silverbullet

Hey,
I've often heard of people putting toulene in their gas. I know it raises the octane, are there any benifits to using it? Would it be show a substantial difference in power and how much would you safely add?
Just curious,
Josh

RK951

If it raises octane....

LOOK HERE

951_RS

Yes it does indeed increase the octane rating, the proper mixture depends on how much you want to raise the octane. An increase in octane itself does not make power, but the ability to increase timing and/or boost does.
Octane rating is merely the resistance of gasoline to pre-detonate in layman's terms.
If your car is knocking now or not running well on whatever gas you use, then yes you will in a sense "gain" power, but that's really recovering power you should have had to begin with.

"Toulene
R+M/2...114
Cost...$4.50/gal
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 $5/gal at chemical supply houses or paint stores. "

special tool

My 533 RWHP run was done using ONLY aromatic and pump gas. ZERO race gas.
The 944 engine like the aromatics VERY VERY much.

RolexNJ

Yeah you should know, you have like 100s of gallons of it in that sweet race shop! And by the way, who's that back marker way behind you?

Glider

I used to run toulene in a race car I had. It works for stopping knock and acts like race fuel. The benefit I found was when you get where you are going you can add it to your gas when you get there verses driving until you are nearly out of fuel and then adding race gas to what is left. I always wondered how much I was lowering the octane of the race gas when I did that. If you run straight toulene, mix some oil or marvel mystery oil with it as it does not have lubricant added to it like gas does. It will clean the hell out of parts too.

David Floyd

$12.50 a gallon in my area

I tend to use Xylene eaiser for me to find and it is 117 octane.

20% + 3-4 ounces of Marvel Mystery oil

Andy

What's the difference between Toulene and Zylene? Thanks.

special tool

Just a couple of atoms in the long chain, dude.
You can use either. That's EITHER, not ETHER.

mtnman82

Ardy arr arr, ST ....

So if John (Vitesse) recommends only 15 psi on pump gas (91-93 octane), what octane is safe for running, say, 18 psi, and for 21+ psi?

special tool

I make my own special blend. It ends up being about 112 octane. - but you can't stand too close to it.
As far as your knock threshold - that is a very complicated thing and it depends on a number of different factors in your particular engine. Why, I don't think that even the great, exalted, superstar,engineer, ace pilot, super genious, internet designer,mechanic, jack-of-all tades Tony (comebola) Garcia would venture to speculate about that - and he is the KING of speculation!!!!!!!

lart951

LOL, what about the picture dude.

Mike S

Special Tool, can I get a "octane for dummies" explanation of what you mean by "aromatics"? Are you using pump gas with toluene in it instead of race gas?

special tool

Mike - yes. I use xylene. About 33% at 600+HP.
You can use tolene.
It is a weighted average (or very close) to calculate octane.
2P + 1T / 3 =octane (for 33% tolene)
p=pump
t=tolene

RolexNJ

There is a great article here - http://members.rennlist.com/951_racerx