A little background, probably more than needed.....I just got thru researching diesel fuel additive as I have a tractor that doesn't get used much, looks like there are two schools of thought on additives: use it, it helps, and not necessary it's snake oil... I decided to go with opti-lube xpd (highest rated in tests and no alcohol) since I don't use tractor much and diesel will have some summer blend diesel still in tank thru winter and it shouldn't hurt...… It got me thinking about gas additives for vehicles, …. I always buy gas from busy stations, ex new Kroger where I live, but don't but from Chevron etc. w/ treatment added to gas...… should I add gas treatment to vehicles, (or only ones that don't get driven much)? is this a two camp subject where some recommend and some say not necessary? If it is a good idea, guess I need to ask what is best treatment and how often? (does this need to be moved to fuel additive forum? I figured I would get more responses here first) Thanks.
fuel additive for gas vehicles
- Thread starter ugabulldog
- Start date
- Status
What gas I buy depends on which side of the street I'm on. Speedway when I heading home, BrandX when I'm going out. I have less than a gallon of E 10 on hand for snow blower. Keep it fresh.No additives. I would be more concerned about the tractor diesel. Algae
If a normally used car, then no additive if you buy Top Tier gas. Chevron Techron if you are a cheapskate and buy discount gas.
so if I buy cheap gas (I buy it because it is cheap but also the freshest due to busiest station) and E10, then I should use a bottle of Chevron techron every 3k miles?
Last edited:
Kestas
Staff member
Another vote for alcohol-free gas.
Just use top tier in anything used regularly.
If it sits or is used infrequently, I always dose it with Marine Stabil. All my OPE gas is treated with Stabil, given it can sit for a long time.
I've had no issues with that regimen.
If it sits or is used infrequently, I always dose it with Marine Stabil. All my OPE gas is treated with Stabil, given it can sit for a long time.
I've had no issues with that regimen.
Originally Posted by ugabulldog
so if I buy cheap gas (I buy it because it is cheap but also the freshest due to busiest station) and E10, then I should use a bottle of Chevron techron every 3k miles?
That should work. I would follow the directions on the Techron container as to how often.
so if I buy cheap gas (I buy it because it is cheap but also the freshest due to busiest station) and E10, then I should use a bottle of Chevron techron every 3k miles?
That should work. I would follow the directions on the Techron container as to how often.
Originally Posted by MNgopher
Just use top tier in anything used regularly.
If it sits or is used infrequently, I always dose it with Marine Stabil. All my OPE gas is treated with Stabil, given it can sit for a long time.
I've had no issues with that regimen.
There are some OPE you never know when it will be used again. Generator and snow blower are two things that come to mind. You never know when power will go out or come back. For snow blower you always hope the current storm is the last. It may or may not be.
Just use top tier in anything used regularly.
If it sits or is used infrequently, I always dose it with Marine Stabil. All my OPE gas is treated with Stabil, given it can sit for a long time.
I've had no issues with that regimen.
There are some OPE you never know when it will be used again. Generator and snow blower are two things that come to mind. You never know when power will go out or come back. For snow blower you always hope the current storm is the last. It may or may not be.
Originally Posted by Donald
There are some OPE you never know when it will be used again. Generator and snow blower are two things that come to mind. You never know when power will go out or come back. For snow blower you always hope the current storm is the last. It may or may not be.
True, but I live in an EPA non-attainment area where the only gasoline we can purchase is with oxygenates. It has been a requirement for well over 20 years here, and in practical terms we have had RFG for much longer than that. I have a 19-year old snow thrower, a 26-year old mower, a 18-year old garden tractor and several other pieces of similarly old OPE and all they have ever seen is RFG. I don't add anything to the gas (except oil for the 2-stroke equipment) and I don't always drain the leftover fuel out of the tanks at the end of the season. So far everything is still running. So when I see these threads about how I should add something to my fuel I get a bit skeptical.
There are some OPE you never know when it will be used again. Generator and snow blower are two things that come to mind. You never know when power will go out or come back. For snow blower you always hope the current storm is the last. It may or may not be.
True, but I live in an EPA non-attainment area where the only gasoline we can purchase is with oxygenates. It has been a requirement for well over 20 years here, and in practical terms we have had RFG for much longer than that. I have a 19-year old snow thrower, a 26-year old mower, a 18-year old garden tractor and several other pieces of similarly old OPE and all they have ever seen is RFG. I don't add anything to the gas (except oil for the 2-stroke equipment) and I don't always drain the leftover fuel out of the tanks at the end of the season. So far everything is still running. So when I see these threads about how I should add something to my fuel I get a bit skeptical.
Originally Posted by kschachn
Originally Posted by Donald
There are some OPE you never know when it will be used again. Generator and snow blower are two things that come to mind. You never know when power will go out or come back. For snow blower you always hope the current storm is the last. It may or may not be.
True, but I live in an EPA non-attainment area where the only gasoline we can purchase is with oxygenates. It has been a requirement for well over 20 years here, and in practical terms we have had RFG for much longer than that. I have a 19-year old snow thrower, a 26-year old mower, a 18-year old garden tractor and several other pieces of similarly old OPE and all they have ever seen is RFG. I don't add anything to the gas (except oil for the 2-stroke equipment) and I don't always drain the leftover fuel out of the tanks at the end of the season. So far everything is still running. So when I see these threads about how I should add something to my fuel I get a bit skeptical.
