Fuel additives?

[HokieZHP]

Do any of you use fuel additives? Performance or just for smoother operation. My roommate uses an octane booster in his sport bike and I became curious. I've never used any additive before and wanted to get your thoughts on it.

[danewilson77]

I will run a bottle of the STP fuel injector cleaner through the tank every now and then.

[Go Horns!]

I've used the Redline Fuel system cleaner http://www.amazon.com/Red-Line-60103-System-Cleaner/dp/B000CPI5Z0

Used it in both my Tahoe and the ZHP. Didn't notice any difference in mpg.

[HokieZHP]

I'm thinking of running some sea foam through my car here shortly and then I may try out an octane booster just for the hell of it.

Would sea foam be my best bet for a injector cleaner and for freshening up the engine?


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[Johnmadd]

I used to use outlaw octane booster in my e30, I thought I noticed a little bit more aggressive acceleration when floored, and I floor it all the time in that car. Lucas fuel treatment is a good product for keeping things running smooth, it is also the only one I know of that has an upper cylinder lubricant.

[aurelius]

LiquiMoly. German. Great stuff.

Jectron and Valve Clean (2 separate products) are available at some NAPA stores. $8.50 for the pair.

If you can't find it locally, BavAuto sells it but you may want to invoke their low price guarantee.

[HokieZHP]

Liquimoly is good stuff. I forgot about that. I used that in my TDI jetta a couple times.


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[danewilson77]

Liquimoly is good stuff. I forgot about that. I used that in my TDI jetta a couple times.


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Available on line only?

[mikeyb74]

LiquiMoly. German. Great stuff.

Jectron and Valve Clean (2 separate products) are available at some NAPA stores. $8.50 for the pair.

If you can't find it locally, BavAuto sells it but you may want to invoke their low price guarantee.

I run both Jectron and Vent Sauber once a month.


Liquimoly is good stuff. I forgot about that. I used that in my TDI jetta a couple times.


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Bavauto also carries the Diesel Purge and Super Diesel Additve.

[M0nk3y]

Is there really any harm to running fuel additives so often? I've never even considered this.

[ryankokesh]

Dane, you've used sea foam in the tank, right? I may be dreamin...


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[danewilson77]

Dane, you've used sea foam in the tank, right? I may be dreamin...


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Tank, Intake, Crankcase. 1/3 bottle in each. Drain oil about 10-20 miles, and change out with fresh syn.

[zj96sc]

I have never run a fuel additive on any of my sparkplug equipped vehicles.

On my F-250 I run power service diesel kleen + cetane boost to make up for that garbage ULSD. Returns lubricity removed by removing the sulfur and also boosts cetane (diesel equivalent to octane). I run the recommended ratio in every tank, definitely notice smoother idle, slightly higher power, and slightly better mpg.

[static667]

I've used Sea Foam several times in previous BMWs. I may be due a running in this one just for kicks.

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[billschusteriv]

I've used an ethanol treatment, BMW's fuel additive, and Chevron fuel additive (similar bottle shape to the BMW additive).

[HokieZHP]

So I went out and purchased a bottle of Sea Foam yesterday only to read that it should be used right before an oil change. Well I just got my oil changed and now I'm not due for 15k so guess the Sea Foam will be put on the shelf until then. Will other injector cleaners thin out the oil or is it just the Sea Foam?

[Washburn]

BMW fuel additive IS Chevron Techron fuel additive, re-labeled by BMW :) hence the exact same bottle.
I use it about every 10k miles, roughly.

Chvron/BMW, Gumout Regane and Redline SI-1 and one 3M additive (forget name) are the only fuel additives that has a decent amount of active ingredient (PEA) in them - all others are not worth it.
The RL Si1 has the added function of being an UCL.

Those are the only 4 additives I'd ever use in any car i own.

More info:
http://i52.tinypic.com/eaqmue.jpg

[M0nk3y]

BMW fuel additive IS Chevron Techron fuel additive, re-labeled by BMW :) hence the exact same bottle.
I use it about every 10k miles, roughly.

Chvron/BMW, Gumout Regane and Redline SI-1 and one 3M additive (forget name) are the only fuel additives that has a decent amount of active ingredient (PEA) in them - all others are not worth it.
The RL Si1 has the added function of being an UCL.

Those are the only 4 additives I'd ever use in any car i own.

More info:
http://i52.tinypic.com/eaqmue.jpg

I guess I'm still confused. When you use fuel additives, do you have to change oil or anything like that afterwards? Or can you just put in another tank and go on with life?

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[Johnmadd]

So I went out and purchased a bottle of Sea Foam yesterday only to read that it should be used right before an oil change. Well I just got my oil changed and now I'm not due for 15k so guess the Sea Foam will be put on the shelf until then. Will other injector cleaners thin out the oil or is it just the Sea Foam?

