Carb Cleaner in the Fuel Additive? Carb Cleaner in the Fuel Additive?
This one caught our attention and has proven to be a valuable addition to the technician’s tools. The product is called “K100” and it... Carb Cleaner in the Fuel Additive?

This one caught our attention and has proven to be a valuable addition to the technician’s tools. The product is called “K100” and it is a fuel additive, but also boasts impressive capability to clean carb components. Now you could use it as a fuel additive, which it should be very good at, as well as its ability to remove water from fuel – a major problem with all of the crap-ethanol fuel so many of us are forced to run. K100 (supposedly) seeks out water in fuel and encapsulates it, changing it into a combustible compound that burns cleanly.

So, simply from the ability to stabilize the fuel (for up to two years) and remove the water content it is an impressive additive. But when we get to its ability to clean dirty carb parts it is even more impressive. Seriously, take your worst gummed up carb parts and drop them into some K100. Needle jets, main jets, pilot jets, carb bowls, whatever you have that you thought unsalvageable, drop them into some K100, stand back and be impressed. This stuff really works!

If it works this well in a static condition, just image how it performs in the dynamic environment. Adding this to your fuel should actually clean gummed up carb parts without requiring disassembly! Assuming the carb will flow fuel, of course.

The organic formulation of K100 was actually developed in 1965 and has been more of a regional product up in the northeast, so it’s not like this is some new fly-by-night. That said, we had never heard of it until a few months ago when somebody alerted us to its ability to clean nasty carb parts and asked if we had ever tried it. Seems like the motorcycle community has been using it for years. The claim is it contains “complex organic solvents that dissolve sludge, gums and varnish and prevent reformation of those deposits”, while eliminating water and microbial growth in fuel. It will actually prevent freezing of fuel with water in it – seriously.

According to the manufacturer (Kinetic Fuel Technology), “K100 Treatments contain stabilizers that hold petroleum compounds together to keep the fuel fresh, cleaners to dissolve gums and varnish, and burnable organic compounds that encapsulate free water. K100s unique chemistry will even “fix” equipment that has been sitting a while and doesn’t start – or runs roughly – by doubling the treatment, turning the engine over enough times to get the treated fuel throughout the system, and waiting 1/2 hour for the treatment to take effect.”

Further, “K100 Treatments have a strong hydrophilic attraction to water. K100 seeks out water droplets and permanently bonds itself to the water molecule, totally encapsulating it with a burnable organic compound. As the engine runs, the encapsulated water is harmlessly burned with the fuel, releasing a beneficial cleansing steam.”

Yep, that got our attention. Seeing how well it works cleaning carb parts we wanted to alert you to the product, as seasonal-use equipment like snowmobiles and ATVs are prime candidates for such a product. We’re using it and testing it right now. Look for it at your local NAPA auto parts store, most any of the big box retailers, or order it online. For a local store locator in your area, visit www.k-100.com.

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *