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Using Toluene to boost octane

Thanks Todd. That wasn't much of a discussion though. I was looking for someone with more firsthand knowledge or experience.
 
No firsthand knowledge but it's a pretty common way for people to increase octane.

However if you can't control your own tuning there's very little point.

You also have to be careful that you keep everything mixed exactly the same every time.
 
Ive read that to use tolene (xylene whatever) effectively, you have to mix it with some kind of mystery oil and whatnot because the tolene eats up gaskets?

In the end the result is a large investment and a wierd mixture to enhance overall combustion and I believe the torture isn't worth the $$ to power investment.
 
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It has been hot as balls here and my water to air intercooler is mostly a waste of space. Shoot, just short drive without even beasting on the car and that water in the resevoir is above ambient air temp. This being the case I have been looking into some detonation insurance and came upon the toluene idea. I am not tring to net octane figures above say 95-96 but am interested in the protection it can/may provide so I may actually enjoy my car a little this summer.

After a little research I also found unleaded race gas available at Meijer gas stations so I may just go with mixture of that and 93 which is readily available.

Have to run some numbers to see how much more the race gas combo would be over buying a few gallons of toluene.
 
I used it for a while. The dyno kept blowing out wideband O2's while I used it. Once I stopped the additive the widebands lived. Could have been a coincidence, but I've never used it since.
 
Methanol Injection > Gas Additives. Methanols rated octane is extremely high (compared to gasoline) and a fuel replacement of 10% will add about 5 points to the octane rating (93 is now 98 Octane), of course you are adding the meth on top of the gasoline so you have a richer mixture and you are spraying it up stream so it absorbs a ton of heat further adding to its anti-detonation properties on top of just the higher octane rating.

You can properly build a meth injection kit for around $150. You can jew it out for about $90-100.
 
I do want to build an H2O/Meth injection system. That will have to come right after an intercooler upgrade.

I also see a quality injection system being more cost effective, long run, than fuel additives or race gas. One busy summer of driving with additives or race gas would probably equal the cost of an injection system.
 
Toulene is 117 octane. Do the math!

2 GALLONS of toulene (117) with 6 gallons of BP Ultimate (92 octane here =p ) is equal to 98.3 octane. 98 verses 92 is 5 - 7 degrees more timing. or 35-40 more HP/TQ (on a turbo). Get on a DYNO to tune the max from your setup. Unless you can do it on the fly. (I.E. $$$ on setup!)
 
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Xylene is 121 octane IIRC.

I have used 1 gallon of Xylene with 10 gallons of 92 before. 94.6 octane at 44 degrees sets down some good low rpm torque numbers. (my best runs!)
 
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