Best fuel saving act of desperation?

[brandon7219]

I was reading in the Jan 09 car and driver, that guy supposedly refines his gasoline to about 107 octane rating and serveral mpg boost as well as power. i was wondering if anyone had tried this.

Re-typed from Jan 09 Car and Driver (Writer: Bill Romerhaus)

1. Get a sturdy, thick, clear-plastic quart bottle, thicker than a water bottle, with a screw on cap.

2. Add napthalene mothballs (must be napthalene only, not a para-dichlorobenzene!) to fill the bottle to the top of the neck.

3. Add one eight ounce bottle of fuel-system cleaner, (Such as fuel-injector or carb cleaner, or the sort of cheap gas additives you can find at wal-mart for $1 a bottle).

4. Add eight ounces of liquid WD-40 (Hardware stores sell it in gallon cans for $12 to $15; thats about $1 per treatment.)

5. Let it sit for a few days

6. Add one bottle of the mix to your tank with a funnel and small sscreen filter each time you fill up. It will only work with 92 octane fuel (Never tried regular fuel), Use it every time you fill up

I would say go read the article in its entirety but when i come home from work today i may just post the whole article. Basically the guy say it boosts his octane to about 107, he gets 10-20% better mpg and about 10% more power. (But he also states that he is using it on a 4-cylinder honda crv.

[_b.jaye_]

Naphthalene is whats in mothballs & can be used to boost the rating of low octane fuel (waste of time with anything youd find in a gas station today)

Naphtha is used to make high octane fuels (and not found in mothballs or WD-40, im pretty sure)

edit: i stand corrected about the WD 40... "The German version of the mandatory EU safety sheet lists the following safety relevant ingredients:60-80%: Heavy Naphtha (petroleum product), hydrogen treated" - WD40 wiki

still, im sceptical enough to let you test it first lol
Modified by _b.jaye_ at 11:39 AM 12/3/2008

[R350Zz33]

or buy octane booster if it really did what it did then i was running 100 octane for about 3 months

[ldstang50]

there was a guy i raced with in okinawa japan. had a nissan pulsar gti-r. he said he mixed high octane with moth balls and marvels mystery oil for higher octane. must have worked cause he was balls fast!

[Retired Chief]

You can buy 105 Octane boost off the shelf at your local auto parts store. This seems a little risky to me. In my opinion, it’s not worth using my car as a chemistry experiment for 2 extra octane.

[R350Zz33]

xtra 2 highest we have in ny is 93 u have 103?

[brandon7219]

Yeah we gots 91 as our highest here

[marlin29311]

or buy octane booster if it really did what it did then i was running 100 octane for about 3 months

100 octane eh? You realize at best a bottle of octane booster only raises the AKI of your fuel about 1 point right? Were you putting in 7 bottles of octane booster everytime you filled up? I sure hope you weren't - that crap destroys your engine, and even your car manual says not to add anything to your fuel.

There is no need for octane booster if you are buing premium gas and driving around town. Hell there is never any need.

[BusyBadger]

or buy octane booster if it really did what it did then i was running 100 octane for about 3 months

Given your lack of ability with spelling, capitalization, punctuation and general usage of the English language I find it highly unlikely that your math skills are remotely advanced enough to calculate the octane value of the fuel in your tank.

Counting to 21 while fully clothed probably gives you a migraine.

Anyway, back on topic...

The only reason to run a fuel with a high octane level is to reduce the chance of detonation. Most cars don't even need premium. And in many cases running premium when regular is all thats needed can actually cause a drop in fuel mileage - that's certainly the case with my 240SX. Those most in need of detonation resistance? High compression turbocharged engines. But on an stock Z - not necessary.

Trying to compensate for a cars mechanicals through chemistry is a no-win scenario. If you want more horsepower out of your car don't think that Roger Ramjet's Super Octane Boost 1000 is a substitute for an intake, cams, headers or an exhaust - you're going to have to build it, not throw some high-tech snake oil in your gas tank.

If you want better mileage drop some weight in your car (dump your spare and carry a AAA card), calm down your right foot, pick a different vehicle for your stop and go trips or just dump your Z and get a Honda Fit.

And if you bought a Z for the fuel mileage and to putter around 5 mph below the speed limit drop me an email, I've got some beach front property in here in Tennessee I'd like to sell you...and a this bridge over in Brooklyn if you're interested.

[spitalul2bad]

In Europe almost every country (including Romania, Hungary, Ukraine and such former-soviet-block states) have 100-octane fuel available at the pump.

Granted, it's more expensive than the "regular", which is 95.

However, European fuel prices are HUGE compared to those in the US. That's why most of Europe drives fuel-efficient high-mpg cars.

[Viggy75]

whats the euro price per gallon... i paying 219 for 91

[XterraVersa]

In Europe almost every country (including Romania, Hungary, Ukraine and such former-soviet-block states) have 100-octane fuel available at the pump.

Granted, it's more expensive than the "regular", which is 95.

However, European fuel prices are HUGE compared to those in the US. That's why most of Europe drives fuel-efficient high-mpg cars.

The ratings are not the same as they are on this side of the pond.

Your 95 is close to our 89, and 100 is our 91.

[_b.jaye_]

The ratings are not the same as they are on this side of the pond.

Your 95 is close to our 89, and 100 is our 91.

[marlin29311]

You guys generally use the RON number (research octane), whereas we use the AKI in the US.

[spitalul2bad]

I don't know which number they use for octane fuel (RON/AKI?) but I do know most new BMW/Mercedes/Audi cars recommend 95 unleaded and that Ferraris/Aston Martins/Porsches recommend 100 but work with 95.

