It is getting to the time where the next tank of gas is likely to be the last one of the year. I doubt I will be going out much - if any - after Thanksgiving. Every year I put some additive in and some years I use 100 octane no alcohol fuel for the last fill. I have never had anything happen that looked like a bad result with any additive I have used, so I was wondering if there is any science at all behind picking one. So far I have kind of an idea like this:
1. Light oil - Things like MMO. They may be good for the engine, but I do not see how they are a gas preservative.
2. Alcohol - HEET is methanol. This was used back in the no-ethanol days to remove water from fuel. I think it would be counterproductive as an additive now at best.
3. Enzymes - This would be Startron. It supposedly uses "enzymes" to solve storage and ethanol issues. I cannot honestly say if it is marketing BS or what, but I have used it to no ill effect and a lot of people like it.
4. Solvents - This would be Stabil, Valvetect, SeaFoam, and a bunch of others. I think the idea is to counteract the lighter elements of the fuel evaporating and leaving deposits. These too seem to work and have many fans. Valvetect isn't cheap but seems to treat more fuel per ounce of product.
EDIT - from the Startron MSDS:
Solvent naphtha (petroleum), heavy aliphatic 64742-96-7 >75%
It seems at least some of what Starton does is the naptha it is mosly made of.
1. Light oil - Things like MMO. They may be good for the engine, but I do not see how they are a gas preservative.
2. Alcohol - HEET is methanol. This was used back in the no-ethanol days to remove water from fuel. I think it would be counterproductive as an additive now at best.
3. Enzymes - This would be Startron. It supposedly uses "enzymes" to solve storage and ethanol issues. I cannot honestly say if it is marketing BS or what, but I have used it to no ill effect and a lot of people like it.
4. Solvents - This would be Stabil, Valvetect, SeaFoam, and a bunch of others. I think the idea is to counteract the lighter elements of the fuel evaporating and leaving deposits. These too seem to work and have many fans. Valvetect isn't cheap but seems to treat more fuel per ounce of product.
EDIT - from the Startron MSDS:
Solvent naphtha (petroleum), heavy aliphatic 64742-96-7 >75%
It seems at least some of what Starton does is the naptha it is mosly made of.
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