7 replies to this topic

[Lews_mini]

Hey all

I've been told by a mate to use Redex Carb cleaner to help clear out my carb, my question is, has anyone used the stuff? does it work? i.e. clean it out, improve emissions and economy like it says on the tin?

Hope you can help

Lewis

[Purple Tom]

I used it and found that all it made the car do was produce lots and lots of horrible smoke (unsurprisingly as Mini's aren't designed to run on redex!).

I would say a better thing would be to remove the carb and treat it to some TLC using a rebuild kit from Burlen (or Minispares or wherever). If its the 1994 Sprite then it'll have a HIF38 carb as standard or if its been played with then someone may have fitted a HIF44. Either way they're pretty simple to rebuild.

In summary, I personally think that 95% of 'additives' on the market that claim to increase performance, reduce fuel consumption, eradicate wear etc aren't worth bothering with.

[Jammy]

Clear out your carb?! Whats it gunked up with?

The only reason I'd use Redex is to decoke the engine (probably why Tom was getting lots of horrid smoke out the back), but then I can't see a reason to decoke the engine either!

[Rhys]

I have used it on an injector engine and i found it did help, makes the fuel run smoother and yes it would produce smoke as thats the rubbish inside that it removes, it has to get out somewhere

Rhys

[Purple Tom]

I have used it on an injector engine and i found it did help, makes the fuel run smoother and yes it would produce smoke as thats the rubbish inside that it removes, it has to get out somewhere

Rhys

Erm, no, thats the redex itself being burnt. Where do you think it goes once you pour it down the carb throat or T/B? I really don't think redex will remove enough 'rubbish' to make it smoke that much!

Also, what exactly did it help? And what were the symptoms that the engine was exhibiting?

As Jammy says, if a carb needs 'clearing out', then what of? If you remove it you can give a carb a blast out with carb cleaner (which is poisonous so wear gloves!), which can help matters, but at the end of the day you need to find out whats wrong. What are the symptoms?

[Dan]

I've never seen the point of using Redex on a car with a single SU. There isn't really anything to clean in an SU, about the only part that you might need to clean is the jet which is actually cheaper to buy new than a can of Redex for an HIF38 and replacing it will get better results. SUs aren't like the more physically complex but less well engineered carbs fitted to many cars, things that have much more complex parts and many jets and pumps that take many hours to overhaul. SUs are simple, why clean it when you can give it a full overhaul in about the same amount of time?

[D3nch]

blast out with carb cleaner (which is poisonous so wear gloves!),

The glove split and it froze my fingers!

IF youve got hesitation or want a smoother engine, i found one thing that made a difference was using different fuel, e.g. not tesco stuff...

If i remember rightly, i started off a debate about fuel on here before, and it still ends up with some people saying it makes a difference, and some people sayin it doesnt...

As for Redex stuff, my friends dad used to use it on his old siera, and he kept a lil pot under the bonet, hooked it up to a little dispencer, and ran it of an old choke cable. If he wanted to he could make a smoke screen across the road by getting it to pour loads in...

Lukily he had enough sence no to do this... and only used it to clean the car out once in a while.

Add

Edited by D3nch, 07 January 2008 - 05:07 PM.

[dave20046]

It's just got an octane boost so yes it can help clear out C**p but not aswell as a blower and an aircompressor on the carb or even just a good cleaning kit. You could just try super unleaded...