My homemade fuel additive, octane boost

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No I'm not selling this...but it does work.

1 quart xylene (octane boost)
6 oz Amsoil PI (cleaning, UCL)
1 oz Amsoil Gas Fuel Stabilizer
1 oz 100:1 2-cycle oil (UCL)

Mix in one gallon metal gas can. Pour in 1/2 full tank, and bounce car. My turbo with K-jet returns unused fuel to the tank so it mixes well.

Holy batman - full boost, not one ping.
 
quote:

Originally posted by Pablo:
No I'm not selling this...but it does work.

1 quart xylene (octane boost)
6 oz Amsoil PI (cleaning, UCL)
1 oz Amsoil Gas Fuel Stabilizer
1 oz 100:1 2-cycle oil (UCL)

Mix in one gallon metal gas can. Pour in 1/2 full tank, and bounce car. My turbo with K-jet returns unused fuel to the tank so it mixes well.

Holy batman - full boost, not one ping.


I
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you Pablo for bravery....I hope your car doesn't take off or worse yet....
crushedcar.gif


Rick


EDIT: BTW, isn't that Xylene stuff a paint thinner? Wouldn't it dry out o-rings and mess up injectors?

[ September 23, 2003, 11:51 PM: Message edited by: Last_Z ]
 
Many of the off the shelf octane boosters contain toulene and/or xylene. Straight, sure it's not the best thing for elastomers. That's why it's mixed with the other stuff and the gas in the tank. Some web formulation call for a gallon!

Xylene is used for thinning some enamel type paints, but regular new style paint thinners don't contain too much xylene.
 
I thought I was the only one who did things like this! I never wanted to admit it, but now I can 'come out of the closet'! I mix ~12 oz of toluene in the summer (or ~6 anhydrous isopropanol in the winter) w/ 1 oz of Amsoil 100:1 two stroke oil. I get the toluene at a paint store by the gallon and the isopropanol in the pharmacy section of the local grocery (making sure not to get the 70% stuff). I go to the pharmacy section 'cuz it's usually cheaper there than in the auto section for the exact same stuff in a different bottle.

Dave
 
Hadn't done the alky thing before...interesting.

I need to clarify on the 2-stroke oil, actually that should read 1/2 oz (didn't catch that until n8wvi's post). 1 oz won't hurt anything, but maybe cut back the octane rating a bit.
 
Uh....... 99% Isopropyl alcohol has oil in it? The other 1% (or darn near) is water, yes? So where's the oil? What type of oil? Certainly not enough to add the lubricity boost we're looking for.

Pablo, yes, I too have noticed added mileage. I average 34 MPG when I do this, 32 MPG when I don't. My car is driven 84 miles round trip, 80 of which are on the highway. Same route every day. On weekends, it's almost always in the garage (we take the wifes car). I'm the only one who drives mine and I always buy the same gas.

I've tried explaining to myself there must be other reasons, but the change is consistent and everything else w/ the car has been constant. Does that make sense?

Dave
 
What is the acohol for guys? Would 90% be ok? I though above adding alky to the fuel, but I just don't know why!
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I have some sort of impulsive addtive mixing....but it's only with the alcohol. I guess for some reason it might cure the pinging in my car; but I have no clue what to get and even less clues as to where I got the idea from.
I'm losing it guys.....all thanks to BITOG!
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OK now here's the weird thing: Nothing stastitical, no real facts, but: My MPG seems to have increased substantially. I realize that I added some (small) volume to the gas tank, but I know my commute well, I know my car, I know my fuel - and the car just is not using as much gas...

I need to study this some more.
 
Last Z - Alcohol can provide a mild octane (antiknock) boost, but it's energy values are low. As mentioned by n8, it must be dry.

I 100% do NOT recommend dumping stuff in your gas tank unless you have studied the science a bit. My car has 240,000 miles on it...but I still do care for it.

I rarely add off the shelf fuel additives. This "formula" I posted is relatively safe, but you are on your own. Xylene can be purchased at most good paint supply/hardware stores. It's NOT cheap anymore - Lowe's sells a gallon for $9.xx!!!! - but I guess relative to buying a 12 oz can of off the shelf stuff, you can stretch it out. The other things are to add some lubricity and help prevent deposit formation.
 
One never knows when the urge for a road trip will hit. Gotta plan for those remote locations and crappy fuel. Still working on a way to get kerosene to work...

Latre
Ben
 
Pabs, you have a chemistry degree, if I remember correctly so you may be able to apply the relationships of your home brew to say Fuel Power and 4 key effects of fuel and adds to help aid combustion.

FP has about 1 OCTANE boost capability but not intentionally this is an after affect of the next three areas and formulation of FP. This is pump octane (R+M/2). Your on target there based on my limited understanding of chemistry and your mix.

FP affects BURN SPEED of the fuel mixture. Speed at which fuel releases its energy. Real time not crank speed. Peak cylinder pressure should be at 20 degrees ATDC. If you try to burn fuel past this point it does not contribute to optimum cylinder pressure. Which is what these see at the
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FP increases the ENERGY VALUE of the mixture the CC sees. Expressed in BTU's per lb. As air fuel ratios are measured by weight not volume. Potential energy values can be measured at any compression ratio or RPM.

FP COOLING EFFECT; relates to heat of vaporization, the higher the heat of vaporization the better its effect on the cooling of the intake charge( mixture).
Big deal in your rice grinding 2 strokes !!! Helps some in 4 stroke engines.

If you can figure out the optimum in your formula on these 4 areas you may be able to make some money with your brew !

I only know what I have learned about engines and analysis, I'm no fuels guy or chemist...

I do know that FP contributes to accomplishing these 4 key areas, pretty reasonably cost wise.

Terry

[ September 30, 2003, 03:27 PM: Message edited by: Terry ]
 
n8 and Pablo,

If you're discussing Isoproyl alcohol, then it's always denatured with methanol and or mineral oil.

Even the 99.98% ethanol I order for experiments and formulations has methanol denaturing.

Pablo, whay not just replace the xylene with ethanol? It's cleaner and less toxic. This is why I despise octane boosts with toluene.

[ September 30, 2003, 03:37 PM: Message edited by: MolaKule ]
 
Thanks guys
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Terry's Q's will take thought...

Mola - I was thinking the energy content (and octane boost effect) of xylene to be higher than EtOH.
Toxicity? I had the tubes cut several years back....
 
Let me ask a stupid question. Wouldn't Everclear do the samething as any of the denatured mixes but without any toxicity, except that associated with over drinking?
 
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