What's your favorite fuel additive?

We just picked up a new Mini Cooper for my wife. It's not anything too fancy; a just base Cooper automatic. Inside the fuel door it instructs us to "use fuel additive regularly." When I asked the dealer for more information on this I was told "our service department says to do it about every three months right before you fill your tank from almost empty. This will help with performance and help prevent the need for a carbon clean in the future. Our parts department sells a fuel additive for about $20 per bottle." I can buy into the idea of regularly using an additive, but I bet I can find something better and cheaper than what the dealer would want to sell me. The problem is that I don't really know anything about fuel additives (the Mazdaspeed specifically warns against the use of any additives). What would be your favorite product for this application? I would probably default to something by Lucas, but that's probably just because I keep seeing their name on racecars.

Seafoam. Dump in 1 oz per gallon of fuel.

Vodka...

Or Seafoam, that works just as well, but you're gonna have a bit of either leftover with each tank-full, and I like drinking the left-overs. Seafoam gives me indigestion.

Seafoam/Techron

Problem is that motor (I believe) is direct injected, so no matter how much or what kind of cleaner you pour in there, it will never touch/clean the valves. Direct injection motors have a real problem with carbon build up on the valves because of this. Seafoam fed through the intake will work if done regularly, otherwise manifold removal and a shell blasting will be needed.

I used to feed BMW's this stuff every couple of tanks... http://www.amazon.com/Chevron-65740-Techron-Concentrate-Cleaner/dp/B00092893E

But, after years of not doing that - I can't tell the difference. Feed it 93 octane fuel and it comes with a cocktail of cleaners and E36 M3 in it I think.

oxygen

I'm kind of partial to adding air to my fuel along with a little spark and some compression.

That and an occasional can of Seafoam.

Nitrous?

EastCoastMojo wrote: Nitrous?

This or forced air

I'm thinking there are 3 smart asses that all checked this thread at the same time.

Idemitsu rotary premix oil

Nitromethane, there now it is 4 smart asses.

I thought basically all fuel, from a quality gas station, already comes with an additive package so extra additives aren't necessary?

Gumout Regane

Acetone....

In the fall I burn all my unused outboard premix in my garden tractor. The plugs will foul after a few tanks. By adding acetone with the premix the I can burn off all the premix without fouling the plugs.

The current spark plugs are over 5 years old and the garden tractor continues to run fine.

I did some pretty stupid experiments with acetone and if nothing else it appears to keep the plugs clean.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: I used to feed BMW's this stuff every couple of tanks... http://www.amazon.com/Chevron-65740-Techron-Concentrate-Cleaner/dp/B00092893E But, after years of not doing that - I can't tell the difference. Feed it 93 octane fuel and it comes with a cocktail of cleaners and E36 M3 in it I think.

All octanes have the same detergents/cleaners in them.

Anything Asian. Asian food leaves very little residue, easier on the filters.

Berryman b12 chemtool, its cheap and contains the most common ingredients in other additives costing much more.

If you check the MSDS of most products you will find: Naphtha and toluene.

Startron, is 99.5% Naphtha, its that 0.5% of the other stuff that makes it special.....

Steve

I formerly worked for a major oil company and for a few years I was responsible for the distribution of the additives that we put in our fuel each time a tank truck was loaded at our fuel terminals. We used an additive made by Chevron in our gasoline. My additive of choice is Techtron by Chevron, not exactly the same formulation but of the 4 companies that made fuel additives back then they are the only one that sells a version of it to the public under their own name.

Not saying other aren't any other good additives but that is what I use.

Really the only time I use a additive is when the fuel in the car has sat for a time or I know that it will sit for a time. I have a tow vehicle and a race car that both get near zero run time 6 months of the year. I add Stabil and a detergent fuel additive. I've never had a fuel problems with either vehicle.

All gasoline sold to the public has some minimum level of detergent additives as required by the EPA. Most oil companies put more in the higher grades of fuel. By filling up with premium every once in awhile you will get 3-5 times as much of this additive then you do with regular fuel.

Techron Concentrate or Gumout Regane, they both contain a scary ass chemical called PEA. I usually dump in a bottle every oil change or two for E36 M3s and giggles, I doubt I have any carbon buildup problems with my driving habits.

DrBoost wrote: Anything Asian. Asian food leaves very little residue, easier on the filters.

But then the car just wants more additives in 20 minutes.

TC-W3 2-cycle oil.

Techron. I have used it for years. I am not sure it does anything, but it makes me feel good that i am doing something.

Nothing. My favorite part is keeping the money i would have paid for additives in my pocket.

EastCoastMojo wrote: Nitrous?

Winner!