# Thoughts/Opinions on Fuel Cleaners?



## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

GM recommends top tier gas for the additional fuel cleaners. It also mentions in the owners manual if you don't run top tier fuel to run a bottle of GM injector at every oil change. Have heard the GM cleaner is the same thing as techron concentrate, it does come in a suspiciously similar bottle if this is the stuff. https://www.acdelco.com/parts/vehicle-maintenance/additives/fuel-system-treatment-plus/

I just run a bottle of techron concentrate every spring, run top tier at least half the time & try to buy my fuel from high volume source.


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## iTz SADISTIK (Apr 6, 2014)

Seafoam is another good product. Can be used before an oil change as well (in the oil) I used to add a bottle once a year to my car's gas tank and also a little bit to the oil prior to changing it. Not so sure I'll do either in this car but have never had an issue with it. Having been on this forum I've learned a lot about chemical makeup among other factors and am a little weary to practice some of my old habits.


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## SneakerFix (Jul 28, 2013)

Marvels mystery oil nothing else


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

iTz SADISTIK said:


> Seafoam is another good product. Can be used before an oil change as well (in the oil) I used to add a bottle once a year to my car's gas tank and also a little bit to the oil prior to changing it. Not so sure I'll do either in this car but have never had an issue with it. Having been on this forum I've learned a lot about chemical makeup among other factors and am a little weary to practice some of my old habits.


Yeah smoke shows are fun! I used the aerosol version of it at the TB instead av a vac line to get even coverage. Sucks in new cars you need 2 people to do it. 


Sent from my iFail 5s


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## jsusanka (Jan 31, 2011)

Amsoil Performance Improver (PI)


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## Alex V. (Sep 20, 2013)

I haven't used Techron or Marvel, but I've tried some Gumout and STP fuel system cleaners in the past and never saw any detectable change. Tried a bottle of Seafoam in the tank of my '85 1-ton a few years ago and I noticed a great difference. I've used it in nearly everything I own since, including air-cooled single cylinder engines, and it definitely works. I'm running a bottle through my Cruze's tank every 10K miles. IMHO if your oil is doing its job you shouldn't need to run it through the oil in these cars. Even though I buy most of my gas from a high-traffic Mobil or stations along the interstate I feel the Seafoam contributes to regularly achieving above-rated fuel economy in my car. I don't know the science of it all, but Seafoam isn't designed to be used all the time - I believe it says every 2,000-5,000 miles on the can. So, even though good gas may have cleaning additives in it, those additives (potentially being run in the fuel system full-time) can't be as aggressive as a periodic additive - hence the possible benefits of occasionally using a stronger additive such as Seafoam, etc.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

AMSOIL PI is the most potent top end cleaner I've used and I use it every 5k miles. You get what you pay for. It isn't cheap, but it does the job well.


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## poodok (Apr 24, 2014)

Techron works if you need it. I run a bottle through all my vehicles twice a year. Pour in the fuel tank before a fill and let it clean the fuel system.

I was getting erratic fuel gauge readings from my vette years ago. I ran a bottle through and it must have removed build-up from the fuel level sensor contacts. Never had a problem again after using it twice a year.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

I have never used fuel system cleaners on any of my FI engines and never had any problems with any of them. Their mpg and oil usage has always remained constant for the 100K+ miles I've owned each of them. I don't use TT gas in them either. The manufacturer of my newest car recommends TT gas, or an additive be used at each oil change; so I'm putting a 12 oz. bottle of Techron into the tank at each oil change (about every 6,400 miles by the OLM) while it's under warranty. The engine in this car is a 1.8L NA SOHC 16 valve VTEC motor, so I guess it's as old tech. as my previous cars. If I were dealing with the 1.4L turbo motor in the Cruze, I'd likely also do the gas tank additive at every oil change just because of the design of the engine.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Jim Frye said:


> I have never used fuel system cleaners on any of my FI engines and never had any problems with any of them. Their mpg and oil usage has always remained constant for the 100K+ miles I've owned each of them. I don't use TT gas in them either. The manufacturer of my newest car recommends TT gas, or an additive be used at each oil change; so I'm putting a 12 oz. bottle of Techron into the tank at each oil change (about every 6,400 miles by the OLM) while it's under warranty. The engine in this car is a 1.8L NA SOHC 16 valve VTEC motor, so I guess it's as old tech. as my previous cars. If I were dealing with the 1.4L turbo motor in the Cruze, I'd likely also do the gas tank additive at every oil change just because of the design of the engine.


In fact, our engines are more likely to blow out the carbon that would otherwise more easily build up in a N/A motor due to the combustion chamber temps. Re: Italian tuneup. 

I've seen what intake valves look like with no additive or cleaner treatment after a valve job I did on some Jaguar heads. It's not something I want my valves to look like.


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