Best driving pattern when running fuel cleaner

[rjacket]

So I purchased the Gumout All in One Complete Fuel System Cleaner that treats up to 35 gallons. (I was looking for Regane High Mileage Fuel System Cleaner but the Walmart I went to didn't have it).

For the stated treatment dose, the All in One is cheapest oz for oz.

Even though I had enough for 2 tank fulls, I decided to put it all in the 18 gallon tank.

So the car has had 2 x 50 mile run outs, with about 40 of those miles on the freeway. I pushed it up to 100 a couple of times and also managed to sustain 80 for a few miles as well.

What driving pattern should I aim for for the rest of the tank?

On the one hand, I read many people talk about freeway runs. But on the other hand, wouldn't it make sense for the cleaner to go to some of the parts where unburnt fuel goes so it can clean there as well?

 

[HTSS_TR]

Over the years, I used fuel system cleaners on long trips and normal daily drive, I could not feel any different one way or the other. There is no direction of how to use it from any manufacture, other than dosage and frequency.

 

[Clevy]

Drive er hard. Get the fuel pressure up in the lines to spray hard with a heavy volume of fuel. High rpms will move alot of air thru the valves thereby a better chance of blowing off deposits.
When I was a kid I worked at Goodyear. They had 14 bays and were a very big shop. The boss would take sluggish vehicles out for a high rev ride. Flooring it often and added a liter of xylene to the fuel. He would drive the cars at high rpms for at least 20 minutes. He called it an Italian tune up. There wasn't fuel injection yet,all carb'ed.
Anyways once he came back the sluggishness was gone,cars were as responsive as they came new. He said the velocity of airflow and the large amount of the treated fuel running thru the valves would dissolve deposits.
It stands to reason treated fuel would clean faster when moving faster.
Think about water at a sink. Which cleans better? The running water at slow,medium or full blast,or just soaking.

Makes sense to me. It is late though

 

[ltslimjim]

^There is something to be said about granny driving and not getting the RPMs up high and it's co-relation or direct bearing on increased risk for deposits, IIRC...

Perhaps someone else can explain better. Maybe it's certain types of deposits while driving under less-than-moderate acceleration for much of the time.

 

[david_ES2]

I remember awhile back going up and down some super steep mountains id do a lot of high rev engine braking and wide open throttle acceleration, I could swear the car ran smoother afterwards when I.got back to everday city driving, didnt know what it was at first but now it makes more sense.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: rjacket
So I purchased the Gumout All in One Complete Fuel System Cleaner that treats up to 35 gallons. (I was looking for Regane High Mileage Fuel System Cleaner but the Walmart I went to didn't have it).

For the stated treatment dose, the All in One is cheapest oz for oz.

Even though I had enough for 2 tank fulls, I decided to put it all in the 18 gallon tank.

So the car has had 2 x 50 mile run outs, with about 40 of those miles on the freeway. I pushed it up to 100 a couple of times and also managed to sustain 80 for a few miles as well.

What driving pattern should I aim for for the rest of the tank?

On the one hand, I read many people talk about freeway runs. But on the other hand, wouldn't it make sense for the cleaner to go to some of the parts where unburnt fuel goes so it can clean there as well?


I would use a circular pattern.

 

[pbm]

I have asked this same question in the past and while driving 'hard' would seem a good idea others have opined that short trips allow the fuel to sit in the injectors and do some cleaning....

 

[NYSteve]

Originally Posted By: pbm
I have asked this same question in the past and while driving 'hard' would seem a good idea others have opined that short trips allow the fuel to sit in the injectors and do some cleaning....


Isn't fuel sitting on the valves what causes deposits in the first place?

 

[91344George]

I would imagine that some long high speed drives along with making sure that the additive enriched gas staying in the system for a number of days even a week would be beneficial. So too would be when the car is up to temp after shut off and the product is able to sit in the pintle of the injector for hours would be good. You definitely do NOT want to use up the treatment in one fell swoop while driving on a long trip.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: ltslimjim
^There is something to be said about granny driving and not getting the RPMs up high and it's co-relation or direct bearing on increased risk for deposits, IIRC...

Perhaps someone else can explain better. Maybe it's certain types of deposits while driving under less-than-moderate acceleration for much of the time.


I don't know. Can't say I've ever had deposit issues despite driving for MPGs.

IMO the best bet is to have multiple intermediate length trips - long enough that the engine gets good and hot, yet short enough that it can go through the cycle over and over, and the treated fuel can sit on the various parts for longer times.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: ltslimjim
^There is something to be said about granny driving and not getting the RPMs up high and it's co-relation or direct bearing on increased risk for deposits, IIRC...

Perhaps someone else can explain better. Maybe it's certain types of deposits while driving under less-than-moderate acceleration for much of the time.


I don't know. Can't say I've ever had deposit issues despite driving for MPGs.

IMO the best bet is to have multiple intermediate length trips - long enough that the engine gets good and hot, yet short enough that it can go through the cycle over and over, and the treated fuel can sit on the various parts for longer times.

 

[pbm]

Originally Posted By: NYSteve
Originally Posted By: pbm
I have asked this same question in the past and while driving 'hard' would seem a good idea others have opined that short trips allow the fuel to sit in the injectors and do some cleaning....


Isn't fuel sitting on the valves what causes deposits in the first place?



I guess so but if you are attempting to clean the injectors (spray pattern) I would assume that fuel sitting in the injector would clean better than just passing thru....
High speed, hard driving (italian tune-up) would probably help clean valve deposits better...

