fuel additives
04-11-2008, 12:05 AM
#12
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Modesto, CA
Posts: 712
RE: fuel additives
My additive of choice is Toluene. Pure 100% Toluene. I use it as an octane booster as I can only get 91 octane in most places where I live and my ride is currently tuned for 100 octane, so If I don't run it I get a little bit of pinging.
By the way, most fuel additive use Toluene as the booster then add other crap as a cleaner that usually does not completely burn during combustion so it clogs the cats and fouls o2 sensors over time. Toluene wont hurt your car.
One bottle of most boosters only raise the octane of the fuel by a couple of points meaning 15 gallons of 91 with one bottle would come out to 91.3 octane on average.
Were as 14 gallons of 91 and one gallon of Toluene would come out to about 93 octane and only costs about $12 a gallon
By the way, most fuel additive use Toluene as the booster then add other crap as a cleaner that usually does not completely burn during combustion so it clogs the cats and fouls o2 sensors over time. Toluene wont hurt your car.
One bottle of most boosters only raise the octane of the fuel by a couple of points meaning 15 gallons of 91 with one bottle would come out to 91.3 octane on average.
Were as 14 gallons of 91 and one gallon of Toluene would come out to about 93 octane and only costs about $12 a gallon
04-11-2008, 05:14 AM
#16
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New Bern, NC
Posts: 701
RE: fuel additives
ORIGINAL: Goldenpony
I don't know Dude, I have been using Techron for at least 10 years in many cars and have never had a problem. I know a lot of people that use it and they've never had a problem. I've also never had a fuel system problem either. I will go on using it.
ORIGINAL: algregory
To those that use Techron - I used to be an avid BMW fan. Years ago BMW was selling Techron at the dealership and recommending it as a fuel additive. Then they found out that if the Techron wasn't eating the stuff it was supposed to eat it was eating the BMW engine itself. They stopped selling Techron and let the customer know why.
While in CA I used a little bit of Red Line fuel cleaner in every tank full in my BMW. When I sold it at 369k miles three out of four injectors will still original. Three of four of the factory clear see-through fuel lines were still original, and still see-through.
Now living in NC where Red Line fuel cleaner is less available I started using Lucas Oil Fuel Treatment. Over the years and 269k miles on the BMW and the 168k miles on my GMC I tried many different fuel cleaners. I HAVE NEVER FELT THE POSITIVE CHANGE AS I HAVE FELT WITH THE LUCAS OIL PRODUCT! Even throttle response got much more responsive. My wife was actually breaking the tires loose on the GMC by accident, never done by her before. I feel better response in both the Mustang GT and GMC.
Try it! And yes, I've used the STP product. Never FELT the change.
To those that use Techron - I used to be an avid BMW fan. Years ago BMW was selling Techron at the dealership and recommending it as a fuel additive. Then they found out that if the Techron wasn't eating the stuff it was supposed to eat it was eating the BMW engine itself. They stopped selling Techron and let the customer know why.
While in CA I used a little bit of Red Line fuel cleaner in every tank full in my BMW. When I sold it at 369k miles three out of four injectors will still original. Three of four of the factory clear see-through fuel lines were still original, and still see-through.
Now living in NC where Red Line fuel cleaner is less available I started using Lucas Oil Fuel Treatment. Over the years and 269k miles on the BMW and the 168k miles on my GMC I tried many different fuel cleaners. I HAVE NEVER FELT THE POSITIVE CHANGE AS I HAVE FELT WITH THE LUCAS OIL PRODUCT! Even throttle response got much more responsive. My wife was actually breaking the tires loose on the GMC by accident, never done by her before. I feel better response in both the Mustang GT and GMC.
Try it! And yes, I've used the STP product. Never FELT the change.
I don't know Dude, I have been using Techron for at least 10 years in many cars and have never had a problem. I know a lot of people that use it and they've never had a problem. I've also never had a fuel system problem either. I will go on using it.
FWIW, also years ago when I was a BMW fan we had a "BMW Club" thing where a Chevron chemist type came down to our area to do a presentation on fuels. He had charts, graphs, pictures and such. At the time I was still insisting on using Union 76 Premium because they still had LEAD in their gas and I was convinced I needed it, and my BMW was designed to run on either. Anyway, LEAD coats stuff and valves to protect them when they hit the valve seats. But, if something was not put into the gas to eat the LEAD, it would just pile up inside your engine. Downside was if this stuff did not find LEAD to eat, it ate your engine and exhaust instead. [:@] Think about it, I used to change out the exhaust in my BMW pretty often. I didn't change the exhaust in the BMW for at least the last 15 years I had it. I've never changed the exhaust in my GMC at 20 years and 169k miles. I've never changed the exhaust on three motorcycles. The charts, pics and graphs brought by the Chevron chemist were to show metal loss in engines using leaded fuels.
The 369k on the original post here was a mistype. I sold it at 269k miles.
04-11-2008, 05:25 AM
#17
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location:
Posts: 66
RE: fuel additives
I use Amsoil Quick Shot Performance Improver every now and again. I also use Lucas Oil products in a pinch. I do always use quality fuels in all of my cars and still notice a difference when I run Amsoil PI in the tank. STP is not on the list that I would even consider using. Just never heard any good from it.
04-11-2008, 07:34 AM
#18
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: The High Country
Posts: 3,547
RE: fuel additives
ORIGINAL: nineinchnail1024
I have never used any additives. I perform preventitive maintenance and use quality gasoline and my cars have never had any issues. It's all snake oil.
I have never used any additives. I perform preventitive maintenance and use quality gasoline and my cars have never had any issues. It's all snake oil.
How do you figure? Techron is what Chevron puts in all the gasoline. It is a detergent. So lame.
04-11-2008, 08:47 AM
#19
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location:
Posts: 1,470
RE: fuel additives
ORIGINAL: nineinchnail1024
I have never used any additives....It's all snake oil.
I have never used any additives....It's all snake oil.
04-13-2008, 07:55 AM
#20
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location:
Posts: 790
RE: fuel additives
I was having a DTE FLI DATA ERROR in my gage cluster, after reading more it was caused by sulfer buildup on the sensors in the fuel system, so i put a bottle of the chevron techron as you guys suggested and ive been error free for months! -Jon