Fuel system additives? Options

[D-Man]

Okay, it seems that people are putting all kinds of stuff into their fuel systems to clear out all the unwanted material, and to improve MPG.

I've been hearing of Sea-Foam, Lucas Oil, and Various other detergents/cleaners. I wanna get this ball rolling so we can figure out what is indeed best for our systems.

So, What are ya'lls opinions?

Personally, i use a detergent based injector cleaner every few months or so, not that it causes a big difference, but i like to think that that 6-7 bucks keeps my injectors clean so that i wont have to notice a big difference, and prevent problems before they occur.

This post has been edited by D-Man: Mar 19, 2008 - 2:05 PM

[95st-celica]

seafoam FTW....i think it works best and really cleans out your engine for the money

[DEATH]

This gonna end up a fight over whether or not they're even worth it unfortunately.
For my part tho:
STP Injector Cleaner every oil change keeps my injectors working well + I swear by Chevron gas [whether or not it's any different it keeps me from having problems just by keeping me away from bad gas - Houston has waaaay too many places that give bad gas]

[GriffGirl]

^you're just spending too much time at Denny's it sounds like

[D-Man]

@ griff's comment!

Yeah, i usually use the STP or the Chevron w/ Techron additive. (that's what they sell at my gas station) i dont even sync it up with oil changes, i just grab a bottle when ever i'm about to fill up every other month or so...

But bad gas is not a laughing matter in Houston... Some places add random substances to the gas to make more profit. Usually water or some crap... terrible....

This post has been edited by D-Man: Mar 19, 2008 - 2:29 PM

[D-Man]

What does FTW stand for?

[DEATH]

What does FTW stand for?

For the win meaning he thinks that's the best solution

[D-Man]

THANKS!!

i thought it was for the wreckerd.... but that's not how you spell Record...

This post has been edited by D-Man: Mar 19, 2008 - 3:10 PM

[playr158]

BG 44k

This post has been edited by playr158: Mar 19, 2008 - 4:18 PM

[D-Man]

44k? Is that a brand name?

[Remy]

Gumout Complete Fuel System Cleaner (goldish bottle) did a test increase mpg by 4 and car picks up alot better after use yes I noticed the difference not just in my head.

Edit: Results very though...

This post has been edited by Remy: Mar 19, 2008 - 4:18 PM

[D-Man]

okay, so lets see the score so far...

Seafoam is FTW, and backed by one person.

Lucas Oil isnt even on the map.

Detergents have 3 Votes, and (unverified) proven results.

44k has been thrown out there. But nothing is known about it, and there are no details pertaining to it.


So far it looks like Detergent based cleaners are the best. Opinions? Anyone? I know there is only like 4 people logged in to 6gc right now, but common. lol.

This post has been edited by D-Man: Mar 19, 2008 - 4:24 PM

[k-weaver]

There was a previous post on seafoam, alot of people there were swearing by it. I myself have never heard of it nor would I know how to use it. I do however plan to try it out. As far as the others, I don't normally put any additives in my gas but seems like it should help something...

[D-Man]

There was a previous post on seafoam, alot of people there were swearing by it. I myself have never heard of it nor would I know how to use it. I do however plan to try it out. As far as the others, I don't normally put any additives in my gas but seems like it should help something...

The problem with sea foam is that it makes your exhaust nasty black for a while, and here in Texas we'll get a ticket for that...

[GriffGirl]

Seafoam won't make your exhaust black if you add 1/3 of a can to your gas tank to clean your injectors. I've used Seafoam this way (and in the intake - smokey exhaust for a few minutes) and have had great results.

Google 44k, it's easy to find info on it. I've never used or heard of it until the other day when it was first mentioned by the same guy. I've never seen it around, so I'm not going to look into it any further. If I see some, I might pick it up and try, but meh. Whatever.

[alltracman78]

I've only had good results with 2 things.

None of the bottled stuff you get at auto stores seem to do much of anything, but in all fairness I've never done any kind of scientific test to check.

Seafoam is good stuff. I usually don't put any in the gas, and never put any in the oil. It cured a 2 year misfire back when I first got my current Alltrac. For those of you interested Deep Creep [ http://www.seafoamsales.com/deepCreepTech.htm ] is a spray version of Seafoam, and will clean some things better [because it's aerosoled].

But hands down BG is the best. I'm not talking about the 44K stuff, I've never used it. I mean the shop stuff. Take a look at BG 9210 Inject-A-Flush® Apparatus and BG AIS Cleaning Tool [along with the cleaners used with them]. This is what we used at the last dealer I worked at. Because we were curious, we took a before and after borescope [looked at the inside if the cylinder and head] on a late 90s Camry 4 cyl [5SFE]. It went from being covered in carbon to looking almost new.

A lot of the success is how it's put into the engine.
It's actively sprayed [pressurized and sprayed out a nozzle], which mixes it better with air, while the fuel injector cleaner is forced in through the fuel line. No gas, just the cleaner, so it's not diluted at all.

[GriffGirl]

^ I read all about that stuff you're talking about when I googled 44k, and I thought it looked like good stuff but WAY over my head. Question is, is it? Are the Inject-a-Flush and Cleaning Tool and cleaners something that is relatively consumer-friendly? Or are they more suited for professional use?

[alltracman78]

Much more suited for professional use, you need some kind of compressed air to use it.

You could use a pressurized tank instead of an air compressor though.
I'm not sure how expensive the tools are though.
I know the cleaners alone were like $45 my cost.
Not cheap stuff.

[GriffGirl]

Much more suited for professional use, you need some kind of compressed air to use it.

You could use a pressurized tank instead of an air compressor though.
I'm not sure how expensive the tools are though.
I know the cleaners alone were like $45 my cost.
Not cheap stuff.

Bummer. Thanks for the info though.

[99Celica]

I used Amsoil Powerfoam on my car. I hated using it, watching my car being molested was unbearable .
The car felt like it ran smoother afterwards though.