astr033

I looked online and Auto Barn sells it but the shipping is more than the cost of the product. The AutoZone website turned up nothing for my search. I checked the automotive section of local stores too. I don't really feel like going out of my way to find a NAPA or other auto store and find that they might not have it. Has anyone seen bottles of Techron concentrate in their travels? I don't think there are any Chevron stations in the Greater Boston area, at least none that I've seen.

Thanks!

quicksi

why do you need techron concentrate? [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/IMG]

astr033

why do you ask? (feel free to guess why i want to put techron fuel additive in my gas tank)

Havok2k1

iTrader: (3)

Because you like wasting money????


I'm kidding!!!!!!!!

Grey

iTrader: (61)

Yeah... Um, what is it? [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/IMG]

TwilightX

iTrader: (1)

...ya know, there are better things to drink out there than....oh, it's for your car...shucks...


I'm actually not sure what it is either...let us know and we'll do some hunting for ya...

Havok2k1

iTrader: (3)

Techron is a gasoline additive that is supposed to clean the motor. Chevron supposedly adds it to their gas and it is supposed to burn cleaner than other companies.

Notice I said supposed many times there........ [IMG]i/expressions/demon.gif[/IMG][IMG]i/expressions/demon.gif[/IMG][IMG]i/expressions/demon.gif[/IMG]

Grey

iTrader: (61)

The only additive I use is STP's Fuel Injector/Carbuerator Cleaner. I use it every other time I fill up. I actually don't know for sure if it's good for my car or if it's a waste of money, but since my dad buys it for all our cars I'll take it!

DarkCivic

iTrader: (1)

From there commercials "techron" is just something that they made up, so I don't think that you'd be able to buy it seperately from their gas.

DarkCivic

iTrader: (1)

I could ship you a gallon or 2. [IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG]

Lowtek

I've never seen "Techron concentrate" by name.
But I have seen just plain old Techron.
It comes in a small black bottle (about 25 oz) for about $3
you can pick it up at almost any auto part store.
Autozone, Pepboys, Lappens..... actually just about anywhere...
you add a bottle to a whole tank of gas (up to 20 gallons)
you are not suppose to do it more than 3 times per oil change (recommended that you only do it once)
what it does:
it thins out your oil.

you car will usually run better (because your oil is thinner).
you get better gas mileage (same reason as above)
it is also suppose to help clean out your fuel injectors.

a down side may be: you thin out your oil too much (thatz why the recommend only once per oil change)
and if your oil is too thin, than that could cause major engine problems.

I hope this helps.

-Lowtek

TwilightX

iTrader: (1)

Note: wasn't at my local autozone...

quicksi

the reason I ask is because it was a stupid question. if you are looking for fuel injector cleaner, go buy some. They sell for 1.00 at any auto parts store/ gas station. Techron is just an additive that does the same thing as most cleaners. And as for thinner oil, if you want to run a thinner oil, than just have them put it in when you get your oil changed. Its not that hard, and shouldn't cost you anything extra unless you run synthetic. 90% of places that change oil for you will have a number of viscosities for you to choose from.

astr033

I'm aware of the supposed benefits and everything else that Techron (and other additives) are supposed to do. I tried STP additives before and noticed no difference with my gas mileage (I keep a table of all my fill-ups and maintenance, and make all sorts of charts -- maybe I'll post them some day). I've heard a lot of people talk about this Techron stuff, so I figured it would be worth the few bucks to try it. The only problem is they don't sell it anywhere around where I am. Hence the reason for my post: trying to figure where the heck to buy the stuff. It's probably not even worth my time to find this particular brand but I do have a very curious mind and I like to do experiments to see if car products actually do what they claim. If I ever get the stuff I'll post the results of my little experiment. Thanks to the people with the helpful replies.

--the mad scientist

astr033

Here's what Chevron has to say about Techron: http://www.chevron.com/prodserv/nafl...t/fueladd.shtm

TwilightX

iTrader: (1)

Don't forget that they might be biased since it's a huge commodity for them...just a thought on that...

But insofar as measuring your gas from trip to trip, there are so many factors that you're really not getting an accurate reading - everything from drag, to if you have your A/C running all effect your numbers in some small way, so you're really just getting a sense of what your average is - the true miles per gallon could be slightly different...I've checked mine at several different intervals and it's wavered as much as 8 mpg, so you can never be 100% certain.

With all the publicity that goes into engine maintainance, it's really hard to filter all the true statements on it.

quicksi

100% correct. Most companies will tell you whatever you want to hear in order to buy thier product. It just depends on the wording used. For example: do you remeber seeing the Tornado air system for cars and trucks? do you know anyone who has tried it? Consumer reports about 5 years ago did a study on it. Tornadoes claimed to make as much as 5 HP on most makes and models. It claims that in all the adds and on all the packages. The dynoed cars to find out if it worked, and If I remeber right, only 1 car out of 20 made 1/2 a HP at the wheels. The key is it will ad as much as 5 hp on some] makes and models. It doesn't clearly define which car but says in lay terms, on some indiscreet bvehicle out there, it CAN make up to 5 Hp. The genral public doesn't know any better, so the general public buys.

Find it if you want, its a waste of money. There is no guaruntee for anything.

astr033

I agree with you guys totally. That is why I'm conducting my own research. But as TwilightX mentioned, there are many variables that affect gas mileage. I do look at the average mileage over several fill-ups rather than the mileage for each individual fill-up. There is a lot of scatter in the numbers but there is a trend. I'm looking to see if this trend changes with the addition of a fuel additive. The trend is roughly sinusoidal (a sine wave) with better gas mileage in the summer and worse in the winter. There are low spikes where I used a lot of AC and high spikes where I'd take long road trips and get awesome highway gas mileage. I'm not sure what the rest of the scatter is due to. Maybe not filling the tank to the same exact level each time? Regardless, it's just the trend that I'm looking for changes in, not actual numbers. If my gas-mileage "sine wave" gets transposed up or down then that would definitely show something, in my opinion. Of course if the effect of the additives is small then the change in trend may be lost in the noise (a.k.a. scatter).

-- the nutty scientist [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/IMG]

PESTLNC

Techron does actually work...unlike so many other "snake-oil" type products. The only place I can get it down here in CT is Advanced Auto Parts. Napa, AutoZone, etc. never have it. Be warned, while the additive is in your fuel prepare for your fuel effeciency to be crap.

astr033

Thanks, PESTLNC. I think the reason the fuel efficiency is "crap" when you put an additive in is that it loosens up the deposits and they're "floating" around the system. Is that right?

Grey

iTrader: (61)

For fuel additives? Maybe. The deposits eventually do find their way out of the engine though. That is after they get changed chemically by combustion. I don't know exactly what happens, but I assume that these fuel cleaners are like solvent for the deposits. The deposits break down into a solution and then they are easily sprayed through the injectors and they get combusted and they uventually go out the exhaust. I don't think the fuel cleaners actually make big particles float around in your fuel system. makes sense to do it the way I'm saying. If I was a fuel cleaner manufacturer I would try to make it work this way.

astr033

Hmm, I'll buy that. Sounds like a reasonable explanation.....