# Recommend a good fuel injector cleaner
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-fuel-injector-cleaner/700901
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [October 9, 2014, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-fuel-injector-cleaner/700901 "2014-10-09T21:24:51Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2014, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-fuel-injector-cleaner/700901/1 "2014-10-09T21:24:51Z")
1988 Ford F250 with a 7.5l EFI V8. I’ll spare everyone the backstory, but can anybody recommend a fuel injector cleaner that they have used and seems to work?
Looking for “dump it in the tank” and drive kind of stuff. Any other “Tune-up in a Can” stuff that works that deserves a Shout-Out is welcome, too.
Thanks, Car Dopers!
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### Author:  [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2014, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-fuel-injector-cleaner/700901/2 "2014-10-09T22:01:25Z")
The Car Guys (the ones on NPR, that is) seem to recommend Techron by Chevron more than any other brand name.
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### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2014, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-fuel-injector-cleaner/700901/3 "2014-10-09T22:33:57Z")
Could they be sponsors? 😃
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### Author:  [@babygoat666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/babygoat666)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2014, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-fuel-injector-cleaner/700901/4 "2014-10-09T22:43:14Z")
My dad swears by Justice Brothers, for what it’s worth.
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### Author:  [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2014, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-fuel-injector-cleaner/700901/5 "2014-10-09T22:48:43Z")
**Moderator Action**
Since this is basically an informal poll of user’s experience, it is better suited to IMHO.
Moving thread from General Questions to In My Humble Opinion.
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### Author:  [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2014, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-fuel-injector-cleaner/700901/6 "2014-10-09T22:50:10Z")
I’m just an idiot back yard mechanic, but I also recommend Techron, mostly because guys I trust that are smarter than me recommend it.
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### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2014, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-fuel-injector-cleaner/700901/7 "2014-10-09T23:36:13Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#):
>
> I’m just an idiot back yard mechanic…
I’m \*nothing \*like you.
I work in the _front_ yard. 😉
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### Author:  [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2014, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-fuel-injector-cleaner/700901/8 "2014-10-09T23:47:06Z")
I’ve used Seafoam on carbureted vehicles to seemingly good effect, but I’ve never really found anything to work with fuel injected engines. Either the problem fixes itself with a couple tanks of fresh gas (leading to a placebo effect for whichever stuff you poured in with it) or it requires mechanical correction.
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### Author:  [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2014, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-fuel-injector-cleaner/700901/9 "2014-10-10T00:06:59Z")
clean fresh gas from a reputable brand should have enough detergents in it to keep injectors clean. if it can’t, then nothing you can dump into the tank will help.
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### Author:  [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2014, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-fuel-injector-cleaner/700901/10 "2014-10-10T00:44:00Z")
Seafoam. Have you replaced the fuel filter recently? I tried various OTC products but after I did that my old car worked fine.
Lucas makes fuel system cleaner. I haven’t tried it, but I’ve had good luck with other Lucas products.
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### Author:  [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2014, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-fuel-injector-cleaner/700901/11 "2014-10-10T00:51:09Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#):
>
> Seafoam. Have you replaced the fuel filter recently? I tried various OTC products but after I did that my old car worked fine.
>
> Lucas makes fuel system cleaner. I haven’t tried it, but I’ve had good luck with other Lucas products.
seafoam is naphtha (paint thinner,) isopropyl alcohol, and a light oil. There’s nothing magic about it. Plain detergent gasoline is a better “cleaner” than seafoam.
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### Author:  [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2014, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-fuel-injector-cleaner/700901/12 "2014-10-10T02:49:37Z")
From what I can gather, you want one of two things: Chevron Techron concentrate, or Gumout Regane fuel system cleaner.
Their primary active ingredients are something called polyether amines, and they apparently really do a good job of cleaning out injector and combustion chamber deposits.
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### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2014, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-fuel-injector-cleaner/700901/13 "2014-10-10T03:19:38Z")
> [@bump](#):
>
> … and they apparently really do a good job of cleaning out injector and combustion chamber deposits.
Nailed it. I drove a long time at very low speed and heavy load. Truck died in the driveway. Next day, wouldn’t start.
Cleaned plugs, very dirty. Got it running again, but it smokes a little now.
I’ll try that Chevron stuff. Hell, they sponsor USC Football. I guess I owe them.
Thanks everybody!
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### Author:  [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2014, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-fuel-injector-cleaner/700901/14 "2014-10-10T03:25:32Z")
If you do suspect it’s combustion chamber deposits, any true shade tree mechanic would use Seafoam poured directly into the intake stream. I’m somewhat skeptical that it actually does as great a job scrubbing deposits as the car enthusiast forums of the world would have us believe, but it’s quite satisfying to at least _imagine_ the resulting huge cloud of smoke is all those deposits flying out the tailpipe!
