Techron: Now or before next Oil Change?

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Hello All,

I have read a little about using fuel system cleaners (I prefer Techron or Regane products) only leading up to next oil change, as it dirties the oil.

Wanted to hear some thoughts from everyone.

2002 F350 5.4l modular v8
130k miles - Changed oil at 128,800 to mobil super HM 5w20.

Should I do a full treatment now? This is two bottles of the 20 gallon (each) Techron concentrate plus (pea additive).

Should I wait until I am the range of a full 38 gallon tank of gas - about 500mi - or so before my next oil change so I can purge the "newly" dirtied oil? I RARELY let my gas tank creep to below half full.

I prefer Fuel additives that contain PEA as I believe in the product. MMO (in the fuel only) I have used once I treated at the recommended dose - used the whole quart bottle over a few fill ups, and I can't say it really did very much - I believe in Techron or Regane more than MMO for gas purposes.

Am I way off line?

Thanks in advance for the help.

JC
 
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Many would say do it right before the oil change, but I don't think it matters unless the motor is in particularly bad shape. I've never seen any impact on a UOA.
 
I like to add Gumout w/Regane on the last tank just before an oil change. But I think adding it at any time would be ok. Just do it periodically. For me that means every 6-7k miles.
 
I personally do it whenever I feel like it.

The Techron research paper did say something about it causing oil thickening, though, and that is why the suggested doing it just before an oil change.
 
It had no effect on my taurus' oil using it early in my current oci. I pulled sample at 3, 000 miles. No thickening, no contamination.

Use at anytime
 
I used Red Line fuel system cleaner on two different occasions and and never saw a blip in the UOAs. I think you are safe in using it anytime with no impact on the oil.
 
Originally Posted By: dustyroads
It had no effect on my taurus' oil using it early in my current oci. I pulled sample at 3, 000 miles. No thickening, no contamination.

Use at anytime
This. I don't know where that "add right before oil change" came from. It never made sense to me. It's motor oil, it's suppose to get dirty!
 
Originally Posted By: NightRiderQ45
Originally Posted By: dustyroads
It had no effect on my taurus' oil using it early in my current oci. I pulled sample at 3, 000 miles. No thickening, no contamination.

Use at anytime
This. I don't know where that "add right before oil change" came from. It never made sense to me. It's motor oil, it's suppose to get dirty!


I hear ya. Unless the engine is suffering from an extreme case of blow-by I don't get why it matters when a fuel additive is used.
 
Originally Posted By: 2010_FX4
I used Red Line fuel system cleaner on two different occasions and and never saw a blip in the UOAs. I think you are safe in using it anytime with no impact on the oil.


DITTO
 
My impression is that they state oil change so you have an idea of how often, or more likely so you remember to use their product when you do the changes.

I've been trying to do it before oc and end up too close extending my oci even longer. With extended oci I have considered adding it mid-oci as well.
 
How often do you think is necessary?

I did the treatment, car has gained almost 1mpg in the past 600 tracked miles. I track diligently on fuelly. My driving route and style is pretty much the same everywhere, like a grandpa (I am 33 years old). My overall average is 13.9, but I have a few tanks of 12mpg where I was doing alot of beach driving (fishing) and 4x4 is less fuel efficient. If we were to take those out of the equation, I get 14.2 as an overall average.

mi gal mpg $
26 9/3/13 307.1 20.09 15.3 3.759

25 8/28/13 312.1 21.35 14.6 3.759

24 8/22/13 194.7 13.62 14.3 3.659


I am filling up again tonight....

JC
 
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Simple rule with PEA cleaners.

If vehicle has never had it before and you get an improvement from the first treatment and that improvement continues throughout the tank, then do a second treatment.

The second treatment should get to the maximum it can get to.

If you then use top tier fuel, you may not need to use Techron again.

But, at the specified interval, do use it again and see if there is any improvement. If not, then your combustion chamber and injectors were kept clean by top tier.

I've known of a couple of cases where the vehicle performance and mpg improved dramatically but even after the 2nd or 3rd treatment of Techron, a subsequent through the intake treatment improved things further. The $20 service at Walmart or the home kits like 3Ms are worth trying.
 
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