Fuel System Cleaner / How Often?

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How do we know how often to use a fuel system cleaner. Is using something like FP every tank over kill, or using something like Techron every oil change not often enough to keep the fuel system clean? I am trying to determine how often I have to use a fuel system cleaner(I mainly use non-branded gas) to keep my fuel system in top shape. Is there a consensus on the board on how often we really need to add fuel system cleaners to our vehicles to keep the system in top shape? Don't want to waste my money and time on overkill products but want to make sure i am adding an additive enough to keep the entire system clean as can be. thanks for the help
 
I asked the same question over a year ago. The general consensus was that it was overkill to use OTC products at every fillup, unless the product specifies so eg. STP Gas Tmt.. Otherwise, ~3k mi. would be a good rule of thumb for standard 'concentrated' fuel system cleaners.

I've tried using both gas tmt. at every filup and fs cleaner every 3k. Bit costly, a nuisance having tons of different bottles in the trunk, and the car behaves differently depending on which product is in the tank.

Then there's the school of thought that one 3k tmt. isn't enough and something should be there at each fillup. That lead me to FP which is cheap enough to use at each fillup and makes the car behave the same all the time.
 
I've always used a bottle of Techron Concentrate every 5k. For my Civic and Saab that works out to each oil change. Never had any problem which would be attributed to the sort of stuff Techron is said to prevent, so I guess it's worked out well
cheers.gif


jeff
 
quote:

Originally posted by surfstar:
i would run a concentrate like techron/gumout regane/etc every 6 months, or more often if you have problems. when i do this, i see no effect in how the engine runs or MPG differences, so i know that the fuel system isn't getting mucked up easily.

or you could run FP or MMO more often and get cleaning & UCL effects. i've ran MMO for 3 tanks straight and don't see much difference - no MPG change, but maybe a slightly smoother engine (or placebo).


That pretty much is my experience with fuel injector cleaners. I have been adding MMO lately and the Mpg drops just a tad when I skip a dose. Smells better 'n Regane too
grin.gif
 
I just run FP-60 in every tank, in every car the past 80-90,000 combined miles. No worries over fuel brand or quality or longevity or any fuel-related problems.

In my experience it more than pays for itself immediately, as above, and in the long term of forestalling problems all vehicles are susceptible to.

Cheap at twice the price.
 
thanks for the replys. Do you still think it is safe to only run a concentrated cleaner like Techron every 5k if you use non branded gas? Would the concentrate need to be used more often and how much? Does it even matter too much whether its branded or non branded gas when it comes to how often you use a fuel system cleaner?
 
i would run a concentrate like techron/gumout regane/etc every 6 months, or more often if you have problems. when i do this, i see no effect in how the engine runs or MPG differences, so i know that the fuel system isn't getting mucked up easily.

or you could run FP or MMO more often and get cleaning & UCL effects. i've ran MMO for 3 tanks straight and don't see much difference - no MPG change, but maybe a slightly smoother engine (or placebo).
 
Fleet experience that I have contact with, points to dosing every tank of gas with a small amont of additive. Techron can be used that way, just like Chevron does with their gas stations. The dose is a lot smaller than the shock treatments, like pouring in the whole bottle. I switched from Techron to FP and am happy with the results, cleaner pcv system, a little bit better mileage, and on an old truck, spark plugs that last two or three times longer. Beyond saying one additive is better than another, their is a good argument for adding something to makeup for gas additives that may or may not be there. FP and Techron are very good products. Techron is just too expensive for me.
 
My local Chevron station (the only pump within 10 miles of me) has a sign that says all grades of Chevron gas contains Techron. Since the only gas I run in my Honda is Chevron, is there enough of this Techron in their gas additive pack to get me by? Or are the amounts so small with each fill up that additional dosings of things like FP, for example, needed to be more beneficial?
 
