Octane Booster (good or bad)

**Lokar** · November 23rd, 2002, 06:30 PM

I was reading a thread on another site about the ups and downs to Octain Booster. One guy who seemed knowledgable had nothing good to say about it. he was talking about carbon build up and bad fuel mileage, and a bunch of other bad side effects. I want to hear everyones thoughts on the matter. I have used it and had great results, import and domestic. I believe the best thing it did for my car was clean the injectors. [img]smile.gif[/img] But now I am worried about the adverse effects of this stuff. Also, if you use it, what brand and type is your fav?

**exciv2000** · November 23rd, 2002, 06:38 PM

octane boost = bad. Just go get some toulene (sp?) and add that, just as good, or retard your timing, or get the real good stuff... 100 octane unleaded from sunoco.

**Max Psi GSR** · November 23rd, 2002, 08:10 PM

Laugh id you will, i used a whole bottle of that NOS OFF-ROAD formula in my teg with. I would get the tank down to say a 1/4 or below, and dump the whole contents in.

I only used this for autox's because there is so much low RPM 2nd gear pulls i would do. Call me crazy, i could tell a difference. 2500rpms, full throttle 2nd gear, no ping. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

**bnfoster** · November 24th, 2002, 12:59 AM

I use it on trips. Like Max Psi GT said, it reduces low rpm ping and it seems to make the car run a bit smoother. No extra performance that I can tell but it does give me 20 - 30 extra miles per tank on trips. That was an unexpected bonus.

As for booster = bad, perhaps some input from JRCivic would be in order. I can't imagine that STP, Penzoil and other big names would sell a product that damaged engines. The SAE engineers would have a field day with that.

I use the Penzoil stuff that comes in single dose bottles only because I don't like the smell you get from having a half full bottle in the car. About $10 per four pack at AutoZone.

**Marc** · November 24th, 2002, 03:40 AM

All of the octane boosters are the same. They are just fire retardants in a bottle and the only thing they do is turn your spark plugs pink. BTW, adding "104+ octane booster" to a tank of 92 octane does not increase your overall octane level to 104. At best it will raise it to 92.5. Save your money and buy real gasoline.

**Lokar** · November 25th, 2002, 02:28 PM

I wouldnt want to use it all the time. I used the penzoil once to try and solve a problem I was having, and it seemed to work. There is a gas station around the corner that sells "race gas". I think it is like 98 octane. I have a 55 gallon barrel of C-16, but I am afraid of burning up the valves and piston. One of the guys I work with dipped into it and mixed it with some regular gas to bring it down in an s-10, but I am not sure of the effects of that. Does anyone know how much these engines can handle?

**CROM** · November 25th, 2002, 05:51 PM

Octane boosters do not live up to their "25+HP 35+MPG, 110 Octane increase" advertising on the bottle. They raise your octane like .2-.5. 10 bucks for octane booster that gives you 93.5 octane..sounds like a scam to me. Why dont you buy a years supply of Longitude why you are at it [img]wink.gif[/img]

Do yourself a favor and put an 8 dollar gallon jug of Toulene in your car. That stuff is MAGIC.

But then again, you dont need that crap all the time. I wish I could afford to run my car on VP 100 octane(unleaded). My car runs like a bat outta hell with that stuff.

You have a drum of C16, yowza, that must have cost a nice penny. I myself don't recommend using leaded gas in your car. It eats up cats and fouls 02 sensors. It also made my car run like absolute crap. I put in VP Red(105) and my car ran like ass. I think it was just too much octane for my car, or the leaded fuel just didnt agree with my engine. I did run nearly a 100% mixture.

**Lokar** · November 25th, 2002, 08:29 PM

yeah, it aint cheap. I have it from when we were running our super comp dragster on fuel. We swiched over to alchohol.

Where do you buy the Toulene? And how much fuel do you add with it?

**CROM** · November 25th, 2002, 08:54 PM

Toulene can usually be purchased at paint stores. Sometimes you have to get them to order it.
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor=""><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">
Formula #1 - Toluene
R+M/2.........114
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.</font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

Go to this site for more information: http://www.vtr.org/maintain/gasoline-octane.html

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ November 25, 2002 05:16 PM: Message edited by: CROM ]</font>