You certainly have to be careful using cheap fuel/injector cleaners, as they can be very aggressive and cause serious problems with original injectors in older cars. There are high-mileage versions available that cost more (like Slick 50), and are usually safe - check with a local reputable auto parts store.
Testimonial: "Thank you, good idea!"
I use Marvel Mystery oil. I will never put a cleaning agent that contains solvents.
Testimonial: "Never heard of it, will ask person at parts store, thanks!"
Regular maintenance and servicing is the only real way to keep engine in good condition...fresh decent quality oil .and a good fuel (get it from a station that many people fill up. usually means less sediments and water in the fuel) will clean the important parts for you in normal running.. additives "fix" the symptoms. not the problems (they often cause new problems or make old ones worse over time) replace the filters, fluid and spark plugs at the cars specified intervals and you have done way more good than any additive will do for your engine
good point, don't want to make anything worse. Thanks!
Here's a few additional comments. Routine regular maintenance is of course essential to keep a car running in good working order, and that includes ALL moving parts (not just the engine). However, fuel systems present specific problems, and you cannot avoid water in the tank due to condensation. Gasolines from the major oil companies all contain additives that help keep the system clean and water free, but it can be hard to resist cheap gas which doesn't. Also, a lot of folks run cars with 1/4 tank or less fuel and that can be really bad. I assume you have a reason to clean the fuel system, but if your car is not experiencing any symptoms (like poor mileage, hesitation on acceleration, misfiring, etc.), you should probably leave well enough alone. Otherwise, your car may also need a tune-up.
@EdCarCal yes. all true. however in my opinion if the fuel system is clogged to the point of modest symptoms appearing a proper servicing and cleaning will outweigh the potential harm many of the cheapo (and quite a few of the expensive ones too) fuel system cleaner additives have on a car.
some of them start dissolving gaskets and even start attacking certain alloys. many may even make the clog worse by releasing the rust and other buildup in pipes and carry it to the injectors. so as i said.. better to stick to scheduled services with decent oil changes. and good fuel from a place that sell a modest to large volume of fuel because they will usually have fresher fuel with a relatively mild "everyday" additives and less contaminants than a small outback station that trade small amounts but get the cheap fuel to stay competitive.
throwing a can of fuel system cleaner into the tank is more like using a shovel to swat a fly. sure you may get the fly.. but you will probably end up doing more damage than you like
I didn't intend to start a debate about this, but I disagree strongly with your last comment about injector cleaners. While what you say is true for the most part (particularly if an owner suddenly decides after high mileage to start using it excessively), it can help, particularly removing varnish and clogging if you do happen to get a tank of "bad gas". The biggest problem I see with these is overuse, which will certainly lead to a big repair bill. Try it once and if that doesn't fix the problem, stop and have the system cleaned.
Several years ago Shell had a problem at one of their refineries and distributed gas that was clogging injectors. After consulting their research department, they recommended customers use an injector cleaner (specified the type) to clear the problem, which did the job. They also suggested that it is virtually impossible to keep minor amounts of contaminants out of gasoline (from ANY source), so a periodic but very infrequent use of a quality cleaner is OK. So, as is usual with most questions we encounter here, depends, depends, depends.
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