2019 test3 productsFuel & Additives

Which Fuel Additive Brand Wins?

A head-to-head test of 3 fuel additive options with the measured results for each. See how they ranked and watch the full test video.

The verdict
Ranked first

K100

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The measured results

Every number below is read straight from the test. Scroll sideways to see all measurements. Products are listed in the order they finished.

ProductPhase separation testIce formation prevention (pre-mixed, frozen 24 hr)Massive dose phase separation retest (4 oz K100, 64 times recommended dose, 16 oz gasoline, 1 oz water)Ice melting test (already iced, refrozen 24 hr, checked after 24 hr)Engine test (running generator, water contaminated K100 treated fuel)Massive dose phase separation retest (enough Star Tron to treat 12 gallons)Engine test (running generator, water contaminated Star Tron treated fuel)Engine test (running generator, water contaminated ISO-HEET treated fuel)
1K100experienced phase separation despite label claim of preventing it; the water and ethanol line sat a little higher than the control, indicating good mixing with the ethanol and water, but it still did not keep phase separation from occurringice formed inside the fuel, so it did not prevent ice from formingstill had phase separation even with the massive dosea lot of ice was left in the containernot good enough to keep the engine goingnot testednot testednot tested
2Star Tronthe separation line matched the water and gasoline only control container, indicating Star Tron mixed with the gasoline but did not separate out with the water and ethanol any better than plain water; explicitly stated it did not prevent phase separationice formed inside the containernot testedice remained in the bottom of the containernot testeddid absolutely nothing, still had phase separationengine stalled quickly once the treated water contaminated fuel was addednot tested
3ISO-HEETthe isopropyl alcohol, water, and ethanol all mixed together and separated out from the gasolineno ice formed, the only one of the three products to succeed at this testnot testedice remained in the containernot testednot testednot testeddid not do the job either, engine would not run well without heavy choke

How it was tested

  • phase separation test (water plus gasoline plus additive, mixed and observed for a gasoline layer versus ethanol water layer)
  • ice formation prevention test (additive pre-mixed with fuel and water, frozen 24 hours)
  • massive overdose phase separation retest (far above label dose)
  • ice melting test (fuel already frozen with water contamination, additive added, refrozen and checked after 24 hours)
  • running generator engine test with water contaminated, additive treated fuel

So, obviously these products are not very effective when it comes to treating water.

From the test video verdict.
Data notes and caveats

No winner: all three products failed the core claims tested (preventing phase separation, melting existing ice, letting the engine run normally on treated water contaminated fuel); the narrator's closing verdict is that none of the three are effective for treating water in fuel. ISO-HEET was the sole product to succeed at one sub-test (preventing ice from forming in the pre-mixed freezer test). The title's framing question, whether K100 can make water burn, is set up early in the transcript (K100 claims on the packaging it can make water burn) but no spoken result of that specific demonstration appears anywhere later in the transcript, so it was likely shown on screen only; logged to data/onscreen-only.txt.

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