Any Worthwhile Additives?

[99LeCouch]

If you want an oil additive, Auto-RX does exactly what it claims to do. I've used it successfully in my couch, and it's a darling over on Bobistheoilguy.

[jcp123]

Any type of fuel system cleaner is good to run now and then as a preventative measure. The shop next to the parts store where I live has seen a massive increase in failed injectors and especuially fuel pumps of late, and it seems like we sell a lot of fuel pumps to other shops. When they open them up, they find exceptionally hard, very resistant black clumps. Break a clump open with a hammer and it has a crystalline structure - sugared ethanol deposits, we theorize. Once it hardens like that, even an overnight soak in Berryman B12 can't touch it. I've started to recommend eithe filling up at Chevron because of its Techron, or running some kind of injector/carburetor/fuel system cleaner every few tanks as a preventive measure.

Personally, I like Lucas' product, as it includes a lubricant that others dont. It's easier on the fuel pump and any gaskets.

[Prophecy99]

Originally Posted by 93Cobra#2771

I have done a lengthy test of using Marine Spec TC-3 2 cycle oil. Mixed at 1 oz/5 gallon. There is a big thread on it here:

Been testing - LS1 Performance Information

My results on fuel economy are inconclusive due to the climate change as I got into my fourth and fifth tank. However, my escort idles noticably smoother. Fuel pump is a lot quieter. And it is definitely easier starting. It is basically billed as a top end lubricant and fuel system/top end cleaner.

I've been using it in my fourwheeler, and it is SO much easier to start now compared to what it was. Now it will start after about 3 or 4 turn overs, compared 7 or 9 before. It was getting to be a bear to start in cold weather.

I need to break down the data in fuel logs and see if I see any trends in there for sure. Just glancing at them again, it appears there may be a decent increase in mileage trend. I wasn't using it for mpg, but for top end cleaning/lubrication.

I am surprised this method of adding Marine Spec TC-3 2 cycle oil. Mixed at 1 oz/5 gallon hasn't been thoroughly disscused here? am I missing a thread. This additive seems too good to be true for states that only have gas diluted with ethanol.

[Prophecy99]

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...-12697-40.html
I just read the final post in this thread so I now understand.
Cheers

[wmjinman]

How about that AmsOil P.I. fuel treatment?

[wmjinman]

Well, I "SeaFoamed" my engine today (1 can = 1 pint in about 1/2 to 3/4 tank of gas, half a pint in the crankcase, and half a pint "sucked" up a vacuum hose with engine idling, then enough to kill it as per instructions, wait 10 minutes & then re-start). After re-starting (which was VERY difficult), it blew out a lot of white smoke as promised, then I went to do some "A-B-A" tests with & without wiper blades installed.

Well, I did 3 "out & back" runs at 50 MPH, cruise control & ScanGauge, and then stopped to take the wiper blades off. I left the engine running so the cruise control "set" would be maintained, but when I leaned over the hood to mess with the wipers, I heard a sucking sound. So opened the hood, and - sigh - the vacuum hose was disconnected. Groan, I musta forgot to put it back on after sucking up the SeaFoam through it.

To make matters worse, it started raining too hard to continue without wipers, so I had to abort at the very start of the "B" part of the test. Then I got back home & compared my mileage averages against my "base" for 50 MPH. It was about 0.7 MPG lower with my "new" grille block, which isn't quite as "complete" as my original one. But I guess the vacuum leak totally blows the test anyway, huh? I was kinda curious to see if the SeaFoam would make a difference, but all I know is it was 0.7 MPG worse with the SeaFoam AND the vacuum leak.

Soooo..... test results corrupted = unusable. ....crap....

I guess I may have solved why it was so hard to re-start though, huh?

[Formula413]

If you had a vacuum hose unhooked throw away any test results. I can tell you from experience that the seafoam treatment of the engine will make it very hard to start, when I did my Escort it took quite a bit of cranking and it threw a trouble code for a misfire. I never did any before/after testing and didn't notice a difference but that car saw a lot of highway miles and likely had very little carbon buildup inside the engine. I got some smoke but not a lot.

[wmjinman]

Originally Posted by Formula413

If you had a vacuum hose unhooked throw away any test results.

Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. Oh well.... Like in John Wayne's quote: "Life's hard - even harder when you're stupid". HAH!!!

I can tell you from experience that the seafoam treatment of the engine will make it very hard to start, when I did my Escort it took quite a bit of cranking and it threw a trouble code for a misfire.

Hmmm... I did the Seafoam thing on several cars a couple years ago, and don't remember the hard starting part. (of course, just 'cuz I don't remember doesn't mean it didn't happen!!!!)