 

[Durango]

pbm,

PART of the so called "italian tune-up) is only 1 part of the phase. Dwell time is the other. Besides where can you drive where the speeds can help clean valve deposits? Unless your refering to around 70MPH where in the California desert you can drive at those speeds.

My question I asked before was can you over dose the gas tank (Techron, Regaine) and take your ride for a fast tune up??? I can't remember the replies to this question.

Durango

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: pbm
Originally Posted By: NYSteve
Originally Posted By: pbm
I have asked this same question in the past and while driving 'hard' would seem a good idea others have opined that short trips allow the fuel to sit in the injectors and do some cleaning....


Isn't fuel sitting on the valves what causes deposits in the first place?



I guess so but if you are attempting to clean the injectors (spray pattern) I would assume that fuel sitting in the injector would clean better than just passing thru....
High speed, hard driving (italian tune-up) would probably help clean valve deposits better...


That's my thought - you want the adds to wet and absorb into the deposits, especially into the hard carbon deposits.

 

[ahoier]

I've always thought, a good spirited drive (get the chemical out of the system all in one run) is the best practice.....

Say, driving an 8 hour road trip......the car never has a chance to "cool down" - cool down, IMHO is typically when the carbon gets "baked on" - not when the vehicle is running, and gasoline is pouring through the injectors

So, my thinking would lead me to believe, best treatment would be done while on a road trip.....


Though, I can sort of understand the reasoning of keeping the detergents "within" the tank/injectors longer to do cleaning too.

 

[hardcore302]

Italian tune-up. If you don't wanna speed, then hold it in gear and rev it up!

 

[ltslimjim]

Originally Posted By: ahoier
I've always thought, a good spirited drive (get the chemical out of the system all in one run) is the best practice.....

Say, driving an 8 hour road trip......the car never has a chance to "cool down" - cool down, IMHO is typically when the carbon gets "baked on" - not when the vehicle is running, and gasoline is pouring through the injectors

So, my thinking would lead me to believe, best treatment would be done while on a road trip.....

Though, I can sort of understand the reasoning of keeping the detergents "within" the tank/injectors longer to do cleaning too.


I say try both, 1 for longer time before consuming tank and another for long trip driving. More so on vehicles that do short trips often, I'd imagine the 'potential' need for both, depending on the application. It's probably not as big of a deal on engines that see 80% or more highway miles, unless known for carbon/deposit issues fuel system or exhaust valve related.

 

[ChiTDI]

Before I went to FP + on every fill up, I had to "clean" the carb and/or injectors regularly what with the poor fuel quality in my area.
What worked best is two cans of fuel cleaner, one added to about a quarter/half tank and driven normally to "shock" the system. At the next fillup, the second can was added right before a long steady highway drive, where the tank can be driven to near empty. You have to know your expected driving demands and it is a little difficult at times, but it sure provided the most benefit.

 

[ahoier]

I also recall reading something, if I'm correct it may have even been on "these" forums....posted by one of the "chemists" (whether it was a professional, or "at home" chemist....I can not recall...) but there was a listing of the best and worst fuel system (be it, fuel tank cleaner, fuel injector cleaner, or "Gas Treatment"....they were all sort of lumped into one.....since they are all basically targeting the same components only some more potent than others).

And the STP products were prone to "deteriorating" the in-take fuel strainer, or "sock" as some may call it....



DING DING DING! I found it....who'da thunk it...? LOL search for "fuel system" sock - pulled it right up hahaha!
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=261758&page=1


Mind you, the thread mentioned was authored back in 2002....and the "testing" may have been done even prior to that! lol...

Find it "ironic" that some of the "big time favorites" mentioned now-a-days...are down near the bottom of the list; CD-2 Fuel Injector Cleaner, Techron Concentrate, STP Fuel System Cleaner, Seafoam Motor Tuneup....

hehe. And "GUNK Gas Treatment" at that time was rated as the "best" based on it's performance in removing "high boiling residues"...


Then they also have a list of which cleaners did not "hurt" the nylon "fuel strainer" or "sock".....as well as a list of cleaners that DID decompose the "sock"......


So really, it comes down to multitude of factores....if your system contains a "sock" or "strainer" (usually on the filler tube, or on the fuel pump itself....as was seen on a Honda Accord I serviced....and then you gotta determine what the "sock" is made of

For what it's worth, the "sock" on the Honda accord looked basically good as new....I was surprised. But the owner wasn't a big additive user.....he used the 104 Octane Boost made by Gold Eagle/Sta-Bil every other tank, and that was it....

 

[91344George]

I wouldn't put too much credence in that old post with the "test". The OP said it was done in his kitchen using an old 89 model car.

We don't know anything about the poster nor is there any real documentation of it.

I would doubt that any of the major additive products would produce anything that would damage a fuel system or the strainer on a fuel pump unless it was used in a very high concentration for a long period of time.

If you use any of the major brand additives as directed you will have NO issues.

--Of course if you pour 100% concentration of one of them into an empty tank and let it sit for a few weeks , well maybe you will have an issue. LOL

My picks for effectiveness in the past were adds that had around 35-50% PEA detergent which included :

Chevron Techron Concentrate
Gumout Regane Complete Fuel System Cleaner

The two items above are a decent value with proven results (IN THE RECENT PAST)

There is some question now about the concentration levels of PEA in them!

Redline LS-1 is also very good but it is more difficult to find in stores and is much more expensive .