Carbon Mining - TC-W3 + Red Line SI-1

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a5m

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Aug 9, 2021
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Currently using TC-W3 at 500:1 ratio in 2010 WRX and wondering if adding a maintenance dose (2.5oz to 15gal) of Red Line SI-1 is a good idea.

Used Borescope to inspect pistons while doing plugs and saw significant amounts of carbon deposits, with a clean spot where fuel seems to be making first contact.

Purchased at 108k in Arizona where presumably ran on ACN 91 at best, 87 at worst. ~1700 miles later only ran 93, mostly Shell V-Power.

My use of additives has been as follows:
  • 116k BG Platinum 44K 110z
  • 117k Lucas Octane Booster 5.25oz
  • 118k Berryman B-12 15oz
  • 120,905 Red Line SI-1 15oz
  • 121,200 Red Line SI-1 15oz
  • 121,532 Red Line SI-1 1.5oz maint. dose
  • 121,784 Red Line SI-1 1.5oz maint. dose
  • 122,074 Red Line SI-1 1.5oz maint. dose
  • 122,379 Red Line SI-1 1.5oz maint. dose
  • 122,649 Red Line SI-1 1.5oz maint. dose
  • 123,186 Pennzoil Premium+ TC-W3 721:1
  • 123,493 Pennzoil Premium+ TC-W3 670:1
  • 123,798 Pennzoil Premium+ TC-W3 587:1
  • 124,102 Pennzoil Premium+ TC-W3 557:1 + Rislone High Mileage 8oz
  • 124,444 Pennzoil Premium+ TC-W3 545:1 + Rislone High Mileage remaining 8.9oz
  • 124,754 Pennzoil Premium+ TC-W3 530:1
  • 125,021 Pennzoil Premium+ TC-W3 509:1
  • 125,247 Pennzoil Premium+ TC-W3 504:1
Tried our best to get clear photos. In order Cyl 1->4:
20220612_170557.jpg

20220612_170501.jpg

20220612_165412.jpg

20220612_165600(0).jpg
 
sometimes I think the overuse of additives is a major contributing factor to deposits.
other times it makes no difference.
 
Overusing additives will leave harmful white deposits on spark plugs and O2 sensors. TCW-3 wouldn't harm anything at that dosage even used constantly as it burns clean. I've had excellent results simply pouring 4-5 ounces of distilled water into a small funnel connected to a brake booster vacuum line with rpm's held around 2500, wait until throttle smooths out, pour another 4-5 ounces of distilled water in, repeat. The pinging becomes a thing of the past, throttle seems more responsive afterwards.
 
You have to be careful with water cleaning, but I’ve had it make a noticeable difference in how a car ran. I believe it would be the most effective at getting rid of deposits.
 
Thanks for the responses.

Well I've decided to add Red Line SI-1 (1.5oz to 10gal) and go down to 640:1 on the TC-W3. Hopefully in time this will clean up the years of deposits.
 
Just stick with 1oz of TC-W3 per every 4-5 gallons of fuel, and simply drive and give it time to do it's magic. Flip-flopping between additives destroys all benefits, in my opinion. Stick with one, and give it time to work. TC-W3 is an excellent choice.

Been testing Oil

you guys know I test constantly and oil/tribology is my thing so here goes. I know the gasoline today is ****. Very dry and poor quality. Throw in ethanol and you got crap/corrosive gasoline. I use Fuel Power/Lucas UCL with great success in my cars and other peoples cars. At the first of the...
www.ls1.com
 
a5m said:
Currently using TC-W3 at 500:1 ratio in 2010 WRX and wondering if adding a maintenance dose (2.5oz to 15gal) of Red Line SI-1 is a good idea.

Used Borescope to inspect pistons while doing plugs and saw significant amounts of carbon deposits, with a clean spot where fuel seems to be making first contact.

Purchased at 108k in Arizona where presumably ran on ACN 91 at best, 87 at worst. ~1700 miles later only ran 93, mostly Shell V-Power.

My use of additives has been as follows:
  • 116k BG Platinum 44K 110z
  • 117k Lucas Octane Booster 5.25oz
  • 118k Berryman B-12 15oz
  • 120,905 Red Line SI-1 15oz
  • 121,200 Red Line SI-1 15oz
  • 121,532 Red Line SI-1 1.5oz maint. dose
  • 121,784 Red Line SI-1 1.5oz maint. dose
  • 122,074 Red Line SI-1 1.5oz maint. dose
  • 122,379 Red Line SI-1 1.5oz maint. dose
  • 122,649 Red Line SI-1 1.5oz maint. dose
  • 123,186 Pennzoil Premium+ TC-W3 721:1
  • 123,493 Pennzoil Premium+ TC-W3 670:1
  • 123,798 Pennzoil Premium+ TC-W3 587:1
  • 124,102 Pennzoil Premium+ TC-W3 557:1 + Rislone High Mileage 8oz
  • 124,444 Pennzoil Premium+ TC-W3 545:1 + Rislone High Mileage remaining 8.9oz
  • 124,754 Pennzoil Premium+ TC-W3 530:1
  • 125,021 Pennzoil Premium+ TC-W3 509:1
  • 125,247 Pennzoil Premium+ TC-W3 504:1
Tried our best to get clear photos. In order Cyl 1->4:
View attachment 103762
View attachment 103761
View attachment 103759
View attachment 103760
Click to expand...
WOWZERS - - Thats a lot of fuel additives - - - and still carbon.
I honestly don't think you could do anything else.
Except perhaps CRC intake cleaner - - - -
Still hard to believe it looks like that with all those PEA additives. Strange
 
Vladiator said:
Just stick with 1oz of TC-W3 per every 4-5 gallons of fuel, and simply drive and give it time to do it's magic. Flip-flopping between additives destroys all benefits, in my opinion. Stick with one, and give it time to work. TC-W3 is an excellent choice.

