It seems that Holts have dug the "Redex" brand an early grave.
I went into Halfords today and noticed that they've changed all the bottle designs and now have "New improved formula" Redex on the shelves. While this may not be of great news to many, and may excite a few, upon further inspection I dicovered that the 1 litre cans now treat 8 tanks (50 litres each) of petrol, rather than the 20 tanks the "unimproved" stuff treated. Comparing old bottles with new the new just looks like it's been watered down (red not as deep), but is selling at the same price. Anyone else noticed this?
--------------
Mike Farrow
|
|
Do we really need Redex anymore? Have not used it for years although used it regulary when i had carburetted cars. Have additives moved on? very out of touch here, maybe you could explain. Hope the brand Redex doesn't disapear though been around since year dot.
|
I use it mainly for upper cylinder lubrication. My car only does short journeys mainly and, yes, it carbed. I just think it's a rather nasty method of trying to sell more bottles: by watering it down more while charging the same price. I managed to grab the last bottle of original but I won't touch the new stuff, will save my money and use other lubrication methods recommended on this site, such as 2-stroke oil.
--------------
Mike Farrow
|
|
I've not heard of 2-stroke being used as a petrol additive, but it makes sense. Be interesting to know if many backroomers have tried it. How much do you add, and how effective do you find it?
|
|
|
|
Shouldn't really be necessary anymore with advances in engine technology (some of which strictly should NOT use any additives)& the advance in cleaner fuels -- may do more harm than good
|
There's a range of Redex engine products listed here:
www.edirectory.co.uk/pf/pages/default.asp?rid=1536...y
plus some for diesel engines on a separate page.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
|
|
|
|
|
|
I remember the Redex 'treatment' of yesteryear.
A drop down each plug hole and then firing up the engine. The smoke generated was incredible. Sure the nosey neighbour tree huggers would have something to say these days.
|
Oooh arr, in my day it was always "4 and 4 shots" when Dad pulled up at the pumps in the Morris Series E. I think it was more accepted folklore than really beneficial, although Redex certainly freed up the perennial sticking valve on my Vauxhall Victor (along with the clouds of smoke as described). But then so would 3-in-One, WD-40 and raw paraffin poured down that Zenith 34IV carburetor. Even used Holts Dampstart once.
Redex is still gettable her in the Colonies, along with numerous clones from Wynne's, Cyclo, and the like. Soimetimes I stick a dose in the tank for no particular reason other than old time's sake. Don't notice any difference. As said I think the advances in oil and fuel technology have largely negated the need for additives.
|
"Dad pulled up at the pumps in the Morris Series E."
Ah yes - memories. The one with the red diamond thingy on the rear bootlid - very important to a 5 year old boy. That too had to have regular shots of redex from the big dispenser thing next the pumps. Car took us to cornwall and back no problem, many times but the old man had to sell it to pay for the xmas dinner.
|
We had a 1947 Austin 8 that always, like an earlier example, had to have one shot of Redex with each gallon of petrol.
It took us 200 miles each way to and from Glasgow regularly, including the haul over Shap, as well as to Trentham Gardens on occasions, and I can't remember it ever breaking down.
Among its "advanced" features was a fully opening windscree (hinged at the top), a floor mounted headlights dipswitch and a rear screen curtain that could be raised by pulling on a piece of string with a ring attached. Not that headlights behind were ever bright enough to dazzle my father I would suspect.....:-)
I can even remember its registration number - HGJ 888.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
|
My old man had a 1937 Austin 10 and used Redex regularly as an additive every time he put petrol into the car. I remember the floor mounted dip switch that failed and he rigged up a switch attached to the steering column as a replacement. I have the original Smiths car clock from the car. Other things I remember are the regular decoking that needed to be done, the spoke wheels, the appalling brakes that faded so quickly and the fullers earth he shook into the exposed clutch from an inspection hole inside the car in front of the floor mounted gear lever. The fullers earth soaked up the oil that leaked onto the clutch and made it slip when the car went up a gradient under load.
Ah! The joys of early 1950's motoring, clouds of blue reek, starting handles used in Scottish winters to "save the battery" and lights that were terrible, as well as the smell of old leather.
|
|
OH!! And the registration number CGK 764.
|
|
|
Pah, thats nothing, My old man had a 193(4 i think) Austin 7 tourer. Red with black running boards and wings, Copper coloured headlights (headlights - thats a joke)
The ring gear had gone so the starter motor never worked. Always started on two or three swings tho. It was 2 years before he got the engine out and he heated up a new ring gear in my mums oven to hot drift it over the flywheel.
Boy was that car cold in winter, ice used to form inside the windscreen. Young RF was always tucked up on the (very small) back seat in a tartan car blanket.
We ran it in the Southend on Sea Easter Bonnet parade in 196(x?)
JH1462 (called jezebel - it had a name plate) where are you now!
|
This little Austin 7 - it's in my garage, I live in east Sussex,
Get in touch as I would love to know more about what Jezebel has done.
|
|
You need to contact him on a different web site. He posts as Zero, now.
|
|
OVB 699 - why did our parents buy in round number gallons?
|
OVB 699 - why did our parents buy in round number gallons?
Because originally it was sold in 1 gallon cans - before dispenser pumps were commonplace - brim-to-brim filling hadn't caught on and the mechanic just looked up a table showing the number of gallons and the price.
|
|
.... and the attendant set the pump to cut off when the hour-hand came round to the top of the dial ....
|
|
Oh what memories. My late father was also a member of the one gallon one shot club in his Austin 16 reg GBY 865. As I recall he stopped the practice when he bought his first "modern car", a Ford Consul 375 UDH 78, 3 speed, column change.
|
|
My father used Redex is his Morris 1000. Did not stop the negine needing a rebuild after 35k miles.
My 1929 Riley 9 - my first car - had bores so worn that Redex made no difference..
|
My father used Redex is his Morris 1000. Did not stop the negine needing a rebuild after 35k miles.
35k was a good mileage in those days - Redex wasn't designed to prevent wear, it was/is designed to keep the inlet tract and cylinder head clean
|
Just fill up with ultimate, optimax, nitro or similar premium fuel every 4th fill up to benefit from the additives.
Mark
|
Just fill up with ultimate, optimax, nitro or similar premium fuel every 4th fill up to benefit from the additives. Mark
Which additives do they have, over and above supermarket cheapest.
|
|
I used redex in my mk1 cortina.
It really was a waste of time and money, but good for creating huge clouds of fumes.
Modern car manuals specifically say don't add additives it can damage the emission system.
Edited by xtrailman on 06/09/2014 at 19:24
|
I used to work in the additives industry a few years ago. We ran field test vehicles to assess the benefits of our formulations.
The secret to the best additive is a heat stable detergent, these are incredibly costly to develop. The cheaper additives are not as effective.
Mark
|
|
Redex is not needed in most cars, and in stronger concentrations would be a catalyst killer.
For upper cylinder lubrication, on a old car (think pre-war) a little two stroke oil is better, and cheaper. That's what I use in my 1930 car.
|
|
I filled my diesel with Shell Nitro the last fill then went away on holiday so forgot what I had done. When I came home the car felt less lumpy and it took me a while to realisecwhy. Not sure if there is any economy benefit but it may benefit the engine which would save money in the long run.
|
|
Any engine will benefit from a long run with normal fuel and no additives.
|
|
|
|
