Those $5 petrol additives. Opinions?

[Blackshear]

Ok, at risk of people saying 'nice placebo' or such, has anyone used any of those Carbourettor/Injector cleaners before?
I was in the warehouse looking at stuff as you do, and decided.
Why the hell not, worst it could do is make me have to get out my Carbs and clean them anyway.

After about 50k's through the tank, I gave the wee fiddy a mighty wallop down the home straight and was SO SURE there was an extra couple horses running with me.

TRY A BOTTLE, ONLY FIVE BUCKS!


Also, the main road through silverdale is farking slippery in the wet.
This is all, Gentle(wom)an.

[-easy--rider-]

tryed that motor up stuff and it didnt seem to do anything.

[FJRider]

At worst you lost 5 bucks... at best, a few extra japanese ponys running loose...
I haven't heard anything bad about the stuff...

[FJRider]

tryed that motor up stuff and it didnt seem to do anything.

Some motors are beyond help....

[cs363]

I've heard 'stories' about some of those oil additives with things like Teflon in them, blocking up filters/oil screens and causing some issues. Haven't experienced it personally as I don't use them - my preference is use good oil and change it and the filter frequently.
Haven't heard of any problems with fuel additives though, whether they work or not is probably open to discussion.

[slopster]

I know a few mechanics who swear by the injector cleaner aditives but only on injected vehicles - don't think it will help much on carbs - if anything it could possibly loosen all the crap and clog the jets. The carb cleaner aerosol is good stuff if you strip the carb to clean it the traditional way

[-easy--rider-]

there was nothing rong with the bike but it said it gives it better acceleration and all that crap.

[Blackshear]

tryed that motor up stuff and it didnt seem to do anything.
Luckily for me, it's past that 10$ barrier that my wallets says I'm not allowed to climb ha ha.


At worst you lost 5 bucks... at best, a few extra japanese ponys running loose...
I haven't heard anything bad about the stuff...
Ezactly how I saw it.


I've heard 'stories' about some of those oil additives with things like Teflon in them, blocking up filters/oil screens and causing some issues. Haven't experienced it personally as I don't use them - my preference is use good oil and change it and the filter frequently.
Haven't heard of any problems with fuel additives though, whether they work or not is probably open to discussion.
Hmmm. I may just stay away from the oil additives! Bike oil is supposed to be changed far more frequently than a cars anyway, right?


I know a few mechanics who swear by the injector cleaner aditives but only on injected vehicles - don't think it will help much on carbs - if anything it could possibly loosen all the crap and clog the jets. The carb cleaner aerosol is good stuff if you strip the carb to clean it the traditional way
Well mine was special. It said CarbANDinjector. :2guns:


Anyways, just thought I'd share it with you lot.

[FJRider]

Luckily for me, it's past that 10$ barrier that my wallets says I'm not allowed to climb ha ha.

Ezactly how I saw it.

Hmmm. I may just stay away from the oil additives! Bike oil is supposed to be changed far more frequently than a cars anyway, right?

Well mine was special. It said CarbANDinjector. :2guns:

Anyways, just thought I'd share it with you lot.

Are you not allowed more than $10 in your wallet ???:argue:

Kiwi logic...:devil2:

Additives make the oil slippery(er) ... not good for wet clutches... :nono: and yeah right... :rolleyes:

Its only special if it works... :niceone:

Thank you for sharing... :blank:

[Blackshear]

Are you not allowed more than $10 in your wallet ???:argue:

Kiwi logic...:devil2:

Additives make the oil slippery(er) ... not good for wet clutches... :nono: and yeah right... :rolleyes:

Its only special if it works... :niceone:

Thank you for sharing... :blank:
Ha ha, no, it's just my new thing I'm trying out.
If I ever walk into a store and buy something at the drop of a hat, it's to be no more than $10 in total. Unless it's like, THAT special.

I recall someone saying something some time ago about car oils = Not bike oils for that reason, so I'm not gonna fuck up my already worn clutch.

[Subike]

I drop 50cc of two stroke oil into my tank when ever I go for a ride that I know I will be refueling on.
Lubes the carbs, puts a film on the inside of the fuel tank to stop condensation forming and causing rust, stops the rubber fuel lines drying out and becoming brittle.
Have done it to all my bikes over the years and never had problems with rust in the fuel tank, hoses going brittle or the slides in the carbs sticking.
Cost? $0.50 I guess

[BMWST?]

use injector cleaner in the car quite often....i always use it just BEFORE a service.....any residue is then drained out with the old oil(injector cleaner = lots of detergent in the petrol which may end up in the oil)

[Gremlin]

5th gear tried a whole bunch in the UK, using specific equipment and a specific motor, full testing to see how the engine faired.

Every single additive decreased engine power by 2-6%

[Boob Johnson]

5th gear tried a whole bunch in the UK, using specific equipment and a specific motor, full testing to see how the engine faired.

Every single additive decreased engine power by 2-6%
Except for the octane boost, but thats a bit more than a fiver per bottle :innocent:

[Gremlin]

Except for the octane boost, but thats a bit more than a fiver per bottle :innocent:
Yes, there are different ones it would appear. One 5th gear tried literally called itself octane boost or something, and did nothing.

I have run some form of octane booster in the zx7r, and it definitely made a difference. Smelt very good too I might add :whistle:

[Boob Johnson]

Yes, there are different ones it would appear. One 5th gear tried literally called itself octane boost or something, and did nothing.

