Fuel cleaning agents

[Bruno]

Hello,

Has anyone heard of or any experience using products made by Forte called Moto Power I & II that are designed to remove all sorts of deposits and gunk formed in fuel systems due to modern petrols - my very limited understanding is that one is for pre-combustion system & components, while the other is for post-combustion. Claims to make everything run sweetly and improve performance, emissions etc.

I got a bottle of each from a local motorcycle shop, but wanted to check in with others experiences/knowledge before putting it through my own Matchless G3.

Cheers, Bruno

[Rob Harknett]

Used to put a shoot of Redex in at petrol stations years ago. After that era people seemed to stop adding additives. Fuels etc being cleaner so not needed ?????

[JimFitz]

I still put a shot of R40 in the tank when I top it up - for upper cylinder lubrication you understand (nothing to do with the wonderful nostalgic trackside aroma it causes )

There has been much written on this and other forums about modern fuel which now contains a multitude of additives including the dreaded ethanol. I do find that I have to drain the lawnmower at the start of each season and fill with fresh fuel before it will start.

I must admit though, with our old low performance engines they still seem to start ok on old fuel. All I do at the end of the riding season is to run the carb dry and fill up the tank to the brim to give less surface area for water to be absorbed, sink to the bottom of the tank and rot it out.

Apologies for starting another modern fuel debate

Jim

[Flash]

I never thought Radox would work:-)

[Mick D]

Hi

Modern fuels are designed and can be demonstrated to be suitable for engine lives of 100,000 miles plus. Why would you think they are detrimental to the performance of an engine designed to run on lower quality fuel?

Even lead replacement additives are questionable unless high mileages are concerned, (snake oil in my opinion).

Castrol R - that's another thing all together -

Regards Mick

[Janet]

Why would you think they are detrimental to the performance of an engine designed to run on lower quality fuel?

If you read the various tales about modern petrol, and I'm sure you have, you could possibly believe that various additives ( no I don't know what they are apart from the much talked about ethanol) in the fuel
(a) cause it to not burn as hot as previous mixtures
(b) leave deposits throughout the system that could clog up small jets
(c) damage materials eg aluminium, rubber, fibre-glass tanks
(d) There's probably a (d)

If any of those were true, wouldn't it be understandable that some people could think that the effect would be detrimental to the performance of an engine? I have no idea what the reality is but would be interested to know the truth.

[Mick D]

Hi Janet

That's my point

Who cares how hot it burns? the valve seat burning has been dismissed ages ago.
If it leaves deposits then modern engines would be plagued with fuel problems - that's not my and other's experience?
A great many modern engines use aluminium alloy where once cast iron was the norm - they don't seem to suffer if the snake oil isn't used.
I don't care what they say - if ethanol or one of it's close relations is going to dissolve your tank snake oil will do nothing to deter this.
D) Couldn't agree more

Regards Mick

[ajscomboman]

Hi Janet

That's my point

Who cares how hot it burns? the valve seat burning has been dismissed ages ago.
If it leaves deposits then modern engines would be plagued with fuel problems - that's not my and other's experience?
A great many modern engines use aluminium alloy where once cast iron was the norm - they don't seem to suffer if the snake oil isn't used.
I don't care what they say - if ethanol or one of it's close relations is going to dissolve your tank snake oil will do nothing to deter this.
D) Couldn't agree more

Regards Mick

Sounds like you need to go and work for people like BMW and advise them. They actually advise the use of additives in the airhead models to reduce the risk of valve seats burning.

[Duncan]

Bruno

I have a 1979 4 cylinder (4 carburettors) Benelli, if it has been unused for a while I find that a treatment (mix with a full tank) of "Profi Fuel-Max" is normally sufficient to set it running smooth and starting reliably. I use this as a one off treatment rather than a continuous dose.

[Janet]

Duncan, I put that in my bike before its first run this year. It will get another dose if I have to lay it up for the winter (or to be mended if required). I wonder if this is why I had a successful Westward Ho Run. If so, I should have put some in the headlamp.