Toluene or Xylene as an octane booster?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Sep 22, 2002 | 08:10 AM
  #1  
D16A6Turbo's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 414
Likes: 0
From: so cal
Default Toluene or Xylene as an octane booster?

Has anybody tried these w/ good or bad results? I'm gonna try for mid 12's and gonna try to hit 14psi on something better than 91 octane.

Thanks in advance
Reply
Old Sep 22, 2002 | 09:03 AM
  #2  
Firedrake's Avatar
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,041
Likes: 0
From: Albuquerque, NM, USA
Default Re: Toluene or Xylene as an octane booster? (D16A6Turbo)

One guy I know uses Toluene, I'd assume with pretty good results. I forget what the proper mix is though....
Brian
Reply
Old Sep 22, 2002 | 10:17 AM
  #3  
Quick 200k Mile Motor's Avatar
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,170
Likes: 0
From: NW, FL
Default Re: Toluene or Xylene as an octane booster? (D16A6Turbo)

I also wonder if Xylene would work the same.
Toluene is hard to find.
Reply
Old Sep 24, 2002 | 12:17 AM
  #4  
D16A6Turbo's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 414
Likes: 0
From: so cal
Default Re: Toluene or Xylene as an octane booster? (Quick 200k Mile Motor)

I bought xylene and Marvels Mystery oil but wanted to see if any honda guys have tried it yet...I might have to be the guinea pig. I copied this info from a response on my other board for anyone interested:

3 gallons of 93 octane
+ 1 galon of Xylene (readily available at Lowe's, paint supply ouses)
+ 1 oz. of Marvel's Mystery Oil (prevents cylinder wall wash down)
= 4 gallons of 100 octane unleaded gas


OR

3 gallons of 93 octane
+ 1 gallon of toluene
(No Marvel's Mystery Oil needed)

= 4 gallons of 99 octane gas

Xylene and Toluene are both elements of gasoline. Toulene is basically what you buy in octane booster. The turbo Buick boys have using this stuff for aloooooong time. I've used it (Xylene) and IT WORKS.

Here's a link:
http://www.vtr.org/maintain/gasoline-octane.html

Reply
Old Sep 24, 2002 | 12:43 AM
  #5  
ion_four's Avatar
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,178
Likes: 1
From: Portland, OR
Default Re: Toluene or Xylene as an octane booster? (D16A6Turbo)

interesting. I was just thinking about higher octane fuel when I should've been doing other chemistry

what kind of negative effects could this have, ie. fuel pump/injectors/seals?
Reply
Old Sep 24, 2002 | 01:11 AM
  #6  
RoaringTurtle's Avatar
New User
 
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,736
Likes: 0
From: www.stevedemmitt.com, USA
Default Re: Toluene or Xylene as an octane booster? (ion_four)

toluene works!!
ive used it many times
its cheap if you buy it in bulk
but at the hardware store its about $10 a gallon
i usually use 2 gallons to a 10 gallon tank
works wonders
no more pinging
Reply
Old Sep 24, 2002 | 05:20 AM
  #7  
BoM's Avatar
BoM
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,199
Likes: 0
From: South Jersey, USA
Default Re: Toluene or Xylene as an octane booster? (RoaringTurtle)

paint store has them. MAB!
we use it in my friends supra. poored the whole thing in.
Reply
Old Sep 24, 2002 | 10:21 PM
  #8  
D16A6Turbo's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 414
Likes: 0
From: so cal
Default Re: Toluene or Xylene as an octane booster? (BoM)

so far I haven't read about any ill effects...when using Xylene, you should use Marvels Mystery oil because it doesn't contain lubricants like toluene...

Also, just in case, I'd only try it when I'm testing w/ higher boosts or when visiting the track...otherwise, you probably shouldn't consistanty pour it in during every fill up...

Unless someone out there can tell us for sure it is 100% safe....anyone?
Reply
Old Sep 24, 2002 | 10:29 PM
  #9  
PROFILES2000's Avatar
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 1,376
Likes: 0
From: dirty jerzey, NJ, USA
Default Re: Toluene or Xylene as an octane booster? (D16A6Turbo)

welcome to honda-tech where we provide instructions on how to make an explosive device! lol
Reply
Old Sep 24, 2002 | 10:55 PM
  #10  
shortyz's Avatar
 
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 741
Likes: 0
From: abbotsford, bc, canada
Default Re: Toluene or Xylene as an octane booster? (PROFILEGSR)

haha
Reply
Old Sep 25, 2002 | 12:01 AM
  #11  
mattback's Avatar
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
From: largo, fl, usa
Default Re: Toluene or Xylene as an octane booster? (RoaringTurtle)

so wait a second.. youre spending 20 bux extra per 10 gallons? lets see here.

1.75 x 10 gallons is 17.50
+ 20 bucks for toluene
+ 2.50 for Marvel mystery oil
= 40 bucks for apprioximatly 11 gallons of 100 octane unleaded gas.
OR.
you could get freaking 10 gallons of phillips B33 for 40 bucks.
OR you could get like 8 gallons of C-16...
both of which are specified race fuels which will perform much better and let you run crazy timing with higher boosts without ping..
Reply
Old Sep 25, 2002 | 12:08 AM
  #12  
RoaringTurtle's Avatar
New User
 
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,736
Likes: 0
From: www.stevedemmitt.com, USA
Default Re: Toluene or Xylene as an octane booster? (mattback)

nah i dont use it all the time
id be crazy to spend that much on gas
Reply
Old Sep 25, 2002 | 03:23 AM
  #13  
-=ELF=-'s Avatar
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: RUSSIA
Default Re: Toluene or Xylene as an octane booster?

some information about racing fuels - mayby any one need it.

http://www.turbofast.com.au/racefuel.html
Reply
Old Sep 25, 2002 | 10:12 AM
  #14  
blufke's Avatar
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 3,002
Likes: 0
From: Falls Church, VA
Default Re: Toluene or Xylene as an octane booster? (-=ELF=-)

why not just use water injection?
Reply
Old Sep 25, 2002 | 10:19 AM
  #15  
Kevin's Avatar
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,420
Likes: 2
From: MIRAMAR, FL
Default Re: Toluene or Xylene as an octane booster? (D16A6Turbo)

I've used toluene before and it works great, felt weird using it at first. By my figures though, you only save .50 cents or so per gallon over racing fuel of the same octane. Its nice living down the street from a VP Racing fuel gas station

Isn't toluene 114 octane and xylene 116?


