Race gas vs toulene

[scott90gsx420]

Ok so i am curious about the use of toulene. I've been reading up as much as i can on it for a few days and it seems like a good idea.. Just that none of the people that tried it posted back on how well it worked or if it hurt anything and if they did they weren't very clear with there results..

I know race gas is the best thing to run, but im on a limited budget and cant afford it. I know my injectors are pretty much at there limit and i don't have a logger and no way to monitor knock.. Its getting warmer hear and i don't want to detonate my motor apart while saving for a better tuning system.

So my question is does this stuff actually work like ive read in other threads on hear. And more importantly will it hurt ANYTHING on the car. Im ocd about my car and its my dd do i cant risk blowing it up. I no this is been brought up a lot before i just cant get a clear answer.. Ive done mad research on it over this forum and dsmtalk its just still not very clear in whether its a good idea or not.

And not to be rude but DO NOT REPLY IF YOU HAVEN'T ACTUALLY USED THIS OR ARE NOT A WISEMAN.. I have to much time/money/heart into this car for some noob to come tell me it works and they have only read one thread on it or heard there buddy say it works..
Thanks guys for any help and again im not trying to be rude i just know how things go around the forums.. Lots of hear say.

 

[brian9397gsx]

I've used this with great success on my old 2g. I had evo 560's 190lph pump running ecu flash on a evo 3 turbo. I was always getting bad knock around 17psi, so I did the 20% toluene mix with 91.

I immediately noticed alot more timing no knock and raised my boost to 20psi. It was a night and day difference. I will be running it again on my 1g.

I personally ran it 20% for over a year with out any problems, Im not condoning its use but it works great.

 

[bmoha7321]

Quite a bit in fact. I started some other threads about it on my other tuners screen name bmoha2.
It's sneaky. I was actually using it to help bandaid some tuning issues. Point blank; I fixed my tuning issues and haven't used Tolulene since. I was fighting with quite a few small boost leaks.
It's kinda fun. Higher octane is subtle but surprising. Your exhaust smells terrible. I was able to run more boost with less knock. That's a no brainer.
About the same time I started running toluene and xylene depending on what was available I started having problems with the brake booster one way check valve. I can't say conclusively but I think the wimpy stock check valve can be affected by vapors of toluene etc. I replaced the check valve with a much higher quality copper one way check valve and never had problems again. Other than that I had no problems at all running tolulene.

 

[92EagleAWD]

I have also used it! I have a B16g with a stock sidemount @10 psi, on warmer day i see alot of knock and it kills my power pretty bad. I put about 1/2 gal of toulene in with a half tank of gas and it completely killed my knock! If it were cheaper i would buy it all the time, but as it sists it costs like $7-8 for a gallon, so not very cost effective. You can use it by itself, but you have to add an upper cylinder lubricant or it will dry out rubber seals. Marvel Mystery Oil works great if you add as directed on the bottle! By itself the toulene is 118 octane.

 

[SHEARER_TSI]

why not run E98, might cost more up front ( proper fuel setup etc) but it will be much cheaper in the long run.

 

[scott90gsx420]

Ok thanks guys that seals the deal im going to try this stuff.. Ive been reading a lot about it i was just erally skeptical about it.. Il try a small amount and see how it does and then go from there.. And my buddy works at sherwin-williams so i can get his discount for it. Ive got all stainless steel lines to so it shouldn't eat anything but il add MMO just incase..

bmoha7321 what do you mean the exhaust smells terrible?? Like it will kill the honda guy behind me after i punch it in front of him??

And i cant definitively say whether or not ive got knock or tuning issues.. Im assuming i do at least a bit and so this is kinda just a safety measure. I run 22psi and my pulls feel great untill about 4th then it kinda slows down on me and i think its the ecu pulling timing. I haven't really been getting on it a lot because of this and all the nice cars are coming out now cause its summer and i really wanna put a hurting on more vettes

Anyone else got experience with this stuff before i pick some up tomorrow?? like any bad experiences i have yet to see any through hear and all the other threads ive read but ya just in case.


SHEARER-TSI i will be switching to e-85 as i have a e-85 station two blocks away from my house so getting it isn't the issue. Im just limited on my injector size right now and even if i had bigger injectors i have a SAFC2 so i cant put them in..
So im saving for dsmlink and some 1200's at the smallest . My ecu is a factory eprom so i can have someone locally throw the link chip on and jake montgomery(evil eagle talon. His talon is legend im sure you guys know who he is if not youtube evil eagle.. Hes now got a 9 second evo and the talon is retired.) lives a couple miles away so il just have him tune it for me

 

[hairybeanbag]

Toluene is to expensive to use these days, I'm even a Painting contractor and spend a ton of cash with Sherwin Williams over the last 13 years. For the little bit of octane you get from adding Toluene to 91 octane Pump, I'm back to buying AV gas from the Airport. Having 100 octane with a little lead is way better IMO then the performance I've seen from running 91 with Toluene.

I've also had pretty good luck with blending 25 gallons of AV gas with 25 gallons of 91, then top all that off in a 55 gallon drum with 5 gallons of Toluene. That's my recipe for homemade race gas Good luck!

 

[bmoha7321]

Uh just stinky like methanol is stinky. Guys I used to cruise with used to complain about the fumes. But of course they were behind me... : )

 

[scott90gsx420]

Uh just stinky like methanol is stinky. Guys I used to cruise with used to complain about the fumes. But of course they were behind me... : )

oh i see.. YA i don't cruise often im setting up a dsm meet hear locally that will be my first one with my gsx.. But fumes don't bother me hahaha itll be a good way to keep cars from riding my ass.
And hairybeanbag i would use that but i cant afford oxegen sensors all the time . Not to mention if your going to buy that or race gas the best way to do it is bulk and i don't have a truck so whatever i get has to be able to go into a 5gallon gas can or right into the car.. And i use 93 only a will not go to other gas station around hear as there is only 1 line who runs 93.. Ive had to resort to 92 a few times but thats a oh shit i forgot to get gas type thing..

 

[SHEARER_TSI]

If you are going link go bigger than 1200's.

 

[scott90gsx420]

ya i probably would thats the smallest id go seeming my friend has a set just laying around.. I probably won't be ready for that though till next year after my nest winter build hopefully by winter il have a truck or at least another car for a DD and i can garage the gsx and build away again ..Im hoping to have link in a month or too though so i can at least get a better tune and not have to bandaid it with the toulene for safety..