Best Fuel Injector Cleaners: Complete Buyer’s Guide [2020]

“The list of best fuel injector cleaners below will help you pick the most suitable additive for your vehicle”

I remember the last time I went to the mechanic to have my car’s injector cleaned after my (unsuccessful) attempt to do it on my own. The job was executed by a professional who must have done it hundreds of times and success was guaranteed. As you can see, it went well for my car, but not for me and my wallet. I had to pay through the nose for that well-done job, relinquish with my car for quite some time, and with my financial situation back then, one can hardly say the experience was pleasant.

After that incident, I decided to take the matter into my own hand and learn a bit about car maintenance myself. I don’t claim to be an expert in this field but after countless hours surfing the Internet and several trials and errors to verify what I found, I’m confident that the list of best fuel injector cleaners I’m going to share here will come in handy to those who wish, to some extent, be able to take care of their own vehicles. In this article, I will talk about fuel injection cleaners only, which I think if done right, can save you a ton of your hard-earned money and prolong your car engine’s life.

Top 10 Best fuel injector cleaners on the market

#

Product

Summary

My rating

1

Stanadyne

thorough, safe, and affordable, work well with many types of cars

2

Diesel Kleen

Affordable, work well on biodiesel and many other types

3

Hot Shot’s Secret Diesel Extreme

Effective on the whole fuel system. Don’t work well on high-quality fuel

4

Royal Purple Max-Tane

A thorough solution for the fuel system. Don’t work well in hot weather

5

Lucas Fuel Treatment

Reduce sound and smoke. The least productive product on the list

6

Sea Foam Motor Treatment

User-friendly, work on both diesel and gas engine. Come with a higher price than other products on the list

7

Berryman 0116 B-12 Chemtool Carburetor/Fuel Treatment and Injector Cleaner

User-friendly, work on both diesel and gas engine. Come with a higher price than other products on the list

8

Liqui Moly

Easy applicator, an environmentally-friendly product. Suitable for gasoline only

9

Iso-heet

Built-in antifreeze, work on both gasoline and diesel. Not as effective as other products on the list

10

Lubegard

Cover both diesel and gasoline, stabilizes not only fuel but also other components. Need to be used often

1. Stanadyne

Stanadyne Injector Cleaner

Stanadyne’s history dates back to 1876 and in 1970, it branched out to fuel filters and additives. Now, Stanadyne even provides tailored solutions to its customers.

Features:

  • Offer one tank features. This is a multi-tasking solution, so your car’s system can be cleaned after one use of cleaner. I found it when looking for one quick fix for a number of problems that my car was having.
  • Contain lubricants. Stanadyne can also improve your vehicle’s lubrication, so its effect will last longer.
  • All-season usability. While some other cleaners become less effective on buildups in cold weather, this solution is immune to the impact of temperature.

I highly recommend this product because it works well on my direct diesel injector. It has a similar price with the Lucas (which I will talk about later) but is more concentrated so you generally have a better value for money.

While other products only offer a solution for one or a few particular parts of the system, Stanadyne cleans it all around and boosts your torque, acceleration, and horsepower. It’s tested and proved to be compatible with all engine systems so it will save you a ton of time doing research to find out whether it’s suitable for your system.

Stanadyne also reduces moisture and prevents corrosion by having demulsifiers which help water droplets to come out of suspension. Plus, it is alcohol-free, so you don’t have to worry about it causing corrosion on your components.

Pros:

  • Tested and approved by General Motors, John Deere, Ford, Navistar, and etc
  • Reduces the noise and black smoke
  • Thicker than other products with the same price

Cons:

  • Cannot yield an instant result.

In short, Stanadyne is a thorough, safe, and affordable solution that can work well with many types of cars.

2. Power service Diesel Kleen

Power Service Cetane Boost Diesel Kleen Fuel Additive

With a humble beginning in a small, one-car garage back in 1956, 20 years later, its product appeared coast-to-coast and became nation’s bestseller in 1981. Until now, Power Service is one of the leading manufacturers of diesel fuel additives.