[Modified by 5speedv6, 7:19 PM 9/25/2002]
Reply
Old Sep 25, 2002 | 10:21 AM
  #16  
Boostless97Lude
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Toluene or Xylene as an octane booster? (5speedv6)

i sell Toulene and Xylene at my hardware store..... if you guys can't find Toulene and want some, i could always ship it to you.

price is $7.69 a gallon


[Modified by Boosted97Lude, 2:46 PM 9/25/2002]
Reply
Old Sep 25, 2002 | 10:43 AM
  #17  
chirish's Avatar
Junior Member
 
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 175
Likes: 0
From: Santa Rosa, Ca
Default Re: Toluene or Xylene as an octane booster? (Boosted97Lude)

Water injection or a water/alky mix is a great alternative.
Reply
Old Apr 25, 2003 | 03:45 PM
  #18  
lazyvietboi's Avatar
Honda-Tech Member
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,300
Likes: 0
From: georgia
Default Re: Toluene or Xylene as an octane booster? (PssshhhMr2)

I went to Home Depot today and found Xycol Xylene. Is this the right one to use or is it something elese? On the label, it says that it works like the same as toluene but thinner?

thank you
Reply
Old Apr 25, 2003 | 03:51 PM
  #19  
inspyral's Avatar
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 3,492
Likes: 0
From: San Jose, CA, USA
Default Re: Toluene or Xylene as an octane booster? (lazyvietboi)

There was a Sherwin Williams store on the way to ATP in Fremont, so I stopped in and asked if they had Toluene. Sure enough, the guy comes back with a gallon can. I asked if he had 5 gallon containers, but he said they had to be special ordered, and the price was pretty much the same as the 1 gallon cans. I picked up 4 gallons at like $7/per. I did the math, and it's only slightly cheaper than getting the 100 octane Competition stuff at the 76 station, so I might just do that in the future.
Reply
Old May 4, 2003 | 04:03 PM
  #20  
rorn27's Avatar
 
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: edmonton, al, canada
Default Re: Toluene or Xylene as an octane booster? (D16A6Turbo)

Dont know anything about boosting but had some questions and found these website. Its pretty interesting and has different mix ratios.


http://patriot.net/~jonroq/Tech/octane2.html
http://www.vtr.org/maintain/gasoline-octane.html

Reply
Old May 12, 2003 | 10:29 AM
  #21  
flyrod's Avatar
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,072
Likes: 0
From: land of the sheep, home of the hypocrite
Default Re: Toluene or Xylene as an octane booster? (rorn27)

Toluene was just under $2 a gallon a couple years ago when I bought a 55gallon drum of it. There is generally no problem using it in gasoline unless you are using a whole lot of it. It's already a significant component of premium gasoline. It's 115 or 118 octane or something. I think the old indy cars used to use it straight. I add a gallon to a tank of gas once in a while (can only get 91 around here) but you can find recipies that include a small amount of diesel fuel or ATF for lubrication of injectors and fuel pumps. The way gas prices are going, might be better off to start mixing your own fuel. Oh, one side effect is that if you buy it as an individual, big brother will put you on a DEA watch list because it can be used to make meth. Oh, and in case big brother is watching this thread, you can get some concentrated nitric and sulpheric acids and make TNT (tri-nitro-toluene). I'm sure the instructions are out on the internet somewhere....
Reply
Old May 12, 2003 | 10:41 AM
  #22  
PM-Performance's Avatar
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 12,978
Likes: 1
From: Reading, PA, usa
Default Re: Toluene or Xylene as an octane booster? (flyrod)

talk to boosted hybrid he told me the mix before i think he sued it a few times and boosted 3g came up with some sick mix with like paint thinnner or sometinhg and make some high octane **** . check with him too . some stuff he gets at like Home depot
Reply
Old May 12, 2003 | 12:12 PM
  #23  
technine's Avatar
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 1
From: aroundtheworld, inaday, usa
Default Re: Toluene or Xylene as an octane booster? (inspyral)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by inspyral &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> getting the 100 octane Competition stuff at the 76 station, so I might just do that in the future.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I see you are in the bay area. Where do you get the 100 octane at? Which 76 gas stations have it? I never seen any 100octane at any gas stations I went to.
Reply
Old May 12, 2003 | 12:22 PM
  #24  
Rory Breaker's Avatar
Honda-Tech Member
 
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 7,805
Likes: 1
Default Re: Toluene or Xylene as an octane booster? (technine)

Another interesting article:

http://www.elektro.com/~audi/audi/toluene.html
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
mfisher1967
Honda Civic (2006 - 2015)
28
Jun 25, 2007 05:48 AM
tgh22a
All Motor / Naturally Aspirated
2
May 29, 2006 04:53 AM
teddy_dc2
Forced Induction
1
Jan 23, 2006 02:40 PM
CivicEJ1
Forced Induction
3
Dec 16, 2004 09:05 PM
dustin
Forced Induction
28
Jul 30, 2001 07:59 AM




All times are GMT -8. The time now is 04:15 PM.