Torco Octane Boost

[Jack Olsen]

http://www.torco.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=163

This product claims to be different than other octane boosters. But then, since octane boosters are largely discredited, who wouldn't make that claim?

What I'd like to find is evidence that it actually does increase octane levels -- with the testing done by someone other than Torco or a Torco salesman. Does anybody here have any experience with it? Does anyone know where there's some unbiased data online?

I've heard rumors about spark plugs and catalytic converters getting a red deposit on them, and I've also heard from people who love it -- but none of them were from this board.

[onlycafe]

try toluene.

[Jack Olsen]

I'm familiar with Toluene. But it's kind of a pain to get, and it also puts you on methamphetamine watch lists, in this part of the countrty.

[Steve@Rennsport]

Toluene attacks all the elastomers (that are not Viton) in the fuel system and there is a severe long-term cost for using that stuff. I consider it suitable for emergencies only.

Unleaded race gas is really a far better solution.

[Bobboloo]

Never tried Torco but there's an Ultramax station at Woodley and Sherman Way in the Valley that sells 101 octane if that helps.

[sammyg2]

From 93 to 107 octane? uhhhh no.

About 20 years ago I worked on a team that was assigned the task of developing a racing gasoline. They were chemists, chemical engineers, you name it. The only reason a dummy like me was on the team was because I have a basic education in chemistry and at the time I had a drag boat with a supercharged hemi engine that was to used to help market the stuff and as one of the test mules. We had an entire complex refinery at our disposal (to a limit) to help make something better than the competition.
We started with 103 octane platformate (or reformate depending on the processs name) and 101 octane alkylate from a hydrofluic acid unit. We played with just about everything you can imagine, toluene, spirits, alcohols, aromatics, the only way we could get over 110 and maintain a decent PH balance was to mix in as much tetra-ethyl lead as we could keep suspended. We got to 116 octane.
If this little bottle can increase octane 14 points, it isn't octane booster, it is magic.
I wish it were that easy but it isn't. I have to call BS on this one. It may give you 1/2 a point, maybe even a full point but if it does any better than that I will be surprised.

[87 clubsport]

I have friends use the Torco to Subaru sti turbo feels very good. I also want to know is any one try it in Porsche N/A engine.
Cheers

[Paulporsche]

I thought I read somewhere that a "point" in octane terms actually means .1 of an integer, so a 14 point raise might be one from 90 to 91.4. Is this true?

[Zeke]

Is it correct to call it octane booster? As Sam points out, a lot of things happen to get more power from the same fuel. There are a few additives that have been used over the years. One is "Oil of Merbane" which smells like shoe polish. That's because one of the ingredients of old show polish was an oily solvent called OOM which is nitro benzene (not to be confused with nitro methane).

My favorite is di-nitro propane which will mix with gas whereas nitro methane won't. They are all oxygenates and provide a big hit in power. Not sure what happens to the octane rating as you add them. I can't imagine what "watchlist" you would be on if you bought nitro-propane.

OK, Sam, now tell them about cetane values as they pertain to race gas.

[charleskieffner]

used that crap for 2-stroke dirty bikes when we couldnt find race fuel or av gas back in 70's 80's.

worked ok plugs seemed to be a little cleaner considering we run all two-stoke race bikes ungodly RICH to survive dez heat.

husky 500XC has custom 550# mikuni mainjet to stay alive at WFO for miles of flat land running. on the low end very blubberly and would foul plugs w/out torco additive. always ran oil/gas ratio "heavy on the oil please" to keep from seizing at mach speed. you have to be DAMN GOOD and DAMN FAST to grab clutch before mtr locks up. ask me how i know. fell down and went boom a coupla times not getting clutch pulled in when mtr. started lunching itself being too lean.

the part about eating rubber kind of bugs me. but it sure did smell like instant horse power! and the STEECKERS WERE KOOL!

[TerryH]

There are several Unocal76 stations in LA that sell 100 unleaded. Doubt octane out of a can can reach that level.

I ran booster in my turbo car many years ago. Spark plugs were orange on the next change. They probably have improved them by now, but can't say my urge to use them has returned.

