Octane Booster

[DreamTFK]

Ran a search but didn't get any results. Do any of you use an octane booster? If so which ones do you prefer?

[Kondax]

Boostane.

[DreamTFK]

I usually run a half tank of gas to keep weight down. Would that be half a bottle of Boostane?

[Kondax]

I usually run a half tank of gas to keep weight down. Would that be half a bottle of Boostane?

Honestly, that sounds silly if you ask me, unless you're talking about recorded runs specifically and not general day-to-day driving - in which case good idea.

How much Boostane you decide to use depends on what octane rating you want to achieve. I run 99 RON and use about ~250ml of Boostane professional. I'm not trying to hit a specific target, it's just to prevent timing pull as I usually run quite an aggressive map.

[DreamTFK]

Honestly, that sounds silly if you ask me, unless you're talking about recorded runs specifically and not general day-to-day driving - in which case good idea.

How much Boostane you decide to use depends on what octane rating you want to achieve. I run 99 RON and use about ~250ml of Boostane professional. I'm not trying to hit a specific target, it's just to prevent timing pull as I usually run quite an aggressive map.

By my calculations a half tank is about 60lb less weight. Also it's been studied that less weight leads to better mileage.

Unless there is something I am missing I am not sure why it is silly. I will probably give the Boostane a try.

[Chris@EPL]

Most octane boosters do not work and actually coat the plugs and sensors in a film that will cause them to be replaced more often. 3-4 gals of E85 would be much easier, cheaper and safer than octane boosters.

[DreamTFK]

Most octane boosters do not work and actually coat the plugs and sensors in a film that will cause them to be replaced more often. 3-4 gals of E85 would be much easier, cheaper and safer than octane boosters.

Would love to put E85 in my tank but I don't have access to it so I was looking at other options.

[Kondax]

By my calculations a half tank is about 60lb less weight. Also it's been studied that less weight leads to better mileage.

Unless there is something I am missing I am not sure why it is silly. I will probably give the Boostane a try.

According to this site, half a tank is roughly ~20kg, so 44lb: https://www.aqua-calc.com/calculate/volume-to-weight

I think if you're worried about that much weight and your mpg, you probably shouldn't have picked this car. Assuming you're daily driving the vehicle and not just using it as a weekend car, I really do not see the point. If you are just using it as a weekend car then I take it back.

Also, the cost for boosane / other reputable octane boosters that aren't just placebos will far outweigh any savings you're getting by gaining 0.1 mpg.

[DreamTFK]

According to this site, half a tank is roughly ~20kg, so 44lb: https://www.aqua-calc.com/calculate/volume-to-weight

I think if you're worried about that much weight and your mpg, you probably shouldn't have picked this car. Assuming you're daily driving the vehicle and not just using it as a weekend car, I really do not see the point. If you are just using it as a weekend car then I take it back.

Also, the cost for boosane / other reputable octane boosters that aren't just placebos will far outweigh any savings you're getting by gaining 0.1 mpg.

Using US measurements...

1 gallon = 8.34 lb. The 2018 Audi S4 hold 15.7 gallons which is 130.9lb so 131/2 = 65.5

Judging by your responses it doesn't seem there is a negative to doing it right? Outside of one extra trip to the station a month.

If it just a difference of opinion then I don't really care. Also, I never said I am "worried". Those are your words not mine.

[Kondax]

Using US measurements...

1 gallon = 8.34 lb. The 2018 Audi S4 hold 15.7 gallons which is 130.9lb so 131/2 = 65.5

Judging by your responses it doesn't seem there is a negative to doing it right? Outside of one extra trip to the station a month.

If it just a difference of opinion then I don't really care. Also, I never said I am "worried". Those are your words not mine.

Of course not, I just think it's an odd thing to do. You'll end up using more fuel driving back and forth to the station lol.

[DreamTFK]

The station is one mile away and often I just stop when I am driving by it on my way home. No sweat for me in exchange for 65lb less weight and better mpg.

