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Fuel System Cleaners may not be snake oil

T

trojanone1

New member
OK first off, I am not claiming that additives, both fuel and oil, are mechanics in a bottle or fix-alls.

I have been having a problem with my fuel gauge being not accurate at all, as in I'd be at 200 miles and my fuel light would be on. Another thing, when i got the car, the gauge would be at the 3/4 mark at 75 miles and a year later it'd be at half full at 75 miles. I get 20-22 mpgs so its not that I'm getting poor mpgs. Anyways, I added two bottles of Chevron Concentrate to my fuel tank and I think it fixed my gauge. showing back to about 80-85 miles at 3/4 a tank. Went through one tank of gas and on my second. Hopefully it fixed it.
 


It's possible that it cleaned off enough of the varnish that built up on the sending unit and now it's working again.
 
Well I dont understand it fully but from what I read that varnish is deposits from bad fuel. Advance had a BOGO on chevron concentrate so I thought I'd give it a shot before I decided to attempt at sending unit.
 
Might have to give this is try unless sometime tells me its an extremely bad idea. Fuel gauge hasn't work from buying the car
 
I don't think many people who really are aware of what's going on really think they're "snake oil". Chemicals like seafoam and even techron have huge followings among educated people. Especially in circles like this where most of us consider it routine maintainence.

Seafoam has been repeatedly proven to restore performance where there is restoration needed. It cleans carbon from the combustion chamber and valves, cleans injectors, and even helps the cat out sometimes.

I think a lot of misconception comes from the advertising on the can claiming all these miracles, and they word it like it actually makes your car faster. It won't improve anything that is t already messed up, though. If you don't have a runny nose, and you take cold medicine... It's not going to make your nose better than it already was.
 
FriboRage said:
I don't think many people who really are aware of what's going on really think they're "snake oil". Chemicals like seafoam and even techron have huge followings among educated people. Especially in circles like this where most of us consider it routine maintainence.

Seafoam has been repeatedly proven to restore performance where there is restoration needed. It cleans carbon from the combustion chamber and valves, cleans injectors, and even helps the cat out sometimes.

I think a lot of misconception comes from the advertising on the can claiming all these miracles, and they word it like it actually makes your car faster. It won't improve anything that is t already messed up, though. If you don't have a runny nose, and you take cold medicine... It's not going to make your nose better than it already was.
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I totally agree. If it ain't broke its not going to do anything.
 


I use a bottle of Chevron w/Techron additive and have noticed it made my fuel gauge start working better. The techron additive is supposed to keep your fuel gauge working. I personally fill up every 150 miles so i don't care about that I just use Chevron because it's vey close to GM fuel system cleaner at half the price
 
I didnt even know car manufacturers made their own fuel cleaners and sold them to dealers. Why sell something totally identical to another product and slap a different label on it and double the price?
 
trojanone1 said:
I didnt even know car manufacturers made their own fuel cleaners and sold them to dealers. Why sell something totally identical to another product and slap a different label on it and double the price?
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$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Is why, plain and simple taking advantage of people that don't know better
 


I firmly agree that the additives do there job. Every 2 month use lucas upper cylinder treatment, and seafoam. and every oil change I use Techtron
 
Update: looks like my little experiment failed. My gas gauge is back to being inaccurate again after the 4th tank. The techron for for awhile.
 
I know but he gave me hopes that it brought his back to life. I bet if I ever fix the stupid thing, if I will ever trust it.
 


The sending unit is the most common failure in the system. I replaced it on our impala's gauge that was all over the place and it's working great now.
 
dorman fuel level sensor is like 30 bucks. there is only a couple cleaners that have any active ingredients redline techron and gumout regane the rest are snake oil. I wouldn't use lucas in anything I care about. I have never experienced any difference using any of these products they are a waste of money in my opinion.
 
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