...as well as going down steep, Devon B roads...:-)
Surely you have to go uphill at some time?
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Err, yeah, going uphill as well... ;-)
The fuel economy I calculated myself, using the same pump and going to the first click every time. It consistently returns about 55MPG.
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Do you do a different sort of driving to that in the book for 45? e.g. you never go over 60. Or is your mileometer 20% out so that your 55 is in fact 45?
Are you certain that your previous mpg-age was correct?
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I was told a long time ago by two automotive engineers who worked for one of the major engine design agencies that Redex(tm) is nothing more than an upper cyclinder lubricant, and in today's well engineered world, is effectively redundant.
No doubt Aprilia will be along soon.
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... Redex(tm) is nothing more than an upper cyclinder lubricant ...
Yes, so it reduces friction and hence gives you better economy.
Recently I forgot to put redex in when I went to fill thw tank up. Thought nothing of it, I'll put it in next time. Then went on several 50-mile trips and two 70-mile trips going to Silverstone and back from Burton-upon-Trent. Thought "I should be in the 50's (MPG) with this tank!" Filled up, did my calculation, and ended up with (only) 46MPG. Did similar driving on the next tank (with Redex), without the 70-mile trips, and I got 55 MPG!
OK, OK, so there was probably something wrong there, but it was same technique at pump (first click then nearest litre), same driving style, similar time of year.
Even so, 55MPG ain't bad for a 1.3 petrol!
Mike Farrow
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There are three RedEx products, this is the Diesel Injector cleaner, green stuff that smells of Swarfega / Tuffenega.
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Nope, driving style the same, though on Devon roads you can't get about 60. On motorways I do 75-80 though. And no, the speedometer isn't out, as I set off one of those "Slow Down" signs doing 44 in a 40 zone yesterday.
I personally think it was the oil - it went from an unbranded one at the last service to two containers of expensive Magnatec. (Yes, I forgot to put the sump plug back before I poured the oil from the first container, resulting in a second trip to Halfords in my dad's car...)
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I simply can't believe that either an oil change or a shot of Redex (or both combined) can possibly improve your mpg by 20%. There must be another factor involved.
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Well, there is nothing special about this oil, just a bog standard run of the mill, or the RedEx, so the improvement can be due to two things, the oil you took out was as stiff as molasses, or there must have been some fault which coincidentally cleared and is now operating as it should. Maybe the RedEx cleared some fault you had such as some part seized in the Diesel injection pump.
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I have to say that Redex makes a noticeable improvement to my car, and a more noticeable improvement to my motorcycle. Not 20% admittedly, but more than enough to offset the cost, and I like to think it's keeping the valves happier, too...
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I too can vouch for the benefits of Redex petrol treatment. I started using it in the Nissan Micra 16v (41k miles ), it feels transformed also giving me an average of 49 mpg instead of 44mpg.
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If Redex were that good, don't you think Shell would sell 'Optimdex' or something that included a shot of redex in the petrol - and thus substantiating their claim that Optimax helps iirc ND to dress better. They'd then buy the redex in bulk much more cheaply than you buy it in half pints from Halfords, put the petrol price up 20% on the grounds of the higher mpg, and everybody would be happy.
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"helps ND to dress better"
Oh come on - nothing's that powerful! :-)
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I confess I am a die-hard Redex user for the bike, mainly because a bike ridden hard in a demanding climate and traffic conditions can probably use all the help it can get. In serious Manila traffic on any day in April my HD's oil temp gauge can reach 230 F, which is not far short of the point where dino oil is alleged to break down.
(And Growlette is howling that the oil tank is burning her leg through her leathers -- come on girl this is how biking is supposed to be -- try that one on and see the look you get ---) I can't honestly say I get anything other than a feel-good factor by so doing, however. If I can't find Redex (sometimes the imports dry up) then Wynnes and STP do something similar.
It's only pennies anyway, so why not.
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>It's only pennies anyway, so why not.
Hey quite! Just don't expect it to improve your mpg by the 20% reported above!
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My grandfather used to sell Redex from his garage just after the war. I still have some of the old Redex signes and even a few of the metal cans and measuring jugs (with the little 'squirter') hanging about somewhere.
We never used it ourselves though. It main purpose was to make a little easy profit on the petrol sales. My grandfather always maintained that it was a mixture of paraffin and SAE30 oil with some red dye in it.....
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"mixture of paraffin and SAE30 oil"
The exact formula doesn't worry me. It must be something like that, but if it provides a bit a lubrication to the fuel system and valve stems, loosens some of the crud and pays for itself, I'd say it was a fair deal.
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> My grandfather always maintained
Perhaps that was EXACTLY the formula of the 'Redex' sold by your grandfather...
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> My grandfather always maintained Perhaps that was EXACTLY the formula of the 'Redex' sold by your grandfather...
LOL!
No, he did actually buy the proper stuff from Redex. It came in a big drum and was then decanted out into the cone-shaped dispensing jugs and sold at 2d at shot, or whatever. The profit margin was something like 2000%.
He never used it himself though....
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A retired oil industry research chemist I meet occasionally regards the stuff as little better than snake oil.
If you need upper cylinder lubrication there is an excellent cheap product (has his approval) two stroke oil.
I use it at 200:1 in a vintage four stroke, where I've had to put modern pistons in and I've a suspicion the oil control rings are better than the originals.
I've heard it said that this does give some of the protection that leaded fuel gives, although I've seen no research.
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Yes, two stroke oil is pretty good stuff. Stihl sell there own brand stuff which mixes at 50:1 (rather than the 25:1 of most oils) and is compatible with their catalytic convertors.
I have used this at 50:1 in a four-stroke after doing a rebuild, to help the new rings settle in.
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>>My grandfather used to sell Redex from his garage just after the war>>
We used to have an Austin 8 - my father always used to put a shot of Redex (one old penny a shot) to each gallon of petrol.
Mind you you used to have to change the oil every 3,000 miles in those days and the sparking plugs didn't last all that long either...:-(
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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