Additives

[Jerram]

Searching "Additive" didn't bring up any threads with that title, so I thought I'd create one.

This is dedicated to all those products that you put in your fuel tank with your fuel (or in some cases shove down your cylinder heads through the plugs).

Which ones do you use?
Which ones do you recommend?
Which ones DON'T you recommend?
What benefits do you enjoy v/s cost.

To start us off, a lot of VVOC guys swear by a product called 'redex' (I think). They seem to think that it's worth the money and reckon that it gives your motor a nice top end clean...tbh I haven't tried it but if I find it in Aus I will.

[noobie]

Maybe this is meant for the older cars amongst us.

I dont use any additives of any sort.

Just ensure you use good quality fuels and oils in your car from day dot, and don't drive it like a grandma all the time and your car should perform in top shape.

However, in my old car - 1984 300zx NA - I did use the following:

Stop smoke in the engine - It did stop the smoke, but i think it just thickened the oil up, an new oil for older cars would have had the same desired result i imagine.

Redex Fuel injector cleaner - I don't think this made any difference to anything.

Wynns Octane booster in the fuel tank - I believe i got more power gains from the "No Fear" sticker i put on the back windscreen to be honest.

On that note, i am looking for a good sticker to give my Astra a few more neddies. Decisions, decisions.....................

[blueraven]

Additives are a waste of money. Just use the right oil/fuel/whatever in the first place.


Only time i will use one is if i am stranded on a long trip without 98 octane fuel, so i use an octane booster and normal premium.

[daiflu]

Methylbenzene can be used as an octane booster ;)
10-30% depending on the boost you need.
Tried and proven. Not too good for ya though.

[Jerram]

I've heard recently that underdriven V6s can get a carbon buildup causing ping etc. Anyone had this or used something to cure it?

[SKM_87]

fang it to clean the carbon out.

dnt use additives, use good fuel and oil. if you need stop smoke and you have the right oil something else is wrong.
octane boosters are wank
injector cleaners do absolutly nothin at all. yes some garages will sell it to you in a serivce, good idea to steer away from there

[guy 27]

I have used several in the past in my old car as it was not worth putting in premium in and would ping on 91 octane so that solved that issue for me.

In the Astra though I have used it and it caused some pinging so never touched the stuff again. A waste of money in my opinion.

[lithium]

i used a variant of injector cleaner on my Z18XE called 'total fuel system cleaner' or something when i first bought it

after that tank of petrol, it removed the pinging at WOT. definite improvement.

but i think the previous owner had beaten it up a bit and run it on dinosaur oil and regular unleaded for 120k, so mine might have been an extreme case. if your injectors are clean, injector cleaner will obviously do nothing - ran a tank of injector cleaner through again last service and this time, as expected, it did nothing

[btm]

Wynns Octane booster in the fuel tank - I believe i got more power gains from the "No Fear" sticker i put on the back windscreen to be honest.
bahahaha :D

[Vectracious]

stranded on a long trip without 98 octane fuel, so i use an octane booster and normal premium.

Do you need to put that Subaru engine cleaner additive between services??? Not even sure what it does to be honest....

[blueraven]

Dunno i havent had a service yet, but i have heard of engine cleaners that you add to the oil that remove deposits etc...but if you service regularly and use the right oil there shouldnt be any need for an engine cleaner in the first place.

[entice]

Subies Benefit mostly from:
Upper cylinder lubricant.

Comes in a foam can, and spayed into teh manifold.
Not so sure on teh fuel additive though...

Subies (all Boxers) need a good fang every now and then to clean em out.
read somewhere reputable once that has to do with teh horizontal layout of teh engine making them more prone to some build up.

I know using it in my 3 subies made huge improvements, even in dads NA Forester!!!!

[Vectracious]

Subies Benefit mostly from:
Upper cylinder lubricant.

Comes in a foam can, and spayed into teh manifold.
Not so sure on teh fuel additive though...

Subies (all Boxers) need a good fang every now and then to clean em out.
read somewhere reputable once that has to do with teh horizontal layout of teh engine making them more prone to some build up.

I know using it in my 3 subies made huge improvements, even in dads NA Forester!!!!

yeah, you get the upper engine cleaner treatment every service, and fuel additive at service and between services.... just put mine in last week so I've thrown the bottle out and can't see exactly what it says. Keep meaning to ask them everytime I take it in but I keep forgetting.