[mtwallace85]

You don’t really need much if you’re just trying to prevent pulling timing. Finding the sweet spot will involve doing some logging, though. But for an example, to bring 7 gallons of 91 octane up to 95 octane, it only takes 1.92oz of Boostane.

[Chris@EPL]

Would love to put E85 in my tank but I don't have access to it so I was looking at other options.

It is pretty much all over FL and going and filling up a couple 5 gal jugs can go a long way. Or just buying a 5 gal pail of E85 form Sunoco or VP is still only $10/gal or less.

[DreamTFK]

Never really thought about stockpiling it. $10/gal seems pretty expensive though, I thought E85 was cheaper than 91 or 93?

[Chris@EPL]

Never really thought about stockpiling it. $10/gal seems pretty expensive though, I thought E85 was cheaper than 91 or 93?

At the pump it is, but if you have to buy pails of it from a Sunoco Race Fuels or VP it does cost more. You can check

https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/ethanol_locations.html#/find/nearest?fuel=E85

and

https://e85prices.com/e85map

[BrockDM]

Never really thought about stockpiling it. $10/gal seems pretty expensive though, I thought E85 was cheaper than 91 or 93?

It's also much higher quality when you buy barrels of it. You don't get nearly as low percentages that you can at the pump, hence the higher price.

[Dais0948]

It's also much higher quality when you buy barrels of it. You don't get nearly as low percentages that you can at the pump, hence the higher price.

Ya C85 is guaranteed 85% or higher E content. I have not tried that one yet but I have blended Sunoco GT 260 100 octane to see if I could get a boost. Didn't do much unfortunately [headbang]

[HurrayFive]

Using US measurements...

1 gallon = 8.34 lb. The 2018 Audi S4 hold 15.7 gallons which is 130.9lb so 131/2 = 65.5

Judging by your responses it doesn't seem there is a negative to doing it right? Outside of one extra trip to the station a month.

If it just a difference of opinion then I don't really care. Also, I never said I am "worried". Those are your words not mine.

1 gallon of water equals 8.34lbs, 1 gallon of gasoline is generally agreed to be about 6lbs (https://www.heatwhiz.com/gallon-of-gas-weight/), so you're only saving around ~50lbs of sprung weight, but it's your car so do whatever you want.

As far as octane boosters, the latest and greatest formula's using MMT do work, the old school folks will say that they don't because the crap you can buy off the shelf at the gas station usually contain ferrocene or aromatic alcohols that don't do much at all, but there's now independent test after independent test showing MMT octane boosters (Lucas Oil, Boostane, etc) do work:

https://www.fuelexpert.co.za/dooctaneboosterswork.php

https://www.enginelabs.com/engine-tech/dyno-testing/the-big-fuel-test-boostane-adds-24-rwhp/

https://tougetuning.com/do-octane-boosters-really-work-dyno-proven-results/

I ran Lucas Oil racing formula octane booster in my SQ5 off and on for about 6 months to run my JB4 on map 4 w/ zero issue. I could only run map 2 in warm weather on 92 pump and even then was seeing timing correction and adaptation, half a bottle of octane booster per 10 gals of 92 gas totally removed the timing adaptation all the way up to map 4 (difference of +3PSI and +6PSI between map 2 and 4). I only ever ran 1 tank w/ booster to 1 tank w/o booster, because MMT does coat your plugs and cat in manganese, and so if you use it regularly you'll have to replace your plugs (and possibly O2 sensors) more often, but that's about it. I've run it off and on (mostly for track days) w/ half a dozen direct injected high-output turbo engines over the last decade and never had a major mechanical failure or problem. It's a bigger problem for standard fuel injection vehicles because the MMT can clog the injections over time, direct injectors are exposed to such high temperatures and pressures that it doesn't seem to be an issue.

As mentioned, E85 is definitely better w/ most modern vehicle's fuel systems already built to accommodate it (that wasn't always the case, even a few years ago), but every running a tank w/ booster every now and then (for track days and such) will not break the car, just be prepared to replace plugs more frequently if you run it long term.