Here’s my idea on how often to use fuel system cleaners like Techron. You know how you can often feel a big difference after a tank with a cleaner in it? Try a second tank and see if it feels any different. If it does, keep using the cleaner. If not, stop. I have one car where the cleaners don’t seem to make any difference at all. That car gets a bottle before every oil change as preventative maintenance. My second car shows a big improvement with every bottle of cleaner I put in, so it gets a bottle quite regularly.


I have yet to hear of any harm done by these cleaners, except maybe to your wallet if they are not making any difference. Using them on the car I just mentioned where it doesn’t seem to make a difference would be a waste of money. On the other car, the difference I feel is well worth the cost of the cleaners.
 
If you add additional FP you will at least know for sure that something is in there taking car of your fuel system. Between piping gas to a tank, adding the additives, trucking it to your gas station and pumping it into your car, you might be getting different amounts of Techron. I think the best way to treat the fuel system is to get the same dose of additive every tank. Try a gallon of FP, keep records before and after using it. That way you will know if you want to keep using it.
 
With all the rubbers, plastics and thermo plastics in our modern fuel systems I don't feel comfortable over dozing. I use a major brand top tier gas (which has some cleaners) and do a Techron concentrate add every 5-6,000 miles. That regement has worked well for me for about 1,200,000 miles on various vehicles( Saabs, Volvos, Subarus, Jeep 4.0). Sold each at a mileage of 134-196,000 miles and never an injector or fuel system problem.
 
I would be trying FP if it had an easier application.

I use Techron concentrate before every oil change in my older cars. For the new car that has used top tier gas since new, I will use a bottle every 15k miles.

I buy my Techron concentrate when they are on sale at Kragens for $10 for 2 bottles (12oz).
 
quote:

Originally posted by Eddie:
With all the rubbers, plastics and thermo plastics in our modern fuel systems I don't feel comfortable over dozing.

I’ve seen references, even on this board, where people have soaked those components in 100% additive for a year and not seen any harm done to them. I’ve searched for any evidence that these additives can harm those components and haven’t found any. If you have some real evidence, please share it with us.

Overdosing can hurt your wallet of course, and if it doesn’t do any good there is no point. That’s why I stop using the additives if they aren’t doing anything.
 
I've quit using MMO as I still ended up needing to use Techron to address pinging. It seems to make sense (for me at least) to add it to the last tank of gas before an oil change, but I change mine every 5k miles now. The Gumout didn't work for me either, even after two doses. Spraying distilled water into the engine while revving it seemed to work well enough, but that may be asking for other problems down the road.
 
If an over dose of one of these additives did any damage it would happen quicker with a full bottle of Techron than a couple of ounces of Techron or FP added every fillup. Damage from Techron or FP is a non-issue.

I buy gas at Costco at 30 cents a gallon cheaper than name brand stuff, then add Fuel Power. The Costco store where I buy my gas sees a tanker three to four times a day. I like the idea that their turnover is very high. Their is less chance of getting a bad tank of gas at such a busy place.
 
The best fuel injector cleaner out there is a good old ultra sonic cleaner. Toss the injectors in and pour some fuel injector cleaner in there and in about 10 minutes there done. It also helps if your fuel rail fits in there too.
 
I have a 1998 dodge 1500 truck.318.69k on it.NEVER used a fuel system anything in it.Igntion maintance as per theowners manual.Plugs,wires,cap,rotor at 60k.I put a bottle of Gumout decarbonizer and MMO at recomended rate on the bottle(4 ounces per 10 gallons??I think)in the tank.By the end of the tank of fuel I never knew the idle could be so smooth.Also it has less lag from a stop! Never thought it had a hesitation before.Did another said treatment the following tank for good measure.No noticable improvment over the previous.Two tanks of regular WALMART fuel later its still silky smooth and much more responsive!! Some thing WORKED.
 
You have to play with it Sir.

All gas needs to be treated.

You could use FP every treatment or thereabouts if all what is said about it is true then you have valid reason to does it every tank, if this product is one you want to use.

Let the feel and the mpg dictate to you when to treat. Or just do a schedule on time or miles.

Best to treat as often as you can, in small dosages like the FP can provide... or other
competitive product.
 
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