Fuel Additives: Beneficial or pure crap?

Techron has been around for long time. I used it in the mid 1980s and it wasn't new then

"Techron was introduced as a product brand in 1981"
http://www.oxytane.com/mystery/Liquid%20fuels/The%20Science%20of%20Techron.doc

 

All gasoline sole in New England is 10% ethanol. I noticed it in 1991. At the time it was labeled 'MTB'.

Many vehicles still need HEET in winter.

 

Truth. It works IF you need it. I use seafoam and swear by it. I kept my waiverunners full of it and after the oil spill didnt use them for 2 years. I know I needed to drain the gas and add fresh gas but they ran great with 2 year old gas and seafoam. I add a can to a tank full every few months on our older cars. Our prius's are too new to need it

 

I find Techron fuel treatment to be a cheap enough placebo that I occasionally run a treatment through. Maybe twice a year.

Does it help? I have no idea. Twice a year, I'm pretty sure it isn't hurting.

 

Techron may help you, but be careful, a lot of these additives are full of ethanol and we have enough of that in our gas already.

 

But Chevron advertises that their gasoline already contains Techron, so can't you just fill up with Chevron?

 

I guess you could. Didn't think about that, as there are no Chevron stations near me. The Techron bottle would be for those of us who can't buy Chevron gas.

 

Fuel additives DEFINITELY help, but you have to use them consistently. Please don't be fooled by these other folks. FACT: FUEL ADDITIVES are added to EVERY BRAND OF GAS. Some more than others, some of better quality than others. Without fuel additives, your all of our ICE cars will not run as well. While there "should" be enough additives added while processing the fuel for our cars, understand that additives are not free. And higher the quality, higher the cost. Use a good quality additive as recommended, but stay consistent. One bottle won't do anything. It needs to work for a long and consistent time. Octane levels do not determine the quality of additives. The primary difference between different brands is the amount and type of additives added.

 

Not exactly. MTBE isn't ethanol. It was a different chemical that was later banned in most states (State and Local Contacts | Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) | US EPA)
I think it had something to do with contaminating groundwater.

Also, ethanol is also "required" because of corn subsidies.

 

I just put a bottle of "Sea Foam" into a half tank per instructions of the auto parts sales guy. He said it cleans injectors.

I've listened to car enthusiasts swear by this stuff.

 

FUD.

I drive a Prius every day.
I haven't had to replace my $15,000 battery and Ethanolated gas hasn't CASREP'd the motor in my G3...or either of my trucks.....or either of my motorcycles....or my lawn mowers...or my power washer...my chipper/shredder....generator....etc.
I get much better than than the "Fuelly" numbers-which themselves may be better than truth if drivers are anything like fishermen. Over 44K miles....I've never seen any reason to add a can of snake oil to "my" car either consistently or semi-occasionally.
I don't know how much "better" it's supposed to run with additional additives but to me it's like all of the (other) FUD that surrounds ethanol, Prius batteries, and other such silliness.
My 06 Envoy has managed to run acceptably through it's 126K mile break in period without additional additives. Fuelly = 17mpg, ME=22.
MMMV....

Like I said before.
There are situations where a bottle of Seafoam or Techron can be beneficial.
I tried to clean the TB on my Envoy with Techron @ 116K and would up just spending an hour doing it the right way.
I've used Seafoam before on some of the above mentioned equipment to clean carbs.
If you're one of those poor souls that live in the frozen North then something like HEET might help your ICE out of its winter hibernation slumber.
IMHO?
Priuses don't need additives.
However (comma!!!)
It's YOUR vehicle.
Do it YOUR way!
Just don't let FUD (mine included) scare you into doing it somebody else's way...

 

You shouldn't repeat more FUD. Your HV battery is $3500-$4000 to replace at a dealer, can be replaced by a rebuilt for about $2000 and can be DIY repaired in most cases for about $1000.

The Ethanol issue is:

1. 3% reduced MPG due to lower energy density in E10
2. Fear of fuel system corrosion in the EPA E15 initiative in engines that explicitly state a 10% ethanol limit - all except alternate fuel engines. E10 is generally OK in most engines (Use Sta-Bil for gasoline stored for longer periods)

HEET is obsolete with E10 as the ethanol absorbs any water.

JeffD

 

^ sar·casm (särkzm)
n.
1. A cutting, often ironic remark often misunderstood by PRIUS drivers, that is intended to wound or convey a point.
2. A form of wit that is marked by the use of sarcastic language and is intended to make its victim the butt of contempt or ridicule.
3. The use of sarcasm. See Synonyms at wit1.
[Late Latin sarcasmus, from Greek sarkasmos, from sarkazein, to bite the lips in rage, from sarx, sark-, flesh.]

 

Ethanolated gas killed my gas trimmer, my push mower doesn't run right now. Took the string trimmer in to be repaired.

I was told point blank to throw it away. The Carb would need to be replaced with one calibrated for the new fuel, and since it was over 10 years old at that point, it was cheaper/easier to just replace. (It was an Echo)

 

I really love this forum.

 

I was told something similar. Just changing gasoline brands every few months will also change additives? That said, I do use Techron as well every 6 months or so. Especially if I hear a rattle on startup (which is practically never). So far, so good with the Techron.

 

I had friends that swore on Diesel Kleen for the TDIs, but they had to clean the clogged intake around the same mileage as mine (except with EGR Bypass), so no joy there. Winterized fuel is used nationally in the States, so unless you live north of spiderman, I see no reason for a Prius. I agree that with modern fuels, most over the counter additives are snake oil. Usually just one of many solvents.

 

10% ethanol has been in our fuel for years.

ISO-HEET is still needed in many vehicles.

My truck, and my previous commuter both need [/needed] ISO-HEET in their fuel through the winter. Or else they would refuse to start.

HEET is not replaced by 10% ethanol in commercial fuel.

 

Seafoam is good at cleaning injectors and also melts away carbon. If used in 2 cycle engines it will bugger up the carb due to the debris it will clean out, just take it apart and clean the carb filter out. Not a big deal.

I probably would not suck it into the intake personally. You run a small chance of hydro-locking the cylinder and well that would suck. Not worth the small benefit.

If you are using Mobil 1 0w-20 regularly (I guess standard now is 10k between oil changes?) I doubt you have much sludge or carbon internally. M1 does a great job at keeping internals nice and clean.

 

Fuel additives work almost as good as snake oil but I think snake oil works a bit better.