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View Poll Results: Fuel injector cleaner, does it work?
I voted "yes", because I've had great results with Red Line SI-1 Fuel System Cleaner. Specifically, I've managed to eliminate extended cranking times on cold starts and improve idle quality using this product, on more than one car.
As for whether or not it will fix your specific issue, that's impossibile to say, since several things can cause a lean condition. But it can't hurt to try.
__________________ 1998 Camaro Z28 | 2002 Camaro Z28 | 1971 Nova SS
Yes Chevron Techron is supposed to be the same thing GM sells. There are two kinds but the new kind will help remove sulphur deposits from the fuel sending unit and keep it from sticking which is sometimes a problem on GM cars. I run a big bottle through mine at every oil change....
i've always heard that with repeated use these kinds of products mess with your sensors, but i have nothing to back that up......that alone has been enough to keep me away from most of them......the only one i have used is seafoam, it helped in a couple of cars
__________________ 1998 Camaro SS #626...M6
227/231 110LSA, bolt-ons + true duals...401 rwhp
S60 with 4:10's and drag wheels coming soon
Using something like Seafoam at every oil change wouldn't yield much of a difference on your vehicle. However, using it on a used car you just bought with XXX,XXX miles, you will notice quite a bit. Seafoam will dry out seals is used often enough.
These "cleaners" are hit and miss. You occasionally will see something that says "Restores lost compression" or "Repairs blown rings"... It's all advertising propaganda. Specifically that stuff you see in cans called Engine Restorer or something like that. There is NO miracle product.
i've always heard that with repeated use these kinds of products mess with your sensors
Red Line SI-1 is designed for continual use in small doses. I've been putting a small amount at every fill-up (1/5 ounce per gallon) in my '98 Z28 for 7 years without a single problem. And I use a full bottle of the product with every oil change in my various daily drivers for several years/10s of thousands of miles as well. If it was going to cause a problem I would know about it, but it hasn't.
__________________ 1998 Camaro Z28 | 2002 Camaro Z28 | 1971 Nova SS
Specifically that stuff you see in cans called Engine Restorer
If your talking about that Restore product in the silver can, I would back it up. We used it when I was younger and got 300,000 miles out of our little 3 cylinder geo metro.
Using something like Seafoam at every oil change wouldn't yield much of a difference on your vehicle. However, using it on a used car you just bought with XXX,XXX miles, you will notice quite a bit. Seafoam will dry out seals is used often enough.
These "cleaners" are hit and miss. You occasionally will see something that says "Restores lost compression" or "Repairs blown rings"... It's all advertising propaganda. Specifically that stuff you see in cans called Engine Restorer or something like that. There is NO miracle product.
You're confusing fuel injector cleaner with an engine additive, which are totally different products. Fuel injector cleaner does work to clean the fuel system, if used on a regular basis like every oil change, but it goes in the gas tank not in the motor. Most of the motor additives don't do what they claim, as you said there's nothing that can repair a mechanical problem. The only thing you should put in the motor is oil.
__________________
2008 Pontiac G8 GT Bright Red
Perf Tune - Volant CAI - Solo Axlebacks
I used to have a mazda B4000 with the 4 liter V6.
It would start running like crap in x,xxx miles. I'd put in some STP concentrated FI cleaner in the black bottle with a full tank of gas, it would feel like the truck had a full tune up by 1/2 tank.
I've never been able to duplicate the results with the same product in any other vehicle.
Id depends on the problem. Varnish / gum, OK. Sediment, like fine fuel
line rust, no. This latter I have had bother two vehicles, it accumulates
at the end-of-rail positions.
Now there's actual-lean, and there's indicated-lean. So be sure what
you're chasing.
You're confusing fuel injector cleaner with an engine additive, which are totally different products. Fuel injector cleaner does work to clean the fuel system, if used on a regular basis like every oil change, but it goes in the gas tank not in the motor. Most of the motor additives don't do what they claim, as you said there's nothing that can repair a mechanical problem. The only thing you should put in the motor is oil.
I'm not confusing F.I Cleaner with an Engine Additive. I'm simply comparing the two for the sole reason that there are many companies out there, and the majority of them will over advertise their products making outlandish claims.
I'm just forewarning users that some of the stuff they may pick up off the shelves won't do as it claims while others will.