[Valentino S5]

1 gallon of water equals 8.34lbs, 1 gallon of gasoline is generally agreed to be about 6lbs (https://www.heatwhiz.com/gallon-of-gas-weight/), so you're only saving around ~50lbs of sprung weight, but it's your car so do whatever you want.

As far as octane boosters, the latest and greatest formula's using MMT do work, the old school folks will say that they don't because the crap you can buy off the shelf at the gas station usually contain ferrocene or aromatic alcohols that don't do much at all, but there's now independent test after independent test showing MMT octane boosters (Lucas Oil, Boostane, etc) do work:

https://www.fuelexpert.co.za/dooctaneboosterswork.php

https://www.enginelabs.com/engine-tech/dyno-testing/the-big-fuel-test-boostane-adds-24-rwhp/

https://tougetuning.com/do-octane-boosters-really-work-dyno-proven-results/

I ran Lucas Oil racing formula octane booster in my SQ5 off and on for about 6 months to run my JB4 on map 4 w/ zero issue. I could only run map 2 in warm weather on 92 pump and even then was seeing timing correction and adaptation, half a bottle of octane booster per 10 gals of 92 gas totally removed the timing adaptation all the way up to map 4 (difference of +3PSI and +6PSI between map 2 and 4). I only ever ran 1 tank w/ booster to 1 tank w/o booster, because MMT does coat your plugs and cat in manganese, and so if you use it regularly you'll have to replace your plugs (and possibly O2 sensors) more often, but that's about it. I've run it off and on (mostly for track days) w/ half a dozen direct injected high-output turbo engines over the last decade and never had a major mechanical failure or problem. It's a bigger problem for standard fuel injection vehicles because the MMT can clog the injections over time, direct injectors are exposed to such high temperatures and pressures that it doesn't seem to be an issue.

As mentioned, E85 is definitely better w/ most modern vehicle's fuel systems already built to accommodate it (that wasn't always the case, even a few years ago), but every running a tank w/ booster every now and then (for track days and such) will not break the car, just be prepared to replace plugs more frequently if you run it long term.

Do you think adding some Boostane Professional to the E85 mix with 92 AKI Gas may benefit to somehow “stabilize” the Ethanol? I’ve read somewhere that it might be helpful, but dunno 🤷🏻

[Dais0948]

Do you think adding some Boostane Professional to the E85 mix with 92 AKI Gas may benefit to somehow “stabilize” the Ethanol? I’ve read somewhere that it might be helpful, but dunno 🤷🏻

I was doing it but in speaking with people its not necessary on our cars

[HurrayFive]

Do you think adding some Boostane Professional to the E85 mix with 92 AKI Gas may benefit to somehow “stabilize” the Ethanol? I’ve read somewhere that it might be helpful, but dunno 🤷🏻

If you have regular, easy access to E85 I would not run octane booster at all on this platform. With an aftermarket tune that raises rail pressure and IDC (or the JB4 that can effectively request more rail pressure than stock), we haven't found a weak spot in the fuel system yet (like fuel injector o-rings, or low-speed LPFP starvation, common failure points w/ high E blends) that are different between ROW full ethanol vehicles and US/euro spec gasoline vehicles, being able to run such high E content w/ just a software flash is a huge benefit on this platform, and long-term the ethanol is better for the car than any octane booster w/ MMT if the fuel system can support it.

[Valentino S5]

I was doing it but in speaking with people its not necessary on our cars

Great thanks !

- - - Updated - - -


If you have regular, easy access to E85 I would not run octane booster at all on this platform. With an aftermarket tune that raises rail pressure and IDC (or the JB4 that can effectively request more rail pressure than stock), we haven't found a weak spot in the fuel system yet (like fuel injector o-rings, or low-speed LPFP starvation, common failure points w/ high E blends) that are different between ROW full ethanol vehicles and US/euro spec gasoline vehicles, being able to run such high E content w/ just a software flash is a huge benefit on this platform, and long-term the ethanol is better for the car than any octane booster w/ MMT if the fuel system can support it.

I appreciate your explanation, thanks!