What Are Fuel Additives?
There are two main types of gasoline additive: performance enhancer and stabilizer.
Performance enhancers are added to gasoline to increase its octane number. They can also help protect against rusting and reduce emissions.
Stabilizers are added to gasoline to reduce evaporation losses and extend shelf life. These additives lower vapor pressure, making it easier for consumers to store gas longer without losing volume.
Types of Fuel Additives
There are many different types of additives you can use to help keep your vehicle running smoothly. They range from simple things like oil filters to complex systems such as computer chip technology.
The most common additive used today is gasoline stabilizer. This is added to the gas tank to prevent it from separating into water and gasoline. It helps maintain the octane rating of the fuel and prevents corrosion inside the car.
Another popular additive is anti-knock agent. This is usually added to make sure the fuel does not detonate during combustion. A lot of modern vehicles run leaner than older cars did because of emissions regulations. Anti-knock agents are often added to ensure the fuel burns properly.
Other additives include detergents, dispersants, rust inhibitors, and even oxygen scavengers. These are used to improve performance and reduce wear and tear on parts.
Fuel Injector Cleaner
PEA fuel injector cleaners contain PEAs, which are powerful cleaning agents. They go deep into the system, where most conventional products cannot reach. This makes PEAs the perfect choice for cleaning the fuel injection systems of older vehicles. Because they do such a thorough job, it is important to follow the directions carefully. If you use too much product, you could damage sensitive parts of the system.
Fuel Stabilizer
The term "fuel stabilizer" refers to additives used to extend the shelf life of fuels such as gasoline and diesel. These products are designed to protect against the effects of heat, light, oxygen, moisture, and air pollution.
Octane Booster
The octane rating of gasoline affects how much power you can extract out of it. A lower number indicates less performance, while a higher one signifies greater performance. When you fill up your tank, make sure you're getting the highest possible octane rating. If you don't know what the current octane level is, check the sticker on the side of your gas pump.
If your car needs a tuneup, take it to your local mechanic. They'll likely recommend adding an octane booster to help prevent future issues.
Can fuel system additives improve engine performance?
Many people believe that fuel tank additives will improve the performance of their vehicle. While this is true in some cases, it isn’t always the case.
For instance, if you add a fuel system cleaner to your fuel, you could actually decrease the octane level of the fuel. This makes the fuel more volatile, which means that it burns faster. If you don’t like the way your car runs when it has less than 100 octane, then you might not like the way it performs when you add a fuel system additive.
Choosing the right additive for your vehicle can improve performance, such as this one linked here based on Nobel Prize winning technology.
Can fuel system additives improve fuel economy?
Fuel system additives are often used to improve fuel economy. By successfully cleaning the engine, stabilizing the fuel and in some cases, increasing the octane or cetane levels of the fuel, your vehicle may improve its fuel economy.
Some additives simply clean the engine, removing contaminants from the fuel. Other additives alter the properties of the fuel, changing its viscosity, density, volatility, or other characteristics. In either case, the additive changes the behavior of the fuel as it moves through the engine., which often improves fuel efficiency.
Can fuel system additives reduce emissions?
While most people think of fuel system additives as being primarily concerned with improving fuel economy, they also have the potential to reduce emissions. Many additives contain chemicals that react with carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HCs). This reduces their ability to form soot particles, which are responsible for smog.
In addition, some additives are designed to reduce the formation of nitrogen oxides (NOx), a major contributor to smog. Nitrogen oxide molecules can combine with oxygen in the atmosphere to create nitric acid, which causes damage to plants and animals.
If you’re worried about the environment, then you should consider adding an additive to your next fill up.
