Frequently Asked Questions

Oxcetane when added to a tank of fuel, reduces the voltage generated in flowing fuel, cutting static electricity, reducing surface tension and cavitation (air retention / “vapor-lock”), helping to release the entrained air, making it more energy dense so it combusts more completely and consistently. The lowering of surface tension also improves fuel droplet dispersion. Air release increases the fuel’s lubricity and viscosity, reducing metal on metal contact and damage and makes it a better solvent, cleaning carbon deposits from the inside of the engine.
Oxcetane it is entirely safe to use in engines, supported by extensive testing and analysis over many years, certification and use. Many years of testing and proof: Hundreds of thousands of liters of Oxcetane have been widely used in many different engines with gasoline/petrol, diesel and kerosene fuels with no known issues. There have never been any reports of any form of damage caused to any engine that has used as manufactured by AMJ Chemical Inc, since it was first used in the USA in 2004, in Africa since 2008 and in Europe since 2019. Same ingredients as in petrol/diesel: Oxcetane is manufactured only by AMJ Chemical Inc in the USA where it is registered as Oxytane. Unlike additives designed to chemically alter the fuel, Oxytane is made of the same 3 petro-chemicals already used in fuel and so is undetectable when added to diesel, kerosene or gasoline/petrol (for details see FAQs). D-975 and EN590 tests show zero change in fuel specification (see Intertek EN590 test). Oxytane is registered with USEPA and considered a pure fuel. Oxcetane/Oxytane’s certification and testing includes:
  • EN590 certification: Intertek's ITS Testing Services (UK) Limited certification is a standard published by the European Committee for Standardization that describes the physical properties that all automotive diesel fuel must meet if it is to be sold in the European Union and several other European countries. In July 2014 Intertek certified that AMJ Chemical Inc's product Oxytane, known as Oxcetane/X-Carbon in the UK/Europe, met its EN590 specification.
  • Registered with the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) for both gasoline/petrol and diesel: registration number: 25732001. This means it has been assessed and registered as safe to use and does what it claims. Oxcetane/Oxytane® is defined as “substantially similar” to gasoline/petrol and diesel for the purposes of the Clean Air Act, where it distinguishes which fuels and fuel additives are prohibited by the EPA.
  • Tested by Bureau Veritas - ASTM D-975 certification from 2019. This verifies that Oxcetane/Oxytane® meets ASTM (an international standards organization) and OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) requirements.
  • Certified by AmSpec for diesel, gasoline, kerosene and marine fuels. In 2023, the world's #1 provider of testing, inspection and certification services in a wide variety of industries. tested Oxcetane/Oxytane®. Conclusions: the product is safe for all fuels. When added to diesel, it increases its lubricity.
AmSpec also noted that the air/oxygen content of the fuel was lower than normal, leading more complete combustion of fuel, giving more efficiency and immediate power, resulting in fewer carbon deposits, smoother running, cleaner engines, lower emissions and lower maintenance costs.
The most important differences lie in its function and its action. Most products in the market are fuel additives, where chemicals and other products are added to the engine’s fuel. They change the fuel. Their claims are to clean the engine, add miles per gallon, protect against corrosion, etc. While there may be some benefits, many are harmless and ineffectual, and at worst they damage engines. In fact, additives are an attempt to remedy inherent fuel problems. Oxcetane is unlike anything else in the market, it is different in its effective action, its ingredients and how it is made. Instead of adding, it subtracts something from the fuel: oxygen and air. Oxcetane goes to the core of the problem. Oxcetane is made of the same petrochemicals contained in petrol/gasoline and diesel and so is entirely safe to use. It does not modify the fuel; it becomes indistinguishable from the fuel. It is truly unique in its ingredients and effectiveness, its wide range of benefits and being so easy to use. It is safe to use in all types of fuel. Its immediate and complete action restores the optimum performance of the fuel to which it is added. Highly effective, the product offers a wide range of benefits and savings to its user.
Oxcetane consists of 3 Petro-chemicals, also present in diesel, petrol and kerosene. No other chemicals are included in the mix.
  • 2-Butoxyethanol is a colorless fluid derived from the family of glycol ethers and commonly produced for the oil industry because of its surfactant properties.
  • 2-Propanone or Acetone is a colorless, volatile, flammable organic solvent and used to dissolve other substances and chemicals.
  • Propan-2-ol, also called isopropanol or 2-propanol, is a colorless secondary alcohol solvent.
Oxcetane achieves is efficacy by being put through complex proprietary physical processes, in a strict sequence and with exact percentages. The process is protected by registered Intellectual Property Rights, all of this information is considered to be proprietary and AMJ withholds this information in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (i) of 1910.1200 of 29 CFR 1910.1200 Trade Secrets.
In the 1990s Mike Colburn, Managing Director of AMJ Chemicals, and his friends had a passion for motor car engines and specifically engine performance. All vehicle enthusiasts dream of finding a way of increasing performance, getting more fuel economy or reducing emissions or even making the engine just run more smoothly. Mike and his friends were highly motivated and skilled and included former MIT Professors with scientific PHDs and those with a detailed knowledge of engine operation and functionality. After many attempts they developed a product that proved effective and called it “Juice”. However, selling it commercially was not on their agenda as they were each very successful in their own right. They just used it themselves and shared it with friends and associates to out-perform the competition on racetracks and to give the “wow effect” to people they met. All were astounded by its effects. At first, they didn't understand why the product was so effective, as the mixture consisted of commonly available petrochemicals that were nothing special. Eventually, they realized that the manufacturing process resulted in a complex modification of the ingredients. It wasn't until 2016 that they understood exactly how it all worked. You can find all the information in this document. When a couple of the friends passed away, this forced the remaining two to take stock of life and coupled with the financial crash of 2007/8 they decided to sell the product commercially, not in massive volumes, but enough to make a reasonable income under the registered name of Oxytane® (known as Oxcetane outside the USA). AMJ Chemical Inc started to sell it commercially across the United States during early 2008 and then into West Africa and grew a business that still delivers every month today.
All liquid hydrocarbon-based fuels have entrained gases – air and vapor dissolved in the fuel. This has been known for a century. This has been recognized by US Research Laboratories and major engine manufacturers, though they offer no solutions as to how to mitigate this. Refined petroleum fuels can absorb up to 12% of air and diesel contains 3-10% air according to research by Cat and Cummins. When fuel is agitated by vibration, when adding new fuel, being pumped through fuel systems, filters, fuel pumps and injectors, it absorbs air. Naturally occurring static electricity generated in the flowing fuel, increases surface tension and reduces the fuel’s ability to release the air and vapor gases in a timely manner, increasing air contamination. The longer the fuel is agitated, the more air it absorbs and entrains. Fuel systems are often poorly designed and, failed and broken hydraulic systems make a significant contribution to fuel aeration. Air entrapment can be further exacerbated by dirty filters restricting the flow of fuel through an engine and the more it is restricted, the greater the chance of air pockets occurring. Changing fuel temperature affects the amount of air absorbed, losing viscosity and lubricity as it heats up causing the fuel to expand and the reverse when it cools, expelling and entraining air in the process. Drivers often notice that with a full tank of new, cool fuel their engine performs better. The less fuel there is in the tank, the more air is entrained, the poorer the engine’s performance. Modern computer engine control can help eliminate the operator from ever noticing a drivability problem, whereas in carbureted equipped vehicles, drivability problems are far more noticeable.
There can be as much as 12% air entrained in fuel, which affects the consistency of its combustion, increases carbon deposits and the fuel loses its lubricity, resulting in both performance issues and mechanical damage.
Yes. Air in fuel causes incomplete combustion resulting in a range of performance issues and a loss of lubricity and viscosity causing mechanical damage.

