Fischer–Tropsch synthesis was studied over composite catalysts formed by adding SiO2 to Ru/Al2O3 and to Ru/TiO2. The two Ru primary catalysts alone had reasonably similar catalytic properties for this synthesis. It was found that the presence of excess amounts of SiO2 with the primary Ru catalysts can produce significant changes in conversion and product selectivity, depending upon the support used. It is suggested that the effects produced by the physical presence of this inert material are due to a combination of primary catalyst activity, product selectivities, possible secondary reactions, heat and mass transfer effects, and reaction conditions. These results emphasize the importance of considering both physical and chemical effects when developing any composite catalyst mechanism.