Through the gas will do nothing to your oil. Through the intake vacuum line would be fine I believe, need someone to confirm that. Through the oil is definitely a no-no if not going to change the oil.

[HokieZHP]

If someone could confirm that that'd be awesome since I'd love to do the Sea Foam but I'm not going to waste the $$ oil I just got.

If I can't do the Sea Foam then I guess I'll get some Chevron additive and use that for now.

[Washburn]

Monky:
i have never used sea foam and never seen the need for it. So i can't comment - I think it's a dual action product, and affects fuel AND oil (and can be used in oil), so that's why the OC afterwards, I think. Many horror stories about hydro locking engines, too...
I don't see the need to use a product like that where i have to feed stuff through brake lines, and go into all that, and risk something, etc.

If you use good gas, drive the car at hwy speed at least once a week and do general good fuel practices, I think a normal fuel additive is all you need once in a while...might not need one at all, really - but it doesn't hurt, so i do it when i think of it - not in any regular interval, but probably roughly every 10-15k miles on our cars, neither of which ever had a fuel/injector related problem.

Regular Fuel additives like the ones I listed have no effect on oil, and they DO NOT go in oil - only in gas tank. So there's no need for oil changes afterwards (unless your engine has a serious problem of oil/gas mixing) - so just put the recommended amount into an almost empty gas, fill up, and you're done.
I have NEVER heard of any of those regular additives thinning out oil or anything like that - they're strictly in the fuel.

[HokieZHP]

I think I'm going to pick up a bottle of the Bk 44K or Chevron Techron additive and run it through once this tank is almost empty.

[edlvrt]

BMW fuel additive IS Chevron Techron fuel additive, re-labeled by BMW :) hence the exact same bottle.
I use it about every 10k miles, roughly.

Chvron/BMW, Gumout Regane and Redline SI-1 and one 3M additive (forget name) are the only fuel additives that has a decent amount of active ingredient (PEA) in them - all others are not worth it.
The RL Si1 has the added function of being an UCL.

Those are the only 4 additives I'd ever use in any car i own.

More info:
http://i52.tinypic.com/eaqmue.jpg

I don't know the differences in composition, but the Red Line fuel product looks and smells the same as Marvel Mystery Oil

[M0nk3y]

Monky:
i have never used sea foam and never seen the need for it. So i can't comment - I think it's a dual action product, and affects fuel AND oil (and can be used in oil), so that's why the OC afterwards, I think. Many horror stories about hydro locking engines, too...
I don't see the need to use a product like that where i have to feed stuff through brake lines, and go into all that, and risk something, etc.

If you use good gas, drive the car at hwy speed at least once a week and do general good fuel practices, I think a normal fuel additive is all you need once in a while...might not need one at all, really - but it doesn't hurt, so i do it when i think of it - not in any regular interval, but probably roughly every 10-15k miles on our cars, neither of which ever had a fuel/injector related problem.

Regular Fuel additives like the ones I listed have no effect on oil, and they DO NOT go in oil - only in gas tank. So there's no need for oil changes afterwards (unless your engine has a serious problem of oil/gas mixing) - so just put the recommended amount into an almost empty gas, fill up, and you're done.
I have NEVER heard of any of those regular additives thinning out oil or anything like that - they're strictly in the fuel.

Ok, thanks.

I just didn't know if the formulas needed you to change or clean anything afterwards

[aurelius]

Techron is a fuel injector cleaner and has been recommended by BMW for a long time. It is in both Chevron and Texaco fuel, tho in what concentration is anyone's guess.

Check out the Fall 2011 Bavauto newsletter article on Liqui Moly products. You'll find the German engine tests interesting. You can download it HERE (http://www.bavauto.com/shop.asp?HC1=0&HTarget=sc_fasttimes.asp&HCY=&HCM=).

[kayger12]

Techron is a fuel injector cleaner and has been recommended by BMW for a long time. It is in both Chevron and Texaco fuel, tho in what concentration is anyone's guess.

Check out the Fall 2011 Bavauto newsletter article on Liqui Moly products. You'll find the German engine tests interesting. You can download it HERE (http://www.bavauto.com/shop.asp?HC1=0&HTarget=sc_fasttimes.asp&HCY=&HCM=).

Good stuff. Thanks for posting.

[billschusteriv]

BMW fuel additive IS Chevron Techron fuel additive, re-labeled by BMW :) hence the exact same bottle.
I use it about every 10k miles, roughly.


Thanks for the backup Wash. :) My memory is a little foggy so I wasn't about to make that connection without some help.

[webster]

Good stuff. Thanks for posting.