For example, you have two cleaners. One is in a plain white bottle, costs 2.99, and simply says "Helps to fix rough idle, misfiring, and poor fuel economy." The second product is in a purple and black bottle with fancy lettering and costs 7.99. They claim the same as the number one product however makes some outlandish claim about it being just as good as new injectors or something.
You'll most likely go for the number 2 product. Will it do what it claims? Probably, without the last part being absolutely correct.
So, when in doubt, check out the MSDS. They could be the exact same product, or it could contain a possibly dangerous component that'll screw something up.
I go by my experiences with certain name brands and what others say about a product, not by what it says on the bottle. I use Super Tech concentrated fuel injector cleaner and I've found it works just as well as the more expensive name brand products.
__________________
2008 Pontiac G8 GT Bright Red
Perf Tune - Volant CAI - Solo Axlebacks
just my .02 on this subject, i would stay away from putting anything, especially seafoam into ur engine/oil, if somethings wrong internally it will just hide it and probably for only a little, seafoam breaks oil/carbon/engine ick down, ya u can change ur oil right away but u never ever get every drop of oil out so even with ur new oil in theres still oil with seafoam in ur engine (in bearings, little on the sides on it, etc) breakin it down : \ now im not bashing seafoam fully, adding it to ur gas or using it to clean ur engine up via heads/cylinders or intake, were gas goes, its great, used it to clean my top end on my 2000 silverado did great, used in on my dirt bikes and in the gas tank of my trucks, also like the lucas fuel injector condtioner/cleaner, had an 87 k5 350 TBI ran ok ish, put 1/3 of a bottle of that with 93 octane in it (usually run 93 in it also) at E and filled up, after that tank (some what half way through it) it ran a lot better/smoother and better throttle response, i like the lucas stuff imo but havnt tryed others so cant say really, imagine they all have the same basic stuff but
__________________ 2000 Trans Am WS6, Hooker LT's, Texas Speed Y pipe, Borla cat back, poly engine/tranny mounts, moser 9inch with 3.70s and Tru-Trac, UMI adjustable torque arm and relocation bracket,BBK 80mm intake and throttle body, UMI adjustable traction bars with relocation brackets, weld in sub frame connectors, BMR tubular Kmember
I'm not confusing F.I Cleaner with an Engine Additive. I'm simply comparing the two for the sole reason that there are many companies out there, and the majority of them will over advertise their products making outlandish claims.
I'm just forewarning users that some of the stuff they may pick up off the shelves won't do as it claims while others will.
For example, you have two cleaners. One is in a plain white bottle, costs 2.99, and simply says "Helps to fix rough idle, misfiring, and poor fuel economy." The second product is in a purple and black bottle with fancy lettering and costs 7.99. They claim the same as the number one product however makes some outlandish claim about it being just as good as new injectors or something.
You'll most likely go for the number 2 product. Will it do what it claims? Probably, without the last part being absolutely correct.
So, when in doubt, check out the MSDS. They could be the exact same product, or it could contain a possibly dangerous component that'll screw something up.
I used Gunk engine cleaner in few vehicles. It's just a concentrated mix of detergents and emulsifiers that normally come with engine oils. About 4 times more than a gallon of oil would normally have. I used to buy really old cars with obvious lack of maintenance so I would pour a can of the cleaner and a bit of new oil heat it up and leave over night. Next day heat the engine and change the oil. A look through the oil cap would show really clean rocker arms and camshaft area. A couple of more oil changes within a month and I was getting pretty good compression. I once poured a small amount through spark plugs. Very small amount that I was never sure it even got to the piston ring.
So obviously I believe in engine cleaner but not so much in fuel injector cleaners. Till last week. Frustrated by misfiring of a 2002 Jetta (not at start but only when it's at operating temperature and running lean) I was at the gas station and just took a random bottle of fuel line cleaner and poured it in with the gas. Few kilometers later and misfiring never happened again. Still over 1/2 tank full I am now wondering what helped the most.
1. Full tank makes for better fuel line pressure because the pump or the filter have performance issues.
2. Possible water accumulation in the tank caused by low fuel level for long time and car not driven very much just sitting in the sun and because it's black it heats up during the day and cooling during the night sucking humid air repeatedly. New fuel with ethanol dissolved the water and solved the problem.
3. Fuel cleaner cleaned injectors.
Somebody earlier mentioned potential problem that using the fuel cleaner will cause one not realize what the real problem is.
So I have my doubts and would like to here if someone experienced same.
Does fuel injector cleaner really work? 
