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[Sean M Cary]

Whenever I add some - bout every 2nd or 3rd tankful, my bike runs like CRAP - sluggish, backfires etc...

Anyone else have that issue?

Want to run it to keep things tidy - but not sure it's worth the crappy 170 miles I am getting out of it.

Sean

[Talon]

The only thing I ever use in the bikes or cars is BGK-44, works great!

[Texas 103]

The only thing I ever use in the bikes or cars is BGK-44, works great!

Good Ole....Marvel Mystery Oil >>>>>Greg

[grc]

Sean, if you use good quality gasoline you really don't need to add so-called fuel conditioners or other additives.  EPA regulations require all gasoline to contain injector cleaners, so unless you actually notice a problem or you intend to store the gas for more than a few weeks you really don't need to add anything on a regular basis.  I personally add stabilizer to a full tank when I store the bike for the winter (I drain it in the spring and fill up with fresh, the stabilizer reduces or eliminates formation of varnish but I don't want to actually run it after 4 or 5 months), and I use a small amount (3-4oz) of additional injector cleaner in the spring just in case the stabilizer didn't work as well as they claim.  The additional cleaner hasn't proved to be necessary, but it's one of those anal things some of us oldtimers still do.

I'm not familiar with the Lucas product, but if it is similar to the other brands out there it probably comes in a container sized for a full sized automotive fuel tank.  If you dump the entire thing in a 5 gallon Harley tank, the concentration will be too strong and could be the cause of it running like crap.  If you really feel the need to use it, try cutting back on the concentration.

Jerry

[Sean M Cary]

It has a ratio for use per gallon...and I go on the low side.  Its more then you would need even for my truck.

I am way to familiar with STABIL...every deployment, truck, rain car and the Kawa get it...next time have to add the SERK.

I have also used Sea Foam, that didn't cause it to run rough like the Lucas seems to.

Doesn't bug my Kawa, guess the SERK is sensitive?

Sean

Sean, if you use good quality gasoline you really don't need to add so-called fuel conditioners or other additives.  EPA regulations require all gasoline to contain injector cleaners, so unless you actually notice a problem or you intend to store the gas for more than a few weeks you really don't need to add anything on a regular basis.  I personally add stabilizer to a full tank when I store the bike for the winter (I drain it in the spring and fill up with fresh, the stabilizer reduces or eliminates formation of varnish but I don't want to actually run it after 4 or 5 months), and I use a small amount (3-4oz) of additional injector cleaner in the spring just in case the stabilizer didn't work as well as they claim.  The additional cleaner hasn't proved to be necessary, but it's one of those anal things some of us oldtimers still do.

I'm not familiar with the Lucas product, but if it is similar to the other brands out there it probably comes in a container sized for a full sized automotive fuel tank.  If you dump the entire thing in a 5 gallon Harley tank, the concentration will be too strong and could be the cause of it running like crap.  If you really feel the need to use it, try cutting back on the concentration.

Jerry

[Twolanerider]

It has a ratio for use per gallon...and I go on the low side.  Its more then you would need even for my truck.

I am way to familiar with STABIL...every deployment, truck, rain car and the Kawa get it...next time have to add the SERK.

I have also used Sea Foam, that didn't cause it to run rough like the Lucas seems to.

Doesn't bug my Kawa, guess the SERK is sensitive?

Sean

Sean, the Lucas, Sea Foam and Marvel Mystery Oil products are all old-line products.  Have been around in much there present for for decades.  This is entirely anecdotal from the car show crowd I see occasionally but the Lucas product as a fuel additive seems to too commonly behave as you describe. 

I had occasion to pull the injectors out of a 60 vette with a late model drive train.  This car had been given relatively regularly doses of Lucas.  Several of the injectors had issues.

With modern fuels it's really not necessary on a regular basis.  To salve my own conscience that I should do "something" I use a light dose of Marvel Mystery Oil in the spring; just once.  I've used Sea Foam (slightly higher detergent content if I remember correctly) in the pickup.  Doing anything as regularly as you're describing really isn't necessary though.  There's even the potential of it slowly doing a bit of harm.

[sadunbar]

Who has an opinion of these?

http://www.fitchcatalyst.com/

[Twolanerider]

Who has an opinion of these?

http://www.fitchcatalyst.com/

Voodoo.

[SBB]

Voodoo.

Please Don, don't hold back!

 

[sadunbar]

Voodoo.

Anyone else have an opinion - but please - not so technical - got lost in the details of that last response......

[Sean M Cary]

Anyone else have an opinion - but please - not so technical - got lost in the details of that last response......

My dad swore by em for their motor home...40+ behemoth mom is still living in out in AZ.  He told me that they increased his mileage.

He had some fuel treatment for the SERK, which led me to the Lucas.  At the end he couldn't remember what he used - begged me to use the Lucas at least.  But it seems to be causing me issues I am posting about...but the SERK is also very gas picky, likes Exxon only...rest it runs like crap. 

Sean

[Twolanerider]

Please Don, don't hold back!

 

Voodoo placebo. 

[SCRM-R]

Who has an opinion of these?

http://www.fitchcatalyst.com/

Snake oil...I dropped 2 in the tank when my Zippers motor started pinging in hot weather.  No change.  No increase in mileage either.  No all the other crapola they promise either.  Now I can't get the damn things out without pulling the tank.  As far as I can tell, all they do is take up a little space and reduce my gasoline capacity by that amount.

[Spike]

Sean,
        Have you ever tried mixing a little race gas with regular? That will liven things up and not hurt anything. Some of the gas stations around here, you can get 101 or 105 octane so I get just a gallon of the good stuff and mix it with 93 til the tank is full. Anything over 105, it takes a lot of compression to get it to detonate so thats a waste of money.

[Sean M Cary]

Sean,
        Have you ever tried mixing a little race gas with regular? That will liven things up and not hurt anything. Some of the gas stations around here, you can get 101 or 105 octane so I get just a gallon of the good stuff and mix it with 93 til the tank is full. Anything over 105, it takes a lot of compression to get it to detonate so thats a waste of money.

Not around here haven't seen it anywhere, but when I used to fly in Oki - I would put Av Gas in my Sportster...made it pretty peppy.