Is Redex really any good?

[sniff]

I've bought some redex to pop in the wifes car and thought I might as well shove some in the tank on the K9 S. Does it really give a good clean or is it all aload of testicles?

As yet not put it in there will do by the weekend when I will have to fill it up.

[yorkie_chris]

Personally I think it's a load of bull. Never noticed any improvement any time I've tried it or seen it tried.

Only thing that does seem to work on diesels is to fill the filter with ATF and give it an italian tune up. If it's petrol and something is actually clogged, like carbs or injectors then they need rebuilding proper.

I use it now and again, but i think its ment to be used all the time.[works out expensive].I trust its the one for injection engines and not just fuel treatment?

When I was younger we used to pour it directly into our car engines through the spark plug holes (engine had to be hot). Then you left the redex in for 30 minutes, cranked the motor to fire it all back out the plugs and refitted everything. When you fired the car up it smoked like a ******* for ages. I'm sure they ran better afterwards (honest). I think that was even on the instructions then, that and pouring it directly into air intake!

[maviczap]

I know a mate who had problems with his Honda engined Rover called a mobile mechanic out, as he was having trouble starting it.

The cause of the problem was sticking valves, not closing properly. Think it was the engine with 4 valves per cylinder

So mechanic stuck in a bottle of industrial strength Redex or similar to clean & lube the top end. Did work too.

Normal Redex isn't as strong, but I can't see it doing any harm

I have found it works when i`ve used it after a couple of uses. I generally have old cars and have found i got a bit more out of the tank & it felt a little pokier - dunno how it will affect newer motors tho`.

i have always treated this stuff as a placebo thing. even if it does remove a fine layer of coke from the top of the pistons or clear out carbs, you're going to be looking for even the slightest bit of difference in your engine and assume the Redex or whatever has helped.

As YC has said, its better to take your carbs apart and clean them if its running bad.

[appollo1]

does the label not say to use something like half the bottle for 50 litres in a car fuel tank?

how much would you put into a bike tank?

Well all I can say is when I bought my ZX7R it crapped out on me (engine just died like it was starved of fuel) a couple of times. The first time it was diagnosed as the fuel pump relay. Changed the relay and the engine cut out on me once more. Then I spent the next few weeks adding Redex to the fuel, no repeat failures. Since then I add a dose about once a month. All has been as good as gold since September

Having said that I know it will crap out on me now I've posted this - bah!!

[embee]

Certainly injector cleaners have been used by major car manufacturers in service in the past to tackle specific injector plugging issues, deposits from certain fuels in various parts of the world were known to build up on injector pintles during hot soak usually. Modern injector and engine designs aren't as prone to these issues, and fuels now tend to be better.

Whether the specific product you have will do the job is guesswork to some extent. Most of them are usually quite simple hydrocarbon products, safe for catalysts and lambda sensors.

If your machine is prone to injector plugging it may help stabilise the situation, reducing the build up. If it isn't prone to such issues them it won't really do much for you. Whatever else, it doesn't really do any harm if used as prescribed. They don't really do anything useful in the cylinders, modern engines don't need "upper cylinder lubricants" (there's a term from the history books!)