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What is an Octane number?It's just a rating that informs you of the fuels' ability to resist detonation or "pinging".
There are 2 standards.RON(Rated Octane number) and MON(Motor Octane Number).MON is usually preferred as a rating system since it's more real world(read:accurate).
Now,how do you get your engine to ping?options are:
Run lean.Crazy lean
Use mad ass compression
Advance your ignition timing to ludicrous levels.But why would you do any of this?
1)Running lean would get you some fuel economy and snappy performance on a cold engine.Once it get's hot,you're killing it.
2)Increasing comp loosely means increasing torque and hp by cutting the head or the cylinder to reduce combustion chamber volumes.
3)Advancing your ignition makes the engine appear peppy,while accelarating.Keep it up and run crappy fuel,you'll end up generating enough heat to blow a hole in the piston.This happens becuase the motor's burn time increases,hence you need to dump in more fuel.
Now,with a higher octane rating,the above 3 points become a little less daunting in terms of risk.Since reduced or no detonation is taking place,your motor is making more power without killing itself.
Now,most stock bikes and cars have preprogrammed ignition curves which don't let them advance beyond a certain point,otherwise they would suddenly blow cranks and gearboxes while attempting to run in reverse.
So?You can up your compression to get that extra few hp.Below is an article i read on a forum quite some time ago.This tells you how you can increase your octane points to help you get all the power you can squeeze out of a motor without resorting to NOS or nitro.
Homebrew Gasoline Octane Boosters
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Editor's note: I would NOT suggest that a person use the following fuel
mixtures without considering the detrimental effects on your engine,
vital engine components (O2 sensor, etc), and other potential damage.
That said, the information is interesting.
Original published in:
GS-Xtra
1213 Gornto Road
Valdosta, GA 31602
(912) 244-0577
Editor: Richard Lasetter, president Gran Sport Club of America (GSCA)
Formula #1 - Toluene
R+M/2.........114
Cost...........$2.50/gal
Mixtures with 92 Octane Premium
10%...........94.2 Octane
20%...........96.4 Octane
30%...........98.6 Octane
Notes: Common ingredient in Octane Boosters in a can. 12-16 ounces will
only raise octane 2-3 *points*, i.e. from 92 to 92.3. Often costs $3-5
for 12-16 ounces, when it can be purchased for less than $3/gal at
chemical supply houses or paint stores.
Formula #2 - Xylene
R+M/2.........117
Cost...........$2.75/gal
Mixtures with 92 Octane Premium
10%...........94.5 Octane
20%...........97.0 Octane
30%...........99.5 Octane
Notes: Similar to Toluene. 12-16 ounces will only raise octane 2-3
*points*, i.e. from 92 to 92.3. Usually mixed with Toluene and
advertised as *race formula*.
Formula #3 - Methyl-tertiary-butyl-ether (MTBE)
R+M/2.........118
Cost...........$3.50/gal
Mixtures with 92 Octane Premium
10%...........94.6 Octane
20%...........97.2 Octane
30%...........99.8 Octane
Notes: Oxygenate. Very common in octane booster products. Has lower BTU
content than toluene or xylene, but oxygenate effect makes the gasoline
burn better and produce more energy.
Formula #4 - Methanol or Ethanol
R+M/2.........101
Cost...........$0.60 - $1.75/gal
Mixtures with 92 Octane Premium
10%...........94.3 Octane (Methanol)
10%...........94.7 Octane (Ethanol)
20%...........Not Recommended
Notes: Methanol is wood alcohol. Ethanol is grain alcohol and found in
Gasohol in 10% ratios. Both alcohols are mildly corrosive and will eat
gas tank linings, rubber and aluminum if used in excessive ratios. Main
ingredient in "Gas Dryers", combine with water.
Formula #5 - Isopropyl Alcohol and Tertiary Butyl Alcohol
R+M/2.........101
Cost...........$0.60-$1.50/gal
Mixtures with 92 Octane Premium
10%...........94.5 Octane
20%...........Not Recommended
30%...........Not Recommended
Notes: Similar to Methanol/Ethanol. Isopropyl Alcohol is simply rubbing alcohol.
Sample Mixture
To make your own octane booster, it is easiest to make up a large batch, and then bottle it up in "dosage-size" uses.
Below is the basic formula of one of the popular octane booster products. To make eight 16 ounce bottles (128 oz = 1 gal):
100 oz of toluene for octane boost
25 oz of mineral spirits (cleaning agent)
3 oz of transmission fluid (lubricating agent)
This product is advertised as "octane booster with cleaning agent *and*
lubricating agent!". Diesel fuel or kerosene can be substituted for
mineral spirits and light turbine oil can be substituted for
transmission fluid. Color can be added with petroleum dyes.
I've tried pink toluene crystals in speed 91 and the bike seemed to like it.I've run MTBE with a little over 180 psi on an RX100 with a dynamic timing cdi locked into full advance.The results were pretty impressive and somewhat demoralizing for the guy on the Karizma who was left tailing me.
For those if you who can't relate to this,watch the world's fastest indian and when you get to te part where he drops his heart attack pills into tha tank,you'll understand.Back in the day,TNT was actually used to prevent/monitor angina.TNT is Tri nitro toluene.
