Is this proof that fuel system cleaners DON'T WORK?

[Curt Gobbell]

So...I ran an huge bottle of Seafoam and a bottle of Lucas fuel cleaner through my tank over the past 8 weeks.

During my engine tear down due to a collapsed lifter https://www.ramforum.com/threads/2014-5-7l-knock-tick-tap.169507/, I decided to clean my fuel injectors via the tried/true pressure method using brake cleaner and a 12v battery https://www.google.com/search?q=how...me&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=_HjC1X_qUB9CD5wKd7pS4CQ12

Given the fuel treatments I had used, I expected to see residue that was fairly clear. To my surprise, what I collected from all 8 injectors is a Varnish mix that looks like thin maple syrup. Apparently the only true way to clean injectors is to remove them and pressure clean them!

 

[Travelin Ram]

There are many snake oils sold, and IMO those two brands are in that category. That’s just my personal opinion based on many reports such as yours.

I have had personal success clearing sticking and misfiring injectors with cleaners containing the active ingredient PEA (Techron).

 

[LeesEvoX]

I call BS on those things anyway. On my old racecar i ran E85. let THAT **** sit in the gas tank for a while and it varnish city!

I used to remove my injectors and have them cleaned on a proper machine which would then also do a flow test before and after, along with results.

 

[ScLeCo]

I call BS on those things anyway. On my old racecar i ran E85. let THAT **** sit in the gas tank for a while and it varnish city!

I used to remove my injectors and have them cleaned on a proper machine which would then also do a flow test before and after, along with results.

That's your fuel system not being resistant to alcohol. e85 itself is a fantastic fuel injector cleaner.

 

[LeesEvoX]

That's your fuel system not being resistant to alcohol. e85 itself is a fantastic fuel injector cleaner.

Ohh the fuel system was compatible. trust me.

But you are correct. E85 is a fantastic cleaner. because its basically alcohol. Great solvent.

But if you let it sit for a long time. It will turn gross!

 

[ScLeCo]

Ohh the fuel system was compatible. trust me.

But you are correct. E85 is a fantastic cleaner. because its basically alcohol. Great solvent.

But if you let it sit for a long time. It will turn gross!

Yeah I try and not let e85 sit for more than 40-50 days.

 

[Burla]

PEA (techron based) cleaners are effective, you need to change cleaners. Process matters as well, putting solvent into solvent is only gonna clean so much, which is what you are doing when you add a cleaner to the gas tank. Sea Foam through vac lines is very effective, or piston soak will also clean piston tops. PEA is a more concentrated cleaner, it seams the Shell nitrogen hasn't made it into any cleaners, I have been waiting for that. Anyhow, anything you send through 25 gallons of gas is only going to do so much, next time if you want to try that add it to like 5 gallons of gas and drive til your are low.

See bob's thread, we never finished it here, but we may this year. Redline si-1 booroscoped in three cars over there. Highest % and amount of PEA, plus whatever else they put in it. Cleaners can be effective, just find a good one.

 

[Zoe Saldana]

So...I ran an huge bottle of Seafoam and a bottle of Lucas fuel cleaner through my tank over the past 8 weeks.

During my engine tear down due to a collapsed lifter https://www.ramforum.com/threads/2014-5-7l-knock-tick-tap.169507/, I decided to clean my fuel injectors via the tried/true pressure method using brake cleaner and a 12v battery https://www.google.com/search?q=how...me&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=_HjC1X_qUB9CD5wKd7pS4CQ12

Given the fuel treatments I had used, I expected to see residue that was fairly clear. To my surprise, what I collected from all 8 injectors is a Varnish mix that looks like thin maple syrup. Apparently the only true way to clean injectors is to remove them and pressure clean them!
View attachment 227801

It doesn't prove it. You would first have measured the clog injectors before using the cleaners.

 

[ScLeCo]

It doesn't prove it. You would first have measured the clog injectors before using the cleaners.

You were great in Guardians of the Galaxy!

