How to Use an Octane Booster

Co-authored by Michael Dey

Last Updated: March 20, 2024 References

Octane boosters are often seen as magic elixirs to make your car run better. The truth is, though, increasing your octane won't make a huge difference for your car if it doesn't require a higher octane level. When using an octane booster, you should first check to ensure you're buying the correct booster, and then you can add it to your fuel tank to boost the octane level.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Buying Octane Boosters

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Your owner's manual should specify what octane level your car requires. Mixing gas with an octane booster to create a higher octane level than required will not give you a huge power boost. You just need to get it to the required level. ^{[1]
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Look at the rating on the bottle. Most products can only raise your octane level by about 3, meaning you could move from 90 to 93, for instance. A few will raise it higher than that, so be sure to buy what you need. ^{[2]
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- Octane is a measurement of how much compression will cause the fuel to "knock." Typically, your fuel doesn't ignite until it's lit by the spark plugs. However, knocking is when the compression causes it to ignite spontaneously. A higher octane level means the fuel can withstand higher compression before igniting, but you really only need the octane level required by your car. ^{[3]
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- However, be careful about labels. Some cheaper products put the boost number in points, which is deceiving. If it claims a boost of "3 points" for instance, that actually means it will only raise the octane level by 0.3.
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Most of the time, an octane booster isn't going to provide much benefit for a normal car. However, if you have a turbocharger or another similar engine, you may find that an octane booster is beneficial. ^{[4]
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Octane boosters can range from $10 USD to $50 USD per bottle. Since a whole bottle is typically used for one tank, that can get fairly expensive. To save money, you may consider only purchasing an octane booster for special occasions, such as a road trip. ^{[5]
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If you're considering buying an octane booster, you may just want to buy a higher octane gas at the pump. In many cases, it will be cheaper and easier to boost your octane this way. However, if your car needs a higher octane than what's available at the pump, you'll need to buy an octane booster. ^{[6]
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To know how much booster to buy, you'll need to read the back of the package. It will tell you how much of the octane booster you need to raise your gasoline to a certain octane level. There's not a standard amount because it is based on what octane level you want and how much gasoline your tank holds. ^{[7]
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Part 2

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Adding the Octane Booster

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The booster goes into the tank before you add the fuel. Pop off the cap and pour in the amount you need, based on the back of the bottle. This process ensures that the booster will get mixed into the gas properly, as pouring in the gas will stir up the booster. ^{[8]
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Add the gas. Once you've got the booster in the tank, all you need to do is add the regular gas on top of it. Keep in mind that your octane level will be the octane number of the gas you're buying plus the amount the octane booster ups your level. Therefore, if you're buying 93 gas and you add a booster that increases it by 3, your level will be 96. ^{[9]
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- Higher octane gas burns more slowly, making it less likely to knock, which is only beneficial if your car needs a higher octane level. ^{[10]
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You'll get the best performance out of the product if you use it within a year. While some boosters will last longer than a year, it goes bad faster when it's not stored in ideal conditions, such as not in its original container. ^{[11]
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Some boosters are light sensitive, so it's important that you keep them in the original container. Also, follow any other recommendations on the back of the bottle about storing the mixture. ^{[12]
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Try not to leave the octane booster in your tank for extended periods. When adding an octane booster, it's a good idea to use them up quickly. If you have a car that you don't use much, only add as much as you need for the amount of fuel you're planning to use. Many boosters are ethanol based, and as they sit in your tank, their drawbacks become more of a problem. Buy what you're going to use in the short term, and try to mostly use it up. ^{[13]
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- For instance, ethanol isn't as efficient as other types of gasoline, and that becomes worse over time. It's not as efficient because it burns more slowly, causing a slight reduction in the power.

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What are the disadvantages of using an octane booster?

Michael Dey
Automotive Technician
Michael Dey is an Automotive Technician specializing in sharing detailed automotive content and restorations on rare and exotic vehicles. Michael has been passionately working on and restoring cars for over 15 years. He has a follower base of over 30,000 YouTube subscribers and 28 million views. Michael is a Factory Trained Master Guild Audi Technician and ASE Certified Master Automotive Technician.

Michael Dey

Automotive Technician

Expert Answer

Using an octane booster in a car can have several disadvantages. Firstly, it's important to understand that octane refers to a fuel's resistance to knock, which occurs when the air-fuel mixture doesn't combust properly, leading to a pinging sound inside the engine. Engine knocking can be extremely damaging and even catastrophic to an engine. High-octane fuel allows for more aggressive engine operation and increased power output due to its greater resistance to knock. However, using an octane booster with the belief that it will provide more power may not always be effective. Higher-octane fuel only enhances performance if the vehicle's engine is programmed to take advantage of it. For the average road-going vehicle, the use of an octane booster won't have any significant impact on performance. In summary, the disadvantages of using an octane booster include the potential misconception that it will automatically improve power output and performance when in reality, its effectiveness depends on the vehicle's engine programming. Additionally, it may lead to unnecessary expenses without providing any tangible benefits for most vehicles.

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Will my car cut off some time after I use it?

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No, it shouldn't create any problems with operation of your car. The car should not cut off until you turn the car off or run out of gas.

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What is best when you have a 30 gal tank? Do I fill till my gauge reaches 1/2 level?

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You should be okay using all of it. I only have a 12 gallon tank on my commuter car, and I've used a full can of seafoam probably once every three months, for about five years now.

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You can use octane boosters every time you fill up your car.

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