SL55/63/65/R230 AMG: Boostane Octane Boost-Tried and Tested
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2012 Mercedes SLS, 2014 Mercedes SLS Black Series, 2014 E63S, 2013 S550, 2012 ML63, 2013 C250
Boostane Octane Boost-Tried and Tested
We tried the Boostane Octane Booster and have had some really incredible results. Since we are in California and suffer from horrible 91 Octane fuel, we were searching for a decent solution. Unlike most Octane boosters, the Boostane app (available on IOS and Android) helps you determine how much octane booster you need to add to your gas. Download the app for free on your smartphone to try it out.
I would recommend buying a case of octane booster and leaving it in the box in your trunk and add it to your fuel every time you fill up.
We have tested this on the dyno and it makes great power with California fuel.
We sell this by the can and the case. If you are coming to use our dyno I suggest that we throw a can in after all your power runs to see what kind of horsepower and torque you are leaving on the table by not using this stuff. Everyone that has tried it on the dyno has bought a case when they left.
If you have any questions please feel free to ask me.
If you want to purchase some and try it for yourself please feel free to stop by our shop in SoCal.
I would recommend buying a case of octane booster and leaving it in the box in your trunk and add it to your fuel every time you fill up.
We have tested this on the dyno and it makes great power with California fuel.
We sell this by the can and the case. If you are coming to use our dyno I suggest that we throw a can in after all your power runs to see what kind of horsepower and torque you are leaving on the table by not using this stuff. Everyone that has tried it on the dyno has bought a case when they left.
If you have any questions please feel free to ask me.
If you want to purchase some and try it for yourself please feel free to stop by our shop in SoCal.
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From: Central WI (BFE)
SL55, ML500 & Acura TL
Just how safe is toluene mixed in fuel? I buy it a 55 gal drum at a time for our high performance paint operation. Just wondering if I could turn a bit of it into a safe fuel additive. By the way, as far as handling of toluene in a paint operation, let's just say it is some nasty *** chit.
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2005 sl55
Just how safe is toluene mixed in fuel? I buy it a 55 gal drum at a time for our high performance paint operation. Just wondering if I could turn a bit of it into a safe fuel additive. By the way, as far as handling of toluene in a paint operation, let's just say it is some nasty *** chit.
There are countless threads to be read with just a little googling regarding toluene, and proper mixing instructions.
I've read a number of them, and toluene seems like a better alternative than MMT based octane boosters.
interesting paragraph from the toluene wikipedia page
Toluene can be used as an octane booster in gasoline fuels used in internal combustion engines. Toluene at 86% by volume fueled all the turbo Formula 1 teams in the 1980s, first pioneered by the Honda team. The remaining 14% was a "filler" of n-heptane, to reduce the octane to meet Formula 1 fuel restrictions
Also, Toluene rocks because its so cheap, and those little bottles of octane booster that claim to raise effective octane usually do it in .1 increments, like 91.0 to 91.3 octane, not 91 to 94, in a 50L tank, at least that's my understanding.
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2005 sl55
Okay, this is neat.
https://www.quora.com/Horsepower-Wha...oline-in-a-car
Dude talks about toluene specifically, and how it may be present in our gas already.
To answer your original question about it being in the fuel system, Is our fuel system safe for e85? I'd bet e85 is far more corrosive and hard on the fuel system than 10-20% toluene.
https://www.quora.com/Horsepower-Wha...oline-in-a-car
Dude talks about toluene specifically, and how it may be present in our gas already.
Toluene is one of the higher-value molecules already in use in many gasoline blends. The main benefit is that it's an octane booster that does not dilute the energy content of the gasoline like ethanol does. It's a C7 aromatic molecule, which means it contains a lot of energy and vaporizes easily, but not so easily that it's an air pollutant like lighter benzene (C6 aromatic) and butane (C4) molecules, which percolate out of unsealed gas tanks and contribute to smog.
The tricky thing about adding aromatics is that the total quantity in your fuel shouldn't exceed about 30%, which is the sum of all the benzene, toluene, and xylene put together. Many regular gasoline blends already contain significant amounts of aromatics -- up to 30%! -- so there's no simple way to tell how much more you can safely add. As it happens, the higher quality gasoline blends (which supposedly includes Shell and Chevron gas but don't quote me on that) already contain a lot of toluene and xylene. Adding toluene is more likely to improve low-octane gas than high-octane gas.