Features:

  • The highlight of this cleaner is that it can work well on all engines. From my own first-time experience, I had a quite good impression as it was still effective even on my latest car having a fuel system of high pressure.
  • The engine is relatively smooth, quieter than before as it has done a great job on reducing the noise. I seemingly heard no sound from the engine. It can capacitate faster cold starts as well.
  • The superb news is that the amount of fuel consumed will be cut down and my car will perform much more efficient.
  • Perhaps I will have no need to be afraid about the components of the engine. The lubrication is taking responsibility for protecting them.
  • It is not only effective on all engines but also fits for all types of fuel, even with a bio one.
  • It is doing quite well on protecting cars’ fuel system and increasing the life of my car. Almost my friends who are using it all admit this amazing feature.
  • Once I tried on my wife’s car with an exhaust system, almost all of the black smoke is surprisingly removed and combustion is also enhanced effectively.

The advertisement seems to not exaggerate their feature as I was quite satisfied with what it performed. Cannot say the black smoke is completely eliminated but much more effective than many other brands.

The engine also runs smoother than much before, starts better, and is less noisy for sure.  It deserves to earn a high place in the list of best fuel injector cleaners.

Pros:

  • It may be one-of-the-kind as the very little number of injector cleaners can be efficient for biodiesel.
  • Address the problems of finance. It’s quite more affordable with competitors.
  • Get rid of the black smoke.
  •  The fuel system is kept safe.

Cons:

  • It seemingly doesn’t work well on truck engines.
  • Exist many drawbacks with latest versions.

Frankly speaking, if you are not a truck driver or don’t need to follow the latest trend, Diesel Kleen fits your need well.

3. Hot Shot’s Secret Diesel Extreme

Hot Shot’s Secret Diesel Extreme

Launched in 2005, the company was formerly aimed to resolve the problems related to injectors. It now concentrates on handling the issues with oil, fuel and diesel transmission systems.

Features:

  • Diesel Extreme is one of the very few cleaners that eliminate water from the fuel. This feature seems to do a good job in my country where this issue is a common problem.
  • Another plus that I really appreciate this brand is the whole fuel system will be protected from corrosion and deposits.
  • Apart from the fuel injector, it can also make clean fuel pump and other components of the car.
  • Cetane will be enhanced and the fuel stays stable as well.
  • All components of the fuel system will be more durable as they are also lubricated
  • I can see the clear difference in my truck when I started using Diesel Extreme and made up my mind to stay with this brand.  The truck is now running great with quicker response. I recommend this stuff to anyone going in a search of a trust-worthy brand.
  • Many people claim that it is not an absolute reasonable product though you will get what you pay for.  However, I surely think that it will be not too pricey as you only use it every 6000 miles.

Pros:

  • Diesel Extreme can treat 150 gallons of fuel.
  • Boost horsepower
  • Very few cleaners can remove water from the fuel.
  • Save the amount of fuel consumed
  • Protect other components in the fuel system.
  • 6 months is highly recommended to reuse.

Cons:

  • Don’t fit well with cars consuming high-quality types of fuel.
  • Cannot be preventive like other products.

Your truck seems to be alive again once you use Diesel Extreme. It is well worth the money and recognized by a lot of users.

4. Royal Purple Max-Tane

Royal Purple Max-Tane

Royal Purple was established by John William and famed for an industrial lubricants company. Today, the company is widely known as one of the leading lubricants suppliers on the market and their competitors are largest oil companies.

Features:

  • Faster cold start and performing well even in any degree of temperature are some of the features amazed me a lot.
  • The whole fuel system, pistons, valves and combustion chambers are all cleaned by this stuff.
  • It can save the fuel consumption by cutting down this amount of up to 10%
  • Get rid of the odor and black smoke. This feature went truly beyond my expectation.
  • The engine seems to be more durable because of the feature of protecting the fuel system.
  • Another plus is that this stuff can work well with any type of diesel fuels, even with biodiesel and ULSD. It’s quite amazing as rare cleaners that can be used with biodiesel.
  • Even your car is an old-fashioned or latest version, this cleaner will be both effective.
  • Boasts of being one of the best diesel injector cleaners on the recent market.

After a period of using this stuff, I noticed that cold starts were much easier and it has no white smoke anymore.  My truck also seems to run 10 times smoother.  All in all, it seemingly fits the engine well by running much quieter and smoother.

