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I know there are professional systems where you hook a can of 'stuff' to the fuel rail (after disabling fuel pump) and you run the engine on this cleaner until it runs out. From the tests I have seen this really works well. What I'm wondering about is if any of the off the shelf stuff that you pour into the tank actually does anything. Reading a product review is useless as if you spent $15 on a can of wonder cleaner you want to believe it did some good (confirmation bias).
Do you use anything that you think 'really' works?
I've never seen any real positive results from an in tank cleaner. There might be something out there, but I'm doubtful. I don't subscribe to the idea fluid additives.
I've also never seen any measurable results from an in-tank additive. I have heard that Techron and
BG 44K
are good, but don't have any personal experience.
I guess the 'measurable' part is the real catch. Without pulling the injectors before and after the in tank additive how do you measure the difference? Maybe a pressure drop test? That would only give you a rough idea on flow but the spray pattern might still not be good. I wonder if there has been any real, independent tests on these products?
My take on fuel system cleaners is they won't fix anything but with some in the tank there is a detectable difference in the general running of the engine and if you used it from new you would probably reduce the formation deposits on injectors and valves but no way would it make any kind of economic sense.
Oil companies do use similar additives and the fuels sold as super unleaded have more of these additives in them.
" We're trying to plug a hole in the universe, what are you doing ?. "
(Walter Bishop Fringe TV show)
Last edit: 8 years 9 months ago by Andy.MacFadyen.
JeffBirt wrote: I guess the 'measurable' part is the real catch. Without pulling the injectors before and after the in tank additive how do you measure the difference? Maybe a pressure drop test? That would only give you a rough idea on flow but the spray pattern might still not be good. I wonder if there has been any real, independent tests on these products?
Agree 100%, very difficult to measure results for something like this. I'd be good with a injector drop test, but I'd want to know that the injectors had a detectable flow problem in the first place. As for the spray pattern, that might be where a bench tester would come in?
I've always been curious to try an in-tank cleaner on a partially restricted injector, but no customers around here are willing to burn down a tank of gas on a gamble :lol:
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