I've seen a lot of topics about the bad ones and why not use them, but what about the good ones(if they exist).

What are good additives and why?

 

Most are snake oils, but there are a few that I like to use, but not on a regular basis.

1. Seafoam- I don't buy into the pouring it in the gas or the oil, I just use it to fog the intake to clean it up.

2. Chevron Engine Restore- Great to get a few extra thousand miles out of a motor that is on its way out. I used to use it on mine all the time, but now that I've quit, I can't really tell that it was helping (or hurting).

3. Heet- Great for when either you or someone you just bought a vehicle from leaves ethanol blended gas sitting in the tank for too long. The Ethanol will condense in the tank and over time you'll have too much water in the tank.

4. Fuel injector cleaner- Another as needed additive so to speak. Doesn't always work, but it sometimes helps out the spray pattern on an injector that might be getting a little clogged up.

5. Marvel Mystery Oil- We've mainly used this one to help with a motor that has been waterlogged, but not hydrolocked. It for some reason will collect the water and clean the internals up.

As I said, I don't really buy into the regular additives, but some claim they work. I've tried a lot of the main stream fuel additives, and in my personal opinion, I think I would have had better entertainment lighting $5.00 bills on fire...

 

I don't know if any of them are any good.

I do know from first hand that the Mopar Combustion Chamber Cleaner does a good job of removing carbon and oil buildup. I've used it to clean plugs, and it really does a good job. I also used it to clean the intake I bought for modding. Really cleaned up the years of buildup that was in the runners. When you put it in your engine, it sure makes it smoke a lot. I guess this means it is doing something.

The only other one I use from time to time is BG44k. Only reason I use it is because my wife has an uncle-in-law that is SAE and owns/runs his own shop. He uses it in his shop, and has told me how they have run it through engines, and compared the before and after on some of the internals, and noticed a difference. They have a machine they hook up to the engine though, not just pouring a can into the tank. But I figure it probably helps out some.

I don't use it in my truck, but my Dad used STP in every vehicle he ever owned for as long as I can remeber. All lasted to have high miles, inluding a 352FE in His Ford F250 that went almost 280k before needing a rebuild.

Unless you take apart your engine or examine specific engine parts before and after using some product, you really will never know for sure if it is doing something or not, escpecially if you don't notice any improvements after using it (like improved performance, running better/smoother, or mpg gains).

 

Ive used MCCC, and it does work. i did notice a differece, but it did not clean the inside of intake, (i think it got some sludge out of my CAT) so i got one ported and polished instead.

I use Lucus. I thought it did work. and ive had motors last a long time with Lucus. BUT this oil change that i just did i used Quaker State Torque 4x4 and SUV full syn. 10w30 and my oil psi is 55-60 running, and about 45 idling.

before i used Mobil 1 Full syn extended performance 10w30 with a quart of Lucus and my oil psi was 45-50 running, 35-40 idle.



Its hard to say. But i agree with Silver, with taking apart the motor and doing a before and after. thats the real way to find out.

 

there was a guy on here that did a compression test and had a few cylinders low. he did a few oil changes while adding this and it brought the #s up

http://www.restoreusa.com/Engine_Restorer.html

 

I have never used them because I have never really heard results, you hear the commercial and maybe someone says the tried them and noticed but no real reason. I figure if they worked like the ads say everyone would use them because they have been around for so long. Just my $0.02

 

i'll stand by the seafoam. its pretty much all i will use. can't really say much for working in the tank or in the crankcase, but as far as cleaning the intake/valves, it does a decent job and you can feel a considerable difference in the way the truck runs afterwards. at least, imo.

 

plus one for seafoam, I could feel a difference and my pinging went away.

 

Sea foam,heet, STP are what i use. also some B12 every now an then to flush out the engine before an oilchange

 

I put seafoam in my vans oil then I drove it for about 6k or so miles before I felt like changing my oil..I dont think that stuff really does too much of anything in the oil.
I was thinking about putting in some of that lucas trans restore but Im not sure if that is any good or a waste of money..