The Best Over the Counter Products, For Engine cleaning Options

[Legit94GT]

So i would like to see the great knowledgeable minds of everyone here, start and add to a list of what good products are to use when cleaning out your fuel system, anything from products you can just dump into your gas tank, to something that may require more work(ie removing vaccuum hoses).

Hope that makes sense...


Because i would like to buy something to pour into my tank to kinda clean things up, but i have no idea what to buy or what is used for what really

thanks

[Jeunesse]

seafoam is #1

[Legit94GT]

So i have heard, but i am looking to start a list (stickie material) so when you post something could you also put a generaly description of what it does?

thanks

[Dr_Tweak]

My best advice is, DON'T DO ANYTHING. Most of those products do more harm than good and they certainly don't clean your engine.

If you honestly feel like your fuel system is "clogged up", then I would recommend removing your injectors and sending them to an injector shop like Witchhunter to have them rebuilt and flow-tested. Make sure you change your oil and oil filter every 3000 miles. That's about it... anything off the shelf that claims to "clean your fuel system", or injectors that produce a "hotter spark" for "better power and economy" are gimmicks.

My .02

-Doc

PS: For as long as I've been working on cars, I actually have seen injectors that were clogged up.

Once.

They had been sitting on a shelf for a couple of years.

PPS: (edit #3) Doesn't "over the counter" mean stuff that you buy at the pharmacy without a prescription?

This post has been edited by Dr_Tweak: Aug 6, 2008 - 2:38 PM

[GriffGirl]

I beg to differ. I gained at least 100 HP when I seafoamed my engine through the brake booster vacuum line


Okay for real though, what about cleaning up the throttle body/AIC valve? And of course ensuring a clean and sparkly air filter? I took my TB off and cleaned the heck out of it, and also attempted to clean the inside of my intake manifold (it looked CAVERNOUS!). Cleaning the gunk out of the TB seemed to do wonders for the throttle responsiveness. It really felt peppier once I got all the carbon gunk out. It was kinda nice, actually.

[Dr_Tweak]

If the IAC is acting up, I would recommend cleaning it out, same goes for the EGR valve. Both of these devices can get clogged up with junk. For that matter, hand-cleaning anything is perfectly fine. I just don't recommend anyone dumping anything into their engine or letting it suck something in through a vacuum tube and thinking it's going to make their engine run better If there's something WRONG with the engine, then diagnose it and fix it. Otherwise, leave it be

When I was young and poor, I spent many hours poring over the different cans of products on the shelves of my local parts store, many of which promised "more power" and "better fuel economy"... iridium plugs... 4-prong spark plugs, octane boosters, so on and so forth.

Now I know better.

-Doc

PS: Air filter, and other regular maintenance items are a good idea... but if you want to spend a few bucks and get a little more out of your car, I'd tell you to pick up a nice AEM filter, AEM bypass filter, some aluminum piping, clamps and couplers, and fashion yourself up a cool custom true cold-air intake on the cheap!

This post has been edited by Dr_Tweak: Aug 6, 2008 - 2:50 PM

[GriffGirl]

2nd hand Injen intake FTMFW then!

[Nyczroflz]

sry im still a car nub is there a way u guys can show the location of the IAC and ERG n how to remove and clean it? and also wut to use to clean it? sry if im changin topics here

[Bitter]

seafoam through the vac line is pretty good at getting rid of carbon ping and it does make a good injector cleaning solution.its not so much that the injector gets clogged, its that the tiny holes get crud AROUND them and this causes a ****ty spray, poor fuel atomization, and rough running.

some cars are more sensitive to this than others. northstar injectors stick all the time. usually just a few hard taps gets them working again.