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### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2014, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-fuel-injector-cleaner/700901/15 "2014-10-10T05:01:06Z")
> [@GreasyJack](#):
>
> … use Seafoam poured directly into the intake stream.
Hell, I’m game! Describe the process and where do I pour? You’ve always given me good advice. Let’s rock this thing!
EDIT: Remember, this is an EFI rig, so no pouring down the mouth of the carb.
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### Author:  [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2014, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-fuel-injector-cleaner/700901/16 "2014-10-10T05:07:52Z")
> [@GreasyJack](#):
>
> If you do suspect it’s combustion chamber deposits, any true shade tree mechanic would use Seafoam poured directly into the intake stream. I’m somewhat skeptical that it actually does as great a job scrubbing deposits as the car enthusiast forums of the world would have us believe, but it’s quite satisfying to at least _imagine_ the resulting huge cloud of smoke is all those deposits flying out the tailpipe!
They usually add it slowly into the brake booster vacuum line until the car stalls, let it sit for awhile then start the car back up. Creates a huge cloud of smoke.
All you ever wanted to know about how to Seafoam your car:
> **[How To Seafoam Your Car - LS1TECH - Camaro and Firebird Forum Discussion](https://ls1tech.com/forums/general-maintenance-repairs/534376-how-seafoam-your-car.html)**
>
> General Maintenance & Repairs - How To Seafoam Your Car - i have finally decided to get off my lazy butt and write a tutorial on how to seafoam your car. many of you are familiar with seafoam, some have no idea what it is. well, for all those that...
A better way to clean the combustion chamber is a foaming combustion chamber cleaner designed for the job like Mopar Combustion Chamber Cleaner. This treatment has now surpassed Seafoam in popularity because the foam reaches more areas and is easier on the engine.
> **[Amazon.com: Genuine Chrysler Accessories 4318001AD Combustion Chamber Cleaner -...](https://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Chrysler-Accessories-4318001AD-Combustion/dp/B00BV4D97K)**
>
> Cleans carburetors, intake manifolds, intake and exhaust valves, pistons and combustion chambers. Removes deposits, eliminates carbon knock and restores performance.
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### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2014, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-fuel-injector-cleaner/700901/17 "2014-10-10T05:37:23Z")
This all sounds like a good smokey time! But I ride RZ 350’s, so I’m no stranger to clouds of mosquito repellent.
Hope Seafoam don’t stink like Yamaha’s combustion chamber cleaner. Stunk so bad, you knew it had to work. Once left a puddle of it in a upside down head and the next day it was cleaner than dentist’s teeth.
Good for killing black widows, too, if not entirely cost-ineffective.
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### Author:  [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2014, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-fuel-injector-cleaner/700901/18 "2014-10-10T09:55:46Z")
> [@GreasyJack](#):
>
> If you do suspect it’s combustion chamber deposits, any true shade tree mechanic would use Seafoam poured directly into the intake stream. I’m somewhat skeptical that it actually does as great a job scrubbing deposits as the car enthusiast forums of the world would have us believe, but it’s quite satisfying to at least _imagine_ the resulting huge cloud of smoke is all those deposits flying out the tailpipe!
:rolleyes:
carbon deposits are rather hard. _NOTHING_ you can pour in from a can is going to get rid of them. removing them after tearing down an engine usually requires abrasives (wire brush/wheel) and elbow grease, how in the name of heck is Seafoam supposed to do it?
Those idiots on Youtube don’t realize all of that smoke is just the light oil in Seafoam burning. But hey, if you want to waste your time and money dumping “miracle fluids” into every hole in your engine, don’t let me stop you.
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### Author:  [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-fuel-injector-cleaner/700901/19 "2014-10-10T17:42:43Z")
> [@jz78817](#):
>
> carbon deposits are rather hard. _NOTHING_ you can pour in from a can is going to get rid of them.
That’s not true of all carbon deposits. On-car cleaning with solvents is a well-established procedure that sometimes makes a noticeable difference in engine performance (particularly idle quality).
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### Author:  [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2014, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-fuel-injector-cleaner/700901/20 "2014-10-10T17:56:35Z")
Just a buyer beware caveat - In the Good Customer Service Redux thread I mention that the local Chrysler dealership admitted that their fuel system additive did, on rare occasion, “gunk up” the emission systems on some makes of vehicle. They are having to replace a catalytic converter and two o2 sensors on the used car I bought from them.
There’s always the chance that any additive will cause damage.