Fuel additives

[tchap]

Any recommendations for (brands please) or against fuel additives that claim to clean injectors? My '07 R12RT is showing me a 15% or higher variation in fuel economy under the same ridng conditions. Thought I'd give additives a try before I get too crazy.

 

Thanks!

[dirtrider]

Morning tchap

 

This time of year fuel mileage variation is pretty common & nothing to worry about.

 

BUT-- if you want to try a fuel additive then Techron is probably the best as far as fuel injector cleaning & fuel system cleaning goes.

 

If you use a good quality top tier gasoline then you should already be using fuel with Techron in it.

 

If your fuel mileage still varies all over the map when summer comes back then possibly look into one of the o2 sensors not working properly.

 

In the winter months fuel varies a lot due to winter blends, road surfaces are cold so tire pressures stay lower, the air is usually cooler & denser, you usually dress warmer with heavier clothing, the windshield is usually up farther, ANY engine warm-up really effects MPG, the engine management system stays in fuel enrichment open loop longer, etc.

[Guest Kakugo]

Don't worry in the least: it's absolutely normal.

Denser air plus winter fuel = higher or even far higher fuel consumption. 15% is well withing the norm: don't worry if it gets as bad as 20%.

Hexhead's are very sensible to fuel quality, probably the most sensible I've ever owned. On the average, they do best with ethanol free, high octane fuels and like all vehicles they do better with Summer fuel.

[PadG]

Any recommendations for (brands please) or against fuel additives that claim to clean injectors? My '07 R12RT is showing me a 15% or higher variation in fuel economy under the same ridng conditions. Thought I'd give additives a try before I get too crazy.

 

Thanks!

Personally, my preference is Seafoam! I have been using that as fuel stabilizer for several years now, and apparently it works better than anything else on the market for cleaning injectors! I also must rush to say that the basis for that statement is based on several video of independent testing that I had watched on YouTube. Do your own search there, and form your own opinion!

[RTJohn]

All the refineries have switched to their "Winter Blends". Mostly it's the addition of butane to the fuel blend to help with vaporization in the cold weather. Butane doesn't have the same BTU value as the gasoline it's blended into. In the summer they remove most of the butane to prevent vapor locking.

[tchap]

Thanks all!

[Sonor]

Seafoam is good. I use Amsoil's Quickshot - a bit pricey but does a great job.

[Tri750]

In trying to find out if you are in Calif, where we have a big variance in winter blend and summer blend, I see you posted the same exact question about a 15% variance in 2012.

I would say that if the bike did it then, then did it now,

"it ain't broke"

 

If you truly want info on a fuel injection cleaner that works, spend 15 dollars or so and buy a bottle of the bmw fuel system cleaner. For some reason, its a bit cheaper at the bmw car dealer here, same product. use only 1 ounce per gallon every few thousand miles. (pn 8214 0413 341)

It IS made by Standard Oil with Techron and other magical stuff but the concentration of Techron is 3x that of the black bottle from Costco or the auto parts stores.

It also lubes the fuel pump, stabilizes the gas, raises the octane and removes oxidation from film strip equipped bikes.

 

No, I don't work at a dealership, I did for a long time and saw this stuff do minor miracles on both FI and carb bikes cleaning injectors and jets.

 

 

[John in VA]

I've used Techron regularly for years in my cars and bikes. I buy it by the case at Costco for cheap.

[rglassma]

I have used Techron, Seafoam, and various others. They all are good. But, the best cleaner I have ever used (though pricey) is BG 44K . Not tried it in my RT yet, but in my cars.. WOW !!!!

[sardineone]

Hi tchap, my personal experience with Lucas brand injector cleaner demonstrated it definitely worked on a former car I owned. I only use injector cleaner if symptoms indicate it might be needed. I used Lucas on a Ford Taurus with 90k miles that was getting a bit cold natured until warmed up. I put in Lucas at a gas fill-up and drove 3 miles home. Next time I drove it the fuel injection was working perfect again.

 

PS. I agree with other comments on fuel mileage as different fuels will result in different mileages. My BMW gets 2 miles/gallon less on ethanol blend fuel (which is about all that's available in my area) when compared to 100% gasoline.