Any Worthwhile Additives?

[brucey]

I have full support for seafoam. I had a samurai that would NOT run at all. Had trouble idling, and 0 power. Ran 1/3rd a can in the oil, 1/3rd can in the gas, and poured the rest right down the carb. Truck ran like it was brand new then.

[tasdrouille]

For my TDI I add 2% biodiesel to my D2 since they introduced ULSD to help with the lubrication of the fuel pump. Running a bottle of Diesel Purge straight at the fuel filter really helps cleaning the injectors nozzles.

[Shawn D.]

For older diesels like my 300td, regular use of Diesel Kleen makes a noticeable difference in running and protects the injector pump from the ravages of ULSD. The problem is keeping it in the car and on hand for when I fill up -- it's nasty stuff and the smell permeates the cabin through the bottle!

Originally Posted by tasdrouille

Running a bottle of Diesel Purge straight at the fuel filter really helps cleaning the injectors nozzles.

That stuff really does work well -- just don't do it where the massive smoke will be a problem!

[geoff]

When I picked up my escort it had 70K miles on it (1995), I bought it from a friend that was the original owner. He did all the required work on the car at the time/mileage it was called for, so I knew the car was is good mechanical shape, but these are the same things I have done with all my cars, and what I plan to continue to do with the Escort as long as I own it.

I gave the car a full tune-up about a week after getting it, mostly for piece-of-mind. This included pulling the valve cover and oil pan and cleaning the engine out and inspecting it, everything looked very good so it was put back together with new gaskets and all new synthetic fluids, along with all new filters, ect. I also cleaned the injectors and intake manifold, changed the trans-filter and fluid, coolant, sparkplugs, plug wires, a couple dry-rotted vac. lines, ect, ect, ect.

Since then I have been using all Redline fluids in the engine (5w20 in the summer, 0w20 in the winter) I don’t do much driving with the car, so the oil/filter gets changed every 6 months and that’s when I switch weights (I also change the oil filter at the half-way point till the next oil change, and top off the oil as needed).

The trans has Redline D4-ATF, I will change the transmission fluid every other year (and the trans filter every other fluid change), or 25k miles, along with the coolant. To change the trans-fluid, I have a trusted shop flush it out to make sure all the old fluid in the cooler, lines, and torque converter is changed. I use a 20/80 anti-freeze/water mix, with 1 bottle of Redline Water Wetter.

All the wheel bearings will be getting Redline CV lube on them and that get re-greased anytime I work on the brakes, hasn’t happened yet on this car, but I am looking to do it in the next few months.

The power steering on the car was flushed and filled with Redline power steering fluid. This gets changed at the same time as the trans-fluid/coolant.

I change the sparkplugs/fuel filter once a year, and clean the air filter (K&N) at the same time.

The only other regular thing I do is use 1oz/gal of Lucas fuel injector cleaner to the gas tank when the oil gets changed (I time it out so that I have to get a full tank of gas, so for me it’s about 10oz of cleaner and a fill-up), and do the same at the half-way point till the next oil change (same time I change the oil filter). This works out to be about every 3 months (about every 6th tank of gas). Redline does make a good fuel injector cleaner, but I can buy the Lucas product in a 1 gal jug, making the cost-per-application much less, and they both work about the same.

I have tried other products, like Amsoil, Royal Purple, Mobil 1, Enos, Shell Helix, Castrol GTX, Valvoline Redline, ect. They are all good products and the most important thing is to make sure you choose the right weight/formulation of fluid for your application, and change/service the fluid when needed.

One other note, when I say I change the oil every 6 months, and the trans-fluid every other year, ect...I change the fluids when needed based on the current condition of the oil/fluid, some of this is just experience of knowing the feel/look/smell of a fluid when it’s starting to break down. It just ends up that this takes about the same amount of time each change, but sometimes when I add a summer road-trip in, or the ambient temps are abnormally high/low, or other factors can require a more/less frequent change.

Some simple things you can do is check the condition/level of all the fluids in your car (that have a dip-stick or are otherwise easy to check) when you get gas, being that I only have to get gas every 2-3 weeks, I do this every time, along with checking my tires air pressure. If you fill up more frequently you can try every other tank of gas, or every 3rd time, ect.

Once you get in the habit of checking these things you’ll get better at it and it will take less time. I always make sure I keep a few paper-towels in the glove box incase the gas station doesn’t have them. When I pull up the pump I pop my hood, start filling the car with gas and then go to work! I can get everything under the hood done, and get all the valve stem caps off before the pump shuts off (full tank). Then it only takes me another minute or two to finish checking the air pressure and put the caps back on and I’m done. I try to always go to the gas station at off peak times to avoid waiting for a pump or having someone wait for me.

