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Fuel Additives: Beneficial or pure crap?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by typesomethingwitty, Mar 29, 2013.

  1. gliderman

    gliderman Active Member

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    What brand of snake oil do you use?
     
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  2. usnavystgc

    usnavystgc Die Hard DIYer and Ebike enthusiast.

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    Copperhead!!!!! Lol
     
  3. wheelsup

    wheelsup Junior Member

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    You realize that the gas you put in your car, as well as the oil you use, all have additive packages in them right?

    "Chevron with Techron"
     
  4. jdenenberg

    jdenenberg EE Professor

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    yes, but I seldom believe anything that comes from a marketing department.

    JeffD
     
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  5. gliderman

    gliderman Active Member

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    LMAO! Everything you buy comes from a marketing department. Its just the marketing department that you choose to believe in.
     
  6. jdenenberg

    jdenenberg EE Professor

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    No, the thing that I buy comes from the engineering department. I just make up my own mind from the technical information since the Marketing types can't understand anything technical.

    JeffD
     
  7. wheelsup

    wheelsup Junior Member

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    What does your engineer brain tell you is the reason additive packages are added to fuel and oil? Like I said it's not like we are running pure gas and refined oil here, which is why I had to laugh when someone said they were complete bull. You don't really know, there is no way to compare additive vs. non-additive fuel/oil (I guess unless you work as an engineer for an oil company).
     
  8. jdenenberg

    jdenenberg EE Professor

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    In my youth I had several episodes of "Gas line freeze" which were aggravating and Heet or other deicers were the cure/preventative. Most of the deicers are alcohol as it combines with the water which then has a lower freeze point. E10 will collect water, but you will not suffer a frozen gas line in today's cars.

    Alcohol also tends to keep the fuel injectors clean so Techron is seldom necessary (although it is one of the better fuel system cleaners, but it is a Chevron product).

    JeffD
     
  9. gliderman

    gliderman Active Member

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    Ah! I see you call yourself an engineering professor. That would explain your ignorance. LOL!
     
  10. WaltD

    WaltD Junior Member

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    To answer your question, here is a quote from the Chevron web site:
    Q. What is the difference between Chevron with Techron at the pump and Techron Concentrate Plus in the bottle?
    A. The principal difference is additive concentration and rate of deposit clean-up. Chevron gasolines with Techron over multiple fill-ups will help clean deposits on intake valves and minimize harmful combustion chambers deposits. When added to a full tank of gasoline, a bottle of Techron Concentrate Plus results in an additive concentration roughly 10 times stronger. This mega-dose of Techron provides a much quicker clean up of intake valve deposits left by lower quality gasolines. In addition, the high concentration of Techron reduces combustion chamber deposits, which can help eliminate deposit-related engine knock or power loss.
     
  11. WaltD

    WaltD Junior Member

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    Please explain why you put Techron into your gas tank Before refueling. I read in some other places that putting Techron in a full tank helps clean the sending unit. I'm just trying to understand when is the best time to put the Techron into the fuel tank.
     
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  12. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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    It gets spread through the fuel better. Diesel owners usually put the additives in first for the same reason.
     
  13. ahmeow

    ahmeow Prius Lover

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    M2. Every half year. just want the fuel system to keep as those stuff claimed. :)
     
  14. ahmeow

    ahmeow Prius Lover

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    Yes that's the good time to put in a bottle.
     
  15. Nora

    Nora Member

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    Oh yeah, it had something to do with contaminating groundwater. MTBE has an interesting background. It was used as an oxygenate for fuels in order to achieve federally mandated clean air standards. Until it turned out to be a health risk. The EPA is very careful to say that it never said refineries had to use MTBE, but realistically, it did say that. And MTBE moves like the wind in groundwater, making problems far downgradient of the source of pollution (refinery, for example) than ever existed before MTBE showed up. So in an attempt to clean up the air in cities with air quality problems, EPA gets refineries to add MTBE, which then turns into this giant groundwater problem. One bandaid causing another environmental problem. Which could easily segue into a discussion on ethanol. Gee, maybe using less gasoline would be better...

    Sorry to go off topic, but I just can't help myself.