How do folks here feel about gas additives?

Was reading some interesting reviews about Amsoil PI. Is it snakeoil? Or do folks see a difference?

 

The amsoil stuff is great. Used to run it in my old diesel and it ran much better.

 

What are you hoping to accomplish? Injector cleaning or TB? Or just general performance boost?

Do you have symptoms of a problem or just crappy mileage lately? If it's just a mileage drop, it's probably the winter-blend (if you get it) and the extra-cold winter this year. And if you don't get the winter blend, the extra cold still kills mpg.

 

I've used the Reefer Madness product..... after seeing it on the trail for a bit, all my friends felt it was pretty groovy.

 

I've never seen the need to add anything to the gas.
In my view, an additive is way more expensive and has less energy than the gasoline it displaces.

 

In my opinion fuel additives are a waste of money.

So what’s the one fuel additive that is worthwhile? Fuel injection cleaners (Seafoam in my opinion) can sometimes improve fuel economy. If you suspect that your injectors are gummed up and not functioning properly, cleaning the system with an additive may help increase fuel economy by helping the engine work the way it was intended to.

To understand why so many of these additives are ineffective, it’s helpful to understand that all modern engines are controlled by the vehicle’s on-board computer. The computer relies on sensors to adjust engine functions, including fuel delivery, ignition timing and on the most advanced engine when the intake and exhaust valves open and close. Mileage boosting fuel additives claim to increase the combustion efficiency of gasoline. But the automaker programs a vehicle’s computer to have optimal fuel economy with straight gasoline in the tank. Change the chemistry, and you may actually find a decrease in both performance and mpg if there is any real change at all. Also, consider this: If there really were safe, cost-effective additives to increase fuel economy, wouldn’t some gasoline brands already be trying to sell them to you (along with their gas)?

If you really want better gas mileage, your best bet is to drive a fuel-efficient vehicle, and drive it frugally.

 

I throw some seafoam in the tank and oil every 10k miles or so just to remove the carbon deposits that form from copious city driving. Never expected to improve performance, but it did help with my valve clatter and it idles a bit better.

 

The idea that additives are going to improve fuel economy only gets realized in highly neglected engines. However, the additives like seafoam and techron are capable of cleaning some gum out of the injectors as a maintenance item only. Don't expect to notice, but using a quality additive isn't bad by any means.

I've posted with no interest, good, quality gasoline always has additives in it to some degree. I use ethanol free premium is the best thing I've done for performance and economy.

 

I agree, im using 94 octane and its made my 3.8 less noisy and idles much smoother. The supercharger loves 94 too. I like lucas upper cylinder lubricant. Running 94 and lucas my jeep idles like a new motor.

 

i agree with some of your points but, you have apparently not pulled apart and rebuilt an engine running ethanol, methanol, or has without additives? I have raced and rebuilt engines, more than I care to recount and I will say, here are a few gas companies that do have additives, mostly conditioners, and yes, not performance per say. However, I ran marvel mystery oil in my race quad ( conventional oil, wet clutch, is "stickier") and not so much in my utility quad ( synthetic oil, cvt). The cylinder walls of my race quad? Damn near like mirrors. My utility quad, which btw is canadian (Can-Am), I rebuilt while increasing bore, and it was noticeably more etched in the cylinder walls, and much lower rpms and by the numbers, much fewer cylinder strokes than the racing quad. Better fuel economy? Not sure, and entirely two different motors and riding styles to even have a valid measure. Engine condition on year down and rebuil? The marvel mystery oil engine, far better condition. It's simple. Preserve compression in the engine ( top cylinder lubricant), maintain ideal MPGs and cleaner, more efficient burn with less blow by.