# Gas Additives are worthless? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [November 8, 2013, 8:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-additives-are-worthless/82149 "2013-11-08T20:04:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![badbearing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/badbearing/32/10683_2.png) [@badbearing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/badbearing)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 8:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-additives-are-worthless/82149/1 "2013-11-08T20:04:58Z")
I did a search and it seems everybody thinks gas additives are almost useless? ---
**Author:** ![edb1961](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/edb1961/32/122_2.png) [@edb1961](https://community.cartalk.com/u/edb1961)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 8:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-additives-are-worthless/82149/2 "2013-11-08T20:08:57Z")
I started using Chevron Techron after Tom and Ray mentioned it in one of their columns. I throw a can or bottle of the Chevron or Seafoam (whichever is on sale at the time) into my cars once a year or so. Ed B. ---
**Author:** ![badbearing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/badbearing/32/10683_2.png) [@badbearing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/badbearing)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 8:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-additives-are-worthless/82149/3 "2013-11-08T20:12:52Z")
I put a small bottle of Lucas in a tank of gas and the motor quit knocking and sounds smoother. Coincidence? ---
**Author:** ![RemcoW](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/remcow/32/2471_2.png) [@RemcoW](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RemcoW)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 8:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-additives-are-worthless/82149/4 "2013-11-08T20:17:21Z")
Techron definitely makes a difference. I’ve seen cars that used to run like it was being propelled by three squirrels with a smoking habit change to running like new. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 8:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-additives-are-worthless/82149/5 "2013-11-08T20:31:30Z")
I’ve used Techron for 2 things, clogged injectors - works great - and for a funky low-reading gas gauge - works Ok. I’ve used Seafoam for removing carbon - injected through a vacuum line - quite effective. If your car is running good, yeah, the stuff is useless. You don’t have to use this stuff all the time but if your car starts acting like a paint shaker or the gas gauge reads absurdly low, dump a can in the gas tank. Doesn’t hurt, might work. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 8:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-additives-are-worthless/82149/6 "2013-11-08T20:41:18Z")
The only additives I ever use are the Briggs and Stratton stabilizer for my small engines and Sea Foam or Stbil for the car that gets 100 miles a year. I don’t see any need for any other additive unless you are having trouble with ice or water in the winter and need Heet. I will say that with my diesel I used an anti-gelling additive for every tank in the winter after the fuel gelled one cold -10 degree night. ---
**Author:** ![ken\_green](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/ken_green/32/816_2.png) [@ken\_green](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ken_green)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 8:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-additives-are-worthless/82149/7 "2013-11-08T20:56:12Z")
## Gas additives only seem worthless – IF – your vehicle ALREADY runs as good as it possibly can…no additive can improve on the best it can be. The advertisements make it sound as if you’re going to constantly get more and more performance each and every time…NOT ! ! They conspicuously leave out the part about …if you HAVE a current problem such as X or Y then the additive could improve on that. Yes, Techron clearly and obviously REPAIRED a problem I was having…it worked like it was theorized to …but not every week …if I don’t have a problem to BE fixed , what is the product going to do THEN ? The key caveat of all these products…that no one ever bothers to mention is ; IF YOU NEED IT…THEN the product will do as designed. If your injectors are already as clean as possible…what are you going to clean ? If you mpg is alread the best it can be…what are you going to improve ? I use gas additives…as …needed . ---
**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 9:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-additives-are-worthless/82149/8 "2013-11-08T21:27:29Z")
I’m not a big fan of additives but Techron does work. Same goes for Berryman’s B-12 Chemtool in some automatic transmissions. It’s actually a fuel system product but it makes some automatic transmissions function like new again. (1993 Cutlass Ciera/2002 Dodge Dakota) ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 9:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-additives-are-worthless/82149/9 "2013-11-08T21:31:21Z")
@badbearing - describe in detail the knocking noise - when did it happen? up hill? under load? ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 9:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-additives-are-worthless/82149/10 "2013-11-08T21:56:40Z")
All modern gasolines contain additives. If the car runs smoothly these additives are doing their job. If not, some additional strong additives may be necessary, such as Techron or Seafoam. If you need new plugs, have no compression, or are getting a weak spark, no additive is going to help you. The folks who sell these additives tend to take a snake oil approach, saying it will cure all ills. That’s how they get their poor reputation. ---
**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 1:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-additives-are-worthless/82149/11 "2013-11-09T01:47:55Z")
I use techron in the car once a year. It also helped my chainsaw. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 4:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-additives-are-worthless/82149/12 "2013-11-09T04:15:23Z")
Definitely use sea fome in my boat and treat the cars occasionally. Could be useless in the cars, but never had a clogged injector. ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 6:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-additives-are-worthless/82149/13 "2013-11-09T06:37:39Z")
Marine grade ethanhol treatment is necessary to save your sanity if you have a outboard. ---
**Author:** ![JosephEMeehan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@JosephEMeehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JosephEMeehan)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 6:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gas-additives-are-worthless/82149/14 "2013-11-09T18:30:09Z")
During the winter I tend to buy one can/bottle of the stuff and I get the stuff in it that can raise the freeze level (Cloud point for diesels) That will keep me safe if I get an unexpected drop in the temp.