Pros:

  • The usage of fuel is effectively reduced by 10 % ( an amazing static)
  • Both diesel and biodiesel fuels can use.
  • The whole fuel system will be protected.
  • The engine is also made clean, aside from the fuel system.
  • Come with an affordable price.
  • The lubrication of the fuel system is enhanced.

Cons:

  • It doesn’t perform well in the region featuring a high temperature.
  • Few people know this brand.

Royal Purple Max-Tane deserves to earn a place in the list of best fuel injector cleaner for diesel engines with highlighted feature and a reasonable price.

5. Lucas Fuel Treatment

Lucas Fuel Treatment

Features:

  • The power of the engine will be improved surprisingly.
  • The fuel consumption is much lessened.
  • Strengthen the protection of not only the fuel system but also other components of valves, pistons, and combustion chambers.
  • The duration of fuel pumps and injectors will be extended. It is quite a piece of good news in my own perspective.
  • It also fits for out-of-date cars not having present-day fuel injectors. I think this type of cleaner is doing so well on promoting itself as a friendly brand with all types of car.
  • Completely remove the low sulfur problems.
  • 400 gallons of fuel can be fit in only one bottle. It’s definitely the highlight of this brand.

I noticed that my car performed much better than before and it makes driving even more enjoyable. I used it in all cars of my families as I could see the difference in the performance of the engines right away.

My car experiences less engine drag with smoother running, faster acceleration. Highly recommend for those who are confused which brand for their cars using both diesel and gasoline engines.

Pros:

  • First and foremost advantage will be the capability of treating up to 400 gallons.
  • Sound reduced effectively and eliminate the smoke quite well.
  • Good performance on protecting the engine and fuel system.
  • Let out of the worry of cars featuring big engines.

Cons:

  • Less productive in the comparison with other cleaners above.

The engine will run smoother, start easier, and not experience as much engine drag anymore. It is well worth it.

6. Sea Foam Motor Treatment

Sea Foam Motor Treatment-min

The very first purpose of Sea Foam was to focus on the outboard motor and marine market dating back to 1930s. The company is now keeping doing a great job ofcreating more new innovative products to serve customers.

Features:

  • This cleaner can make clean not only injectors but also carb jets as well as passageways.
  • Intake valves, pistons, and cylinders can be cleaned and lubricated.
  • This stuff will dissolve and varnish fuel residues quickly.
  • Deposits in crankcase oil will be dissolved easily.
  • Timing chain tensioners, VVT actuators, and lifters will be made clean and dissolved deposits.
  • It plays a role in helping fuel resist both gas and diesel fuels.
  • The moisture in fuel will be in control. That’s why I always have a free-worry feeling while using this stuff.
  • A highlight among the list of its features is that manufacturer adds lubricity and corrosion protection.

Even though this stuff is relatively expensive though it is worth the expense. Rare engine additive brands I have ever tried that I can say that I saw a big difference after using it.

Another plus is that this product helps me a lot in unsticking the float in the carburetor. That’s why I still recommend The Sea Foam for people around me as it saved me a ton of not only money but also hassle even its price is higher than the average.

Pros:

  • It’s not too challenging to use. Users can use it themselves easily.
  • Users have more chances in choosing sizes as they are quite diverse.
  • Performing relatively effectively against build-ups.
  • Even with the old cars with exhaust engines, it still works well.
  • Earn the first place on the list of the bestseller – people trust it.
  • It can work either gas and diesel engines.

Cons:

  • Don’t expect it can fix all problems atany time.
  • It’s not an affordable product in the comparison with other similar products.

The engines run smother for sure. I think it deserves to become the ultimate choice for any driver.

7. Berryman 0116 B-12 Chemtool Carburetor/Fuel Treatment and Injector Cleaner

Berryman 0116 B-12 Chemtool Carburetor Fuel Treatment and Injector Cleaner

History:

The berryman company’s history dates back all the way to the 1918. In 1954, Chem-Dip® Carburetor and Parts Cleaner was launched and since then has been a leading parts cleaner on the market. It focus on personal service and environmental responsibility.

Features:

  • Compatible with gas engine only.
  • Can disper moisture.

This product from Berryman has an edge in the reasonable price. If you don’t have a deep pocket but still want a thorough solution for the engine, the Berryman 0116 B-12 Chemtool Carburetor/Fuel Treatment and Injector Cleaner might be your best choice. This solution can disperse moisture but you have to be careful when using it becase it’s poisonous.

