Hello, I recnetly decided to try out some lucas octane booster in my engine and today i noticed my plugs have a thick layer of rust colored [censored] on them. So i'm not going to be using it again. I have a crate 360 magnum engine that i have been running it trhu, its got an edelbrock 650cfm avs carburetor. I have been trying to figure out what the best fuel cleaner additive would be to get this stuff out of my engine, I'm going to be putting new plugs in it so i just need the cleaner to clean the combustion chamber, I have heard good things about the berryman products and the sea foam and the marvel mystery oil. I have access to some berryman's called total fuel system clean up and it says to run thru the tank and it will clean the engine, does this stuff work pretty good?
Good combustion chamber cleaner
- Thread starter pjc360
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Originally Posted By: ram_man
Works good but run it through the brake booster or a vacuum line and clean it that way
+1
for in tank cleaner i like Gumout HM Regane.
Works good but run it through the brake booster or a vacuum line and clean it that way
+1
for in tank cleaner i like Gumout HM Regane.
what do you mean run it thru the brake booster? I thought it was a fuel additive...
I was thinking running this total fuel system clean up thru my engine the next 2 tank fulls would get alot of it out and then follow that up with some marvel mystery oil on the 3rd tank to lube the upper cylinders.
This berryman's total fuel system clean up says it has toluene, methanol, polymeric amine/amido detergents, acetone, 2-butoxyethanol, methyl ethyl ketone and isopropanol.
it says 15 oz's treats 21 gallons of fuel and i have an 18 gallon tank, so running 15 oz's of this total fuel system clean up thru 18 gallons of gas twice should do a sufficient job at cleaning the intake valves and combustion chamber if it works as good as some people claim it does.
I was thinking running this total fuel system clean up thru my engine the next 2 tank fulls would get alot of it out and then follow that up with some marvel mystery oil on the 3rd tank to lube the upper cylinders.
This berryman's total fuel system clean up says it has toluene, methanol, polymeric amine/amido detergents, acetone, 2-butoxyethanol, methyl ethyl ketone and isopropanol.
it says 15 oz's treats 21 gallons of fuel and i have an 18 gallon tank, so running 15 oz's of this total fuel system clean up thru 18 gallons of gas twice should do a sufficient job at cleaning the intake valves and combustion chamber if it works as good as some people claim it does.
Originally Posted By: pjc360
what do you mean run it thru the brake booster? I thought it was a fuel additive...
What they meant to say was unhook the vacuum line that goes from the intake to the brake booster and suck in your cleaner through this hose.
what do you mean run it thru the brake booster? I thought it was a fuel additive...
What they meant to say was unhook the vacuum line that goes from the intake to the brake booster and suck in your cleaner through this hose.
If you have access to remove the plug, any carburator cleaner will help to clean, but if you can get Amsoil Power Foam it would be better.
Originally Posted By: badtlc
I think someone on this site has posted pictures of MMO cleaning up piston tops while using MMO in the fuel if you want another option.
I think that was Gary Allen. He was mega dosing, though.
OP, how do you know the plugs didn't already have that rust colored stuff on the plugs before you used the Lucas?
I think someone on this site has posted pictures of MMO cleaning up piston tops while using MMO in the fuel if you want another option.
I think that was Gary Allen. He was mega dosing, though.
OP, how do you know the plugs didn't already have that rust colored stuff on the plugs before you used the Lucas?
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Some gasoline refiners use additives that will cause the tips of the plugs to have a reddish tint to them. I've seen that for many years and as far as I know, it hasn't caused any problems. I've used Lucas fuel additive and I haven't seen a reddish tint on the plugs.
Originally Posted By: paulo57509
Originally Posted By: badtlc
I think someone on this site has posted pictures of MMO cleaning up piston tops while using MMO in the fuel if you want another option.
I think that was Gary Allen. He was mega dosing, though.
OP, how do you know the plugs didn't already have that rust colored stuff on the plugs before you used the Lucas?
No, it was someone other than Gary. Gary went with a mix of MMO and ATF for his test.
Originally Posted By: badtlc
I think someone on this site has posted pictures of MMO cleaning up piston tops while using MMO in the fuel if you want another option.
I think that was Gary Allen. He was mega dosing, though.
OP, how do you know the plugs didn't already have that rust colored stuff on the plugs before you used the Lucas?
No, it was someone other than Gary. Gary went with a mix of MMO and ATF for his test.
I second the suggestion of Amsoil Power Foam, or if you have a Chyrsyler/Dodge/Jeep location go to their parts and ask for Mopar Combustion Chamber Cleaner if you just don't want to wait for shipping or w/e, etc. Shake either product well so it actually foams.
After using both I prefer the Amsoil product. Better value, larger can, best 'one shot' full ingest and soak with more product. Ingest while running, choke the car dead when the can empties and let it sit with the hood closed for max temp soak for at least an hour. "Maybe" 1 1/2...2 is pushing it. The idea is heat soak and idle/then drive remnants out before any dissolved crud settles back in place.
Perform an oil change after for peace of mind.
After using both I prefer the Amsoil product. Better value, larger can, best 'one shot' full ingest and soak with more product. Ingest while running, choke the car dead when the can empties and let it sit with the hood closed for max temp soak for at least an hour. "Maybe" 1 1/2...2 is pushing it. The idea is heat soak and idle/then drive remnants out before any dissolved crud settles back in place.
Perform an oil change after for peace of mind.
Originally Posted By: Kruse
Originally Posted By: pjc360
what do you mean run it thru the brake booster? I thought it was a fuel additive...
What they meant to say was unhook the vacuum line that goes from the intake to the brake booster and suck in your cleaner through this hose.
I can understand this with fuel injection, but with a carb I'd just put it right down the primaries.
Originally Posted By: pjc360
what do you mean run it thru the brake booster? I thought it was a fuel additive...
What they meant to say was unhook the vacuum line that goes from the intake to the brake booster and suck in your cleaner through this hose.
I can understand this with fuel injection, but with a carb I'd just put it right down the primaries.
My Trabant 601 is a 2 stroker and the tips will develop a rusty color residue from the 2 cycle oil. I can clean the plugs and stick them back in and it will come right back. The residue doesn't seem to effect the firing. These must be hot plugs!
By the way. Years ago I was trying to tune my Fiat 124 Spider after adding a turbo. I ran a water/alcohol mix as a band aid solution until I could figure out what the deal was.
It wasn't until spring that I tried running just water only to discover pure water did nothing. This lead me to discover it was the fuel mixture all along and the alcohol was making up for the lean mixture despite the fact my air/fuel meter was pegged out under boost. I fixed the fuel mixture issue, removed the water injection system and sold it.
But what I was going to mention was I pulled the plugs and looked inside the combustion chamber (it’s a twin cam OHV) and the head of the piston looked as if it had been bead blasted.
Since this water injection system was merely a reservoir, windshield washer pump and a brass nozzle triggered by a pressure switch, I always wondered if by simply disconnecting the tubing going to the windshield spray nozzles, then connect that hose to the intake manifold somewhere after the throttle body or carb and activate the washers under wide open throttle would give the same effect. I don’t know how much fluid would be required to remove all the carbon buildup.
Two lessons learned here. Air/fuel meters connected to short band (0 to .9V) O2 sensors are misleading and give a false sense of security when tuning an engine. And spraying water into an engine will prevent engine knock.
By the way. Years ago I was trying to tune my Fiat 124 Spider after adding a turbo. I ran a water/alcohol mix as a band aid solution until I could figure out what the deal was.
It wasn't until spring that I tried running just water only to discover pure water did nothing. This lead me to discover it was the fuel mixture all along and the alcohol was making up for the lean mixture despite the fact my air/fuel meter was pegged out under boost. I fixed the fuel mixture issue, removed the water injection system and sold it.
But what I was going to mention was I pulled the plugs and looked inside the combustion chamber (it’s a twin cam OHV) and the head of the piston looked as if it had been bead blasted.
Since this water injection system was merely a reservoir, windshield washer pump and a brass nozzle triggered by a pressure switch, I always wondered if by simply disconnecting the tubing going to the windshield spray nozzles, then connect that hose to the intake manifold somewhere after the throttle body or carb and activate the washers under wide open throttle would give the same effect. I don’t know how much fluid would be required to remove all the carbon buildup.
Two lessons learned here. Air/fuel meters connected to short band (0 to .9V) O2 sensors are misleading and give a false sense of security when tuning an engine. And spraying water into an engine will prevent engine knock.
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i burned some sta-bil and in the open it burns with a very heavy black carbon. dont try to burn a large amount, it makes a real mess.
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