1 compression and you better beleive they are all right on it. Also, they run LEADED 105 octane Union 76 racing gas in those motors. They are only run for one race and then are tore down and rebuilt so they never see much carbon or other buildup in their motors...

I just do not see running more than 10 to 1 on pump gas and having a motor live...not saying it can't be done, just haven't seen it around here...but I have seen quite a few pistons with holes in them and lands missing on the sides.

I do think the NASCAR boys get the most out of the engines they build. I have seen a few USED Bush and Cup engines around here in race cars and was actually suprised at how simple the and straight forward the motors are...

David

[Michael C Henry]

My main problem is run on after ignition is turned off. I'm look for stations that offer more than 92 octane. 92 seems to be the standard here.I'll go there if somebody can tell me of a ststion in the Tacoma WA area that has more than 92. I have found a 76 that sells "Trick" 112 leaded . Bring your container.They won't put in a vehicle. It's also $4.85 a gal.

[justa6]

I have exactly the same problem.

Here are a couple of ideas you probably already tried but maybe not.

First, try to set your idle speed as low as feasible. You'll have to adjust your carb(s) mixture as you lower the idle but if you get it lower your car will probably shut off without run on, maybe.

If not then what I do is put the trans (5 speed manual) in 4th or 5th gear and just let the clutch out until it just starts to put a drag on the motor (very slight) turn the key off and the engine will stop immediately, probably. I've got 11.5 to one compression and an idle that will not go below 1000 so I have to use the second method.

Hope that might help.

Regards,

[427 S/O]

Yet another additive.......
1 quart of 1K kerosene to 10 Gal. gas?
not sure how this is suppose to work unless, the kerosene slows the burning?.

[dewulfmd]

I experimented with the kerosene mixture 20yrs ago in a 1970 Mach-1 Mustang with a freshly blue-printed 351C-4V. I had a hard time running it on regular gas (premium was OK, but costly). I started with small amounts of kerosene per gal of gas and worked my way up to a "half and half" mixture. The pinging never stopped (unless I really retarded the ignition timing) and the engine seemed to have less power as I increased the amount of kerosene. Eventhough kerosene does burn slower, it did not help in my case (maybe it's just an old-timer's myth).

Mike D.

[fordracer]

http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/misc/octanebooster.html

Here is a site I found awhile back. Being that they are turbo guys I would think the info would be credible considering the amounts of boost these guys seem to run.

[turboman]

If you check the internet for GTA fuel additive and follow the various octane test webs you'll find it hard to dispute that it works. No bull****.

Who dis' guy...? Future FFR buyer, current WRX enthusiast.

[427 S/O]

I call the chemist who heads up the dept.
of weights and measures for the state of Ga., I asked about adding toluene and he
said it would work fine just don't exceed
30%. He also stated that BP (amoco) 93
octane actually test out at 95 octane.

[speed220mph]

Toluene is already used by the refiners, but it's expensive, consequently, they don't use a high percentage of it. MMT is better, but the EPA nixed it because it is not friendly to catalytic converters. Check the contents of contents in octance boosters at your local auto store. I've found that VP's octane booster works fine, doesn't require rejetting or timing changes and prevents detonation and runon. And it helps keep the goodies in the combustion chamber clean.

[Gordon Claunch]

Hi guy's, I am a #1 board operator in a Shell oil refinery, I will get with our gasoline blending engineer later today to try and get some definitive answers for you all, but until then I leave you with this, it is fairly informitive:

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.

[justa6]

First I'd mention to Tom that if he looks at the labels of "Octane Boosters" they usually say their product will improve octane by a number of points. The points they talk about are "tenths" of an octane. Toulene and Xylene give you the real deal but they need to put in at ratios of 10% or higher. !0% makes 93 octane go to around 96 or 97. So a 12 ounce can isn't going to do much.

Besides my Cobra I've got a Buick Turbo Grand National. The car has a KNOCK DETECTOR that gives a visual reprentation of what the knock detector on the motor is hearing. And let me tell you when a motor "pings" at 20 lbs of boost it sounds like the pistons are being hit with a sledge hammer. The Toulene/Xylene works well. However, the Alcohol injection system works even better.