Pros:

  • Can be used on the whole fuel system.
  • Reduce the operating cost
  • Have a reasonable price

Cons:

  • Highly flammable
  • Cannot work with diesel engine

If your car owns gasoline engines and fancy a cheap solution, this product is for you.

8. Liqui Moly

Liqui Moly

Liqui Moly was established in Ulm dating back in the second half of 20th century, more specifically in 1957. Today, the company becomes a far-reaching firm on the market.

Features:

  • This stuff is produced for serving gasoline engines only and the manufacturer promises to prevent creating problems, hesitation and stalling.
  • It performs quite well on protecting the engines from deposits from reforming.
  • Even you are a full-time driver or just using the car for commuting only, the product can enhance the overall performance, comprising of both drivability and acceleration. From my point of view, it’s much better to those who drive competitively.
  • Users will gain a sense of convenience due to its handy applicator. It can add to the tank easily, all you need to is just to top it up.

This product honestly went beyond my expectation as I used to not expect much after many times of disappointment due to my last cleaners’ performance. However, I noticed a huge difference when using this stuff. Especially, one plus making me completely satisfied is that I don’t need to worry about whether it will weaken the seals or not.

I entirely switched to use Liqui Moly recently for my old cars as it did a good job onbringing all the power seems to lose almost 3 years ago.

Pros:

  • Come in handy with an easy applicator.
  • All types of vehicles having catalytic converters are extremely suited.
  • An environmentally-friendly product when cutting down fuel consumption and emission as well.

Cons:

  • Having a humble bottle size
  • Users need to use this stuff quite more often than others.
  • Exist together only with gasoline engines.

Your vehicle uses gasoline engines,Liqui Moly is definitely your perfect choice.

9. Iso-heet

Iso-heet

In the year of 1932, Gold Eagle was founded at 3860 N Cicero. After more than 8 amazing decades, the company is now a big name on the market having millions of users on the whole world.

Features:

  • Boasts of being an antifreeze and a water remover.  I think this feature is quite exceptional on the market and makes the brand stand out.
  • Can be a versatile and appealing choice in the eyes of many motorists as It can work well in 2 and 4 cycle gas and diesel engines.
  • This stuff can help users prevent corrosion as well as rust thanks to rid the fuel of water.

Use it once a month in my car, this stuff did not disappoint me at all. What I got is more than I expected, I had no frozen gas line and the water in the tank was removed completely.

I will definitely continue to use this product in the future as it works quite great.

Pros:

  • Not many brands can have products with built-in antifreeze.
  • Assist users effectively on letting out of water from the system.
  • Perform well on preventing the harm from rust and corrosion.
  • Can work with both gasoline and diesel engines.

Cons:

  • If you use repeatedly, it will be costly.
  • Worse performance compared with other products.

This is the best solution for your vehicle, indeed when winter comes. It performed exactly what I need.

10. Lubegard

Lubegard

Features:

  • It can work well with any kind of engines, including both gasoline and diesel.
  • It will have the best performance when going with the new direct injection gasoline fuel system. Perhaps it will be good news to those who are using latest version due to this feature.
  • Have an exceptional PEA ( proprietary polyether amine) detergent technology. It will a highlight for this brand as it’s the most effective chemistry making this stuff can outperform with other competitors.
  • The fuel is stabilized, this feature will be more productive during storage.

This stuff seems to fit my cars so well as it had a great impact and proved itself as a relatively good value. The fuel economy was reduced significantly to an average.

I will recommend this product to any ask me which one can be in the top best fuel injector cleaners. Due to the fact that regardless of its drawbacks, it totally should be on that list.

Pros:

  • It can be effective with any vehicle, comprising of both diesel and gasoline.
  • It benefits from vehicles in storage.
  • Stabilizes not only fuel but also other components such as cleaning and lubricating.

Cons:

  • Users need to use it often to get the best results.
  • In the comparison with other competitors, it’s an extremely unproven formula.

General speaking, I had a quite good experience with this stuff as it didn’t make me disappointed. My fuel system was cleaner and I would say that it is really excellent for fuel system’s maintenance.


How does fuel injector cleaner work

Despite what you may think, the gasoline you regularly bump into your care isn’t pure, it is filled with additives that can form a thick layer of deposit after some chemical reactions. To put it simple, imagine a campfire. The wood you put in is turned into fire, smoke, and coal. This is what happens inside your car engine. As gasoline produces energy (fire) and gas byproduct (smoke), it leaves behind some unwanted solid deposits inside your engine and fuel lines. Basically, fuel injector cleaner is blended into your gasoline; dissolve any buildup in the injector and fuel lines. The solvents are then burnt away in the combustion process. 

There are three main components of any fuel injector cleaners; each has its own functions and best use case scenario. I recommend paying attention to them so that you know which cleaner to use for your car:

Polyisobutylene

This compound is more commonly appear under the name PIBand can be used in both diesel and gasoline fuel injector cleaner. It clears away buildup in your car’s injectors and fuel lines. Research has shown that PIB can reduce the chances of engine knock and misfiring.PIB can also be found in some gas treatment, which is added to the tank before filling up to improve the quality of fuel. It rids your fuel of harmful chemicals such as carbon deposits and water.

Polyisobutylene Amine

Known as PIBA, this agent is somewhat similar to PIB. One difference is that it is more effective in removing moisture. It doesn’t show much effectiveness in cleaning the combustion chamber so don’t count on it to clear away long-term buildup or sediment deposits.

Polyether Amine

It is more commonly labeled as PEA, this compound is the strongest cleaning agent available on the market and appears in most leading fuel injection cleaner brands. It can clean up more parts than PIBA and PIB. PEA also proves itself to be the safest and most neutral solution to enhance both the balance of fuel and the car’s performance.

Should I Use Fuel Injector Cleaner?

I asked the same question when I first got myself familiar with fuel injector cleaner. Is it necessary for car maintenance or just a vehicular snake oil? But this guy had convinced me to give it a go. He is Duane C. Richardson, technical service engineer of 3M’s automotive aftermarket division. He warned anyone who makes a lot of short trips in cold weather, the kind of condition that candouble the problem of carbon deposit buildup.

Here I answer the question of whether you should use fuel injector cleanerby showing you what will happen if you don’t.

Engine misfire: an incomplete combustion event can be caused by a poor mixture of fuel and air. This can lead to the cylinder to miss a stroke and then an immediate loss of power. This can come to the point that you can notice the engine shows a jerking action.

  • Rough engine idle: If the injector just starts to clog, you will feel a rough engine idle but the vehicle will still run normally under acceleration. However, if you leave it that way up until the point that it is completely clogged, it will create engine misfire all the time.
  • Increase or reduce injector pulse width: Your vehicle is designed to run with a certain injector pulse width according to an array of factors. When the fuel flow is restricted (or blocked), the engine controller will open the injector longer than usual, you may notice this by a fuel smell coming from the engine compartment. Sometimes the buildup can prevent the injector pintlefrom shutting down completely causing a fuel leak.
  • Poor fuel economy: If the injector fails to provide enough fuel, the ECU will compensate by over-fueling, which will harm your wallet.
  • Your vehicle won’t start easily: A leaky injector can cause a drop infuel pressure in the fuel rail and make your vehicle hard to start or won’t start at all.

I have conversed with a number of other drivers who notice these symptoms in their vehicles but most of them assume that their cars stagnate and consume more fuel because they’re getting old. A clogged fuel injector is the last thing they think of.  But don’t get me wrong, I don’t imply here that fuel buildup and impurities are the main culpritfor the aforementioned problems. There are other variables in play. So keeping up on preventative maintenance itemsto ensure your car operates as it should.

What is the best fuel injector cleaner?

It goes without saying that one size doesn’t fit all and one fuel injector cleaner cannot be compatible with every vehicle. I have learned in the hard way that it is not about the most expensive one, but it is more about the most suitable one for certain vehicle. Here I will show you what to do to land the best cleaner for your car, from my own experience:

  • Pay attention to the temperature of where you will operate the vehicle

Irrelevant as this may sound, the temperature plays a huge part in determining what type of fuel injector to choose. Some detergents can withstand either high or low temperature and some can work well in both. Think of where you will drive your car the most and pick the suitable cleaner. In this way, you won’t waste your money on something you don’t need.

