Review of Gas Treatment & Fuel Additive Products

The purpose of this page is familiarize consumers regarding the presence of alcohol and/or water-absorbing properties of many gas additive products.

Below is a list of selected Fuel System Additive and Gas Treatment Products that may be used by engine owners to prevent, improve or correct fuel system issues.

Now that E10 gas has widespread distribution, many products which once were safe when used in conventional non-alcohol fuel, may now pose unnecessary risks and danger to engines running on ethanol blend renewable fuels.

Ethanol alcohol, used for oxygenating E10 and E85 fuel, is a solvent, cleanser, antifreeze, readily absorbs water -

Many fuel system treatment products have the same exact properties.

There are many alternative names for alcohol and ethanol compounds.

Carefully review ALL ingredients of fuel treatment products before use.

Review the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for ingredient details

REVIEW Gas Treatment Products/Additives:

Fuel System Cleansers

Gumout Winter Fuel Injector Cleaner contains isopropanol alcohol 30-50%, plus detergent mixture, petroleum distillate(s) and trade secret formula. Notes: Product page states to use with every fill-up, but does not advise that will increase alcohol content over 10% when used in E10 gas.

Mercury Marine Fuel System Cleaner contains 15% isopropanol alcohol and napha solvent.

CD2 Engine Tuneup contains methanol (60-70%), Isopropanol (20-30%), 2-Butoxyethanol (10-20%) and Diacetone alcohol (10-20%).

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Octane Enhancers

Turbo Octane Boost 108 (North American Oil Co. and Blue Magic Company) ingredient list includes only Methanol and t-Butyl alcohol.

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Gasoline Fuel Stabilizers

StaBil Fuel Stabilizer: Gold eagle Co. Proprietary or trade secret ingredient(s) and hydrotreated light naphthenic distillate solvent extract (mineral oil).

PRI-G and PRI-D: Power Research Inc.

Primary ingredient = Shellsol D60 (Shell Gas Company). A hydrocarbon solvent. See Shellsol description below. Also contains amines and organic dispersants. Risk of attracting and absorbing water = Very Low - Insoluble in water.

Neutra Fuel Stabilizer: Schaeffer Mfg. Company

Primary ingredient = N-Butyl Alcohol. Also contains cresylic acid...

Risk of attracting and absorbing water = High.

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Fuel Conditioners

Evinrude BRP/OMC 2+4 Fuel Conditioner contains 95% alcohol. MSDS includes information supporting product is not appropriate for use in alcohol blends of fuel, E10. For example MSDS states, "Soluble in water"..."Incompatibility (Material to Avoid) Strong Oxidizing agents...", etc.

Fuel-Testers Note: Ethanol is a "strong oxidizing agent" used to oxygenate gasoline. 2+4 is manufactured by Gold Eagle Co.

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Gas Treatment Products

STP Oxygenated Gas Treatment - Most STP gas treatment products contain naphthalene - solvent naphtha, petroleum distillates, stoddard solvent, trimethylbenzenes (mixed isomers), trade secret ingredient, and other similar type chemicals. View product ingredients here.

K100 G Marine Gas Treatment, K100 MD, K100 MG, and other similar K-100 products: Kinetic Laboratories Inc.

Primary ingredients = 2 Butoxyethanol, Ethylene Glycol, Monobutyl ether... VIEW MSDS image for K100 MG Marine Fuel Gas Treatment.

Risk for attracting and absorbing water = High - Contains alcohol.

- - Comment from Fuel-Testers: K100 marine brochure and website falsely state, "Eliminates water and all water related problems"...."Stops phase seperation in E-10 fuel"; (Misleading and impossible claims - While it may "delay" phase separation, you're still left with gas that contains excess water and alcohol that will damage your engine).

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Find out if your additive contains alcohol and/or water-attracting chemicals...

Description and Definitions - Fuel and Additive Ingredients:

Ethylene glycol is an alcohol widely used as an automotive antifreeze and in the plastics industry for the manufacture of polyester fibers and resins.

Naphthenic Petroleum Oil = Mineral oil, petroleum distillates, hydrotreated light naphthenic.

N-Butyl Alcohol: A petroleum hydrocarbon and additive solvent. Also known as 1-Butanol, n-Butanol and Propylcarbinol.

It is commonly used as a solvent for fats, waxes, shellac, resins, gums, and varnish. Soluble in water, disperses.

Shellsol: A petroleum distillate, evaporating, mineral spirits type hydrocarbon solvent with a limited aromatic content.

Mineral spirits are commonly used as a mild solvent, cleaning and degreasing machine tools and parts, and paint thinner or alternative to turpentine. Especially effective in removing oils, greases, carbon, and other material from metal. Mineral spirits may also be used in conjunction with cutting oil as a thread cutting and reaming lubricant. Also referred to as a white spirit or stoddard solvent. Insoluble in water.

2-Butoxyethanol is an organic solvent and glycol ether, frequently found in cleaning products. It is difficult for consumers to know whether a product contains this chemical because manufacturers are not required to list it on the label.

VIEW MORE DESCRIPTIONS OF INGREDIENTS

commonly found in gasoline and fuel additives...

How to recognize ingredients that are an alcohol:

Review the wording and letters of each ingredient listed on the MSDS and package label.

Many alcohol (ethanol type) chemical names end in "ol". E.G. ethan"ol", methan"ol".

Sometimes the common name of alcohol based ingredients is not so obvious.

E.G. Carbon disulfide = Alcohol Sulfuris, Aromatic Spirit of Ammonia = Ammonia in alcohol.

Common and Chemical Names of Alcohol:

alcohol, grain = ethyl alcohol, alcohol sulfuris = carbon disulfide, wood alcohol = methyl alcohol,

ethanol = ethyl alcohol, methanol = methyl alcohol, rubbing alcohol = isopropyl alcohol...

VIEW MORE NAMES FOR ALCOHOLS...

READ: The products listed above is not intended to give advice or recommendation for gas treatment or fuel additivive products.

Our primary intention is to make you more aware of the ingredients products contain, so you can make an informed decision if the product is suitable for use with E10 or E85 ethanol alcohol gasoline blends. Information listed below was obtained from public sources, including official MSDS, scientific literature, research and journals, product company's brochures and website.

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Some companies that manufacture and sell fuel treatment products are using deceptve marketing tactics, to convince you that they have a product which will "prevent and fix" all ethanol-related fuel problems - No such miracle product exists!

A few of the fuel treatment product companies have become upset by my inclusion of their product's ingredients on this website.

By law, this is public information; Since most gas additives are in the class of hazardous and regulated chemicals/compounds, all ingredients must be reported and available for public review. The sytem of MSDS reporting assures public access to this information.

Gas contains hundreds of chemicals and compounds - All added by the fuel companies to provide the best quality of gas possible.

Gasoline sold to the public contains stabilizers, preservatives, dyes, oxygenators, octane enhancers and much more.

If there was product or chemical which could simply prevent "all" the negative side-effects of ethanol in fuel, the major gas companies would already be adding it to the gas produced.

While there are a handful of gas additive products that can offer benefits in high risk situations, misuse of additives that contain primary alcohols and emulsifying agents will only increase your risks.

Purchasing high quality E10 gas, and replacing it often will always be your best defense. View E10 Tips/Precautions.

Surprised by this information? You're not alone - Ethanol, Fact, Fiction and Reality...

Find more information on ethanol fuels and gas additives at navigation menu on left side of page.

Boaters - View: Ethanol Fuel Use in Marine - Boat - Outboard Engines

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