When to use Techron?

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At what mileage should one start using Techron or similar product? Thinking about the 2.4 Ecotec in my Slingshot that now has nearly 8K miles on it.
 
Do you really need it? It would seem that using quality gas and good driving habits would be more than adequate.

By good driving habits, I mean things like not idling excessively or taking really short trips.
 
I threw some in my terrain (same engine) at 10k just before an oil change. We were going on a road trip and I figured what they hey. Unless you are noticing changes in the MPG or power I wouldn't sweat it. I don't think my tankful of techron made a lick of difference.
 
Use it at any time. If you use it regularly it becomes preventative maintenance. I do agree about quality gas, but in the real world even quality gas can have bad days. I also use it about 2-3 tanks just before an oil change. Usually 1k miles. I also do oil reports and even a double run. Techron fill after another techron fill did not throw off my oil reports.
 
My 01 Escape with 226k starts running a little rough after 3k or so, even though it gets top tier about half the time. A bottle of Techron always helps. I've used it since the 80's, when BMW specifically recommended it.
 
As a couple others have said, I think using Top Tier fuel, especially with such a new engine would limit the need for some extra add-in cleaner.

Is that 2.4 direct injected? I had a 2.4 ecotec in an 03 Chevy, but I'm sure things have changed since then.
 
Originally Posted By: HemiHawk
As a couple others have said, I think using Top Tier fuel, especially with such a new engine would limit the need for some extra add-in cleaner.

Is that 2.4 direct injected? I had a 2.4 ecotec in an 03 Chevy, but I'm sure things have changed since then.


Pretty sure its a throttle body; I know its not DI.
 
If I remember I'll toss a bottle in the gas every 5K miles a tank or two before I change my oil. At 8K miles I'd say it would be good PM.
 
Not a fan of fuel cleaners in frequently used engine. That said, I do like to run a tank of cleaner through after winter storage, as well as using seafoam or stabil as routine in seldom used engines.
 
You could use redline si1.It increases octane,has more PEA cleaners and a friction modifier.One bottle treats 100 gallons so you could do a capful or two occasionally and save some money long term. If your hitting up fuel stations with E 10 then Gumout All in One does what redline si1 does but has ethanol protection but doesnt increase octane. Treats 35 gallons.
 
In Bolivia I use it every 2000 miles in my Grand Cherokee when the pedal dose not respond as it should (85 octane poor gas).

I'm visiting my son (in the US) and his Grand Cherokee was sluggish. before I got to Walmart to buy the Techron his check engine light came on. I put a bottle in and within 100 miles the light was off and the car performing as mine does (both 3.6 from 2012).

I also put it in his wife's Audi Q7 that was hesitating at intersections (13,000 miles) and It has made a huge difference.

For $5 it is cheap insurance.
 
I have a Skyactiv Mazda3. Every few thousand miles I notice a SLIGHT rough spot in the idle at stop lights. I'd say it's about every 3,000-6,000 miles. At that point I'll dump in either a bottle of Techron or Gumout with Regane and it'll smooth right out until the next time. I've noticed the same slight roughness in my GF's Lexus IS250. both are DI engines. My son's 2012 Hyundai Accent - also DI - specifies "fuel additive" as a maintenance item. I wonder if this is characteristic in DI engines.
 
I have a 97 Volvo 960 with 118K miles and over the last few years I started to see the fuel mileage drop off a little more year over year. The car before E10 use to pull 29.25-29.75 mpg and by June of this year I was getting 26.5-26.75 mpg on the highway which I blamed on the E10 gas. I did run the cheapest premium I could find for at least the last decade.

A buddy of mine ran a specialty built duel tank 6 cylinder Dodge Charger for Shell to compare their V-Power plus Nitro against a leading competitor. Each fuel tank ran on its own bank of cylinders. After 5000 miles Shell tore the engine down to compare the cleaning ability of their fuel over the competitor. You can YouTube this test if you want.

Back to me, after talking to my buddy and seeing the results I decided to throw in a bottle Techron and fill up with a tank of Shell V-Power. I took the Volvo out for a Sunday highway drive to see if this would make a difference. The car ran ok before but there was a hesitation and a slight roughness that I thought was normal for a 19 year old car with 118,000 miles. You kind of expect the car not run like it did when it was new. Somewhere between 200 and 250 miles I got my answer, the engine dramatically smoothed out. I really didn't see much of a fuel mileage increase at the time. Two and half tanks of Shell V-Power and a bottle of Techron later, I took a trip in the car. It ran like it was brand new and my fuel mileage had jumped back up to over 29 mpg on the highway.

Needless to say nothing but top tier if I can't find Shell V-Power for this car.
 
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