I was thinking...instead of trying to get 100 octane gas (or something like that) and paying ~$5/gallon, why not fill up your car with cheaper gas (like 87 octane) and use octane booster? They're only ~$5 a bottle (at least in Cali where I live) that can fill up 20 gallon gas tanks (but Evo is only 12)...

Just my 2c...

 

Do a search for Toluene Xylene if you want some more information.

 

retail octane boosters are bad news...read your owner's manual

if you're going to use any kind of octane booster, use pure toluene, or don't use anything at all...

just my $0.02

 

i heard they are dangerous

 

why dangerous? does it clog the fuel injector? does it leave deposits?

 

I just read some of the posts...so I guess everyone recommends xylene/toluene since u can get em at places like home depot for around 5 bucks per gal (and they have 117ish Octane Rating) but some people also posted to use marvel's mystery oil...what is that and where can i get some anyway?

 

what is that marvel mystery oil and why do we neeed it?

 

is there any negative effects of mixing xylene/toluene in the gas? also can i buy it in bulk and save it or does it go bad quick?

 

Marvel Mystery Oil isn't an octane booster. It's a lubricant which is added to the fuel and which does a pretty good job of lubricating the engine parts exposed to the combustion chamber -- the valves, rings, etc. Think of it like a few squirts of WD-40 right into the combustion chamber.

Regarding toluene/xylene -- I've run xylene in the Evo. It ran just fine. One gallon of xylene boosted a tank of 94 octane to about 96 octane. It did seem to make the engine run a little smoother at low RPMs, but I couldn't tell any difference other than that. I suspect there would be a much more pronounced difference by boosting a tank of 91 octane to about 93 octane (or higher).

 

Used in moderation, xylene/toluene will have no negative effects. Note that some gasoline sold in other countries may contain as much as 40% aromatic hydrocarbons (like xylene/toluene). That isn't done in the USA because of environmental concerns, but your car doesn't really care. It's a hydrocarbon, it burns...

Xylene/toluene should be stored in a controlled temperature range, and only in sealed metal cans -- which is how they are sold. They should have a shelf life longer than gasoline.