I have run some form of octane booster in the zx7r, and it definitely made a difference. Smelt very good too I might add :whistle:
Ive had a play with it also but in the RF900R, came back from Wanganui with 1/3 of a tank of 98ultra then topped up with a bottle of octane booster + 2/3 of a tank 95 (highest octane at the pump in the Naki) & struth did that make a difference lol :Punk:

[AllanB]

If you have carbs there is a Yamaha carb cleaner that you spray into the carbs when the engine is running - reports I've read say it works very well.


I run a injector cleaner in the car before a oil change.


I was having a work van serviced last week and they run fully synthetic oil - the quote came back with a charge for a friction reducing oil additive. I call the shop (Midas) and asked why they would put any additive into fully synthetic oil? They just said it was their normal practice. I told them not to add it - its the highest quality oil you can get! Just a way of adding a charge I'm guessing.

[James Deuce]

Yes, there are different ones it would appear. One 5th gear tried literally called itself octane boost or something, and did nothing.

I have run some form of octane booster in the zx7r, and it definitely made a difference. Smelt very good too I might add :whistle:
Dude!

You watched that and STILL wasted money on petrol additives?
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[PHATVW]

I drop 50cc of two stroke oil into my tank when ever I go for a ride that I know I will be refueling on.
Lubes the carbs, puts a film on the inside of the fuel tank to stop condensation forming and causing rust, stops the rubber fuel lines drying out and becoming brittle.
Have done it to all my bikes over the years and never had problems with rust in the fuel tank, hoses going brittle or the slides in the carbs sticking.
Cost? $0.50 I guess

Is your bike a 2 stroke or 4 stroke? I'm just curious how that works :cool:

[Subike]

Is your bike a 2 stroke or 4 stroke? I'm just curious how that works :cool:

4 stroke
the oil "feeds" the rubber fuel lines, keeps them soft. Rubber absorbs oil.
The oil, when passing through the carbs lubes the throttle body pivots and the slides, dont ask me how, I just see the results.
The oil, then getting into cylinders, passes down the cylinder wall to the top compression ring, lubes that, again how I dont know the theory,
The oil when in the tank splashing around, keeps moisture from building up on the inside of the tank on a hot day from condensation, stops rust from forming.Never had a rusty tank.
The oil lube the petcocks, never had a sticky one.
I do it maybe twice a year, thats all it takes
OK, an old wives tale? an urban mith? Works for me :niceone:

[slimjim]

octance boost....gee's me i like to pop off to airport and fill jerry can with av-gas...generally put three litres in per 20litres of normal pump gas..cleans as it goes.:niceone:..and nicer power as well...track days its gets a 40-60 mix..:clap:.but she's a carb fed motor....

[Flip]

There is no benefit in adding a octane booster to std 91 pump gas unless you are trying to run it is a high compression race motor. In which case you should probably be using 100 octane race gas. The issue us one of motor design; valve and ignition timing, port and combustion chamber design, compression ratio and the correct octane rating of the fuel.
A lot of street motors dont like running on race gas because it has such a narrow cut at the refinery (ie few nice small easily burnt molecules) that it needs a very good hot and long spark to ignite. Many street motors backfire and just don't run well on it. I also suspect also that a very high 100+ octane race gas burns too slow for std pump 91 motors and results in incomplete combustion, so the O2 sensor backs the fuel ratio back and hence less HP, note to self to test this out.
If you are adding a fuel system cleaner well that is another matter. As an alternative that is easy to get try a little 'Valve master'. Valve master was originally a fuel system detergent, during testing it was found that it protected the valves seats from errosion as well.
I have a couple of vintage racing cars and I add a squirt of 2 stroke oil to std pump petrol. In this case it to lubricate the valve stems and stop them lifting a valve guide from its seat. I have even mixed white spirits (60 octane unleaded petrol) with pump gas to kill back the octane for vintage use.

[skidMark]

tryed that motor up stuff and it didnt seem to do anything.


Hows your clutch. :lol:

[Blackshear]

Ok, went for a ride today before it started raining, and came to the conclusion the fuel additives makes your wallet cleaner, too.

Why did the policeman ask for my current occupation?

[James Deuce]

Why did the policeman ask for my current occupation?

Because there's this law thing that requires you to give it.

[Blackshear]

Oh. Didn't think it was important.

[naphazoline]

i've used octane boosters before,(specially when i had a chevy),and i'd have to say,that "turbo 108" was an exceptionally good one.it has methanol,and alcohol in it.a BIG difference in power.
not sure about bikes,as they are so varying,but in cars you must advance the timing for high octane fuels,if they are tuned for pump gas.

as for carb/injector cleaners,i've been told by my mechanic,and some mates that race,that "wurth" is a very reputable brand name.
probably a bit more then 10 quid tho.

[Blackbird]

Some people might remember the tubes of "lead substitute" which used to be on sale in gas stations when lead as an additive was phased out in the 90's. I had a 1985 BMW K100 RS at that time which was supposed to run on leaded fuel principally because of the metallurgy of the valve seats. Boy, did switching to the new additive cause me grief and I didn't discover the root cause for over a month. To cut a long story short, the particulate matter in the additive was too big to go through the in-line filter of the injection system. When starting the bike for the first time on any day, it would run perfectly for 20 minutes or so and would then lose power. If I left it for 10 minutes or so with the engine off, it would regain power for a shorter length of time and then decline again. I won't go into how I eventually discovered the problem but I assume the effect was caused by the particulates gradually sticking to the filter material when there was a fuel flow and floating off and partially settling when the engine was turned off.

I just hope that some of the other "snake oil" products mentioned in this thread don't stuff fuel filters or other components! I'd be leaving well alone.

[Gremlin]

Dude!

You watched that and STILL wasted money on petrol additives?
Actually, the octane booster was chucked in gratis by the shop, as it was having issues bogging at lower revs... and it was over 2 years ago :yes: