I'm curious to know why you are using a fuel system cleaner on a vehicle with 13K on it. Are you having problems? If not I think it might be a waste of money.
I've used a Fuel system cleaner in my Toyota since it was about 3 years old. Because about that time the Stealership wanted to clean my injectors $140. I run it about once a year $12 or less. The car still have very good MPG and performance for a 1.8. Every time I take it to the dealer not often now they want to do an injector clean. You think they would be asking this just to steal from me?
Yes, yes I do... Not necessarily steal but sell you something you don't really need IMO. In a new car Top Tier gas and drive it is probably all you need for 40K+ miles.I've used a Fuel system cleaner in my Toyota since it was about 3 years old. Because about that time the Stealership wanted to clean my injectors $140. I run it about once a year $12 or less. The car still have very good MPG and performance for a 1.8. Every time I take it to the dealer not often now they want to do an injector clean. You think they would be asking this just to steal from me?
I've wondered the same. Last sample I sent into Blackstone, I noted that I used a bottle of Techron on the vehicle during that oil run and they didn't make any comment about it in the analysis, and nothing stood out in the analysis that would hint that there was some interaction. I suppose if you did have significant fuel dilution (0.5% or higher), then maybe something would show?
I would think going on a trip that would use the whole tank would not be the best thing to do, it would just run through to quick. I would let it have time to sit and soak in so a few short trips would be better but that's just my thought process, I may be wrong.
Most advise around town slow driving. Try getting the engine up to temp - do it in the warmer months.
I've been using Techron once a year for 30+ years.
Yes there was some paper shared here before that consuming the PEA on many days work the best. Even for the pea-based gdi cleaner sprayed on intake, crc advise to heat soak at least 1 hr, and use the car subsequently in a few days will still have cleaning effect. So that is my routine now, 600 km before oil change, i will put redline si-1 full dose, top up gas until full. When the tank goes to half tank, will do cleaning with crc gdi cleaner. A few days later go to change my oil, by then typically my oil will be dark like soot and engine note slightly coarse due to oil get diluted with dirt and gas.
So why do most guys use a fuel system cleaner just before an oil change?
Because over the years this topic comes up from time to time and respected members suggested adding FI cleaner a tank or two before changing your oil. That pretty much guarantees it won't skew a UOA. I added a bottle of FI cleaner to my van last week that I found cleaning up my garage. It was a Valvoline product and on the bottle it said add to the gas before changing the oil. I found that interesting, and it backs up what I've been doing for a very long time.
No clue, but a UOA has never shown anything and I have ran plenty of them to have seen it by now.
