Should I use Octane Booster?

[Bang876]

I am only able to get 92 Octane gas on post in WA and my car is tune for 93 and to compensate I have been using octane booster. What brand do you guys recommend for prolong use or should I just save up some cash and get a retune for the lower octane fuel? Or is 1 octane lower really not much of a difference and I should be fine? Thank You

 

[Td_d]

I've used NF before with great success - it's just rather expensive over time. A cheaper, but less convenient option is to use Toluene. 5l to every 40l or so will bump you up that point - but your trims might go walkies, give the different stoichometric point of Toluene (and other hydrocarbons).

 

[Bang876]

I've used NF before with great success - it's just rather expensive over time. A cheaper, but less convenient option is to use Toluene. 5l to every 40l or so will bump you up that point - but your trims might go walkies, give the different stoichometric point of Toluene (and other hydrocarbons).

Thanks man but to be honest I did not understand a single thing you said lol. I talked to Pacific Import Autos In Tacoma,WA for a retune next week so that will be my route. I rather do it right and get this car tune for the new climate and fuel.

 

[Grinder34]

I'd rather retune and not have to worry about it again.

 

[Spamby]

Most octane boosters only raise the octane by points and not numbers. I.E. pour in a bottle of STP to a tank of 92 and you may only get to 92.3.
I read a study about different octane boosters and their abilities to raise the RON and it gave a pretty good list of what worked and what didn't and to what degree each did. I'll try to find it for you. But basically most was not impressive nor effective enough to raise your petrol by actual RON numbers... not points

I looked at toluene, xylene, etc really hard but it is not cost effective anymore. Especially what they charge in small quantities to the average consumer. If it were to cost you 50 dollars in petrol and then you added 2 or 3 gallons of toluene, you may end up paying 70 or 80 dollars per tank.
Plus if you live in a state, such as mine, that is a heavy methamphetamine making dump, big brother would be watching you. Also, a lot of distributors will not sell to you unless you have a bonafied business that would need those chemicals. Plus the cost and having to keep 55 gallon drums kinda would stink.

I tried Torco Accelerator for about a year and it was some good stuff but again, cost can be prohibitive and the logistics of having it/ordering it kinda sucked. Basically I used 16oz per tank and typically bought it in 32 oz six packs or 6 quarts per case for about $120 per case. This resulted in 10 dollars per tank, extra. A 5 gallon drum was about 220 shipped and resulted in a yield of 20 quarts. Cost was about 11 dollars per quart and roughly 5.50 per tank. At said ratio of 16oz per tank.
At those ratios I was probably raising a tank of 91 to about 93.
A 5 gallon drum would have lasted me about 20 months.

I got tired of the ordering and mixing and just tuned for corn. lol

Meth/water/alky might your best option. Get a good kit with fail safes. I have even seen guys use window washer fluid. The good winter kind has something like 30 ish percent methanol.

 

[Td_d]

Thanks man but to be honest I did not understand a single thing you said lol. I talked to Pacific Import Autos In Tacoma,WA for a retune next week so that will be my route. I rather do it right and get this car tune for the new climate and fuel.

Chuckle, no worries! The only two boosters that really work - i.e. as Spamby said, raise by points, not fractions, are NF and Torco. They use a substance called MMT, which the gas companies already use to a degree in fuels.

Big problem - cost.

Bottom line, if you have access to E85 - a) you lucky sod; b) use it!
If you don't, go meth kit
If you're not comfortable with that, tweak the tune to reduce timing by a small margin to accomodate the worse fuel.

Having run Toluene (and yes, I bought in huge drums), and mixed - it's a real pain the in ass. Works well, but a real irritation.

 

[Stiyle11sedan]

If you are going to go ahead and get a re-tune I would look into finding Tim Bailey, he is one of the most reputable tuners in the PNW and know his shyt!! He can tune your car absolutely anyway it needs to be done. He is up there I believe at least once a month or so...check with PIA as he goes there to do most of his tuning. Great guy and cannot say enough good things about his tuning abilities!!