Fuel additive MPG test coming up

[tenderloin]

My son drives over 150 miles a day four days a week driving to law school and back. Beginning next week (if weather looks to be consistent) he will run a mpg test on a few additives.

Each test will be for two day trips totaling over 300 miles (close to empty).

Vehicle is his "commuter" 2002 Focus ZTS DOHC 5 speed. It has 106,000 miles and uses zero oil between oil changes. For this test he will be running Mobil 1 5W-20 with LC.

He will run in this order

Shell 87

Shell 93 V Power

Shell 87 w/Lucas

Shell 87 w/F3000

Shell 87 w/Dipetane

Shell 87 w/Mothers Garage octane booster

Any other suggestions?

TIA

 

[muffinstew]

Berrymans B12 Chemtool

 

[Wrehch]

Has this vehicle been runing any additive previously? I ask because if it has not the first few runs may not be accurate as you will probably get some cleaning going on in the fuel system and combustion chamber. Once everything is clean it will be interesting to see the results.

How long do you plan on running each additive?

 

[Shelby]

Should be interesting, go for it. I'm real interested in how the Lucas and FP does, and after your done for hoots you might want to try straight acetone. I'd stick with straight 87 until maybe the last test try the 93. I can really see how that will mess up the results if you do it in that order. For what it's worth, I really have had noticable worse gas milage with higher octane fuels. It might mess up the Lucas results by having the higher octane still in the tank.

 

[tenderloin]

I'll buy some Berryman's and have my son run it in the test. I will also run the Shell 93 V Power last as has been suggested.

His car has been on FP 60, Lucas or one thing or another forever, so I am reasonably convinced everything is as clean as can be. He will run one tank with no additives BEFORE the first test run of Shell 87 to make sure as much residual additives are out of the tank.

He will make two runs of 150 + mile...back to back days. He will take the same route, and drive the same speed as much as possible. When he finishes each 300+ mile run, the gas tank will be near empty so there should be little impact of residual additives once the trial begins

Now I know this is not totally scientific, and the time frame is a tad short, but it may show some differences..or not.

 

[tenderloin]

Berryman's does not seem like a MPG additive

...so I'll pass on testing it.

Any other suggestions?

 

[JHZR2]

Have him replicate tanks, 2-3 in a row, and intersperse the no-additive runs between the 'with additive' runs.

A tank of each is so statistically insignificant that no real information will be gained... and he'd be better off just comparing two options over more tanks.

JMH

 

[benjamming]

I agree with JHZR2.

Is the weather pretty much constant where your son is, or at least the temperature?

 

[tenderloin]

Normally the weather is a ok, since we live at the beach in Southern California and as my son travels up the coast to law school.

I have no problem doubling the test (two tanks, 600+ mile per test)..it just means it will be spread out over six weeks.

As far as running a cleansing tank between tests, the way the mileage works out he has less than 1/4 gallon left after two trips so while there is some cross "contamination" it is minimal.

 

[muffinstew]

Quote:

---

Berryman's does not seem like a MPG additive

...so I'll pass on testing it.

Any other suggestions?

---

Sorry. But it was one #@$%! of a combustion chamber cleaner.