So the Grand National uses either Race gas or Alcohol at the track and Xylene/Alcohol on the street. The Cobra uses Xylene or Racing gas.

By the way my compression ration on the Cobra is 11 1/2 to 1 although with the Aluminum heads and very turbulent combustion chambers its not as bad as it sounds. The car can run OK on normal Premium I just don't "push it".

Remember, ALWAYS mix the Toulene/Xylene in a can filled with Premium BEFORE you put it into your tank. And I wrap towels around the filler so a spill doesn't get on the paint.

Hope this helps,

Regards,

[speed220mph]

You're right justa6, but MMT works whatever its carrier is. It has been used successfully in the unlimited aircraft engines at Reno, general aircraft engines like those in Cessnas and my Stinson, many racers, my 12:1 FE and 10:1 289. Also, keep in mind that octane is not what's it's all about. Some of this stuff "enhances" octane, such as alcohol which cools the air/fuel charge. You've got to know this because your turboed wee6 has an intercooler between the compressor and intake manifold. Another thing: You can hear lowspeed detonation, which is bad. But it's the high-speed detonation that kills engines . . . and you probably can't hear it.

[Jack21]

Any of you folks try blending race gas with your premium? You don't have to live near a race track as many speed shops now sell it. You could buy it in 55 gal drum quantities and keep it in a shed at home. This stuff is about 108, or 110 octane, and made for motor use.

[justa6]

I do use Race gas in a mix once in a while. Like when I visit the track. But I've found for my non Turbo setup on the Cobra its so much easier to mix one gallon of Xylene with 4 gallons of 93 octane in a 5 gallon and put it in the tank. By doing that I have no problems with any kind of detonation or run on. The car runs great and the plugs are VERY clean. Some have said you need to add a lubricant but since the xylene is mixed with 93 octane and the gasoline has that additive I don't bother and I've never had a problem with it.

I guess it comes down to whatever works for the individual.

Regards,

[Jack21]

Thanks justa6. Makes it fairly easy.

[NeedAntiVenom]

Octane refers to length of the carbon chain which is utilized in the production of the fuel. In the case of gasoline, it refers to the comparative resistance of the fuel to self ignite (knock) under pressure as exemplifed by the "ideal" antiknock carbon chain "octane". Tetraethyl Lead used to added to less expensive pentane, hexane and heptane based fuels in an effort to make them act more like octane in resisting self ignition under compression. Lead, like Wendy's burgers (yum) and McDonalds hot coffee, is bad for you. So instead, they began using Metyl-tertiary-butyl-ether (MTBE) as a substitute for lead. Not only does this taste like McDonalds coffee, its not much more effective at reducing knock.

Some aircraft fuels still contain lead, and have octane ratings as high as 115.

High octane fuels are expensive because they are expensive to refine and manufacture. Personally, I would not fiddle with octane boosters - either run race fuel (VP racing, etc.) or use a reasonable compression ratio. BTW - methanol in larger percentages with eat your aluminum engine parts, ethanol makes you feel woozy and lands you on the couch, and leaded fuels will (chemically) clog a catalytic converter within a few minutes.



Man, I could go for a burger...

[justa6]

Your very informative letter left out Xylene and Toulene. What's your opinion on these chemicals. I've been told that they are one of the things the oil companies add to make race gas. Especially Toulene.

Just wondering,

[NeedAntiVenom]

Bob,

Xylene and tolulene are ring structured organics with delocalized bonds. Due to the ring structure they are related to the pentane and hexane chains but formed into a ring structure, cyclohexane, by replacing some hydrogen bonds with double carbon bonds.

While many of these compounds are in gasoline, many of them are not desired in large quantity - particularly tolulene, benzene and xylene. They are effective at increasing the equivalent octane rating but why? VP Racing fuels sells oxygenated performance unleaded, 100 octane rated fuel for $4/gallon.

I am by no means an expert on fuels, but IMHO, it just seems to me a lot of trouble to go to for little cost vs the cost of rebuilding your motor when you get it wrong.

FWIW, just trying to share what little I know....


Jim