Can A Fuel Additive Decrease Emissions?
Fuel Additive Myth - Fact Or Fiction
Debunking Tuning Myths By Luke Munnell
Possibly the biggest drawback to modifying a street car for performance is that with every increase in power, comes an increase in emissions
. And with nearly every state or county in this great country of ours requiring your street car to meet mandatory maximum levels of emissions for road use, any product that promises to reduce emissions on test day is an attractive one to a tuner. Doubly so, if the product itself claims an additional boatload of advantages with its use.
Can A Fuel Additive Decrease Emissions?
Browsing the “automotive supplement” section of our local auto parts store, we happened across RxP Products’ Gas Kicker-a test-day additive that guarantees reduced emissions, increased fuel efficiency, and increased horsepower in addition to other benefits. With our Project DC2 in need of a Cali state smog certification-something we knew it might not earn on its own-we decided to put RxP’s claims to the test.
Our first stop was to MD Automotive in Westminster, CA, for some baseline power testing. After which, we headed across the street to the local smog test-only center for back-to-back smog testing, first without the RxP, and again with it added to our full tank of premium unleaded. Like most sanctioning government bodies, California sets limits for the amounts of Hydrocarbons (HC), and Nitrogen Oxides (NO) and Carbon Monoxide (CO) a road-legal car can emit, so that’s what our emissions testing monitored. After averaging the numbers, we headded back to MD for some power testing with the RxP added.
Fiction
The verdict:
While it does appear that RxP make a small improvement in our DC2’s output of hydrocarbons, emissions tester Francisco Aguilar cautions that this could be a result of the engine temperatures increasing between tests, thus burning more HCs. Similarly, MD’s Mark DiBella cautions, too, that the decrease in power we found is just too small to rule out as anything but standard testing variance. Does RxP fail? Signs point to yes. For best results, keep your car in good tune, with its emissions equipment intact, and add good ‘ol fashioned denatured alcohol (15% by volume) to its fuel for a proven test-day bump in emissions-burning capability.
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Purchasing Parts Wisely Engine Bay View
A New Breed Of Tuners
Tough economic times have led many of us to cut back on spending, including buying parts for our cars. While the corporate stiffs in our aftermarket industry see the market as a cup that’s half empty, I view things with a more positive attitude. Now, before you send those angry emails telling me I’m some optimist who’s blowing smoke up his readers’ asses, consider how the value of a dollar has become an important factor into what car parts we purchase.
There’s a growing trend among enthusiasts. Those who once relied heavily on shops and mechanics to install parts on their cars, have slowly evolved into DIY builders. By turning back the clock and returning to our true automotive roots, many of us are once again learning how to turn a wrench. This is a big plus for our community, as those who wrench on their cars will understand the importance of installing quality products and the benefits they offer-you can only swap out junk parts so many times before you realize enough is enough!
DIY enthusiasts are individuals who are willing to approach modifying cars with their own signature flair-regardless of the outcome-just to prove that one way is not always the right way. Love it or hate it, the automotive vigilantes you see banging away in their garages are the same guys who create new automotive trends, opening up more opportunities for manufactures and shops to provide parts to complement these future trendsetters. Take for example the LS/VTEC engine concept that was introduced years back that not only flourished in the Honda world, but was further motivated by the aftermarket industry to grow and expand with support from cams, head gaskets, oil conversion kit adapters, etc. All you DIY enthusiasts: keep doing what you’re doing. There’s light at the end of this dark tunnel, and it begins with you.
Senior Editor
Scott Tsuneishi
scott@importtuner.com
Filmed by Kyle Creegan and Becca Maynard :) Music by MGMT
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