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Maintenance & Repair Fuel and Oil Additives
1246 messages, Last post on Sep 28, 2009 at 7:37 AM
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Replying to: lmacmil (Jan 11, 2009 8:55 am) Your Camry, your Highlander, and virtually every other late model car on the road is designed from the outset to run on the additives that are already included in the recommended fuel, and as such, you can expect an easy quarter of a million miles from your fuel system with little or no remedial maintenance WITHOUT the use of extra additives. If you don't believe what I've said, hey, no problem, just look at your Owner's Manuals. If you don't believe them, call Toyota, they'll all tell you pretty much the same thing. Best regards, Shipo |
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Replying to: lmacmil (Jan 11, 2009 8:55 am) My response to additives is that I don't use them unless I need something to clean up a bad injector, and then I buy stuff that is far more potent than off-the-shelf additives you get at the supermarket. And even that works only once in a while. |
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Replying to: lmacmil (Jan 11, 2009 8:55 am) The products that lubricate a fuel system and if you plan to keep a vehicle for many mile or a long time, might provide some improvement in injector and or fuel pump life. I know I will get many "do not do it" statements. The only place that I have seen any real trials is consumer report and they say do not do it. As you may or may not know the fuel touches the valves and therefore the valve guides can be affected due to close tolerance's. Fuel injector are a close tolerance's part of the fuel system too. Fuels today have changed in the last few years and will continue to do the same. The fuels of the past due to lead additive and sulfur did lubricate and protect valve/vale seat surfaces. The newest additive, Ethanol can cause problems in fuel systems and I assume there will soon be a fuel additive label with some reference to their product stopping phase separation, water suspension, clean ,lube and polish your tail pipe too! But all that said, I am sure there is a product or two that have double blind tests and laboratory proof that there product will do what is claimed, I wish I could find it. If you do, tell us, and I will be open minded enough to look into it. I for one appreciate you question and the conversation.
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Replying to: tlworkroom (Sep 29, 2008 2:47 pm) As for additives, the add pack different refiners may or may not or do or do not put in their fuel are different and they can and do change without notice. Some, but not all are added, automatically at the truck loading dock which you might get or might not get the additive for several different reasons. Also when additives are put in manually, who knows? There are so many place's in the chain from the crude storage to the pump, that can cause fuel problems we are lucky we have as few fuel related problems as we do in America. As a fact, gasoline at specific RON,VP, End Point,etc. can be different on a molecular level due to the different way they are processed. They can meet the minimum federal requirements for it's grade and still be different from Facility to Facility(refinery). As small as our refinery is we have the test engines(Knock and others) in our lab that will pass different molecularly different same octane fuels. That is no biggie. |
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Replying to: basspro (Jan 11, 2009 4:34 pm)
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Replying to: lmacmil (Jan 12, 2009 6:23 am) As a general observation, most of the people who visit these sites are looking to learn how to better protect their vehicles (expense) for best performance,low or no unforeseen breakdowns, and longevity. The mostly untold benifit to doing that is less emissions,and leaks into and on our earth. I do not want to sound like a tree hugger, but our kind of people do deserve a pat on the back for trying to do the right thing. Again let us know if you find studies or tests that would prove the benifits of fuel additives. I would be glad to read them. |
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Replying to: lmacmil (Jan 12, 2009 6:23 am) The bottle is very clear that it doesn't do anything to the converter. It also helps protect the fuel gauge slider from being affected by sulfur in the fuels. Some cars have had deterioration affecting the fuel gauge readings. Techron is the additives which were in the Chevron fuel, which were the best at the time. I believe Chevron merged with Texaco since then. Texaco also had come up with a very good additive package. Since the additives were what was in good fuels to begin with, there's no reason not to use them. If I felt I had an injector problem that needed cleaning, I would use a premium grade fuel fillup with the Techron to increase the effectiveness. If it's just prophylaxis, I toss it in with my usual regular. Much of my gas comes from Kroger and Mobil. I don't pay any attention to the Top Tier advertising. |
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Hi ALL, I did a search for out board motor issues and only found two. I have read and posted on this site quite a bit and decided to ask here an outboard motor question or two. Hope you do not mind giving me your opinions or maybe technical information for me to digest. As a short background my old out board was a two cycle and is now 21 years old. I have now bought into the new technology. I have bought a new 2008,EFI four cylinder,four stroke motor. (Mercury if it matters) As I read the information in the owners manual, it recommended only two oil products; Mercury or Quicksilver with some kind of service requirements(I assume marine) that I am not familiar with like the CI-4,CH-4,CG-4,CF,SL/SJ. My first question is there a conversion system to compare the two service requirement from marine to auto, if you know what I mean. My second question is I am going to replace the oil filter very soon and I will need to top off the oil. I want to start the process of switching over to full syn. and not the current blend the OEM recommends. What can I use that will meet their service requirements. As has been discussed many times on this site and others, there truly is a difference in oils,and additive packs. I want to find a syn. group IV ,or better oil to use that will meet and exceed the requirements of the motor builder. They also state that the required weight oil is 25w 40. I would prefer to go with a 0w40,0w50 or at least a 5w 40 for better flow characteristics,i.e. protection than the stock blend oil/add. pac. I need real help here at least to review information on these "new" kinds of motors. But I know in general a four stroke is a four stroke. Lets not get into the technicals to much other than to say, if the motor has roller tappets,solid tappets,odd cam profile, or some kind of timing belt or chain that needs a special lube, that I get, if that's the case. With a new motor I want to do the right thing for longevity and the least wear. I have less than 4 hours. Break in is, said by the book, to be done at eight hours. I want to change the oil and filter again then. Help me if you can or tell me what you would do. Thanks in advance.
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Replying to: basspro (Jan 11, 2009 4:34 pm) Nik Williams |
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Replying to: niknmax (Mar 21, 2009 5:32 pm)
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