 

[HAL9001]

I think fuel cleaners work, but not as well as we might hope. The detergent additives added to Top Tier gasoline brands do help but they are not a cure-all. Aftermarket products such as Seafoam and many others are often basically nothing more than Naphtha in a light oil solution, but they do work a little. More sophisticated aftermarket additives such as Techron work a bit better but are not perfect.

The bottom line, which I think most of us have realized all along, is that fuel detergent additives are not going to solve all the problems but they're usually better than nothing.

 

[Murphy Slaw]

The bottom line, which I think most of us have realized all along, is that fuel detergent additives are not going to solve all the problems but they're usually better than nothing.

Damn.

And I'm so good at doing nothing.....

 

[RedSRT4Me]

The great debate of does fuel system treatment work has begun ladies and gentlemen!!

 

[rule18]

The great debate of does fuel system treatment work has begun ladies and gentlemen!!

 

[Flame Red Rebel]

Carbon on the pistons is what I use to stop ping from bad oil.

BG44 works due to the cloud on start up and no more ping...............

Injectors I pull and bench them every 100K to check for open and closing issues.

Found many fine running car/trucks on paper running well but had cylinder wash down due to leaking injector/injectors.

 

[clay282]

MANY years ago... we're talking port injected Pontiac Grand Am when the Grand Am was cool! Friend who was a mechanic told me not to waste money on cleaners, just run 1 tank of the highest octane I could find, once a month. This rule has served me well over the years and everything stays cleaned. My truck is a Pentastar and it can run on E85 which is really corrosive. Now, I run E85 every once in awhile. After the Covid lockdown, a couple friends mentioned their cars threw check engine codes. Told them to do the same thing. 2018 Honda Pilot cleared up and no more codes after a tank of Super and an older Silverado of another friend fixed cleared it's own codes and ran 100% again, after a tank of E85.

Never saw a reason to buy cleaners when fuel itself it corrosive and even more so, when the octane is raised because they have added detergent in the expensive stuff.

 

[gixxer]

You need fuel system treatments that have additives that work.

Amsoil PI and redline SI1 have PEA which is an additive that has been rigorously tested.

Also, crc intake and turbo cleaner is better for running through your intake. Seafoam and Lucas have a cult following that is not supported by science. Seafoam claims to do so many things and the more it claims the less it actually does well of anything.

Yes it might work in a heavily deposited engine but again it didn't do much in my engine or on videos where guys look inside theirs.

Try amsoil PI or redline si1 for your fuel and crc intake and turbo cleaner for spraying into your intake, especially if you don't have a catch can.

 

[retired]

MANY years ago... we're talking port injected Pontiac Grand Am when the Grand Am was cool! Friend who was a mechanic told me not to waste money on cleaners, just run 1 tank of the highest octane I could find, once a month. This rule has served me well over the years and everything stays cleaned. My truck is a Pentastar and it can run on E85 which is really corrosive. Now, I run E85 every once in awhile. After the Covid lockdown, a couple friends mentioned their cars threw check engine codes. Told them to do the same thing. 2018 Honda Pilot cleared up and no more codes after a tank of Super and an older Silverado of another friend fixed cleared it's own codes and ran 100% again, after a tank of E85.

Never saw a reason to buy cleaners when fuel itself it corrosive and even more so, when the octane is raised because they have added detergent in the expensive stuff.

that is no longer true. Maybe in the old days but not now.

 

[Tray Burge]

I call BS on those things anyway. On my old racecar i ran E85. let THAT **** sit in the gas tank for a while and it varnish city!

I used to remove my injectors and have them cleaned on a proper machine which would then also do a flow test before and after, along with results.

I used to swear by the Lucas additive, but I'm a believer that they put enough detergents in the gas now to keep the cleaners clean. quit using it about a year ago and haven't noticed anything bad?

 

[JS4024]

I wouldn’t poor either of those products into a lawn mower... try amsoil performance improver....

 

[ram1500rsm]

The 1st and last time I’ve ever used injector cleaner was 2003. I remember cause the shop charged me $110 because in this case it was a deep cleaning with the bottle of the magical stuff hanging from the hood while the fluid dripped down the system with the engine running. Lol