https://gumout.com/fuel-additives/regane-complete-fuel-system-cleaner/ Gumout question and answers.

Find below a comprehensive Q & A about all things Gumout


1. Living in South Florida (humid). The fuel level never falls below 1/2 tank on either vehicle. Fill up to full every weekend. Should there be a concern?

Probably not but in hot, humid coastal climates phase separation can begin within a week. If you are constantly driving the vehicle though, the risk is very low.

2. Brazilian flex fuels gasoline and alcohol with several content mixtures doesn’t phase separate. Why would NA fuels do? What lacks on former fuels to phase separate, ketones?

The high alcohol level in flex fuel pulls the water into the fuel and holds it tightly. Pure alcohol and water will mix to form a clear uniform solution in all concentrations. North American fuels contain only about 10% alcohol, so most of the fuel is hydrocarbon. A small amount of water will mix clearly into the alcohol and be held within the fuel, but as the water percentage increases, the alcohol-water mixture becomes less soluble in the fuel and forms a separate layer.


3. I had an issue recently where a gas station accidentally put diesel in the gasoline tanks underground. As a result I had to drain the fuel system in my vehicle and clean up the fuel system parts. After cleaning I fueled up with fresh gas and a bottle of your REGANE product. Will GUMOUT products help remove diesel fuel residue from a gasoline tank/fuel lines?

Yes, keep fresh fuel and Regane in the tank for the next several fill-ups. The Polyetheramine (PEA) detergent in Regane® will help clean-up any deposits or contamination from the fuel and help remove any carbon that may have resulted from the incomplete combustion of the diesel fuel.


4. What difference, if any, will I see by using your product in a frequently driven vehicle that uses E10 fuel? About 500 miles a week, 75ish per day.

If you are referring to the impact of using one of our products that can fight the damaging effects of ethanol, then you probably won’t see a distinguishable difference because in your instance the fuel doesn’t sit long enough to allow phase separation to begin. However, if you are referring to the difference in performance tied to carbon deposit build up, then there are two ways to look at this:

1. all gasolines are going to leave behind deposits including top tier. If you haven’t used a high quality fuel additive before and then use one, you will most likely see a difference in increased MPG and acceleration, reduced hesitation, surging and knocking/pinging. A complete fuel system cleaner with a potent detergent such as polyetheamine (P.E.A.) is going to do a better job of cleaning than a lower level of detergent typically found in a fuel injector cleaner. The lower the level the less you will be able to tell a difference.

2. By using a high quality fuel system cleaner as part of your regular maintenance you keep build up from happening in the first place which would keep your performance from dropping off. You could still see an improvement in gas mileage by using one of our products that has a friction modifier in it. All in One complete fuel system cleaner has the highest level of friction modifier in it, followed by high mileage Regane and then our Multi-System Tune-Up. By reducing friction the pistons move more freely which equates to the engine running more efficiently. Think of it like jogging in mud vs on a hard surface – you have to work harder to get through the mud, which tires you out more than running on a hard surface.


5. Doesn’t water tend to get in fuel tanks with or without ethanol? Doesn’t water tend to get in fuel tanks with or without ethanol? Adding a bit of ethanol or methanol to the fuel tank used to be a standard recommendation for getting rid of accumulated water, since the alcohol acts as a bridging solvent, putting the water in solution so its drawn into the engine and “burned”. Stops motorcycle tanks rusting out, which they tend to do along the bottom seam where the water collects. Separate water seems likely to be just as, or more, damaging than water in solution.

Water can condensate in fuel tanks at the station and in your vehicle – the more hot and humid the climate the more this will happen. If the fuel doesn’t sit for an extended period of time the ethanol will pull in water where it will be burned up in the combustion process, but when fuel sits, phase separation can set in. If you are constantly running fuel through your system and not letting the vehicle/motorcycle sit, your risk of ethanol/water damage will be low. If you do let it sit, we recommend our Regane, High Mileage Regane and All in One products because they contain rust and corrosion inhibitors that protect against this issue even if water is present in the fuel and our multi-system tune-up product takes it a step further and adds a fuel stabilizer to keep varnish and gum from collecting on parts.


