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Redex, STP and other treatments. Are they a useful service item?


Fil M

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Hello those with greasy mits ... I am about to do my yearly service on the 7 ( I know its a constant tinker all year round really but its oil too at this time of year *wink*). Years back it was the done thing to squirt Redex in the pots when changing plugs and using it as a petrol treatment. In this day and age do these type of treatments have a place in the garage? My little monster has a K series engine. I would be interested to see if they are beneficial as a preventive etc.

 

Cheers

 

*wavey*

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Thanks Roger.... I have fond memories of dosing up the carbs and pots on a xflow many years back and am aware engines have improved as has fuel quality etc. I was perusing the shelves of a local motor factor and saw these items on display and wondered if they were what they are cracked up to be. *wavey*
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These things were always of dubious benefit, but these days with better design, lubrication and combustion technology they're really irrelevant - perhaps in the days of de-coking every 10,000 miles they made drivers feel better, but not now.

 

I should say that not all additives are useless - injector cleaner added to the fuel once in a while actually does seem to have a positive benefit.

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Agree that Red-X is probably no longer of much use but oil additives such as STP and Wynns - I am not so sure.

I always add a can of Wynns or STP to the oil at the oil change. Past experience has shown that these additives add a protective film to the surfaces of the inner components helping with such things as cold starting, sump surge etc.

Over the years I have holed many sumps on my 7 and once drove to a distant pub only to find that I had removed the sump plug completely on a raised drain cover many, many miles before. I had the car flat-bedded home, dropped the sump and pushed out the bearings to find that they were unmarked.

Love the stuff...

...and before I'm chastised for not observing the oil pressure - the gauge was obscured by my right hand and I didn't see it was at zero until I switched off. Yes I moved the gauge...

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once drove to a distant pub only to find that I had removed the sump plug completely on a raised drain cover many, many miles before. I had the car flat-bedded home, dropped the sump and pushed out the bearings to find that they were unmarked.

I trust you then did a control experiment without the oil additive?

It it's so good, why wouldn't the oil manufacturers don't put similar additives into their premium oils?

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I've even stopped using those oil flush ('diesel in a can') products before oil changes having been told they're not very good for oil seals (and having had an issue with valve oil seals on a VW after years of using the stuff).
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Regular oil changes with a quality oil keep internals happy.

 

If you run with V-Power petrol, and don't leave your car parked idle for weeks on end, you shouldn't really need any fuel treatments either. *thumbup*

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Many thanks all for your responses. The article you linked to Roger was particularly informative. With my mileage rate at the present time my yearly oil changes could be viewed as being extremely frequent in miles and more than enough protection without added ingredients. I shall leave the additives back in the 1970's.

 

Cheers *wavey*

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