DO WE REALLY NEED FUEL ADDITIVES?

[Mark72]

I use BP/Amoco gasoline or shell and have NEVER had fuel related problem in the 22 years I've been driving...never, not even once. I guess I'm one of the few who don't need fuel system additives other than the ones alreayd blended in to the gas. Beats me.

 

[outoforder]

If fuel additives are all that and a bag of chips, why don't the oil companies incorporate them into their fuel to begin with?

 

[Mark72]

Originally Posted By: outoforder
If fuel additives are all that and a bag of chips, why don't the oil companies incorporate them into their fuel to begin with?


I agree, as I say...I use BP/Amoco gasoline or shell and have NEVER had fuel related problem in the 22 years I've been driving...never, not even once. I guess I'm one of the few who don't need fuel system additives other than the ones alreayd blended in to the gas. Beats me.

 

[danthaman1980]

Originally Posted By: turbosix
are you sure you even had a midgrade storage tank?

a lot of stations only have 2 grades in the ground and the pumps actually draw from both tanks when you select midgrade and blend it on the fly according to one of my buddies that works on pumps.


We had 3 storage tanks. Its possible that they put Regular in 2 of them and Premium in 1, and mixed Reg. with Prem. on the fly to make the mid-grade... but my guess is that they mixed up the mid grade during delivery.

 

[Panzerman]

Company trucks never get fuel additives and go though alot of gas. Never have I had a company truck or heard of anyone else having a fuel related problem. If anything, I would say this new E10 gas needs a lube like MMO, but thats about it.

 

[outoforder]

Anyone have experience using fireball by castle?

 

[Ken2]

1---The fuel companies do put additives in the gasoline. The EPA requires a minimum amount, because a clean engine puts out fewer pollutants, but there are questions as to whether this amount is adequate. The "Top Tier" brands have a higher additive level for a competitive advantage.

2---What is a "fuel related problem?" How do you know that your engine internals are as clean as they could be and that your engine is running as efficiently as it could? Fuel in the air charge hits the back side of hot intake valves and can build up carbon which hinders air flow. Crud can build up in other places. Gasoline which cleans and keeps things clean will allow for better air flow and better combustion resulting in near-new power and near-new fuel consumption if the engine is kept in near-new cleanliness levels.

3---The real test of fuel additives is to check the total fuel cost per mile of fuel plus additives over several tankfuls on repeatable driving. The right additives will save money.

 

[Virtuoso]

I've never had a pour-in fuel additive make any difference in any of my cars over the past 16 years. From the dollar bottles of STP to the expensive Techron concentrates. I don't waste the money anymore..

 

[ZZman]

I think they are needed.

Some fuels have less detergent additives than others.

I try to buy better name brand fuel now.

I use MMO and then every once in awhile use Techron or Regane.

I did just purchase the 2 for 1 Techron at Autozone.

 

[unDummy]

Spent some time waiting to get junkyard injectors cleaned. Unbelievable before after flow characteristics for these used injectors. But, my injectors, from my car that gets a bottle of FI cleaner at every OCI, didn't need to be cleaned.

Pulled enough intake manifolds over the years and truly wished the government didn't LOWER their standards to give us slightly cheaper fuel when gas prices started to climb. Buildup is there.

I'll stick with my injector cleaners, UCLs, .... and top tier fuel.

Running fine or not having issues doesn't mean you're running optimally.

http://www.toptiergas.com/

 

[ZZman]

I agree. Running and running optimally are 2 different things.

I now always try to run better gasoline brands and from time to time use a Fuel system cleaner and some MMO.

 

[inWellington]

What do you consider to be a good fuel system cleaner?

 

[Dave Hess]

PepBoys has 2 Regane for $2 after rebate

 

[Quest]

Golly! Can't believe this post still "lingers" on for so long..

 

[Dave Hess]

I just noticed that the Gumout rebate form expired April 30, 2010. I'm sorry that I accidentally thought it was valid when PepBoys still had it on the cardboard display of Regane. My bad

 

[pauly]

I am really suprised at the responses about {fuel for the last 22 years} Todays fuel is so different than what was avaible years ago. A lot of us with boats have had a lot of trouble with todays fuel breaking down in a couple of weeks. I had fuel in my powerwasher turn to egg yoke in hot summer weather. We have been using startron to stablize the fuel. I cannot see any harm in most aditives.

 

[prs]

Techron and TCW-III (water cooled engine 2 cycle oil) seems to be popular around here for maintaining cleanliness and top lube in gasoline engines. The TCW-III seems to be added at about 1 fl oz per 5 gallons of either diesel or gasoline. I have been using Lucus for several years in diesel equipment (as sulfer has diminished in fuels) and also in some gasoline autos and cycles. In one cycle, a Honda GL1800 GoldWIng, the fuel injection is notoriously "clickitty" (probably becasue the Honda boxer 6 runs so quietly otherwise). Lucus did not make any difference in that "tickitty-clickitty" and I never gave it a second thought, they all do it. I tried the TCW-III on a long trip where I was without Lucus and did not even think anything of it. At my next rest stop whie ideling, something was odd. I could not quite figure out what it was at fist. DANG! I could barely hear the fuel injeciton system, it was way quieter! Was it the oil? I dunno. I will use it and skip it a few times to see if the clickitty-click tells the story.

prs

 

[CourierDriver]

Go to LS1.com and read Sarges data on Been Testing using 2 cycle oil with tcw3,,its an eye opener, lots of stuff there.

 

[calvin1]

I tried MMO in the tank of my '96 Bronco that has 195K on it. It has a problem where it will sometimes crank but not start when it's cold (about 35F or less). The MMO seemed to make it MUCH worse: EVERY morning instead of just once a week. I'm guessing it's the fuel pump and am waiting until it dies completely before changing it out. YMMV, of course.

 

[Spyder7]

I've used Regane complete fuel system cleaner and it delivered results (full bottle of 2x concentrate into a full 50L tank) - enough that I'm sold on it as a once or twice a year additive.

Tried two fuel injector cleaning products (STP and Prestone) before the Regane and didn't notice anything. Concluded they're either snake oil or too diluted to do anything.

I also stick to top tier gas exclusively. Other than Redline (which I can't get here), I lost interest in trying anything else since the Regane, as that does what I want it to.

Lucas might be worth it if it actually delivered on its claim to be an upper cylinder lubricant, but I'm not convinced (how would you know if it does?).

-Spyder