Been testing Oil

you guys know I test constantly and oil/tribology is my thing so here goes. I know the gasoline today is ****. Very dry and poor quality. Throw in ethanol and you got crap/corrosive gasoline. I use Fuel Power/Lucas UCL with great success in my cars and other peoples cars. At the first of the...
www.ls1.com
Click to expand...
I've read through that entire thread just yesterday. Wanted to stick with just TC-W3 but I guess I'm a bit impatient, or not confident it'll clean much more than it has.

nicholas said:
WOWZERS - - Thats a lot of fuel additives - - - and still carbon.
I honestly don't think you could do anything else.
Except perhaps CRC intake cleaner - - - -
Still hard to believe it looks like that with all those PEA additives. Strange
Click to expand...
That was exactly my thought. I was hoping to see perfectly shiny pistons. I'm thinking over a decade of ACN fuel is to blame.

Clearly some cleaning is happening, and I attribute it to TC-W3 since it's most recent. So I'll stick to it, but just wanting to speed it up.
 
Years ago a member posted pictures of how clean the pistons were in his high-mileage vehicle with a Mitsubishi engine after adding Marvel Mystery Oil (MMO) to the fuel regularly. The engine had had to be disassembled for head work. The thread still exists, but the pictures won't appear now, so I didn't worry about a link. Others in old threads used MMO for the same purpose and claimed similar results.

So if you're going to run TC-W3 oil, maybe you could look at MMO instead. I'm not necessarily advocating MMO, just pointing that out. TC-W3 might be designed to burn clean as far as smoking in two-stroke engines, but that doesn't mean it can't leave carbon deposits over time in the cylinders, especially in four-stroke engines it wasn't intended for.
 
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ekrampitzjr said:
Years ago a member posted pictures of how clean the pistons were in his high-mileage vehicle with a Mitsubishi engine after adding Marvel Mystery Oil (MMO) to the fuel regularly. The engine had had to be disassembled for head work. The thread still exists, but the pictures won't appear now, so I didn't worry about a link. Others in old threads used MMO for the same purpose and claimed similar results.

So if you're going to run TC-W3 oil, maybe you could look at MMO instead. I'm not necessarily advocating MMO, just pointing that out. TC-W3 might be designed to burn clean as far as smoking in two-stroke engines, but that doesn't mean it can't leave carbon deposits over time in the cylinders, especially in four-stroke engines it wasn't intended for.
Click to expand...
That's what I'm currently reading up on, MMO. Pretty polarizing product. Either praise or hate. I'm not entirely convinced yet but that can change, but even then I'm not sure about switching to another additive so soon.

Those are my latest concerns with TC-W3 - carbon deposits. I just assumed that wasn't the case since it's 'ashless', but that doesn't mean no deposits in 4 strokes like you said. That's why I read that entire thread again, and according to Sarge there's none. In fact they get cleaned. I sent the above picture to Dave at Red Line and he asked why I was using a 2 stroke oil and that it may be contributing to the deposits.

This is a picture of the plugs I pulled out. Clearly tube seals need replacing but those don't look like fouled plugs to me, which is a claim of TC-W3 use:
20220616_233542.jpg
 
Straight from the source:
"The TC-W3® oil standard is a performance-based qualification program. The requirements include various bench tests for fluidity, miscibility, rust, compatibility, etc., as well as engine tests to evaluate the prevention of ring sticking and carbon buildup on pistons and other engine parts."

Basically it just needs time and consistency. End result is nothing but positives.
I've been slacking on TC-W3 application myself lately, but buying a jug today after work and dosing all cars/scooters/OPE. Just got to remind myself not to forget in the future. Impatience for results is my enemy, but slow-and-steady is definitely a safer way to attack carbon.
 
W
Vladiator said:
Straight from the source:
"The TC-W3® oil standard is a performance-based qualification program. The requirements include various bench tests for fluidity, miscibility, rust, compatibility, etc., as well as engine tests to evaluate the prevention of ring sticking and carbon buildup on pistons and other engine parts."

Basically it just needs time and consistency. End result is nothing but positives.
I've been slacking on TC-W3 application myself lately, but buying a jug today after work and dosing all cars/scooters/OPE. Just got to remind myself not to forget in the future. Impatience for results is my enemy, but slow-and-steady is definitely a safer way to attack carbon.
Click to expand...
What ratio of TC do you use?
 
Vladiator said:
Ideal ratio seems that be one of two below.
-1oz to 4 gallons. (500:1)
-1oz to 5 gallons. (640:1)
My truck takes 30 gallons at fill up (34gal tank), so I give it 7oz.
Click to expand...
Thanks I'm a MMO user, I have been thinking of trying TC for a bit because I can get more use for the same amount of money here.

I plan to try the 1 to 5 ratio this summer.
Thanks.
 
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