  • What type of fuel your vehicle runs on

There are fuel injector cleaners that are designed to work with some specific type of vehicle, which you should pay attention to. When shopping for cleaners, find out about each detergent is compatible withwhich type of vehicle. Depending on whether your vehicle runs on gasoline or diesel, pick the right cleaner because the wrong one cannot generate the best result. If you make the right decision, your vehicle will response by giving you better performance and better fuel economy, which you can feel after a few days of applying the cleaners.

  • What your engine components are

Port fuel injectorsprays fuel at each intake port rather than the central throttle-body. When deposit forms on this component, it can obstructthe spray and cause large droplets which are hard to combust. With direct fuel injection system, the port is exposed to a huge amount of heat, which can bake the deposit onto fuel system components. When this happens, you will need a stronger detergent. Know exactly your engine components and pick the most suitable product that yields the best result for your car.

  • Know what formula you need

Some of the information on the product’s label can be straightforwardbut some are not so much. If the label states that the solution should be added along with every fill-up, it is generally weaker than those with a longer interval between applications.

Fuel injector cleaner’s functions aren’t limited to clearing away deposits. They may contain lubricants and friction modifier to improve your vehicle’s general health. A thorough understanding of formulas, cleansing power, and the treatment rate will help you get the most out of what you pay for the cleaner.

  • Pay attention to the chemical components

There are certain cleaner brands nowadays that have a very high percentage of other additives, instead of the three cleaning agents. I recommend opting for the one that contains one of these compounds. Before buying a fuel injector cleaner, make sure that these 3 agents are in there:

Polyisobutylene Amine (PIBA) - Polyisobutene (PIB) - Polyether Amine(PEA)

Alternatives to Using Additives to Clean Your Fuel Injectors

There are some fuel injector cleaner alternatives, but some of them are quite inconvenient and should be required only when your fuel system is heavily affected by buildup and blockages. It can remove completely the dusk and clean your car injector by using solvents that are forced through at high pressure. The process is cannot be achieved at home and you will need a specialist to deal with your injector, or you can take the car into an auto shop to have the work done. It is obvious that you need a proper production line to ensure that your car injector is clean and well performing! Depending on how many cylinders your vehicle has, this work could become relatively expensive. There’s a fuel injector for every cylinder on your engine, and if your engine is particularly difficult to work on, then you will also face increased labor costs to have the work completed.

1. Fuel injector cleaner vs Premium fuel:

The first and foremost alternative for the best fuel injector cleaner must be the greater fuel efficiency, which help to reduce component wear and improve reliability. To this end, the oil companies have been introducing additives designed to eliminate the minority of unwanted deposits that build up in your engine over time, extend the life circle and maintain an effective performance. The tech behind may be highly sophisticated but the principle is simple to understand: the newer is better!

Firstly, take the recommendation for you (specific) vehicle from your manufacturer. They are the one who know what is best fit for your car and these can be found easily and fully on your vehicle handbook or available online. Secondly, check on your car, if it is relatively new, you can improve your engine life with the premium fuel. Higher octane fuels are also suitable in case you are using higher compression engines. Again, check up with your manufacturer specs if you are not sure about your car’s information.  In case that you are running an older car, a regular and non-premium fuel is likely a better choice. You will gain no additional benefit from running premium fuel or a higher octane, and whatever deposits have built up over the past couple decades won’t be remedied by fuel additives. Your car’s fuel system and engine is full of cavities and delivery lines that are prone to build-up of carbon and other deposits. As these deposits build up over time and use, your engine has to work harder to maintain performance and its many components become increasingly susceptible to premature wear. And, if you are owning a relatively modern car, here are the key benefit you will take from using premium fuel:

  • Building up carbon

Carbon build-up extracted from a modern Audi engine after only 60,000kms. Think about the arteries in your body and valves in your heart and what they going to clog up when you are in serious trouble. The car’s engine works exactly the same. That is also the reason why many car’s producers invest a lot on researching and producing fuel that is specially tailored to eliminated these deposits and prevent further build-up.