I never did any before/after testing and didn't notice a difference but that car saw a lot of highway miles and likely had very little carbon buildup inside the engine. I got some smoke but not a lot.

Yeah, my car's had mixed driving. I just wanted to do something to make sure it wasn't totally filthy before testing another additive in it. And it seems the consensus is a Seafoam treatment every couple of years is a good idea to help keep the injectors from getting too dirty...

[WesternStarSCR]

I can also add that confusing a vacuum hose to the brake booster for a heater hose prior to a coolant flush from a garden hose will clean a lot of stuff out of the manifold. No worries, a few vacation days, sea foam, MMO, shop vac, 3 oil changes, Wd40, and extreme meticulousness later and all was well. New MAP and EGR valve just because of paranoia too.

Not recommended intake tract cleaning procedure though...

Curious bout your Amsoil additive test. There oil is top notch from my minimal knowledge and used it twice. Additive should be good right?

[wmjinman]

Originally Posted by WesternStarSCR

I can also add that confusing a vacuum hose to the brake booster for a heater hose prior to a coolant flush from a garden hose will clean a lot of stuff out of the manifold. No worries, a few vacation days, sea foam, MMO, shop vac, 3 oil changes, Wd40, and extreme meticulousness later and all was well. New MAP and EGR valve just because of paranoia too.

OMG!!!

Not recommended intake tract cleaning procedure though...

LOL .... but not funny for you at the time, I'm sure!!

Curious bout your Amsoil additive test. There oil is top notch from my minimal knowledge and used it twice. Additive should be good right?

You know, I don't really know much about Amsoil. I first heard about it decades ago, know some people like it - can't recall hearing anythng bad about it.... It was mentioned here on another thread, so I decided to test it & see if it works. He said it could give "up to 5.7% increase in MPG", so if that's true, it's worth looking at! Trouble is, it seems like product after product makes these kinds of claims & just don't live up to the promises. So we'll see.

As I understand it, the stuff is basically a fuel system cleaner that also removes carbon deposits from the intake manifold, injectors, valves, pistons, chambers, etc. That's all fine & good, but what if the mileage improvements are just from cleaning something that's dirtier than it should be? Like putting in a new, CLEAN, air filter will "increase power" (but only because the old dirty one was choking the engine so bad it LOST power). So you put the new one oi, and PRESTO - more power!! Well, not exactly, you're just not LOSING it anymore, see?

To test the "up to 5.7%" mileage increase claim, first I'll change the oil & filter, and then do the Seafoam just to reduce any of those "choked air filter" situations. (although I suspect my car isn't bad since it's currently getting better than 50% over EPA). Then I'll go run a "baseline" data set before the Amsoil is added. One of the claims was "30 more miles per tank", so I'll do at least one full tank until drained dry. With hypermiling, I should make 500 miles on a tank, which I've never logged before, so that'll be a fun "milestone".

With a fresh oil change & probably the SECOND tank after the Seafoam, go out and make one, non-stop (or nearly so) highway trip of 200+ miles, and calculate my MPG. The next day, with a full gas can on board, go shoot for that 500 mile tank, or however far it'll take me, then calculate the mileage there too. Then do one more 200+ mile trip like the first one, exact same course, speed, etc, and find out my MPG there. If I get good consistant data - not too big a spread - then I'll add the Amsoil. If it is a big spread, I'll do another trip first.

Once it's in, I'll burn through a tank to avoid any anomolies that may show up during the "cleaning", like carbon coming out & burning in the catalytic converter, and any possible "fuel value" to the additive itself while burning. Once that tank's gone, the next one will take the same 200+ mile trip, same speed, same everything, then calculate my "Amsoil MPG". Next day, go for the 500 mile trip again & see if the "extra 30 miles on a tank" claim materializes. Then finally, the third 200+ mile trip to calculate mileage again.

There will undoubtedly be some differences in wind, weather, and temps. on all those different trips. If the weather is obviously "different" one day, I'll just wait until it's the "same" again to continue. At a projected 30 MPG, a 5.7% improvement would be 1.71 MPG.

One problem is I won't be able to just go back & immediately do the second "A" part of the test, because once the stuff is in there, it's supposed to last 4000 miles. To deal with that, once I pass 4000 miles, I'll go out & make another couple of trips & see if the mileage is down again (assuming it went up at all)

So that's my plan. If you or someone knowledgeable about testing (like MetroMPG) would like to offer some advice, I'm open to suggestions. My route will be "out & back", so if there's STEADY wind (not always the case around here), the average should be ok. And, looking for a 1.71 MPG improvement, it should be clear whether it's there, or if this is just another empty promise.