6. I have a classic 60s muscle car with a carburetor that gets stored from November to April every year. It is in a dry garage. Do I have anything to worry about with regards to E-10 pump gas? If so, what products should I be using? Is it better to fill-up before the car goes into storage, or keep the tank close to empty and add fresh fuel in the spring? Any storage tips would be appreciated.

We recommend filling the tank with fresh fuel before storage to displace the air. The tank will still breathe slightly, but the water incursion will be very small. Before filling the tank add Gumout® Multi-System Tune-Up to prevent fuel oxidation (gum and varnish) and corrosion protection (rust and pitting). Run the vehicle to deliver treated fuel to the fuel line and carburetor so these areas are stored in contact with the protective chemistry. Multi-System Tune-Up is an excellent fuel stabilizer.


7. Would using your products with E10 fuel be the equivalent of using ethanol free fuel?

No, our products will not remove ethanol from the fuel. We are not aware of any fuel additive that can do this, but many of our products can protect your engine from rust and corrosion caused by phase separation.


8. I have converted my stock fuel system to an aftermarket one. The stock gas tank has been replaced by a fuel cell packed with anti-slosh foam and the cell is made out of plastic. The fuel lines are a rubber lined stainless steel braided line. The fuel pump is also an aftermarket unit that can cover the twin turbos thirst. My questions are as follows. Will pump gas cause any problems with the cell foam, the cell itself or the fuel line material over time with the current amount of gas/alcohol mix? I have run E85 before when the fuel system was stock but now can I run E85 again without worry? One last question. Can I use your products and other’s like fuel system cleaners without worry. All this comes about from the fact that race fuel cells are made to work with race gas and over a short season not in a daily driver.

All Gumout products are compatible with standard OEM fuel tank components. However, specialty aftermarket or racing components should be tested by the manufacturer. In general if the component is compatible with pump gasoline, it will be compatible with gasoline treated with Gumout®.

If E85 is run in the vehicle the Gumout® product to use is Multi-System Tune-Up. It is designed to be soluble in the high alcohol content of E85. Most other gasoline additives (including Gumout®) are not completely soluble in E85 and may separate from the fuel.

For E0-E10 run any of the Gumout® products. For E85 use Gumout® Multi-System Tune-Up.


9. Will using a standard isopropyl gasoline dryer product (such as IsoHeet) provide me with the same benefit by getting the water out?

Isopropyl alcohol will pull water into the fuel so it is burned with the gasoline. However, this type of product works when the engine is used continuously. If not, use a product that can offer fuel stability (gum and varnish prevention) and rust and corrosion protection. This is critical for long term storage.


10. Is Gumout safe for yellow metals? I.E. Copper Fuel line? Is Gumout safe for a diaphram style fuel pump with a neoprene diaphram? Is there a gumout product specifically designed for cleaning out fuel lines/fuel tanks that have long since been “Dry” — as in the issue is less because of gelled gasoline and more grease, dirt, oil possibly that have entered unsealed parts of the system over time?

Gumout is safe for both copper fuel lines and neoprene diaphragms when diluted in fuel. If dirt and grease has entered the fuel line use the new Gumout® Regane Auto Parts Cleaner Degreaser aerosol which has a straw that can reach deep into the lines. If that is not available use Gumout® Jet Spray Carburetor Cleaner. Beginning with the first tank of gas add a high quality fuel system additive to clean areas the spray may not have reached.


11. My vehicle is designed for E-85. Would there be any benefit to running a Gumout product, since my car is designed for E-85?

When running E85 use Gumout® Multi-System Tune-Up added to the fuel. Assuming the vehicle is Flex Fuel and can also run E0 and E10, when these fuels are run, use any of the Gumout® products as needed.

Engine deposits come from both fuel and crankcase, so any type of engine will build deposits and generally show performance improvements from removing those deposits.