Performance issues

Air pockets entering the engine’s combustion chamber do not combust evenly, throwing the timing off, causing inefficient burn or “miss”. Modern fuel injection engines require a predetermined amount of fuel to be available for combustion at the right time and so are particularly sensitive to the presence of air bubbles that throw off the engine’s timing. The symptoms of air contamination include:
  • Lower fuel mileage
  • More engine noises
  • Loss of horsepower
  • Inconsistent performance
  • Dead spots
  • Rough idle
  • Laboring while pulling a load
  • Increased emissions.
  • Carbon deposits in the engine
With all engines, carbon deposits will build up in the combustion chamber due to incomplete combustion. Localized carbon build up can cause overheating as carbon tends to “hold” heat, causing engine knock. Carbon deposit build-up can be further exacerbated by:
  • Using low-quality fuel which often has contaminants
  • Air to fuel ratio inconsistencies
  • Stop and go driving in heavy traffic or an inconsistent driving manner.
Symptoms of carbon build-up specifically include:
  • Failing sensors from fouling
  • Black smoke from exhaust system
  • Rough idles
  • Hard starts
  • Engine misfires
  • Decreased acceleration and performance
The use of Oxcetane regularly will continuously help clear out such carbon deposits, improving or maintaining near new performance and protecting the engine from further damage.

