fuel additives

[Hocky]

I am still wondering if there are any fuel additives on the market to temporarily increase the power of cars like octane boosters or other power boosters which are safe to be used in Mercedes cars. Mine is a C180 Euro version Classic 1997, with 5 speed automatic trans. I have sent cars for service and noticed boosters added to the fuel tank perhaps to give the owner a false sense of power from the car for a short period to prove they have done a good job. Will these harm the engine? I have also seen additives for "older engines" which adds a fine layer of lubricating matter on the metal surfaces to reduce wear and improve lubrication. Is this all a big deal?

[Jackd]

Most, if not all fuel additives, oil additives and all other proclaimed "miracle-in-a-bottle" can be qualified as being some form of placebo.
The Federal Trade Commission in the US and Consumer Reports have run thousands of very serious laboratory and on-the-road tests on hundred of those magic potions and very few if any have been proven to deliver any real/measurable benefits. Some have been proven to be the cause of serious engine problems (Slick50 is one)
Most if not all serious engine manufacturers clearly advise not to add any additives to their engine.
The additive industry has built a multi-billion $$$ market based on clever advertising/marketing campaigns but have never been able to convince any serious car manufacturer to endorse their products. That says a lot. Many/all additive manufacturers claim their products will Increase performance, increased mpg, decrease wear in addition to other benefits, which is really the goal all engine manufacturers are running after. If these goals were achievable by the simple addition of a secret miracle liquid in a plastic bottle, I am positive engine manufacturers would be the first to recommend/endorse these products.
Save you hard-earned cash for a nice cold beer.
JackD

[Hocky]

Thanks JackD for your interesting comments. I have been trying some octane boosters in bottles and particularly fuel injector cleaners. Is Slick still on the market? Has it been banned at all? I was just thinking of putting in another so-called cure for older engines to make them more powerful, smoother, quieter and last longer, sounds like the age-old "fountain of youth" theory type of magic potion or snake oil , LOL.

[Ali Al-Chalabi]

No such thing. Last I checked, blue pigs didn't exist either.

Now how about some green eggs and ham.

[glenmore]

This is from a site dedicated to using "rocket" fuel for automobiles.

-Toulene
-R+M/2...114
-Cost...$4.50/gal
-Mixtures with 92 Octane Premium
-10%...94.2 Octane
-20%...96.4 Octane
-30%...98.6 Octane
-Notes: Common ingredient in Octane Boosters in a can. 12-16 ounces will only raise octane 2-3 *points*, i.e. from 92 to 92.3. Often costs $3-5 for 12-16 ounces, when it can be purchased for less than $5/gal at chemical supply houses or paint stores.

As you can see, it takes GALLONS of hi-octane toulene (114) to appreciably increase the overall octane of the gas in your tank.

On my list of things to try.

glenmore
1991 300CE
1990 LS400

If you live in a major metropolitan area, the fuel you buy has injector cleaner added to the fuel. Any additive beyond that is a total waste of money.

If you don't live in a major metropolitan area, but go there occasionally, then fill up when you're there. Occasional tankfuls will be enough to keep injectors clean. If you never go there, use a quality cleaner such as Chevron Techron every 5,000 miles or so. Keeping injectors clean maintains a fine mist pattern which promotes maximum efficiency.

Adding octane value to fuel that already has ADEQUATE octane, does absolutely NOTHING. If there is adequate octane, higher octane will add NO power or fuel economy. As long as the octane is high enough to keep the knock sensor from sensing knock, then you have as much octane as you need.

The reason there are so many "miracle in a bottle" products on the market is because there relates back to something that P.T. Barnum said over 100 years ago. "There's a sucker born every minute."

Have a great day,

Have a great day,

[jlomon]

I was watching an episode of Sports Car Revolution on Speed TV this weekend, and they introduced some products from EXP4 Performance. Now I'm as skeptical as the next person when it comes to "miracles in a bottle", but these guys did a dyno test with the additives.

They brought the test vehicle up to temperature and established baseline numbers. Then they put EXP4 Gas N&I in to the fuel tank (and I think EXP4 Oil Enhancer in to the crankcase, but I can't remember). Once the additives were in, they did another pull on the dyno, and the vehicle had a 5% HP gain at the rear wheels. I still don't know if I'd put any of this stuff in my car (I subscribe to Larry Bible's 'hot and often' approach) but it is hard to ignore dyno test numbers.

The website is http://www.exp4additives.com if anyone feels like checking the products out.

Jonathan

[Jackd]

jlomon: Dyno. results can have have been tempered with very easily.
I have also seen TV Info-commercial (DuraLube) where running engines were drained from their oil and ran with water in their oil pan for hours. DuraLube were fined $millions for false advertising based on a test made by Car & Driver magazine where an engine was (honestly) tested using Duralube parameters. The engine self-destroyed in 11 seconds.
Don't believe everything you see or read. If it is too good to be true, it probably is. There's a sucker born every minute.
JackD

[glenmore]

Larry,

Just to be clear, if your car requires 92 octane, then whether you use 92 octane or 100 octane gas, the performance and gas mileage will be absolutely identical?

Thanks,

glenmore
1991 300CE
1990 LS400

[Jackd]

Glenore:Octane only allows an engine to run as designed up to the designed parameters.
If you car needs and uses 92 octane, 100 or higher octane will do absolutely nothing more than what 92 octane can brings.
An analogy:
You gas tank can contain 20 gals. pumping in 22 gals. will result in a spill and will be wasted.
You can't put in more gas than the tank designed capacity as you can't use more octane than the engine has been designed to use.
JackD

[Ali Al-Chalabi]

Gasoline has the same exact energy content regardless of the octane rating. Octane has nothing to do with the energy content of gas, it only relates to its resistent to burning upon compression. If you put in a higher grade than you car was designed for and requires, you will accomplish nothing. Next time you feel the need to put higher octane in your car than it needs, you might as well put the correct grade gas in and burn the extra dollar or two you saved in a fireplace. The end result will be the same.

glenmore,

These guys have answered your question well. You can think of octane as resistance to spark knock. As long as the octane is high enough to prevent spark knock, increasing it will only add to fuel cost, but nothing more.

Have a great day,