Again, what I do (I know) is a little overkill, but I am fine with spending a bit of extra time/money on the car, it’s really not much in the big picture of owning a car for many years. You will be rewarded with a reliable car, that is fuel efficient and safe.

Please make sure you recycle all the fluids properly! Most major cities will have services that can deal with all kinds of automotive parts/fluids (most auto-zone type places will only take engine oil and nothing else). For private individuals with small quantities to dispose of there is usually no cost, or its minimal. I happen to take my used engine oil to a place that refines it into fuel for restored steam locomotives!

Tip: Plastic cat-liter containers make great short term storage for automotive fluids till you can make a trip to the disposal facility. I have stored various fluids in them for months with no signs of the containers breaking down.

[geoff]

Few, sorry, I didnt mean for that to run so long! Well as you can see I am a fan of Redline products and Lucas injector cleaner.

[bottonavy]

Has anyone used Acetone or butyl Alcohol? I have read online that people have and it works. Itried Acetone and found the price of the acetone weighed out the MPG increase. Any other ideas?

[texanidiot25]

I'm going to run seafoam in my '90 Firebird very soon. But what I've always loved is Restore engine treatment (what's on spikeTV on the weekends). Tossed it in the GMC Jimmy. Cured it's rough idle, and it ran over all a ton smoother. The stuff lasts about 5000 miles if I remember right, and we got about 4500 out of it before you could tell the engine was starting to run a bit rougher. But fuel economy was a bit better over all, and just having an engine that felt happier made it good for me. 5-6 bucks I think.

When I 1st got the firebird, it ran like hell. After the water pump and a few drives to let the ECU relearn (the car sat for almost a year before I got it, dead batt and all) and it was still a pretty rough car. Tossed in a can of Restore, and the car started easier, and ran a good bit smoother. No, the effects of it didn't last long, the car leaks oil like mad, but it helped get me past inspection. lol

6 new fuel injectors later and now the car runs much better, so I only wonder what seafoam and Restore would do for it.

[darkdan]

You're better off without that Restore stuff.

Check out the increased compression from auto-rx:

RMS13.com The Auto-Rx test

[Zukibot]

I'm an Auto-Rx fan myself. Got it in the diff's, tranny, PS, and sump.

[ALS]

Restore will not fix stuck piston rings. Most blow by is caused by carboned up piston rings. Auto-Rx will dissolve that carbon and get the rings to seal against the cylinder walls. It will not repair worn metal but nothing out there will.
I had a rough idle in my 960 and with in 500 miles the Auto-Rx got rid of it.
I haven't had it come back in the last 24K miles either.

[darkdan]

Originally Posted by brucey

I have full support for seafoam. I had a samurai that would NOT run at all. Had trouble idling, and 0 power. Ran 1/3rd a can in the oil, 1/3rd can in the gas, and poured the rest right down the carb. Truck ran like it was brand new then.

Seafoam through the carb or for the FI people sucked in through a vacuum line on a hot motor works wonders.

This works via two methods. One is solvency (do I have to explain this one?) and the second is thermal shock. The cold Seafoam hits the hot carbon and causes it to quickly contract. This breaks it's kung fu grip on the piston top.

However, water has been used in the same manner for many years, but considering Seafoam's volatility it's safer.

Having said that, I still do not believe it should be used in the crankcase since it's low viscosity and high volatility and the lack of lubrication properties means it shouldn't be in the oil. Also, it's far too weak to be used in the fuel tank.

[texanidiot25]

But FYI is anyone has never used it, absolutely do not let the car stall when letting seafoam in through the vacuum lines. Risk hydro-locking the engine. Kinda let the vacuum line "sip" the Seafoam out of a cup or something of the sort.

[darkdan]

Back when I used to use seafoam (before I discovered FP60 by Lube Control) I always let mine stall.

Seafoam has such high volatility and low flash point I highly doubt you'd hydrolock the engine unless you used a significant amount. I only used 1 oz per cylinder (so 8 oz on my V8, 4 oz on my 4 banger).

If there was a risk you'd hear about it on the internet all the time.

Besides, one of the two ways Seafoam works is by solvency. You want it in liquid foam on the piston.

[RH77]

When I first used it, the recommendation was to slowly pour it in the vac line, then let it stall after 1/2 a can or so (pour it in faster).

Then wait 5-10 minutes for the solvent to start working on the gunk...

...and then go out crank it over. Then "briskly" accelerate the vehicle to blow out the carbon in white smoke form.

If you left it running, the smoke would build-up in the area where you're working, while you re-attach the booster line. You really have to drive the vehicle to clear all of this out. I haven't had any vapor-lock problems in over 10 applications, in different vehicles. Has anyone had this problem?

The problem I have with most of the other brands is that you have to special order them or go through a dealer of some sort. I just go to the auto parts store and pick up a few cans of SeaFoam.

RH77