Fuel additives anyone?

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Fri 15 Nov 2002 21:11
Fuel additives anyone? - KP
Anybody interested in fuel additives? I was persuaded to use some recently with very positive results. Normally I would have ignored such things. The short version of the story is ....

At the 60,000 mile service of my Mk 3 VW Golf the compression test showed a very poor reading on one cylinder. Try this fuel additive said the man, and he persuaded me to pour the whole bottle in half a tank and work the engine hard. This was despite the directions on the product. I might add this was all conducted in French, in Belgium and "me no speaky French" (I can manage German, Nepali and some Arabic but that does not cut much ice over here). Anyway a second bottle was sold to me before the re-test but this time I slipped in only half. By this time the engine was noticeably in a better state of tune. Then came the re-test. The results surprised me. The dodgy cylinder was back with the rest and all were significantly better and more evenly matched.

Such then is the case for fuel additives - they are A GOOD THING! Or are they? Can overuse damage and engine? Is periodic use preferred to constant use (even in accordance with directions)? Does the cleaning action interfere with any lubricating properties that the petrol may have? Do some fuel brands need additives and others not? What is the case for diesel engines? What actually do fuel additives do and do they all do the same thing?

Grateful for any comments.
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Fri 15 Nov 2002 22:50
Fuel additives anyone? - wemyss
KP, This site tells you all about additives and it dosn\'t say much for them.
alvin
www.chris-longhurst.com/carbibles/index.html?menu....l
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Sun 17 Nov 2002 16:18
Fuel additives anyone? - KP
Alvin,
Thank you but

www.chris-longhurst.com/carbibles/index.html?menu....l

concentrates on lubrication additives and has nothing to say re fuel additives. It a useful site nontheless.
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Mon 18 Nov 2002 10:05
Fuel additives anyone? - Cyd
The only one I think is any good is Slick 50 Petrol Treatment. When we bought the wifes Metro at 6yrs old and 5400 miles up (yes five thousand four hundred) it had only ever been used for short journeys. It was so coked up you couldn't put your finger up the tailpipe. After fitting a new exhaust I tried several "potions" none of which worked. I was resigned to stripping the engine when I found the S50 product at my local A1 Motor Store. It was expensive and I nearly didn't buy it (being very sceptical about tank additives by this time). However it really worked - it didn't get rid of every scrap of coke (I could see it down the plug holes) but it did get rid of most of it. A couple of Italian tune ups helped too.

Any chance you'll let us into the secret of which one worked for you?
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Mon 18 Nov 2002 15:52
Fuel additives anyone? - 547HEW
Hmmm....... Fuel Additives readily offered, and usage fairly common in that territory makes me suspicious of the fuel quality in that area. Must be like our old supermarket fuel.

However, definitely a good thing when needed. Saves labour & materials needed dismantling cyl head to free deposits from sticking valve.

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