octane booster? good or bad?

[Rogue Leader]

This has been discussed here before.

All those "Octane Booster" things are just snake oil. They are mostly fuel injector cleaner, of which there are better options. And yes as for their octane increase .2 to .3 is about right, not enough to make any difference.

If you want to clean your injectors get some Chevron Techron, its cheaper than the octane boosters and does the same thing but better.

[The Stig]

Originally Posted by Rogue Leader

This has been discussed here before.

All those "Octane Booster" things are just snake oil. They are mostly fuel injector cleaner, of which there are better options. And yes as for their octane increase .2 to .3 is about right, not enough to make any difference.

If you want to clean your injectors get some Chevron Techron, its cheaper than the octane boosters and does the same thing but better.

[bannonm]

Originally Posted by Rogue Leader

This has been discussed here before.

All those "Octane Booster" things are just snake oil.

I agree. I've gone through this with my Harley's because of taking trips to Canada and UP of Michigan. I have gotten into some rural areas where getting good gas was impossible. I did research on octane boosters and tried a few of the name brand ones, didn't help much. Found one guy who gave instructions on brewing your own octane boost, but he stated that you need such large quantities of this stuff to do anything, you run the risk of engine damage.

[lightning]

Originally Posted by Ucantctchme

Regular octane boosters only raise the level a few "points". This means 93 would become 93.3.

One 4 to 6 oz. bottle of that stuff at $4 to $8 doesn't even raise the octane level of a tankful of 91 octane enough to measure the difference. It would take a gallon of that stuff to raise your octane enough to make a difference. Your car will adjust to running on 91 octane just fine anyway. The reason they sell only 91 octane where you live is probably your altitude. You would not gain much advantage by running a higher octane anyway. Save your money. Enjoy your ride.

[Angrybird 12]

Originally Posted by bhall82

The only way you can to do this is that if you know someone at a local/county airport they can sneak to fill up a 5ga gas can of av gas for you.

Av gas does not contain the proper additives for car engines. You risk engine damage or at least sensor damage using that.

[1sweet11SS]

Originally Posted by 1WILDSScmrg

i'm sure you can't do that anymore.

thanks alot Bin laden!!!

That and masturbating on an airplane.

[bhall82]

Originally Posted by Skyman 08

Av gas does not contain the proper additives for car engines. You risk engine damage or at least sensor damage using that.

I've never ran in it in my car. Always motorcycles. Luckily here in NC we can get 102 at the pump so no need to go looking for av gas. I was just giving a personal opinion on how one could get av gas if that's what his/heart disire. lol

[Fogey]

I used to do the same thing "back in the day". Went to Clover Field in Santaa Monica. I once used avgas to make a batch of premix for my Yamaha YZ MX bike, and fried the engine .LOL.

[Rogue Leader]

Incidentally the active ingredient in many of these octane boosters is Xylene, usually about 2-4% in that little tiny bottle. Xylene is essentially 117 octane dry gas. When I had a Turbo Trans Am and you wanted to crank up the boost 2-3lbs (stock was 17) without knock we would take 1 GALLON of Xylene (available at any sherwin williams or other home paint store for about 8 bucks) and mix it with a couple oz of Marvel Mystery Oil to "wet" it. Then just add it to the gas tank. Now 1 gallon of that stuff mixed with 15 gallons of 93 or 94 octane fuel would give you MAYBE 97 octane, but then the only way to even take advantage of it was the fact that my car had a chip tuned for it, and I would turn up the boost.

[Dalefj]

Originally Posted by caliguy

We use to go down to our local airport and buy there gas 110 octane smelled so good!! but that was back in the day.

I would bet that if you went to a smaller airport they would be willing to fill up your car... only one problem
the two fuels sold at most airports are 100LL and JP80. The latter being jet fuel and the former uses led to boost its octane... Led Gas + =

[My 5th]

Actually, the use of octane boosters has NOT been debunked on this forum. Some members THINK they have debunked it, but only in their own minds. There was a member who posted dyno runs showing an increase in power from using boosters.

The claim had been made that one could feel the power increase through your butt dyno, and that assertion was ridiculed by other posters. Then another member posted actual dyno runs that supported--to some extent--the butt dyno claim.

I do believe however, that like anything else..."your mileage may vary". There probably is only a decimal increase in the octane rating after adding the booster, but that can vary from one brand to another. IMHO, it's your money, if you want to spend it on octane boosters or a locking fuel door to add HP then knock yourself out.

[jtzako]

It can help a bit if you are in a situation where you cant get 91+ octane gas. Example: on a recent road trip the stations had 90 octane at the highest and my SS did not like that. I put in some octane booster to keep it running smooth.

[Angrybird 12]

Originally Posted by bhall82

I've never ran in it in my car. Always motorcycles. Luckily here in NC we can get 102 at the pump so no need to go looking for av gas. I was just giving a personal opinion on how one could get av gas if that's what his/heart disire. lol

I used to work out at the airport fueling private planes back in the 70's. it was my job first thing in the morning to go out and drain a gallon out of each truck compartment, (we had 3 trucks and each truck had 2 compartments) to check for sediment and water, then we would pour it out on the ground. got the wise Idea instead of pouring it on the ground, if it was clear pour it in my gas tank. It worked great, I got about 3 to 5 gallons every morning for free. Now this was before catalytic convertors or many emmisions controls on cars so no harm ever came to my car but it sure ran good...

[Goatcrapp]

over the counter octane boosters net a few points as stated.. but what confuses most people is that it takes 10 "points" to equal a rise of 1 octane number.

I haven't done this in the camaro - in NY we can get 93, so no need.. but in my past, i've run 1/2 to 1 gallon of xylene or touline in 4 gallons of gas, and was able to run WAY more aggressive timing as a result. Can't remember the exact math - but that 1/5 ratio gets 91 or 93 up close to 100 octane while still preserving the additives and lubricants in pump fuel. It'll eat seals and fuel lines if you run a too high ratio of the stuff - buyer beware.