Ft. Lauderdale-based marine products manufacturer Starbrite is no stranger to the boating public. They formulate and distribute dozens of useful boat cleaning and maintenance products and are one of the proven industry leaders. I have used and continue to use at least a half dozen of their products regularly, including hull cleaner, rust stain remover, mold, and mildew cleaner, among others. One of their most popular products comes in the form of the familiar “blue bottle” Star Tron enzyme fuel treatment, yet another of their magic formulas that I have put in the tanks of both my EdgeWater center consoles, and it has performed as advertised.
Why Ring Clean+?
According to the engineers at Starbrite, the piston rings in your marine engine form the seal between a piston and its cylinder wall. This prevents high-temperature, pressurized gases that form during combustion from leaking into the crankcase oil system, ensuring full compression during the engine’s critical power stroke. Clean piston rings that generate a tight seal along their respective cylinder walls also prevent the engine from “making oil,” a common problem where unburned gasoline seeps through sticky or worn rings and makes its way into the oil reservoir, compromising its lubricity. Functional rings also regulate oil consumption, preventing lubricating oil from entering the combustion chamber and being burned, producing that telltale blue smoke that is never a good sign in a marine engine’s life. Properly cleaned and working rings are essential to obtaining maximum engine power and efficiency.
When piston rings build deposits or wear, they can allow pressurized gases to pass down the combustion chamber. This “blow-by” reduces generated horsepower, decreases efficiency, and contaminates your engine oil, reducing service life and overall performance. Ring Clean+ helps clean out deposits from the rings and the fuel system components, thus improving combustion efficiency for more consistent horsepower and peak operating performance, which translates to quicker hole shots, smoother acceleration, and optimum fuel efficiency.
Star Tron Enzyme Formula Ring Clean+ is formulated with the latest technology for deposit control, plus a proprietary enzyme package designed to remove the toughest deposits while helping to prevent the formation of new deposits. Ring Clean+ removes deposits from fuel injectors, carburetors, intake valves, intake ports, and combustion chambers that can lead to engine knock, stuck piston rings, dirty spark plugs, lost power, decreased performance, and reduced fuel efficiency. It’s formulated to work in all boat, motorcycle, car, truck, and outdoor power equipment engines.
Chemistry Lesson
Without reverting to a full-blown, double-period college chemistry lesson, different competitive products employ unique and proprietary formulas to manufacture their version of the ultimate product in the “clean ring” arena. Both Mercury (Quickleen) and Yamaha (Ring Free) have their versions of the magic formula, as do a few of the gasoline/oil companies and other oil-tech players. Some of these gasoline ring cleaners use potentially harmful additives like alcohol, naphtha, and/or solvents. Starbrite’s Star Tron Ring Clean+ has a light petroleum distillates base but includes a proprietary “secret formula” concentration of PEAs (Polyether Amines) that can range anywhere from 10% to 25% of the total mix. The addition of PEAs to the secret sauce allows the detergent process to be more gradual since it’s not triggered by the heat of combustion. The cleaning process is not solely reliant on strong chemical solvents to make things happen.
Star Tron Ring Clean+ Features
- Formulated with latest technology deposit control compounds, plus a proprietary enzyme package designed to remove existing deposits and help prevent the formation of new deposits
- Improves fuel combustibility to keep engines clean and operating at peak performance levels
- Ideal for removing deposits caused by ethanol- blended fuel
- Keeps carburetors, fuel injectors, intake ports and combustion chambers clean
- Works in all gas engines; use every 4th or 5th fill up or as often as needed to keep engine in optimal condition
- 16-ounce bottle treats up to 160-gallons (600-liters) of gasoline
Directions For Use
According to Starbrite, use one fluid ounce of Ring Clean+ for every 10-gallons of fuel. Recommended treatment rate is every 4 to 5 tanks, or as often as needed. Using original Star Tron Enzyme Fuel Treatment at every fuel fill is also recommended to keep engine operating at peak performance levels and both Ring Clean and the Enzyme Fuel Treatment are safe for use in all gas engines.
Looking at the cost of Star Tron’s Ring Clean+, it seems to be one of the most reasonably-priced gasoline additives in this “clean ring” functional class. For more information, visit www.startron.com.
