Curious why you would elect not to use a UCL with a GDI engine ? Would conservative amounts of TCW-3 , Lucas or Redline SL-1 be bad for a GDI engine ?
LSJr Motor Oil Geek on fuel additives
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MolaKule
Staff member
I am curious if you have read the other posts that show how UCL claims are suspect and questionable?
@Foxtrot08 @MolaKule What are your thoughts on filling up at a gas station while it's being resupplied by a tanker? I've always avoided this because I was concerned about contaminants in the trucks mixing into the UGSTs and stirring up any pre-existing debris. However, there's a station near me that operates on high volume and offers exceptionally good prices. It's an average-sized station (18 pumps) but gets refilled at least once daily. Given this information, would you still be worried about contamination when filling up during a resupply?
Also, I typically add a PEA additive to the tank about once a year (BG 44K). Should I be doing this more frequently? I exclusively use Top Tier gas, but I'm restricted to CA blends with SMOG additives. Any thoughts on this?
Also, I typically add a PEA additive to the tank about once a year (BG 44K). Should I be doing this more frequently? I exclusively use Top Tier gas, but I'm restricted to CA blends with SMOG additives. Any thoughts on this?
Let me answer this in a few ways. I have no idea what MolaKule will say, so I will give my own perspective.
The attached image is from an UGST that I, personally own. We have at one location, a fuel island for our trucks and cars. 1x 10,000 UGST, 2x 6,000. We use 1 for gasoline, 2 for diesel. They get yearly inspections and bi yearly cleanings.
This is what came out of it. Even with everything we do and being lower volume - there’s still 2-6 inches of water in the bottom of the tank. Now, we keep 12 micron, Donaldson filters on the pumps, going to 24 micron for diesel in the winter. So I’m not super worried about the fuel being clean. But, still. This is what’s in an UGST.
Do you trust the maintenance program of the station? Do you trust their filters - if they haven’t bypassed them - at the station?
If you trust their filters and maintenance, then fill up wherever. I mean, I would still personally recommend against it. But sometimes you have to.
I, have the very unpopular opinion that “TopTier” gas is a scam, much like Dexos is. To get top tier certified you have to submit your lab results to them and pay an annual fee. If you look from my side, of wholesale, it’s literally not an option. So I won’t say much else on that.
As for using additives - hard to say, do fuel testing. You might need it more, you might need it less. I personally use Redline SL-1 currently, or Techron because they’re free for me. But I only use them occasionally. I think fuel additives should be less, than more. The whole less is more thing.
These threads may help to answer that question:
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/filling-up-when-fuel-truck-is-at-gas-station.365799/
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/gassing-up-while-the-tanker-is-present.191121/
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/filling-up-when-the-refueling-tanker-is-their.214714/
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/avoid-fill-up-when-tank-truck-unloading.225727/
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/gas-tanker-truck-at-station-when-you-go.343242/
MolaKule
Staff member
I tend to trust the filters at the major fuel suppliers so I am not into the "trash stirred up at tank filling" provocation.
As for PEA and injector cleaners I only add it to the fuel before going on a trip. I run the fuel level down to between 1/8 and 1/4 tank, add the fuel system cleaners, and then top off the tank at say 30 or so miles down the road.
See @kschachn comment above for previous discussions.
Over 70% of cars here had diesel engines in them before dieselgate happened. I know a thing or 2 about dirty diesel and cold weather. 24 microns, or even 12 microns giltration is not clean enough to avoid quickly overloading the filter on the car. The added viscosity and wax formation (even if the flakes stay very small due to PPD) picks up all the dirt in the tank and sends it straight into the filter, so dirty fuel you got in summer can still cause the engine dieing on a cold day.
They did away with gas engine filters 30 years ago, so you won't have clogged filter there no matter what. But before that it happened aswell, though not as common or linked to cold weather.
They did away with gas engine filters 30 years ago, so you won't have clogged filter there no matter what. But before that it happened aswell, though not as common or linked to cold weather.
I use lubricant additives for my water/methanol system and UCL. The valve seats take a beating when running alcohol and after scoping my engine, I’ve added the UCL to my fuel/ top lube to my meth mixture.
So far, the wear has stabilized.
“My car runs well with plenty of miles” is anecdotal evidence said by a few ironically claiming that UCLs/top lubes are useless and lack evidence of effectiveness. If you’re making the claim your engine is just “fine”, I’d love to see proper bore measurements of your cylinders to back up your equally anecdotal claims.
In my experience, there are plenty of “fine” running engines with oval and tapered bores. You’ll see some engines with more extent usage/more miles and they’ll have much better bores that don’t even require any machining. I’ve chalked it up to running better fuel, oils and good mechanical sympathy. I’m inclined to say that I agree that fuel quality is dubious because you can’t make a conscious effort to “pick better quality” objectively as a consumer. The supply chain of fuel vs oil is obvious, especially after Foxtrot’s explanation.
So far, the wear has stabilized.
“My car runs well with plenty of miles” is anecdotal evidence said by a few ironically claiming that UCLs/top lubes are useless and lack evidence of effectiveness. If you’re making the claim your engine is just “fine”, I’d love to see proper bore measurements of your cylinders to back up your equally anecdotal claims.
In my experience, there are plenty of “fine” running engines with oval and tapered bores. You’ll see some engines with more extent usage/more miles and they’ll have much better bores that don’t even require any machining. I’ve chalked it up to running better fuel, oils and good mechanical sympathy. I’m inclined to say that I agree that fuel quality is dubious because you can’t make a conscious effort to “pick better quality” objectively as a consumer. The supply chain of fuel vs oil is obvious, especially after Foxtrot’s explanation.
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I have used TCW-3 at a weakened 960:1 rate (instead of recommended 640:1) , run MMO at 640:1 (instead of recommended 330:1) and Redline SL-1 . I ran those in a DI engine for fuel system lube and moderate cleaning . The engine ran smoother and got slightly better gas mileage . Probably running a maintenance dose of Redline SL-1 (2oz. per tank) would suffice .
My question is do we know which "Premium Gasolines" actually have friction modifiers? The video in the OP references Shell V-Power which I no longer have in my area. I have Chevron, Sinclair, Conoco, Mobil, Exxon and Costco for Top Tier fuel choices. How can I find out which one is actually formulated with Friction Modifiers? Or is it "assumed" all Top Tier fuels have it?
On another note. I have been periodically using TCW-3 as an UCL additive. My source put the mix ratio at 640:1 otherwise 1oz. per 5 gallons as I recall. Not sure that I really notice anything but the theory seems sound to me. If I knew for sure if my fuel choice had Friction Modifiers already added, I'd probably avoid the hassle of the TCW-3 mix.
On another note. I have been periodically using TCW-3 as an UCL additive. My source put the mix ratio at 640:1 otherwise 1oz. per 5 gallons as I recall. Not sure that I really notice anything but the theory seems sound to me. If I knew for sure if my fuel choice had Friction Modifiers already added, I'd probably avoid the hassle of the TCW-3 mix.
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if the fuel hasn't got a cool marketing name like V-power, Ultimate, Synergy etc.... it won't have the friction modifiers.