Here is the image for an intake valve with a pretty typical amount of carbon build-up with a conventional electronic fuel injection:

Figure 1- a pretty typical amount of carbon build-up with a conventional electronic fuel injection

Figure 1: a pretty typical amount of carbon build-up with a conventional electronic fuel injection

If choosing the right fuel, the dust overnight on your car’s system won’t look that bad! Given that reliability is the key factor for considering a relatively new car which is sticking to a premium fuel.

  • Clean car’s fuel injector

It is obvious that a cleaner fuel injector will function better than a dirty one. The unimpeded fuel will deliver through the injector, which means that a cleaner one will run your car smoother and longer! 

Figure 2: a cleaner one will run your car smoother and longer

Figure 2: a cleaner one will run your car smoother and longer

So the next time you’re filling up, debating whether there’s any point in shelling out the extra few dollars to run premium fuel, consider what’s best for your vehicle, not your wallet. Engine repairs are far more expensive than the cost of picking up the premium pump.

2. Fuel injector cleaner vs Carb cleaner

As mentioned above, a dirty fuel injector is a bit off, however, what the “dirty” things come from? The answer is a build-up of fuel varnish deposits. When the fuel isn’t properly flowing, with just a little amount, it will cause misfire, hesitate or stall for your vehicle. Ethanol in gasoline can also lead to developing deposits and clogged fuel systems.

Figure 3: Ethanol in gasoline can also lead to developing deposits and clogged fuel systems.

Figure 3: Ethanol in gasoline can also lead to developing deposits and clogged fuel systems.

Despite of being highly debated among car enthusiasts as to which offers the best performance, fuel Injectors and Carburetors work relatively the same. Indeed, fuel injectors do just nothing more than a spray nozzle in the intake manifold while a carburetor sits on top of the manifold and uses jets that meter gas into the intake manifold. However, regarding to its drivability and easy starts though, fuel injection seems to be preferable.

And the problems occur when the system is stuck in build-up of deposits, caused by a small jet. For that reason, a fine cone-shaped mist of fuel vapor is necessary. Paying for a quality gasoline brand with the proper octane rating (effect your vehicle performance) and using quality fuel additives are the best ways to avoid these build-up! Some recommendations for you are 104+ Octane Boost® and STA-BIL® Ethanol Treatment.

Those are concentrated cleaner, which is accumulated varnish deposits if they are added with proper fuel and pass through the injector or carburetor to loosen wash. They burn out deposits in engine combustion and result in idle smoothness, emissions and fuel economy. Therefore, both fuel injector cleaner or carburetor cleaner products are safe to use every time you fill your gas – especially if you use a lower octane fuel.  Use of these cleaners is highly recommended if your vehicle feels sluggish or less responsive.

3. Techron fuel system cleanervs injector cleaner

Let’s look in further detail at Techron Fuel Injector & Fuel System Cleaners respectively. Obviously, the packaging and marketing literature did introduce the techron fuel injector as an injector lines directly, as what the injector cleaner does. Both additive are highly flammable and heavily solvent based. Basically, the solvents aren’t dissolving carbon deposits but they readily evaporated and combust.  As a liquid and vapour, they all ignite!

Figure 4: Techron fuel system cleaner

Figure 4: Techron fuel system cleaner

Specifically, techron fuel injector Cleaner is formulated and added with a full fuel tank, in order to keep fuel injectors free of carbon deposits. The cleaning and corrosion inhibiting properties aren’t listed as same as fuel system cleaners and it might not include the inclusion of a friction modifier or lubricity additive. Based on the differences in listed chemical components, the injector cleaner and the techron fuel system cleaner are different products. The second product appears to have a higher concentration of cleaning detergents or solvents, while the first one is primarily made from petroleum fractions. it is abundantly clear and contain a large number of toxic & carcinogenic chemicals that you do not want to ingest or contaminate food with accidentally! It acts like a preventative to clean carbon deposit forming as well as other minor formations. And you can choose to drop in some fuel treatment, especially on direct injection engines with emission control systems. Here are two options for you:

  • If your vehicle isn’t suffering too much from the effects of carbon build-ups and you intend to clean the whole fuel system, including the injectors, use the fuel system cleaner regularly.
  • If your vehicle is smoking heavily, is slow to pick up when accelerating and you’ve noticed a drop in fuel economy, then try the injector cleaner first. It may take several applications to clear out stubborn debris. Allowing the sufficient product time to work is vital. It could take several attempts to restore performance.