Edit: Now that I've read some reviews of this product, I'm less skeptical. Not sure what 100 unleaded is going for currently at the pump, but if the pricing was similar, I would try this stuff out of convenience. You could carry it with you and add it when you get the urge to run hard without trying to find a special gas station.

Without forced induction performance improvements are minimized with additional octane when compared to the big HP gains on a blown or turbocharged car with the additional boost.

[donstevens]

Originally posted by Jack Olsen


http://www.torco.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=163

This product claims to be different than other octane boosters. But then, since octane boosters are largely discredited, who wouldn't make that claim?

What I'd like to find is evidence that it actually does increase octane levels -- with the testing done by someone other than Torco or a Torco salesman. Does anybody here have any experience with it? Does anyone know where there's some unbiased data online?

I've heard rumors about spark plugs and catalytic converters getting a red deposit on them, and I've also heard from people who love it -- but none of them were from this board.

Jack,

Go to this report http://www.gtatech.com/news_au_articl.html and also look at the the GTA website.

I first saw this report several years ago as I was trying to confirm that the Amsoil product I was using and peddling was not just another snake oil product. At that time (about 1999) the Amsoil product proved most effective at truly raising octane. It seems in more recent years there are a couple of more products that are more effective. I used the Amsoil product with success in a high compression Alpina C2 2.7 I use to own. This car knocked on 93 octane so I used 100 octane on the track and found the Octane Boost to be effective enough on the street. The product help cure my knock at that time but I have since lost interest because I sold the car. When I saw your inquiry I went hunting for the GTA test and found it on the net.

The new number 1 product, Nulon, looks like a "down under" product only. I am sure it can be obtained in the US some way but like any other oil product, shipping charges would likely be prohibitive. By doing a quick internet surf I did not see where the HF product is distributed locally although it very well may be. The Amsoil product is available through your favorite dealer and if you don't have one, call me or visit my site at http://www.lubedealer.com/dstevens. (shameful plug )

There are several technical papers at the GTA site and the more I read the papers, the more these products make sense and not neccesarily only for an apparent octane boost. The crux of the papers are that the GTA product "Viscon" or polyisobutylene, is that it provides "a method of changing the physical properties of gasoline rather than simply adding oxygen to it as all other additives do. Introducing as little as two ounces of the polyisobutylene to a tank of gas forces slower-burning gasoline molecules to move closer to the faster-burning ones. That allows the fuel to burn more evenly at reduced temperatures. When that happens, fewer unwanted emissions are produced. The altered gasoline reportedly cannot harm engines and can be used universally — in lawn mowers and in big trucks' diesels, too." The information seems to shy away from discussions about cars with catalyatic converters except in the FAQ area where it says the products will not harm cats.

One of the things I found interesting in one of the papers was that the product also reduced the operating temperature of 4 stroke engines. This is a result of more complete fuel burn and widening the critical spark timing window. That could be signficant in our air cooled buggies and probably worth looking into.

Snake oil? Maybe. But for less than $10 it might be worth a try.

Don

[Eagledriver]

It doesn't say how it works on the web site. There are only a couple of additives that raise octane effectively. MMT is one and it does give a red residue to the exhaust and plugs. If that is what they are using and in sufficient quantity then it can be effective. It's hard to buy MMT in California as I believe it's not allowed to be sold here. I can buy it at my local military base but that's the only place besides mail order.

-Andy

[911Velocity]

Amsoil synthetic is wonderful, I have used it since 1987 in everything I own. Don't know much about their octane boost but imho use racegas or try lead if you don't have cats and can use it. Go to this website reallead.com product works out to $12/ 20 gals tank and gets you close to 100 from 93/94 start point.

Best regards,
Gerry

[cnavarro]

I have used it and I too found that the engine ran better and smoother (170hp 1883cc 912); the plugs were cleaner when running it and the carbs seemed to be less fussy about plugging up; I have a few bottles of their leaded race gas concentrate and it sure has lead - you can see it on the tail pipe and on the plugs.

It's basically very high octane race gas in a can, I used it to blend my 93 octane to about 97 with half a can and a full tank of gas. It won't however take your 20 gal of 91 and make it 104. It takes lots of cans and the stuff is not in any way cheap. Torco makes some excellent race fuels and are very popular around here I know one guy with a 3000hp blown alcohol engine that runs their fuels and is sponsored by them.