Mechanical damage

Incomplete combustion due to the presence of air in the fuel causes a build-up of carbon deposits in the combustion chamber and alongside performance issues, it can cause substantial and irreversible engine damage. Damage can include:
  • Cylinder indentation and scoring
  • Injector fouling
  • Build-up on the intake valves
  • Engine failure
  • Overheating and hot spots in the combustion chamber damaging parts and mechanisms
  • Corrosion
  • Wear
  • Critical component failure
Air flow disruption causes engines to operate outside engine management specifications and problems caused by inconsistent air-fuel ratios affect long term reliability. Any area of the engine where a consistent fuel flow is required to ensure its smooth functioning can be affected by fuel cavitation damage, as fuel containing air has a reduced lubricity, increasing the chances of metal-on- metal contact. Also, entrained air can cause greater pressure in the combustion chamber. For vehicles with injector nozzles, air can cause excessive cavitation leading to premature failure. A degree of “implosion” is also created within the injector housing, loosening microscopic metal particles from the tip’s interior. The gear pump will also experience a degree of galling and scoring due to entrained air. As the fuel goes through the injector tip at high pressure the dissolved air in the fuel implodes and creates a shockwave with great force, eroding the injector tip, resulting over time in breakage. Using Oxcetane regularly will reduce the air in the fuel and improve and maintain engine performance as well as reducing engine damage, resulting in less maintenance issues.

At present, reducing the negative impact of air in fuel is not seen as a priority among vehicle manufacturers. The reason for this is the way in which engines are tested.

In a laboratory setting, temperatures are kept stable, agitation and movement are minimal, fuel is generally gravity fed into test engines from huge tanks mounted above ground and variations in fuel pressure are minimal. This reduces the amount of air in the fuel and the recognition of the issues it can cause in an engine in a real-life environment.

For example, in reality, most engines have to draw fuel from the tank “uphill”, in trucks this can be 8-12 feet. Air/vapors are an inherent problem for all engines, including all cars, trucks, marine engines, generators, etc.

As well as not being shown up as an issue in the laboratory, since the amount of air and vapor entrained is changing constantly (it is a very elastic event), engine control units cannot be adjusted to compensate. Fuel cavitation (“vapor-lock”) is one of the most well documented and least understood phenomena today and has only been researched seriously since the late 1990s. 

Air in fuel is an acknowledged issue of engines in real life, impacting negatively on performance and longevity.

Without a solution provided by engine manufacturers, AMJ Chemical created the highly effective product Oxytane®, known as Oxcetane in EU.

There can be as much as 12% air entrained in fuel, which affects the consistency of its combustion, increases carbon deposits and the fuel loses its lubricity, resulting in both performance issues and mechanical damage. Oxcetane when added to a tank of fuel, reduces the voltage generated in flowing fuel, cutting static electricity, reducing surface tension and cavitation (air retention/“vapor-lock”), helping to release the entrained air, making it more energy dense so it combusts more completely and consistently. The lowering of surface tension also improves fuel droplet dispersion. Air release increases the fuel’s lubricity and viscosity, reducing metal on metal contact and damage and makes it a better solvent, cleaning carbon deposits from the inside of the engine. Altogether the results of using Oxcetane are that fuel economy, emissions and engine performance are restored towards those levels achieved when the engine was new, showing particularly impressive improvements in high usage and older vehicles. For new cars and those that use Oxcetane regularly, their performance is improved and maintained, protecting and cleaning the engine, reducing maintenance and increasing engine longevity. Worried that your vehicle will fail its MOT emissions test? Try Oxcetane, drive for around 30 miles and then test it. Oxcetane’s rapid impact on cutting emissions is measurable.