I also live in a non-attainment area. All I add is some Sta-bil, otherwise I never had an issue either. I also never drain the tanks.
Originally Posted by Donald
There are some OPE you never know when it will be used again. Generator and snow blower are two things that come to mind. You never know when power will go out or come back. For snow blower you always hope the current storm is the last. It may or may not be.
True, but I live in an EPA non-attainment area where the only gasoline we can purchase is with oxygenates. It has been a requirement for well over 20 years here, and in practical terms we have had RFG for much longer than that. I have a 19-year old snow thrower, a 26-year old mower, a 18-year old garden tractor and several other pieces of similarly old OPE and all they have ever seen is RFG. I don't add anything to the gas (except oil for the 2-stroke equipment) and I don't always drain the leftover fuel out of the tanks at the end of the season. So far everything is still running. So when I see these threads about how I should add something to my fuel I get a bit skeptical.
I also live in a non-attainment area. All I add is some Sta-bil, otherwise I never had an issue either. I also never drain the tanks.
If memory serves, regular gas E10 is good for 5-6 months, after which u get enough water vapors in it that it becomes a problem. Running an unused engine every month or so for 15 min should prevent this as water content should be burned off safely.
Also your engines would be lubricated and seals conditioned.
Top tier gas is full of additives in Euro land - corrosion inhibitors, injector cleaners and such. Would run premium every few tanks at least.Or go with additives which include PEA at 2-3k mile intervals.
Also your engines would be lubricated and seals conditioned.
Top tier gas is full of additives in Euro land - corrosion inhibitors, injector cleaners and such. Would run premium every few tanks at least.Or go with additives which include PEA at 2-3k mile intervals.
I actually run some Techron occasionally WITH Top Tier- I had a company E-250 with the 2V 4.6 a while back, it was throwing misfire codes left & right (for the same cylinder), dealer put in a plug & COP coil, no help, but a tankful of Shell V-Power & a good sized bottle of Techron cleaned it right up, never messed up again for the next 70,000 miles of the lease.
Originally Posted by Oily_Thing
I always use TopTier rated gasoline. No additives needed.
https://www.toptiergas.com/
Same for me.
I always use TopTier rated gasoline. No additives needed.
https://www.toptiergas.com/
Same for me.
One of the requirements of Top Tier is that the station displays in a prominent place that it is Top Tier. Now I always try to buy from stations on the Top Tier list but I have only ever seen one station (Valero) have a sticker displayed. This has made me wonder if indeed all of these independently owned stations that fly the flag of a Top Tier company are actually paying the fuel truck driver to put in the proper adds. There is an Exxon station around where I live that I would not trust to follow the Top Tier rules. Anyone have any comments or experience on this? Who verifies that all of the stations are following the rules?
Originally Posted by DrDanger
If memory serves, regular gas E10 is good for 5-6 months, after which u get enough water vapors in it that it becomes a problem. Running an unused engine every month or so for 15 min should prevent this as water content should be burned off safely.
Interesting, how does running the engine "burn off" the water that you say may be in the fuel tank?
If memory serves, regular gas E10 is good for 5-6 months, after which u get enough water vapors in it that it becomes a problem. Running an unused engine every month or so for 15 min should prevent this as water content should be burned off safely.
Interesting, how does running the engine "burn off" the water that you say may be in the fuel tank?
Originally Posted by kschachn
Originally Posted by DrDanger
If memory serves, regular gas E10 is good for 5-6 months, after which u get enough water vapors in it that it becomes a problem. Running an unused engine every month or so for 15 min should prevent this as water content should be burned off safely.
Interesting, how does running the engine "burn off" the water that you say may be in the fuel tank?
Simple really, water is heavier than gas.
Originally Posted by DrDanger
If memory serves, regular gas E10 is good for 5-6 months, after which u get enough water vapors in it that it becomes a problem. Running an unused engine every month or so for 15 min should prevent this as water content should be burned off safely.
Interesting, how does running the engine "burn off" the water that you say may be in the fuel tank?
Simple really, water is heavier than gas.
Originally Posted by DrDanger
Originally Posted by kschachn
Originally Posted by DrDanger
If memory serves, regular gas E10 is good for 5-6 months, after which u get enough water vapors in it that it becomes a problem. Running an unused engine every month or so for 15 min should prevent this as water content should be burned off safely.
Interesting, how does running the engine "burn off" the water that you say may be in the fuel tank?
Simple really, water is heavier than gas.
Yes if it has phase separated. I thought you meant the water that is dissolved in the gasoline/EtOH mixture. All of which would depend on the integrity of the fuel system and the ambient humidity of course. Personally I have never observed free water in any of my fuel tanks.
Originally Posted by kschachn
Originally Posted by DrDanger
If memory serves, regular gas E10 is good for 5-6 months, after which u get enough water vapors in it that it becomes a problem. Running an unused engine every month or so for 15 min should prevent this as water content should be burned off safely.
Interesting, how does running the engine "burn off" the water that you say may be in the fuel tank?
Simple really, water is heavier than gas.
Yes if it has phase separated. I thought you meant the water that is dissolved in the gasoline/EtOH mixture. All of which would depend on the integrity of the fuel system and the ambient humidity of course. Personally I have never observed free water in any of my fuel tanks.
- Status