Been busy lately but i decided to pull an old trick out of the bag from my early racing days.
I always used to run lots of toulene in my M3 b/c it was specifically tuned for 93 octane and it was at high altitude and the only gas they have here in AZ is 91 octane (higher altitude requires less octane but still it sucks).
So anyways you can buy a 1 gallon can from Sherman Williams (yes the paint store) for about $12-15 a gallon, although it used to be cheaper. If you can an account with them and buy the 5 gallon jug you can really get it for alot cheaper but still not a bad deal for what it is. Basically Toulene is 114 octane race gas (Xylene also a common one is 117octane). Becauase it is commonly used by refineries already and is already put in the gas we use everyday its completely safe up to 30-40% concentrations in normal street engines (althought I have used it in concentrations as high as 50% for short periods of time and car ran great). Because its so strong you can add just one gallon to a half tank and it will significantly increase your overall octane in the gas (like 1 gallon toulene and 7 gallons of 91 (or 93 octane) will take you from 91 to 94 octane and from 93 to 96 octane so you can see it doesn't take much to get results.
What does it do? .... good questions. Toulene is a TRUE octane booster (not that garbage over the counter gimic stuff). Infact F1 cars basically run on 90% toulene and 10% filler (by regulation). It is also and anti-knock agent so it prevents knock (its best quality). This ensures the ECU is never pulling timing and is allowing the car to run at its maximum potential. Because of inequalities in gas quality as it comes from the pump, its hard to tell exactly whats coming out of the pump so this ensures the car is running at a full 100% (instead of around 95-97% which is what most of our cars are running at 95% of the time). It is also 100% safe for catalytic converters and contains no lead or anything like that.
Although i don't recommend it on a every tank basis (unless you are mister filthy money bags) It is a great additive to use when you plan on going to the track or to the dyno to ensure the car is running at its maximum potential. The most difference it will probably make is 3-5wheel HP AT BEST but still its not so much the max HP it gives you as it is the smoothness of the power delivery. its almost electric car type smoothness, theres no roughness about the acceleration and it just feels like the engine isn't having to work nearly as hard.
I put in 1 gallon in a little less than 1/4 tank then filled up to about 3/8ths to 1/2 tank, then took her out for a spin. it takes about 5 min for the old gas to get out of the system and the new toulene to start to take effect but you can feel the difference once it does. its best to add it first then fill up with gas that way it properly mixes, though you can add it and just let it sit over night and by morning it will have mixed completely. Car feels increadibly smooth now and i wouldn't be suprised if my car especially showed results on a dyno (b/c of my crazy A/F ratios). Also traction in 1st gear no matter what is pretty much non existent now in this super cold weater (TC on or "off" it will always kick in as the car spins to about 5500 then regains just before redline as torque starts to fall off) haha.
Again this is just a nice tip for those of you wanting to get that last few % out of your car at the track or on the dyno.
** make sure to wear the proper protective gear when filling up with toulene, chemical gloves are availible at sherman williams as well and just get a large sized funnel at any autoparts store**
i used to do this too for my suburban...high octane gas only for the supercharged application... but then i got tired of making the damn combo everytime i filled up.
Aj
not necessarily true, for NA it works well too the result is just not as drastic as it is on FI. I used it all the time works wonders especially car isn't running as good as it good as it should (potentially pinging & knocking).
Linear Mode
