Community Forums

Unstrung · 07-21-2018, 05:48 PM

Curious as to wether anyone in here believes if the fuel additives for cleaning injectors and such really work or if it is snake oil. I know folks that swear by Seafoam, I have folks tell me that Berryman's is the best. Do they really work. Can they hurt the engine? Are the safe for catalytic converters? Do they increase MPG? Curious as to wether i need to pour a can or two in every tank or so, but... if it ain't broke...

Massparanoia · 07-22-2018, 03:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unstrung

Curious as to wether anyone in here believes if the fuel additives for cleaning injectors and such really work or if it is snake oil. I know folks that swear by Seafoam, I have folks tell me that Berryman's is the best. Do they really work. Can they hurt the engine? Are the safe for catalytic converters? Do they increase MPG? Curious as to wether i need to pour a can or two in every tank or so, but... if it ain't broke...

The best thing you can do for it is put fuel stabilizer in the tank if it is going to sit for any extended period of time. Make sure to run the generator for a while if you do so the stabilizer goes to the generator as well.

fcbbob15 · 07-22-2018, 03:40 AM

Used Berrymans by the gallon when I worked on cars as a hobby. It will clean anything including paint. Not friendly with some plastics. Not sure about modern vehicles. Today I use Seafoam. Just add a can when I think about it. Can't say that it works but doesn't seem to hurt anything.

Winemaker2 · 07-22-2018, 04:46 AM

Look up Top Tier gas and fill up with one of those at least every third or so fill. They have a higher % of additives than the others.
Stabilizer for longer term storage and non-ethanol for storage if you find a location near you or on your way home before storage.

Zman1403 · 07-22-2018, 10:43 AM

I use SeaFoam every other fill up. Usually never drop below 1/2 tank. Seems to work for me.

wildtoad · 07-22-2018, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zman1403

Seems to work for me.

What does this mean? I’ve used all kinds of stuff before because other people do, the commercials say how great it is. But how does someone know that for your engine, the way you drive, with the fuel you use, it actually makes a difference in performance, fuel economy, engine longevity?

Seems to me it may be like most vitamins and supplements, makes you feel good about taking them, but mostly creates expensive pee.

Mr_D · 07-22-2018, 01:21 PM

Cummins now recommends using one, Power Service. They have two different formulations. No others are approved by Cummins.

Available at even Wal*Mart.

https://www.cumminsfiltration.com/additives

twinboat · 07-22-2018, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_D

Cummins now recommends using one, Power Service. They have two different formulations. No others are approved by Cummins.

Available at even Wal*Mart.

https://www.cumminsfiltration.com/additives

Probably not in a Ford chassis.

Charles L · 07-22-2018, 01:47 PM

Mostly use stabil especially for the winter storage months. I add two cans of seafoam at the beginning of a longer trip. Probably like the other poster said makes me feel good. No proof it helps or hurts anything.

Terryshirley · 07-22-2018, 05:42 PM

Lucas in everything

TeJay · 07-22-2018, 05:58 PM

Me thinks you all have this about correct. Most of the stuff does not hurt but most of it doesn't help much either. At least there's not much proof.

Sea Foam works but not in the concentration when it's put into the tank. Just not strong enough when mixed with 80 gallons of fuel.

When we still had the 3 or 4 gas analyzers in the HS auto shops I could prove that the injector cleaners really did work. Just did a before and after and it showed much improved exhaust gas analysis following an injector cleaning.

Again the fuel line was shut off, the cleaner was directly introduced into the fuel rail and into the injectors. The engine would run on the injector cleaner not gasoline.

We often sprayed carburetor cleaner into carburetors and TBI's when they first came out. That removed carbon build up and did smooth out the idle.

We all know and remember Andy Granateli made a fortune from sales of STP but I never believed it did much for engines. Others used it as a lube oil when rebuilding engines. Everything going into the engine was covered with STP.

Some swear by MMO Marvel Mystery Oil and it's still being sold. I have used it in the past but don't know why or if it really ever worked. It does smell good.

This is not the same but along the same lines. These are touted as great. I do use and like most any synthetic oils, lubricants or greases. In fact those are the only lubricants that I will use.

That's just not hear say. They have been proven in the laboratory's to do everything they say they will do. They flow better at high and low temperatures. They will continue to function as a lubricant at much lower and higher temperatures. They reduce friction which means less wear and lower operating temperatures. There's a lot more good about them that I can't remember.

AITG · 07-22-2018, 09:22 PM

At the end of each trip I fill the gas tank with tier 1 gasoline and Sta-Bil since I know that the MH will be sitting for a while. I also run the generator long enough to get treated gas through the carburetor.

mtofell · 07-22-2018, 09:39 PM

I think additives and "top shelf" gas are all a bunch of snake oil. If you read the advertising everything is, "up to xxx mpg", "helps maintain clean injectors," etc, etc.

One product I have heard and experiences some good results with (albeit for me in my Honda generator) is Seafoam. If you must do something I'd give that a try.