Price per gallon in Europe varies by country to country (some countries still have oil and that gets the price down) and we use litres (because of the metric system).

Here's a comparison:Romania: $4.7 - $5 per gallon (around 1 euro per litre)Germany: $6.5 - $6.8 per gallon (Germany adds road tax/highway tax into gas prices, hence you don't pay ANYTHING else, like yearly tax or freeway tolls)Great Britain: $7 - $9 per gallon (the British pound is a high-value currency, you'd need $2,2 to exchange for one pound)

Most cars in Europe can get at least 25 - 30 mpg, with lots of cars being able do get 45 mpg easily, with only TOWN/CITY driving and no highway.

Also, Europe is NOT big on hybrids. We don't have them and noone buys them. People prefer small diesels that can get 45mpg in the city and way more on highways.

Lastly, remember that all European cities/towns are SMALL and not widely spread out. So think of New York and that kind of stop-go traffic... daily.

Hope it helps.

[marlin29311]

Yea, you guys definatly use RON as your octane ratings over in the EU. All of the new VQ's (and pretty much all of them in the past) have always required premium gas - RON 96 or AKI 91. Our owner manual states to use a fuel with Research Octane Number of 96 (AKI 91) - which is premium fuel.

European cars are so much better than USDM...

[BigDan727]

Keep in mind guys,Running anything over 100 octane will DESTROY your cats. Pump gas 93 is more then enough for any car on this board

[zozoka1212]

Yea, you guys definatly use RON as your octane ratings over in the EU. All of the new VQ's (and pretty much all of them in the past) have always required premium gas - RON 96 or AKI 91. Our owner manual states to use a fuel with Research Octane Number of 96 (AKI 91) - which is premium fuel.

European cars are so much better than USDM...

They are using RON. I have not been in Europe for a few years now but the reason they avarage better mp/g because 75% of the cars are a size of Suzuki swift or smaller. With a 1.1l, 1.3l engine. Also some of the world cars are detuned to the europian CO standard. That's why some of the cars are getting lower HP in Europe then in North America.

Most cars in Europe can get at least 25 - 30 mpg, with lots of cars being able do get 45 mpg easily, with only TOWN/CITY driving and no highway.

Lastly, remember that all European cities/towns are SMALL and not widely spread out. So think of New York and that kind of stop-go traffic... daily.

I don't know man. I drove all kind of cars in 100's of different cities in Europe and North America and did not see any better with ther same stop and go traffic. Yes the diesel gets a little better but that's about it.

With the really stop and go traffic I never get anything near 25 mpg in peugeot 205(lots of fun to drive) or the Fiesta.Those were the only 2 small cars I drove. I drove the new skoda and Opel Astra(kind of small but the wagon version), BMW 3 series, Fiat, It is not what you drive it is how you drive. You can get 40mpg with a corvette on HWY. Would I get that.... HM probably not. The reason I drive like a maniac.

You might already seen this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Chskjb4WPj8

zozo

[spitalul2bad]

The 205 from peugeot is somewhat older tech... since then peugeot launched the 206, 207 and pretty soon we'll see the 208.

Newer tech, especially from makers like BMW and VW (Opel/Skoda to a lesser extent) really brought the mpg UP and the CO emissions down.

Also, you are right about the engines, most new cars are between 1.4L and 2.0L but they are very efficient. The new 2.0L engines get 265BHP! You'd need a V6 to get that in the US. The 1.4L from the new VW range gets 160BHP which is more than enough for any city-car. The OPEL OPC range boasts a turbocharged 1.6L engine that gets 200BHP! Not bad for something that sips fuel instead of guzzling it.

I also tend to disagree with the sizes you mentioned. 75% of the cars the size of a Swift? That's cutting it way too deep. Granted, there are lots of city cars that are "minis" but most people buy soft road SUVs and BMWs as well and they're anything but small (5 series/3 series aren't THAT small). Also, in my city, most of the middle-class bought Audi Q7s There are hundreds of them running around town.

[zozoka1212]

You mean upper class. 90% of the people poor there. Not sure I havn't been in Romania for like 9 years. I used to live 30 minutes from the border of Romania(well half of my life). Every time we went to Romania I felt I went back 30 years in time. But the gas used to be half what we paid in Hungary. But last time I went there they had bunch of Dacias and old Renaults and bunch of horses outside of the towns carrying all kind of stuff. That time 60% of the house outside of the towns had no Toilets inside only outside and no flush toilets. God I never going to forget that experience. But that's another story.

Glad to see you guys changed a lot since than. I'll go back to Europe in the summer and might take a visit in Romania also. Planning to spend a month around Europe. Do you have any video driving around Timisuara? I would love to see how the city looks like now.

Sorry to hijack to thread.

To the op. You should look into buying the less roll resistance tire also when you replace the old one.

Check this out.

http://www.consumerreports.org...v.htm

zozo

[spitalul2bad]

Things have improved drastically, especially since Romania has been inducted into the European Union.

If you ever make it back, give me a shout and we'll get together. I live in Timisoara (if that rings a bell).

[Z31toZ32]

Given your lack of ability with spelling, capitalization, punctuation and general usage of the English language I find it highly unlikely that your math skills are remotely advanced enough to calculate the octane value of the fuel in your tank.+

[XterraVersa]

Why bother saving gas. Premium is $1.59 here and looks like it will continue to drop. Inventories are rising, the winter switch has already happened.

Premium is cheaper than E85. The greens must be loving these low gas prices...

[PapaSmurf2k3]

yeah, running your home brew mix of gas/WD40 and mothballs will void your warranty for sure. I have heard from some people about the mothball thing though. Buy a beater POS and try it on that first.