Petrol treatments

Odysseus · 27-12-2012 5:47pm #1

Has any ever used those petrol treatment that they sell in most garages? I think the clean out the carbs etc.

Are they any good for bikes?

Please Kill Me · 27-12-2012 6:14pm

Are these the STP ones you're talking about? Never used them, but I DO use Octane Booster from time to time. That's the way to go!

allthedoyles · 27-12-2012 6:18pm

dipothane is better than redex

Odysseus · 27-12-2012 6:18pm

Please Kill Me wrote: »

Are these the STP ones you're talking about? Never used them, but I DO use Octane Booster from time to time. That's the way to go!

Yeah that the one. What the story with the Octane Booster? Where do you get it? What does it do?

Please Kill Me · 27-12-2012 6:26pm

Odysseus wrote: »

Yeah that the one. What the story with the Octane Booster? Where do you get it? What does it do?

Most motor factors would have it, or most motorbike shops. Silkolene is usually the best one. It just burns more efficiently so your engine doesn't misfire or knock or ping. It can give your acceleration a bit of oomph too. On the down side, using too much can burn out your valves. Use in moderation.

pa990 · 27-12-2012 7:41pm

all that STP stuff contains Kerosene (home heating oil)

Its not good to put kero into a petrol engine, it thins the oil and caused carbon build up

Please Kill Me · 27-12-2012 8:49pm

pa990 wrote: »

all that STP stuff contains Kerosene (home heating oil)

Really?? Didn't know that.

CJhaughey · 27-12-2012 8:51pm

Octane boost is just Xylene, the carrier for Marker pen ink.

Canis Lupus · 27-12-2012 11:10pm

They did a test on 5th gear with those engine 'booster' additives. Non of them worked iirc and some of them reduced engine performance. That was however on a normal car engine rather than a bike.

pa990 · 28-12-2012 1:33am

Please Kill Me wrote: »

Really?? Didn't know that.

they even say it on the back of the bottle that it contains kerosene.

kerosene is in both their petrol and diesel additives

Zascar · 28-12-2012 3:02pm

As in the 5th gear report, I would not bother buying them for a boost in power, but the odd petrol additive to help clean out your engine etc are good, I've used them in my car for years and you can feel a difference. Do a search as dipothane is well received on boards - need to get some myself actually..

Hotblack Desiato · 29-12-2012 1:04pm

I use STP silver fuel system cleaner every year or so.

Octane boosters are snake oil, the octane rating of a fuel has nothing to do with efficiency or power, just resistance to detonation. Unless you've increased the compression ratio of the engine or added a turbo, the recommended octane fuel will work just fine and higher octane is a waste.

pa990 · 29-12-2012 5:15pm

ninja900 wrote: »

I use STP silver fuel system cleaner every year ..............

check the back of the bottle,
I bet it says Kerosene in bold print

YCHGTBOY · 06-01-2013 4:04am

allthedoyles wrote: »

dipethane is better than redex

I'll second that...great stuff, use it in all my machines inc the heating oil...:D

Hotblack Desiato · 06-01-2013 11:06am

pa990 wrote: »

check the back of the bottle,
I bet it says Kerosene in bold print

Yes it does.
The additive goes into the petrol at about 1% (150ml in 15 litres)
It says you can use a whole bottle (treat a whole car tank of petrol) every 4000 miles. I wouldn't use it that often and would only treat one tank, so about 1/3 or 1/4 as much.
Also the oil would be changed a lot more often in the bike than in the average car.
Very little or any of it is going to end up in the oil. Even if I went crazy and poured the STP into the oil instead of the petrol tank it probably wouldn't do any harm

Petrol treatments

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