Rich up your mixture

[serge_saati]

If you have an old Windstar, I recommend to rich up your air/fuel mixture a little bit. At 16:1.

Because a rich mixture will lubricate more the piston rings. Your piston, rings, valve will last more longer, and wear less. You'll never had to replace the rings.

The engine will last at least 30% longer.

Also, it'll run smoother and quieter. W/o strong noise on hard acceleration.

Of course, fuel consumption and emission will increase at little bit and plugs must be replaced more often, but it worth it.


Because nova day, there's no control in the hood to change the mixture, there's still many way to do it.

1. You can program the mixture w/ a computer through the OBD II port
2. You can remove the thermostat (but the heather will stop working)
3. You can put an adapter between the MAF sensor and the connector w/ a variable resistor to adjust the mixture

Especially if you have the 0171/0174 code or if you have a vacuum leak, the life of the engine will be shortened, and may result in internal damage very quickly. Cause the engine run too lean.

If it's the case, the problem should be repaired AND/OR the mixture should be enriched.

[northern piper]

do you care to elaborate on exactly how you suggest improving the mixture?

[MagicRat]

Originally Posted by serge_saati

If you have an old Windstar, I recommend to rich up your air/fuel mixture a little bit. At 16:1.

Because a rich mixture will lubricate more the piston rings. Your piston, rings, valve will last more longer, and wear less. You'll never had to replace the rings.

The engine will last at least 30% longer.

Also, it'll run smoother and quieter. W/o strong noise on hard acceleration.
.

I do not want to start an argument here, but a richer mixture will not provide any of these benefits.

An excessively-rich mixture will overheat the catalytic converter, with a good chance of melting the internal structure and blocking your exhaust.

Additionally, a richer mixture will reduce power, waste fuel and allow harmful carbon deposits to accumulate on the piston crown, lands and rings; and on the valves and cylinder heads. Such deposits tend to produce engine ping and reduce power and fuel efficiency.

It will also contaminate the engine oil more quickly, this shortening engine life.

A very rich mixture will wash the lubricating oil off the cylinder walls, thus dramatically reducing engine life... because it's oil, not gasoline that lubricates the rings.

A properly-functioning engine management system will always provide the optimal mixture for power, economy and engine life.

[serge_saati]

ok, you're right. I didn't think about all that.

But I'm also right when I said that a too lean mixture is dangerous for the engine too.

[wiswind]

Too rich or too lean is bad.
That is why the system maintains the 14:1 air to fuel ratio.
To add lubrication to the fuel, you can use a fuel add......a cleaner like Redline S-1 fuel system cleaner has lubricants......so you would use it in the "maintenance" dose with each fill up.
I have also used Schaeffer "Soy Ultra" as instructed in a maintenance dose....a couple of ounces per tankful of gasoline.

Lucas Fuel treatment claims to do the same, though I have not used it.

I have read that you can also use 2 cylce oil as long as it meets NMMA TC-W3 .....It will say so on the bottle if it does.
I read about it on Bobistheoilguy forum, but NO MORE than 2-3 ounces per tank of gasoline or it will cause problems.
I have not used this either.

Personaly, I would add the Redline, Soy Ultra, or similar product in a "maintenance" dose with each fill up, if I want to add lubrication and some cleaning ability to the fuel.

As a note......adding these products has NOT gotten me around having to add Berryman's B-12 Chemtool a couple times a year.
I would NOT use this product in every fillup.....just once in a while.
I don't know if all years of windstar have the same issue with the fuel injectors as my '96.

The fuel that my vehicle gets is almost ALL with the 10% ethanol........as all the stations in my area (as with many areas of the USA) are required to have this fuel.
I get a occassional fill up of "normal" fuel when traveling.

As another note......don't overlook replacing the fuel filter every year or every other year, depending upon how much you drive.
A clogged fuel filter may cause a major increase in workload for the fuel pump for some time before you see any drivability issues due to the restriction to flow.