Hope this little post helps someone out there to go a little faster.
There are 2 standards.RON(Rated Octane number) and MON(Motor Octane Number).MON is usually preferred as a rating system since it's more real world(read:accurate).
Now,how do you get your engine to ping?options are:
Run lean.Crazy lean
Use mad ass compression
Advance your ignition timing to ludicrous levels.But why would you do any of this?
1)Running lean would get you some fuel economy and snappy performance on a cold engine.Once it get's hot,you're killing it.
2)Increasing comp loosely means increasing torque and hp by cutting the head or the cylinder to reduce combustion chamber volumes.
3)Advancing your ignition makes the engine appear peppy,while accelarating.Keep it up and run crappy fuel,you'll end up generating enough heat to blow a hole in the piston.This happens becuase the motor's burn time increases,hence you need to dump in more fuel.
Now,with a higher octane rating,the above 3 points become a little less daunting in terms of risk.Since reduced or no detonation is taking place,your motor is making more power without killing itself.
Now,most stock bikes and cars have preprogrammed ignition curves which don't let them advance beyond a certain point,otherwise they would suddenly blow cranks and gearboxes while attempting to run in reverse.
So?You can up your compression to get that extra few hp.Below is an article i read on a forum quite some time ago.This tells you how you can increase your octane points to help you get all the power you can squeeze out of a motor without resorting to NOS or nitro.
Homebrew Gasoline Octane Boosters
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Editor's note: I would NOT suggest that a person use the following fuel
mixtures without considering the detrimental effects on your engine,
vital engine components (O2 sensor, etc), and other potential damage.
That said, the information is interesting.
Original published in:
GS-Xtra
1213 Gornto Road
Valdosta, GA 31602
(912) 244-0577
Editor: Richard Lasetter, president Gran Sport Club of America (GSCA)
Formula #1 - Toluene
R+M/2.........114
Cost...........$2.50/gal
Mixtures with 92 Octane Premium
10%...........94.2 Octane
20%...........96.4 Octane
30%...........98.6 Octane
Notes: Common ingredient in Octane Boosters in a can. 12-16 ounces will
only raise octane 2-3 *points*, i.e. from 92 to 92.3. Often costs $3-5
for 12-16 ounces, when it can be purchased for less than $3/gal at
chemical supply houses or paint stores.
Formula #2 - Xylene
R+M/2.........117
Cost...........$2.75/gal
Mixtures with 92 Octane Premium
10%...........94.5 Octane
20%...........97.0 Octane
30%...........99.5 Octane
Notes: Similar to Toluene. 12-16 ounces will only raise octane 2-3
*points*, i.e. from 92 to 92.3. Usually mixed with Toluene and
advertised as *race formula*.
Formula #3 - Methyl-tertiary-butyl-ether (MTBE)
R+M/2.........118
Cost...........$3.50/gal
Mixtures with 92 Octane Premium
10%...........94.6 Octane
20%...........97.2 Octane
30%...........99.8 Octane
Notes: Oxygenate. Very common in octane booster products. Has lower BTU
content than toluene or xylene, but oxygenate effect makes the gasoline
burn better and produce more energy.
Formula #4 - Methanol or Ethanol
R+M/2.........101
Cost...........$0.60 - $1.75/gal
Mixtures with 92 Octane Premium
10%...........94.3 Octane (Methanol)
10%...........94.7 Octane (Ethanol)
20%...........Not Recommended
Notes: Methanol is wood alcohol. Ethanol is grain alcohol and found in
Gasohol in 10% ratios. Both alcohols are mildly corrosive and will eat
gas tank linings, rubber and aluminum if used in excessive ratios. Main
ingredient in "Gas Dryers", combine with water.
Formula #5 - Isopropyl Alcohol and Tertiary Butyl Alcohol
R+M/2.........101
Cost...........$0.60-$1.50/gal
Mixtures with 92 Octane Premium
10%...........94.5 Octane
20%...........Not Recommended
30%...........Not Recommended
Notes: Similar to Methanol/Ethanol. Isopropyl Alcohol is simply rubbing alcohol.
Sample Mixture
To make your own octane booster, it is easiest to make up a large batch, and then bottle it up in "dosage-size" uses.
Below is the basic formula of one of the popular octane booster products. To make eight 16 ounce bottles (128 oz = 1 gal):
100 oz of toluene for octane boost
25 oz of mineral spirits (cleaning agent)
3 oz of transmission fluid (lubricating agent)
This product is advertised as "octane booster with cleaning agent *and*
lubricating agent!". Diesel fuel or kerosene can be substituted for
mineral spirits and light turbine oil can be substituted for
transmission fluid. Color can be added with petroleum dyes.
I've tried pink toluene crystals in speed 91 and the bike seemed to like it.I've run MTBE with a little over 180 psi on an RX100 with a dynamic timing cdi locked into full advance.The results were pretty impressive and somewhat demoralizing for the guy on the Karizma who was left tailing me.
For those if you who can't relate to this,watch the world's fastest indian and when you get to te part where he drops his heart attack pills into tha tank,you'll understand.Back in the day,TNT was actually used to prevent/monitor angina.TNT is Tri nitro toluene.
Hope this little post helps someone out there to go a little faster.
thats quite informative.
