Lucas Fuel System Cleaner

[keesue]

I tried a bottle to clean my fuel injection control pressure regulator (1981 Turbo Volvo with K-Jet CIS) which was slightly oscillating the pressure under load. The car sat for a number of years which severely varnished the internal control plates and these things are hard to find now. I had previously used a series of other treatments, Techron, Gumout with Regane and Greased Lightening (which worked extremely well) but I just couldn't get it perfect. The Lucas took care of it and it is 100% perfect now.

Initially, it made the car run a bit worse, then it cleared up over the tankfull to where it is supposed to be. A very good product in my experience.

 

[shpankey]

I use it sometimes too w/ good results. It may have helped over the others b/c it's supposedly some kind of upper cylinder lubricant over the others.... as is, I think, MMO. I alternate between them myself, but mostly to combat the corrosive effects of ethanol fuel, which is what a friend of mine told me to use to help in that area.

 

[keesue]

MMO keeps my two fuel pumps, the in-tank and main pumps, perfectly quiet delivering fuel smoothly to the injection system. My injection system is a constant injection system, non electronic, and requires a consistent and smooth delivery of fuel. If but for nothing else, this aspect of MMO works wonders for my old car. Lucas straightened out the last of the issues with the regulator, which I could have lived with, but I wanted it perfect.

 

[Spazdog]

I haven't noticed it to do anything and it looks a bit like pouring Wesson oil in the tank.

But it hasn't ever hurt anything and if you are happy with the results, awesome!

 

[J. A. Rizzo]

Originally Posted By: Spazdog
I haven't noticed it to do anything and it looks a bit like pouring Wesson oil in the tank.


I also have never seen, heard, or felt any changes using Lucas, and Wesson is vegetable oil, which may actually be a decent cleaner. Some diesel engine makers don't want you to switch to biodiesel after a certain point, because it can clean deposits in the fuel system and clog up the filter and injectors. Maybe a few ounces of B100 would work just as well or better than an expensive product like Lucas, if there's really a problem to solve in the first place. Using any additive as a prophylactic measure is a complete waste of time and money, IMO.

 

[shpankey]

Originally Posted By: keesue
MMO keeps my two fuel pumps, the in-tank and main pumps, perfectly quiet delivering fuel smoothly to the injection system. My injection system is a constant injection system, non electronic, and requires a consistent and smooth delivery of fuel. If but for nothing else, this aspect of MMO works wonders for my old car. Lucas straightened out the last of the issues with the regulator, which I could have lived with, but I wanted it perfect.

I used MMO to break in my cam driven high pressure fuel pump too. Came in very handy as the break-in process for these pumps. Many other people had their pumps seize on break-in but mine never had an issue. I got 1800+ psi right of the bat on WOT and the pump is always been quiet. So I just keep running either MMO or Lucas in it. Both are fuel and upper cylinder lubricants so I usually do one on one tank then the other on the next.

 

[keesue]

I just received feedback from the Volvo board from a user who tried Lucas. He noted that within the first half tank, things were clearing up in his fuel system also and it was very noticeable.

 

[Vikas]

Quote:

Initially, it made the car run a bit worse, then it cleared up over the tankfull to where it is supposed to be. A very good product in my experience.


Anybody wants to try to explain this? I do not want any additive which will make my car run worse even if it only initially.

- Vikas

 

[keesue]

Given I posted it, I'll proffer the explanation.

My car, a 1981 Turbo Volvo sat for a number of years. The Bosch control pressure regulator, aka fuel pressure regulator, used in the Bosch K-Jet/Constant Injection System is notorious for being susceptible to the effects of varnish and grit. Inside, there are plates which control the pressure. When they get varnished over, they behave erratically. Mix in a bit of grit and it can play havoc on the injection system which completely relies on precise pressure for the fuel/air mixture and the fuel balance between cylinders. The injectors are not electronic - they are mechanical - hydraulic if you will. What one feels is equivalent to wheels being slightly out of balance as the engine struggles to maintain the balance of pressure and mixture.

This said, I tried several cleaners as stated and they all helped to a degree but I could not get it precise. Lucas completely cleaned the plates and while doing so, the car ran a bit rough out on the road. Once everything was finally cleared out, the injection system was working properly. The oscillation I was feeling, due to the changes in pressure and fuel air mixture irregularities, was gone.

I would venture to say that this is unique to this system and would not produce the same results for others. I was and am very satisfied with the results as these regulators are difficult to come by and expensive. For the cost of the product, it was well worth it.

Hope that helps...

 

[Spyder7]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Quote:

Initially, it made the car run a bit worse, then it cleared up over the tankfull to where it is supposed to be. A very good product in my experience.


Anybody wants to try to explain this? I do not want any additive which will make my car run worse even if it only initially.

- Vikas


+1. When I first ran Regane the benefits began immediately. There was no initial 'running worse' phase at all. Actually I have no experience with any additive that made anything worse, for any period. Pre-BITOG I tried STP and Prestone fuel injector cleaners, and they simply did nothing. That's my worst additive experience to date.

Everything else delivered, with no drawback other than price on the one I am testing now (it offers benefits, but I'm not - as of it yet - convinced they are worth the relatively high cost of the additive).

-Spyder

 

[keesue]

I should also quantify 'running worse'. It actually made it run like it did before I started the clean out process. I had been using various fuel system cleaners for months trying to get this thing to work. It got better with each but never perfect. It took about 2/3 of tankful of Lucas (10 gallons) to work. On the second tank it 'straightened' out. I am now well over 6 tanks and it is perfect. That CPR is 27 years old. I got it from a donor car that also sat for a number of years. The person who owned the car used only the cheapest fuel, didn't care to use fuel system cleaner and never cared how it ran as long as it 'ran'. I got the regulator for free when they scraped the car. Again, the K-Jet/CIS system is a bear to get running correctly.

I posted this for those who may have a stubborn situation that other fuel system cleaners may not address. My reasoning is: If it worked for this rather extreme example, perhaps it will work for others. Regane is a good formula. I got that from this board. I used Techron gasoline exclusively in my car and used the fuel system cleaner once and oil change as well.

My stock CPR failed for a different reason particular to that model - the 023. I upgraded it with the donor's model 128 (for those who know these systems).

 

[zloveraz]

Just wondering if anyone has tried this "new" Lucas Deep Clean Fuel System Cleaner yet? I spoke with a AZ staffer and he said it was very popular, however were supposed to interpret that...

Lucas Deep Clean Fuel System Cleaner



Originally Posted By: keesue
I tried a bottle to clean my fuel injection control pressure regulator (1981 Turbo Volvo with K-Jet CIS) which was slightly oscillating the pressure under load. The car sat for a number of years which severely varnished the internal control plates and these things are hard to find now. I had previously used a series of other treatments, Techron, Gumout with Regane and Greased Lightening (which worked extremely well) but I just couldn't get it perfect. The Lucas took care of it and it is 100% perfect now.

Initially, it made the car run a bit worse, then it cleared up over the tankfull to where it is supposed to be. A very good product in my experience.

 

[hardcore302]

I can't say that it definitavely improved my mileage, but on a trip from NYC to eastern PA, I avereged 25 mpg's with some Lucas in there.

 

[jmaster]

are we talking about the injector cleaner + upper cylinder lubricant or the other stuff?

 

[Junior96Stang]

I have used it before too! Don't know about the results but I like Gumout better for MPG.