Thread: Moth Balls

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I was told that people used to drop mothballs in with each tank of gas to increase octain. Does this work? If not, did it ever? If it does, how many per tank? Will it kill a modern engine?

Moth balls are made up of either napthalene or paradichlorobenzene. Both of these are hydrocarbons, which is what most of the molecules in gasoline are. I'm not familiar with anyone ever running an octane number on either of these. Neither of these appear, chemically, to have much octane boost potential. Their use (mothballs) seems to stem from the '20's or '30's. If in fact they did have some benefit it would probably take a lot of them to show any improvement. Plus, since they are a solid at room temp you would probably need to be concerned about preciptation in the carb or injection system during storage.
Here are a couple of links describing each chemical. Not nice stuff!

http://home.howstuffworks.com/framed...l/Naphthal.htm

http://home.howstuffworks.com/framed...l/14-dichl.htm

I may be wrong, but isn't the tin foil on the antenna for the matians and the ball bearings for the radar thwarting?

The only use I ever heard for moth balls is to
put them in your trunk and engine compartment to keep the
mice out , they dont like the stink while you store it.
I learned recently that bounce fabric sheet work just as well
and your car smell better in spring.I've used either or and never had any mice in my cars or boat.

you must BBQ them when you fire it up.
you should push it outside first then fire it , see how far you can shoot them

Stuff a little steele wool in dem dare pipes streets! dem meesers don't like dat on dare feets!!!!!!!!

Caution mothballs cause earily muffler bearing failure

Streets When I worked on BMW bikes we had a guy come in he had an old R75 (boxer big twin) it had been sitting in his barn for about 10 years he did a tune up still couldnt get her to start so he brought it in, I set the time way off flooded the engine opened the throttle and hit the starter, big back fire, mouse landed 10 feet away hung on a peg board. EWWWWWW

qat727 a freind heard that so he dumped a box of moth balls in his tank and came back an hour latter they disolved and the car wouldnt start, if you do do it dont put a box in yer tank.
Otto