WALKER

Yep, thats right, Millers octane booster is turning my loveley white Type R yellow

I havent got a problem at all with the octane booster, its great at the job its designed to do, but how can i stop it from turning the **** end of my motor yellow. It comes off with the Wax Wizard cleanse, but i`d really prefer not to have to do it every other week!

I think its something to do with one of the additives they make it up with, i noticed that when i had my plugs changed they were also a yellow/khaki colour.

Does anybody know if Pro Boost uses the same ingredients as Millers, or will i just have to put up with it?

Paul

Neil F

Walker.

I have a white STi and use Millers too, but I don't get any yellowing of the "**** end".
I used to use ProBoost and never noticed a problem with that either, although I find Millers as good/better and much cheaper.

Incidentally, both products leave an orangey residue in your turbo and fuel lines, so maybe this has something to do with it?

Oh and by the way, I use Autoglym products if that makes any difference.

Neil.

letdown

....Walker.... Maybe you should try some of this Autoglym stuff! seems to get good results and as Neilf says his car is'nt beginning to look like a flying banana!! lol

IWatkins

Paul,

Don't think there is much you can do about it other than:

A) Don't drive it
B) Don't use octane booster
C) Get a back box extension, 3 foot should do it

Of course, you could get one of those 'flame-guards', you know the stuff, bright shiny ally with pretend bolt heads that you stick on the bumper around the exhaust Or something more tasteful.

I'll shut up now.

Cheers

Ian

harj

Paul your worried about your Exhaust! Don't even think about looking inside your engine and turbo as its now a Clockwork Orange

I don't think Proboost has any Orange additives try some and see I say.

SDB

Does anybody have any hard *facts* / information about this orange residue?

Does it cause a problem or is it just a side effect which does no harm?

I use a bottle of millers with every tank in my Type R, so could do with knowing.

Cheers

Simon

harj

Si I don't think it has any side affects, I was at the Turbo Shop with John F when we took his turbo back after its demise at Dono. The inside was coated in Orange which looked bad but it didn't cause the turbo to fail, according to the turbo engineer they couldn't explain what the Orange dust was or what it would do but doesn't look healthy.

Maybe contacting Millers and asking them direct would be an idea as so many people use it?

ptholt

i have a 98 sti 5 that has the same yellowing problem and apparently its unburnt fuel, its a pain to get off and gets everywhere on the back of the car.

I get it whether or not im using booster or whether im booting it.

Neil F

Gary C.

I also remeber the post and the incident.
Anders was using Pro-boost at the time and the resulting conclusion was that the residue is a harmless side effect.
I'm sure Pete Croney will confirm or deny.

Neil.

WALKER

MMM, very interesting!

The tail pipe on my car sticks out quite away, so perhaps i should get a 3` extension and stick a yellow flashing light on it

Or perhaps it is just unburnt fuel causing it as i do get loads of popping and banging.
There is definateley yellowing though so perhaps i should not be such a lazy git and clean it more regular.

Paul

GaryC

I remember a post ages ago (year+) from Anders whose turbo was orange from octane booster, but upon inspection both Prodrive and (I think) Pete Croney had said it was a harmless side effect.

Perhaps your car is going yellower due to a less restrictive exhaust & no cats???

Darren Thompson

Millers is a solid state octane booster that uses magnesium as the actual booster and leaves deposits on the plugs, turbo, exhaust and more importantly the lander and cats. Silkolean is a far better booster developed to be used in cars with landers and cats as it's used in group N rally cars, it does not leave deposits and gives a higher octane rating.

Darren.

[This message has been edited by Darren Thompson (edited 04 April 2001).]

NITO

Walker..it's the flame-outs that cause it. I get it all the time on my silver scoob and I don't use octane booster being a uk car!!

Personally I'd prefer to have the flameouts and clean the bumper once in a while I had my rear bumper resprayed not long ago but before that it was irretrievably yellow since I didn't pay attention to it until it was too late, and by that time it had layers of wax on top of it! The trick is not to let it go to far. You have to keep cleaning it well every week or fortnight really and waxing. The cloth always finishes completely yellowy.

Nito

Shaun

It's all down to the additives in the Octane Booster itself. I understand that all Boosters contain this additive, some more than others. I also understand that some Boosters will "Stain" more than others.

If you take your spark plugs out after prolonged use of OB, you will find they tend to go anorangy colour.

I think I would rather have orange plugs etc, then a mullered engine (If I had an Import).

Shaun.

WAYSIDERS

I always use octane booster in my Typer5. Used to use Pro Boost, but changed to Millers (a) because it's cheaper and (b) heard Pro Boost runs hotter, which is undesirable in a Phase 2 engine. Never seen orange exhaust deposits, but the Pro Boost spillage (crap design of can) stained my silver paintwork. Millers' bottle avoids this problem.

Diesel

Bottom line is cost for me. Silokelene is about £7, and Millers £3. Siloklene is also a lot 'bulkier' and more is needed per tankful I seem to remember.

This is a Grey area! Any facts would be gratefully apreciated, as it would seem that the more expensive product is usually better...

GaryC

I used Millers, tried ProBoost for a trackday following advice and under the principle that "expensive must be better", and found it no better no worse than Millers. ProBoost did make it louder though

Jacko

Paul,
how about spraying your whole car MAX POW3R/NOVA banana yellow!
Then you wouldn't even notice the stain but be safe in the knowledge of no detting

Sorry dude, couldn't resist a tw@ty note.

Jacko (muppetdum beckons!)

pat

The active agent in Millers is Methyl Cyclopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl, or MMT if you're in a hurry The orange colour ("it's been tangoed" effect) comes from byproducts of the combustion process... hence the orange dust that gets deposited on surfaces....

The substance could affect the performance of rare metal catalytic converters by reducing the effective area of the cat core, so it's not idea for cars with cats... that's why Millers used to do one for catted cars and one for catless. Then new stuff just says you can add more to catless cars. Anyway, MMT is toxic, it penetrates the skin and affects the central nervous system, but fortunately the concentration in exhaust fumes tends to be quite low, and therefore non-critical.

To date, I'm only aware of ONE octane booster which does not have a toxic side effect (others like methylbenzene are carcinogenic). Water is a "natural" octane booster; it reduces peak cylinder temperature and thereby allows more advance to be run. It's also very cheap and there will always (hopefully) be a plentiful supply. It's also re-useable

Cheers,

Pat.

Neil F

Pat.

So what if you spill it on your fingers (said the actress to the bishop)?
Is it still toxic or does it need to be burnt first?


Neil.

[This message has been edited by Neil F (edited 05 April 2001).]

WALKER

Pat

Thanks for that, very informative. Guess i`ll have to watch which bottle of Millers i`m drinking out of on Friday nights

Jacko

Think i`ll give the canary yellow re-spray at Dodgy Derecks Auto Finishers a miss

Cheers lads

Paul