Fuel system cleaners

[Russ]

I have a general question regarding fuel system cleaners. This is probably an off-the-wall type of thing, but anyway...
If fuel system cleaners are so efficient at cleaning the junk at injectors/valves, doesn't that mean that they also dissolve the junk in the filter, filter element itself, and maybe even any rubber hoses/
lines on the way to the injectors?

 

[Matt_S]

I suppose that depends...

Certain compounds, like sand, have molecular bonds that are too strong for it to dissolve in most liquids, either polar or non polar. A cleaner would not dissolve such substances. If the filter trapped something that could be dissolved by the cleaner, then I suppose the cleaner would dissolve it and move it through the system. IMHO, fuel filters don't normally trap that much stuff anyway, so the point is pretty much moot. I would also suspect that the cleaner does 99% of its work at the fuel injectors and beyond. I really doubt there's much buildup for them to clean before that point.

As for the rubber hoses, the manufacturer of the cleaner would have to test the product for compatibility. I suspect most, if not all cleaners, are compatible with the types of rubber they use in fuel systems today.

 

[TC]

Chemical compatibility guides demonstrate that a given plastic or rubber material (and there's many, many variations of these) may be anywhere from 100% vulnerable to completely invulnerable to a given petrochemical. Gasoline, acetone, and alcohol (to name a few) can each have very different effects on various plastics/rubbers.

Fuels and fuel additives all use petrochemicals which are known to be compatible with all common fuel system/engine components. But many of the various residues, contaminants, and combustion or catalytic related build-ups are vulnerable to these same fuels and additives.