+1

thinking of picking up the liqui moly kit for my next oil change

[Ryans323i]

So I went out and purchased a bottle of Sea Foam yesterday only to read that it should be used right before an oil change. Well I just got my oil changed and now I'm not due for 15k so guess the Sea Foam will be put on the shelf until then. Will other injector cleaners thin out the oil or is it just the Sea Foam?

First, I recommend you change your oil every 5,000-7,500 miles, not the 15k miles BMW states.

Second, it's been my experience to change the oil 20-50 miles after running seafoam through the car. I have run seafoam just through just the gas tank, and also divided it between the gas and intake. Changed the oil after both of these occasions. I recommend putting the seafoam on the self and just run an injector cleaner through with your next gas fill-up. I've used STP fuel injector with no problems.

[HokieZHP]

Ryan, normally I do change it every 7500 however I used some German Pento 5w-40 oil and my mechanic swears that it is ok to go 15k with it. I was unsure about it but I trust him as he has worked with my famiy for 10+ years. We'll see how it goes and I'll check it periodically but the plan as of now is 15k.

Does no one else run it for 15k? I know it's cleaner to do shorter intervals and that's what I've always done in the past.


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[webster]

i've only done one oil change so far, but i plan to stick to a strict 6000 mile interval between changes.

[kayger12]

Ryan, normally I do change it every 7500 however I used some German Pento 5w-40 oil and my mechanic swears that it is ok to go 15k with it. I was unsure about it but I trust him as he has worked with my famiy for 10+ years. We'll see how it goes and I'll check it periodically but the plan as of now is 15k.

Does no one else run it for 15k? I know it's cleaner to do shorter intervals and that's what I've always done in the past.


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I personally would never go 15k. If you do, though, it would be worth sending the 15k mile sample to Blackstone. That will tell you for sure whether your oil can go 15k.

I think you'd probably be unpleasantly surprised by the Blackstone report on 15k mile oil.

[billschusteriv]

I personally would never go 15k. If you do, though, it would be worth sending the 15k mile sample to Blackstone. That will tell you for sure whether your oil can go 15k.

I think you'd probably be unpleasantly surprised by the Blackstone report on 15k mile oil.

Agreed. Blackstone told me in my report to go no more than 8k miles.

I would most definately, under no circumstances, go more than 10k. At least... I wouldn't admit to going more than 10k. :biggrin

If you really want to know (and you happen to have a Mityvac and can suck some oil out of your dipstick), I'd send them a sample at 7k-8k miles. Unless you put on an insane amount of miles daily, they'll get you results back in a timely manner (<1 week) and give you an opportunity to change your oil.

[HokieZHP]

Yeah I'm thinking I'll check it around 6-8k and see how it's doing. I'm planning to buy a mityvac for future oil changes so I can do them here at school since there aren't many/if any trustworthy BMW shops around these parts.

We'll see how it goes. I feel like I'll fall back into my normal 7500k change cycle but we'll see.

Thanks for the input guys.

[mimalmo]

I use the BMW fuel system cleaner a couple times a year to keep things clean.

[MsRN]

I like to run Techron every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. It may be overkill, but it's also my $10, so I do it. I'm thinking about trying the Lubri-Moly products next time.

Someone wiser than me once pointed out that even if the oil is good for 15,000 miles, the paper filter most likely isn't. I like a 5,000 to 7,500 mile oil change interval, with Blackstone evaluation. I'm trying Redline this time, and plan to run it for 7,500 miles.

[Washburn]

Redline isn't LL01 spec'd, is it?

[danewilson77]

Redline isn't LL01 spec'd, is it?

Look at the huge table over at bimmerwiki. Maybe it is.

Nope...its not on there.

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

[Washburn]

just checked. It's not.

[MsRN]

Redline isn't LL01 spec'd, is it?

No, but it is Mike Miller spec'd...

[Washburn]

hm. alrighty.

[zhpnsnv]

No, but it is Mike Miller spec'd...

This.

There's a lot to the "specs" and what hoops a company has to jump through to get them written on their bottles, some of which have little to do with their oil.

Spend some time over at bob is the oil guy and you'll find that RL without its "spec" outperforms many LL-0x in many applications.

Or save some time and just listen to
Mikey!


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[Washburn]

I know bitog, and have about 6,000 posts there LOL
but i can see what you mean, too...i have yet to see any detailed info about what an oil has to have to get LL01 cert. BUT again i have seen a lot seasoned oil fans respecting the LL01 spec'd oils...and just for the peace of mind, as i normally care about spec's in general, and because the 3 LL01 oils i use (or would use) does the job well and i can find them pretty easily and cheap, why not?

I like to switch them around though: i have German Castrol (syntec) 0w30 right now, next change it will be Pennzoil Euro Ultra 5w-40... :)

and can you post any links where the RL outperformed LL01 oils? outperformed in what context? Thanks. I never saw any such thing at BITOG UOAs ...