Xylene as an additive but mixed in with Tranny Fluid?

[Asmodeus]

I was reading on another forum about the use of Xylene as an octane booster.

What I found peculiar was the mention of adding 1 ounce of Tranny fluid per Gallon of Xylene/Gas mixture because Xylene is 'too dry.'

I asked why the use of Tranny fluid, and which compound in the fluid is the required one, but was answered with an "I Dunno."

So I'm asking you gents here.

Also, same fellow wrote that Methanol is the equivalent of 112 Octane. I didn't go on chemfinder yet, but isn't the flash point of MeOH way lower than iso-octane?

 

[deepsquat]

Can't answer the tranny question ..but as for methonal ..Less energy is netted out of a given amount of methonal compared to the same amount of gasoline ...I think it is around 80% ??? Indy cars use methonal and produce around 850 horsepower ..if they used a high octane ( some call it gas ???) that Formula 1 uses they would get over 1000hp out !

 

[Audi Junkie]

Seems like ash would be an issue. All those metallic additives won't burn away cleanly. If you want a top-oil effect, I say use a low-ash or ashless 2-stroke oil instead. Toluene is what you want for octane, about 1-2 gallons per tank.

 

[Gary Allan]

You don't have to worry about residuals in the combustion chamber with ATF. It just doesn't happen. ATF will clean any combustion chamber that it burns in "enough". It leaves absolutely no residue. This I KNOW first hand in many many vehicles. The only thing I'm uncertain of is IF you used the old "Type F" if the added friction material would have some impact upon the injectors.

Unless used in extreme excess ..ATF is totally transparent in the combustion process (aside from the white cloud formed behind you).

 

[Asmodeus]

I must be missing something because I still don't see why ATF needs to be mixed with Xylene when added to gasoline.

Is Xylene so abbrasive that ATF is used as a cylinder lubricant?

 

[Black Bart]

This site may help with some of the quesstions ask.
http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/misc/octbooster.html

 

[Black Bart]

Dam the link won't work. Well you can do a search on google and get several hits just type home brew octane boosters.
I uae xylene it is 117 octane
Toulene is 114 octane

 

[doctorr]

Certain isomers of Xylene (Meta- / Para- etc.)have theoretical "octane" ratings as high as 160!

Xylene (and toluene) is an OK addition to boost octane, since ALL gasoline has some already in it.

It is no "drier" than any other component.

Methanol is NOT OK, is NOT found in commercial gasoline and will eat some plastics/rubbers. On a V8 with a mechanical fuel pump it WILL eat the pump diaphragm. If Indy cars run it and make "1000 HP" it is certainly not the alcohol that should get the credit - apart from its high octane, it is a crappy fuel.
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doc

 

[surfstar]

The ATF is probably recommended as it will provide some lubricity when added (like a UCL), just to offset any of the solvent effects of adding xylene/toluene/acetone.

 

[bkrell]

xylene and toluene are already IN gas. I know ETHANOL has a high octane rating...I thought the main reason it was used in racing was it was less combustable than pure gas.

I don't know if the properties of ethanol directly translate, but I know it provides only 80-90% of the efficiency of gas by volume. That's ben one thing discussed if we go to ethanol in cars. Range would be shorter. However, I know Saab has just developed a flex-fuel 9-5 they call BioPower that on straight gas makes around 140 hp but on E86 makes about 180 hp.

 

[CONMCK]

You talk to any drag racer or dyno operator and they will tell you that alcohol will make more power than gasoline assuming;

the engine is properly setup (tuned) for alcohol.
ie jetting, compression etc.
Sure MPG will suffer.
If you take a carburated engine with a perfect tune up on gas and add a mixture of alcohol, say 10% and change nothing, it will run lean, probably cough and stumble at times and probably make less power. Recalibrate the fuel curve for the new mixture and it should run just as smooth as before and may make slightly more power although not enough to notice by your SOTP.

Lets not forget that alcohol is an oxygenated fuel, it releases oxygen during the combustion process..............what does nitrous oxide do on a larger scale?

Please, someone educate me if I'm off kilter here but alcohol should make more power than gas..........
...well it has for me!