Opinions on fuel additives.

I routinely add a small amount of octane booster to my scoots during the winter months followed by a fuel system cleaner the following spring. I've used Seaform and the Royal Purple product in the past and currently using Berrymans. I was seeking opinions from fellow riders on the different fuel system cleaners on the market, what their thought were on them and their preferred product.

My preferred product is Seafoam. I use it in my pickup a few times a year and in my SWing a few times a season. In the SWing I only put about 1/4 can at a time seeing as the tank is so small compared to 25 gallons in my pickup.

I also use it in my gas cans for my riding mower, push mower and snow blower. Sometimes it might take 2 to 3 years to go through the 6 gallons but I've never had a problem with any of them starting and running well.

I've never tried any of the others so I can't comment on them.

Fuel additives don't do anything because the fuel you buy already has a mix of additives put it in at the bulk plant when it's loaded on the transport to get to the gas station. Every brand has their special "blend" of additives that is put in the base stock gasoline. The truck driver has like a credit card with the secret "recipe" that he sticks in the machine that does the blending as it's loaded in the transport.

Unless you are buying base stock refinery gas at a tank farm, you're throwing your money away on additives.

The only time additives will do any good is if your engine needs a higher octane rating than what you can buy at the pump, so you can add an oxygenate additive to boost the octane rating. Or if you plan on storing your bike for a long time it's wise to add a stabilizer to prevent the breakdown of the hydrocarbons due to oxidation, which will form acids over time.

My preference is Seafoam or Techron, but yearly at best is all I do. Seafoam or Stabil would be my go to if storing the bike for an extended period.

I've had a Boot (Trunk) Packs of 90ml single shot bottles of Redex sitting on a shelf in the garage for the last few years, one of the bottles from it is under the seat of my Silver Wing. I haven't got round to adding any Redex to my fuel yet, because thinking about it I don't think I really need to.

In the past I've put a shot or two of fuel injector cleaner in K Series BMW's in my biker years, and used a bit of fuel stabiliser at winter time in my early maxi scooter years because I thought I had to.  

Now in winter I prefer to get suited up and go out on a decent day and use up that tank of 'stale' fuel on a long ride, and refill with fresh stuff on the way home.

I'd never heard of Seafoam until I joined this US based forum and it's quite interesting to read how it's mentioned and poured into fuel tanks for all sorts of reasons, as a cure-all potion or mechanical Viagra.

In constrast, a Search of the Muppets forum mentions it only once as a possible cure for gummed up fuel injectors.

Going through the rigmarole of this'I'm Not a Spammer' gimmick that's suddenly appearedis rather annoying don't y'think?

Meldrew wrote:

Going through the rigmarole of this'I'm Not a Spammer' gimmick that's suddenly appearedis rather annoying don't y'think?

I'm not getting any odd message when posting bud

The Bern wrote:

Meldrew wrote:

Going through the rigmarole of this'I'm Not a Spammer' gimmick that's suddenly appearedis rather annoying don't y'think?

 I'm not getting any odd message when posting bud

Me either. I signed off then logged back in to check if there was a login / spambot test. But all went well. Perhaps it's just you and you're not smoking the right brand of cigarettes.

It's obviously just me then, even though I've never smoked the right or wrong brand of cigarette or even been tempted to try a quick drag of tobacco or any other substance in my life.

No little game appeared this time though.

Being a marine/motorcycle mechanic for years I use Stabil if storing fuel. Seafoam while is good for cleaning the fuel system. Be warned if it sets too long in the tank it turns into gunk in the tank. Run the whole tank of Seafoam thru to clean the injectors. Just my history with fuel stabilizers.

I use Stabil if something will not be run for some months....also I have been known to pour some Marvel Mystery Oil in gas tanks now and then. Probably does little good but makes me feel good.