FAQs

Now that you know what the best injector cleanersis, and have a few suggestions for products on the market, it’s time to answer some questions of how to use the products, including how much fuel injector cleaner to use, and how often to use fuel injector cleaner.

1. How much fuel injector cleaner to use?

Based on different manufacturers, the usage amount for each car is also different. But they are all depends on their manufacturer design. So, the advice is follow exactly what your car instructors told! It is critical that you check the size of fuel tank on your vehicle (search online or ask your dealer), and follow the mix instructions for any cleaner that you purchase.

Figure 5: How much fuel injector cleaner to use

Figure 5: How much fuel injector cleaner to use

2. What does it contain? 

Again, it depends on the manufacturers formulas. However, there are three main chemical components that are used for producing the best fuel injector cleaners that are available on the market.

  • Polyisobutylene: it is common used in both diesel fuel injector cleaner and gasoline varieties, under the label of PIB. It works as detergent, removing sediment and buildup in the injectors and fuel lines.
  • Polyether Amine: labeled as PEA, which is highly effective in cleaning solidified deposits in restrict injector flow or partially block fuel lines. It effectively breaks the bonds of solid deposits on a molecular level and turns the deposits into harmless ejection and then passes all through the combustion chamber. Another advantage of component is that it is absolutely no residue left in the fuel lines, injectors, or within the engine.
  • Polyisobutylene Amine: labeled as PIBA, which is similar to PIB, but more effective in removing moisture. However, its weakness is the ineffectiveness in cleaning the combustion chamber. Therefore, it is mostly used as a maintenance product.

3. What steps to follow?

Actually, using fuel line cleaning products is surprisingly easy! Just follow three simple steps, you can easily treat your car and keep you fuel lines cleans. However, it is the best choice to do it in gas station so that you can immediately fill your tank after adding the cleaner:

  • Ensure your vehicle is nearly empty.

Then read carefully instruction of your chosen fuel cleaner and add the correct amount of fluid for your gas tank capacity.

  • Empty the fuel filler on your car, and top up with your regular fuel.

The reason why you have to wait till your tank is nearly empty is so that you can achieve a good mixture of fuel and cleaner! It may be some additional steps for some cleaning products, such as idling your vehicle for a certain period of time before driving as normal, so always read the instruction first. However, for general maintenance, you just need to ensure the majority of fuel cleaning products that are out there.

  • Using the best fuel injector cleaner if you are intending to store your car for long periods.

Indeed, fuel can cause some problems in your injectors while your car is running or is not being used. Therefore, if you are going to store your car for long periods of time, that might be a risk of sediment building up and leads to problems when you restart the car.

To avoid it, following the fuel injector cleaner instructions on a special bottle of storage cleaner. Some products are designed to be added to vehicle that will be not in use for more than 30 days. It keeps fuel fresh for up to 2 years and guarantee to work with all gasoline blends. But this type of cleaner are potentially needed to perform in a long period of time, so that it is important to ensure that the vehicle is idled for at least 30 minutes when restarting. It gives the product preparing time to run through all the lines, injectors and combustion chamber, and allow a through clean that will prevent any damage or parts failures after long periods of storage. It is critical to use the right kind of additive in ensuring the maintenance efficiently from long term damage caused by dirty fuel, especially if you are only use car occasionally in year such as “weekend” or “seasonal trips”.

Conclusion

After all, finding the best fuel Injector cleaner for your car is an essential, but simple aspect of vehicle maintenance. You now know the critical role of injector in keeping your engine running smoothly and effectively.

To sum up, if you just want to remove sediment and solidified buildups, the best choice for you is regular fuel injector cleaning.

Just always keep in mind that you shop based on your needs.

If your fuels have been neglected for an extended period of time, you shop a heavy duty PEA based cleaner.

If you are just simply looking to maintain your fuel system, then go for a PIB or PIBA based cleaner which providing you an adequate cleaning at regular mileage intervals.

The last advice is ensuring the right cleaner for the type of fuel that your vehicle runs on (based on your car manufacturer instructions). And when you are confident with how to use fuel injector cleaner, then you can ensure the efficiency of the fuel with fewer breakdowns and better lifetime for your car!

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