A rule of thumb floating around the internet is that you can safely add 10% toluene to your gas without causing engine issues. So that would increase your 93 octane gas to (93 * .9) + (114 * .1) = 95.1 octane.
The tricky thing about adding aromatics is that the total quantity in your fuel shouldn't exceed about 30%, which is the sum of all the benzene, toluene, and xylene put together. Many regular gasoline blends already contain significant amounts of aromatics -- up to 30%! -- so there's no simple way to tell how much more you can safely add. As it happens, the higher quality gasoline blends (which supposedly includes Shell and Chevron gas but don't quote me on that) already contain a lot of toluene and xylene. Adding toluene is more likely to improve low-octane gas than high-octane gas.
A rule of thumb floating around the internet is that you can safely add 10% toluene to your gas without causing engine issues. So that would increase your 93 octane gas to (93 * .9) + (114 * .1) = 95.1 octane.
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Joined: Feb 2009
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From: Central WI (BFE)
SL55, ML500 & Acura TL
Cool stuff, thanks. I will be looking into this more. Since I moved to the middle of nowhere Wisconsin, I can no longer get 93. I had to reflash a 91 tune. I still have access to toluene, xylene, and other solvents that could be mixed into a killer octane booster. One interesting thing about the gas up here is that I can get 0 ethanol 91 octane gas. More energy in a gallon of gas plus kicking the octane up could make for some nice fuel.
I recall reading something about how using toluene dries out the combustion or something like that. I know the hydrogen in gas combines with O2 from the air to make water. With toluene it would make less (I think). Not sure how that impacts the engine.
I recall reading something about how using toluene dries out the combustion or something like that. I know the hydrogen in gas combines with O2 from the air to make water. With toluene it would make less (I think). Not sure how that impacts the engine.
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We tried the Boostane Octane Booster and have had some really incredible results. Since we are in California and suffer from horrible 91 Octane fuel, we were searching for a decent solution. Unlike most Octane boosters, the Boostane app (available on IOS and Android) helps you determine how much octane booster you need to add to your gas. Download the app for free on your smartphone to try it out.
I would recommend buying a case of octane booster and leaving it in the box in your trunk and add it to your fuel every time you fill up.
We have tested this on the dyno and it makes great power with California fuel.
We sell this by the can and the case. If you are coming to use our dyno I suggest that we throw a can in after all your power runs to see what kind of horsepower and torque you are leaving on the table by not using this stuff. Everyone that has tried it on the dyno has bought a case when they left.
If you have any questions please feel free to ask me.
If you want to purchase some and try it for yourself please feel free to stop by our shop in SoCal.
I would recommend buying a case of octane booster and leaving it in the box in your trunk and add it to your fuel every time you fill up.
We have tested this on the dyno and it makes great power with California fuel.
We sell this by the can and the case. If you are coming to use our dyno I suggest that we throw a can in after all your power runs to see what kind of horsepower and torque you are leaving on the table by not using this stuff. Everyone that has tried it on the dyno has bought a case when they left.
If you have any questions please feel free to ask me.
If you want to purchase some and try it for yourself please feel free to stop by our shop in SoCal.
Any issues? Dyno comparisons? Im in Arizona and where Im at in Phoenix Ive read we get our fuel from CA versus Texas, so your info should be helpful.... I hope you get this...
any testing in a SL63, like a 2009 era model R230
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Im at degreed chemist I get that! Any idea what ratios to add it to get 91 octane (Arizona spec premium gas) up to 98 octane my desired target for my 2009 SL63 M156 stock engine? I can't seem to find a way to compute this or figure it out. My tank is 21 gallons so figuring for 20 gallons works. It's not convenient to get 98 octane that I know is unleaded at a pump in north Phoenix, so this toluene-addback works. Any preferred-tested product vendors known? I ask make sure no bad addtitves or byproducts are in the product. Interesting to and a C7 aromatic to increase octane... but.if it works and won't wreck my car as it's already in there, good idea then. Thx for the input!
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Why not just buy some race gas and mix it with 91 octane pump gas? You should be able to find a gas station nearby that sells unleaded 100 octane at the pump. Any racetracks nearby? They will sell race gas. Fill a couple of 5 gallon cans and keep it at home until you need it.
I wouldn’t risk your $200,000 car by putting some “additive” into it.
Do race teams use additives? No, they don’t, they use race gas.
I wouldn’t risk your $200,000 car by putting some “additive” into it.
Do race teams use additives? No, they don’t, they use race gas.
Last edited by Mikes62; May 11, 2025 at 10:06 AM.
