Additive ratios

[Falcon_LS]

Usually when you look at the instructions on a bottle of fuel additive, it will have something like "treats up to 75 litres" or something along the lines to give you an idea of how much you need to use.

I usually figure out what it works out to per litre and add accordingly, but a lot of people wait until there's quarter of a tank left, and dump the whole bottle in. Apparently it 'works better' this way because the additive would get 'lost' in a full tank of fuel. I've even seen some people who use two bottles, when one is enough to treat a full tank of gas in their particular application.

Assuming the additive is a fuel system cleaner, what are the negatives of using a stronger than recommended dose?

 

[ZZman]

For most none......but wasting money.

 

[stockrex]

I read at a diesel forum when a guy ran addy when ran low on fuel it caused issues with the injection system....

 

[scurvy]

Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
Assuming the additive is a fuel system cleaner, what are the negatives of using a stronger than recommended dose?
There have been some statements made by Bosch, Stanadyne and other FIEMs that too much additive is worse than not enough, and I tend to agree. They're designed to work in a certain dilution with fuel and too concentrated of a solution may cause adverse effects like running poorly, fouling injectors / cats, etc...

FWIW, most diesel fuel additives are typically 60 - 75% diesel to make the treatment ratio easier to dose. It's far easier to measure 250ml per full tank than it is to put in 10ml, and much harder to 'overdose'. Primrose is one that definitely is not - the 405c formulation has a 1:3000 dosage rate, only 30ml to 90 liters of fuel!

 

[Gary Allan]

Within reason, I have to assume that there's a broad envelope of proper concentration. One bottle works for a 10 gallon tank as well as a 20 gallon tank. The consumption rate will be pretty much even between them on a time mileage view.

I speculate that there's a time weighted factor at a given concentration that will yield a limited rate of return if exceeded. There's also the carrier influence to consider. You're dumping (typically) so much kero in with each treat add.


Marketing products like these requires that you fit the highest number of consumers into window of viable use while still producing results. You'll overdo it on some to allow others to fit into the window.

You could complicate it with instructions that are beyond "add to tank - drive" ..but that just causes people to over think it.