Fuel Additives

[Globule]

Hi just wondering if anyone uses them to clean injectors/carbs.

Or are they just a waste of money?

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

Waste of money unless you’re trying to stop carb-icing (with iso-propanol). I’m not convinced by the ‘stabiliser’ additives (there are better ways to store a bike long-term) and if there is a ‘detergent’ effect on carbs, etc. you’d have to add additive to every tank, raising the cost and possibly reducing economy.

[Nobby the Bastard]

Never used one on any bike, including the one where I had to scrape the jets out with a needle because basically a whole tank of fuel had evaporated through the carb after the engine seized (not my bike, stood for several years)
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[MarJay]

By the time you need to use them, the engine is already beyond help short of a stripdown. You're better off using a tank of Super unleaded every few tanks.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Easy-X]

Get this: petrol is a solvent - I know! it surprised me too - so as long as it flows it pretty much cleans things on its own. Maybe some use with old skool carbs sat about but TBH you'd be better off draining the carb bowl if laying up for a time and if it has been left to varnish up additives are unlikely to avoid a proper strip and clean.

Fuel injection is different. The ECU should prime the things on start up to take into account condensation, ethanol, grime etc. a bit like the cleaning cycle on an inkjet printer. A fucked injector is more likely fucked fucked rather than just gummed up IMHO. Then again I wouldn't be leaving a bike sitting around unused for years and years.
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Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Nobby the Bastard]

The ECU won't even prime (pressurise) the fuel rail until you press the starter, it won't do anything special to clean anything. It won't clean or even attempt to clean an injector.

They do get dirty and I did have an instructor at a college demonstrate his kit for cleaning them to me at one point when I was doing voluntary work.
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[BRUN]

Not on the bike, but at work (car garage) we must have used the Texaco ones 100s of times over the years to get cars through MOT emissions test, they do have an effect

I use the Liqui-Moly stabiliser every winter on our bikes while their stored away

Bike only gets Shell V-Power so no plans to use a cleaning additive for a long long time, possibly never

[A100man]

[Nobby the Bastard]

The ones used to clean up emissions actually clean the carbon deposits in the engine and exhaust rather than clean carbs/injectors.

You can achieve the same effect by misting water in the intake whilst theengine is running. IIRC Paddy is a great proponent of this technique, alongside the 'Italian Tune-up'.
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[Easy-X]

I've obviously misread something somewhere...

[Nobby the Bastard]

A lot of bikes and cars don't prime the fuel rail. Your may be the exception.
____________________
trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[WD Forte]

[Easy-X]

[Nobby the Bastard]

My bike doesn't, so it can't be bumpstarted unless literally just stalled.

Once you press the starter it pressurises the fuel rail and as a result it has to turn over a few times before it starts.

If you cut the engine and then immediately restart it it starts immediately.

There will be some residual pressure some time after it was last used so thats why you need to guard against it. thats not the same amount of pressure as the pressure on the fuel rail when the engine is running.
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[Nobby the Bastard]

Anyway, the point is a good proportion of modern bikes and cars don't even prime their fuel rails before you turn the engine over so won't have gone through a injector cleaning cycle,even if they could because a specific fluid that isn't petrol or diesel is needed to do so.
____________________
trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

[Easy-X]

[MCN]

I use Yamaha Fuel Stabilizer when I park the bikes for several months. About a cap full to a brimmed tank of fresh petrol. 98RON
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[Globule]

I ask because I bought a scooter (Honda Pantheon 125) and apparently it has fuel injection. 20 years old, but it's only just done 4K miles!

Only ever had carbed bikes before, my Blackbird has carbs and I'm used to them, but FI is new to me. (I know I'm really old fashioned).

[A100man]

[MarJay]