just wondering what you guys/girls think out there do octane booster additives work? Or is anyone using them and if so which one is a good one?

 

They're garbage. Don't waste your money.

 

its just a fancy fuel injection cleaner

 

I've used this when I can't get 94

 

What he said. If you need higher octane just go for higher octane fuel instead of octane booster.

 

i accidently pumped in 87 into my supercharged civic (requires premium) and it pinged like a bitch going 2 miles to my friends house. ran up to walmart and bought some, it cleared it up.
i dont think its gonna give you any performance, but if you fucked up like me, i think it works.

just think $5 extra in every tank. does it really make it worth it?

 

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=464375

i posted this yesterday.........

 

dont waste your money on that unless you absolutely have to, like that other guy did (a few posts above me). if you really nee dhtat high of octane, just get race gas

 

from what i read on skimmed over on
http://www.turbofast.com.au/racefuel12.html
it seems they work..u just have to use a lot...
so maybe just mix some race gas or something?

edit: here's some info i got from that link
Since almost our major requirement is that of getting more power out of the engine let us see what can be done taking our basic fuels in turn, starting with Petrol.

Additives are:-

Nitromethane. This increases power, measured at the engine shaft, in proportion to the percentage used, limited by mechanical considerations such as compression ratio, rate of fuel flow possible in existing system.

If the engine is on the maximum compression ratio usable with petrol, this ratio will have to be dropped by a figure of one ratio if 10 percent additive used, and by half a ratio if 5 percent additive is decided upon.

With regard to the fuel flow the jet diameter will have to be increased by a figure of 1.125 for use with 10 percent, and in proportion less for the 5 percent.

Methanol. The use of Methanol enables a power increase to be obtained by the simple act of using a higher compression ratio and in fact with 10 percent the ratio can be increased by 1.5.

That is to say an engine running on 10 to 1 on petrol can now, by the use of 10 percent Methanol, run on a ratio of 11.5 to 1 provided, and we stress this point, steps are taken to enable the fuel rate of flow to be increased by a figure of 1.125 minimum, or put another way, the jet diameter increased by that amount on the diameter.

In each case, that is either Nitromethane or Methanol used as an additive, the mixture should be premixed and not just supplied to the tank relying on mixing taking place by accident as it were.

Before we leave petrol it might be pointed out while other additives are sometimes used, they do not as a result of being mixed increase the power output potential of the total fuel.

METHANOL ADDITIVES

We must now consider Methanol as the basic fuel.

To obtain power increase additives are:-

Nitromethane. Bearing in mind we are, as an additive only considering a maximum amount of 10 percent, although we know in fact up to 100 percent can be used as has already been explained, the power increase at the engine shaft will be in proportion to the amount of additive used, provide' and once again we stress this, the fuel flow and jet diameter is increased by 1.125.

The compression ratio will have to be modified, on the maximum for Methanol before the additive was introduced and for 10 percent will have to be lowered by a ratio of 1.

Propylene Oxide. This fuel additive in general is safe to handle except for two possible conditions, which under certain circumstances could well be dangerous these are the effects cause by the fuel coming in contact with copper/alloy containers, fuel tanks, etc., or by rust particles getting in the fuel by accident, for example from a rusty container, or from rust from damaged can top cap.

To avoid this possibility this fuel is better kept in, and used from, a plastic container of the pure polythene type.

If rust particles are introduced they can do two things. One is to Polymerize slowly, or put another way, change its chemical state, in this particular case to form slowly a nasty waxy solid akin to polythene.

The second condition is where the polymerization process takes place quickly due to external heat on the container, say for example from strong sunlight, which causes the speed up, resulting in a possible explosion.

The remedy is of course obvious so take steps to keep it cool, bearing in mind the boiling point of this fuel is 93 degrees F. Or as we now tend to regard temperature, 34 degrees C.

The best increase in power is obtained by some 5 percent as additive, as above this figure the gain does not increase in proportion, like the other additives, but in fact tends to decline, so stay at the 5 percent mark.

This fact is known and although reasons can be given for this behavior, at this moment of time there is a lot of experimental work to be done with this additive when used with pure methanol, but anyone carrying out such work must be very much out on their own.

NITROMETHANE ADDITIVE

We now come to our last basic fuel, that being Nitromethane, assumed pure, and undiluted, and again our object in using the additive is to obtain a power gain at the engine shaft.

The additive is:-

Propylene Oxide. We have a slight change here in that this can be used up to a figure of 30 percent rather than our previous 10 percent.

Increase in power output will not be proportional to the amount used, but varies from engine to engine, and also with the use of other additives with the total fuel, water being a good example.

In general terms one may well expect an increase of some 10 percent at the shaft for the addition of 10 percent additive, but over this figure it is almost impossible to give an estimate as so many factors will influence the result.

Due to the oxygen provided by the Nitromethane, the usual air-fuel ratios no longer hold good and from that fact alone, it is very difficult to state what the actual power increase will be.

It has been very clearly stated before that care should be taken when using Nitromethane, but this be-comes even more necessary when dealing with this fuel plus propylene oxide additive.





[Modified by EVOL, 10:28 PM 4/4/2003]

 

thanks for all the info so far

 

tolulene

 

I have one of those in the car just in case i can't the rating i want, too.

 

ya waste of money

 

if you want cheap (somewhat) high octane and you dont have a cat , go to your local general aviation airport and mix half 93 octane with 100 low lead..it costs just as much as regular gas....you want 100LL its blue.

 

Does adding straight tolulene have advantages? I think they sell the big bottles of it at like art supply stores or something. How does it improve performance.

Is it better than normal octane boosters?

 

Basically, normal "octane boosters" that come in a can from the auto parts stores
dont raise octane more than .2-.5 points. The NOS formula doesnt raise octane
either but it does contain nitromethanol<race formulaonly> which makes a tad
more power.

Ifyou want to raise octane, then get better gas or add toluene.

 

that may be true-but have you read anything on the links above? i really wouldn't want to deal w/ that stuff at all. toluene seems like too much trouble to me.

 

so what's this toulene stuff? anymore info on it?

 

I've used toluene in my WRX with great results..

http://home.cfl.rr.com/eskram/toluene/

 

If you plan on buying octane boost, just give me the money, Ill kick you in the nuts and we'll call it a day!

 

as everybody said, big waste of money. use that 5 bucks and go to a strip club. 5 dollars can last hours!

 

where do you get that toulene stuff from?

 

Sherwin Williams or most any paint supply store.

I pay about $40 for a 5-gallon can.



[Modified by Eskram, 10:23 PM 4/5/2003]