Octane Boosters

[RedBarchetta]

Scott,

I've read similar articles. Toluene (RM/2 method = 114 octane) is available at local paint stores in one gallon cans for $6.00. Toluene is the active ingredient already in gasoline that the manufacturers use to bump octane levels from grade to grade.

If you added one gallon of 114 Toluene to 16 gallons of 91 octane pump gas (equaling the 17 gallon capacity of an SPF), you would end up with a 92.4 octane fuel that contains 34% Toluene (most pump gas contains about 30% Toluene to start with) and you would be diluting the original pump gas mixture by roughly 6%.

Adding 2 gallons of Toluene to 15 gallons would net a 93.7 octane and bump the concentration to 38% (still well within limits) and effectively dilutes the gas mixture by 12%. I use the word "dilute" loosely, as you are actually adding the better chemical to the mix (see below).

The problem with this is partly economical. Why pay $12.00 to bump the RM/2 octane level less than 3 points when many of the better "over the counter" octane boosters will give you the same effect for a few dollars less and in a more concentrated, 12 ounce can? The counterpoint is that Toluene is a pure hydrocarbon, whereas many of these "miracle in a bottle" boosters contain alcohols, which are very corrosive to aluminum and magnesium parts (can you say deteriorating carbuerator??).

I'm going to experiment on my 50K mile pick-up truck before I start messing with a Cobra. Guys that run turbo set-ups swear by the Toluene (also known as methyl benzine) effects on performance.