What kind of Fuel treatment and cleaners do you guys recommend

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ladorn45

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Hey Everyone,

I have never used any Fuel treatment and cleaners my tahoe since i bought it. Do these thing work and if so what do you guys recommend.
 

swathdiver

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Walmart has these little bottles of fuel system or fuel injection cleaners by Supertech/Super Tech for about a $1 or $2 depending on which. 1 bottle treats 21 gallons or so. Worked for me.

If you have an L59 VIN Z motor, there's something better if available in your area, E85!

This stuff is so good, it's in most of our owner's manuals:

95-b51eaa726168_1.62877da84f6b06f656ddeb2247c1471b.jpg
 

Chris2144

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Seafoam has always been very good for me you can pick it up at any auto parts store
 

Fless

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I've used the Techron Fuel System Cleaner (not the Injector Cleaner) and BG44K (~$28); both have worked good for me.

I might run a couple of bottles (in a full tank) of the Techron stuff from time to time, and the BG44K if I think it needs something a bit stronger. Just my opinion. Of course, I am usually running some E85 so haven't had to run any cleaner for a long time.
 

BG1988

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Hey Everyone,

I have never used any Fuel treatment and cleaners my tahoe since i bought it. Do these thing work and if so what do you guys recommend.
Chevron techron I think auto zone still has buy one get one free


Don't use seafoam that is for 2 stroke engines
it will wreak your catalytic converter



P.E.A cleaner such as Techron or gumout with P.E.A

P.E.A is for 4 stroke engines and is catalytic converter safe..

I just use Mobil or Chevron 91 octane for best Tahoe performance & MPG every fill up
 
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Danny3737

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I’ve used just about everything and Royal Purple Max Clean has worked the best for me. I even use it in all my yard equipment, even the 2 stroke. Can usually find it at Walmart for under $14.00. I think a can treats 20 gallons.
 

SnowDrifter

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Generally, unless you have EGR, these things stay fairly clean. Pcv catch can helps too.

If poor quality gas / clogged injectors are a concern, IMO you'd get further by removing the fuel line and running a dedicated pressurized injector cleaner through your fuel rail.

If you've scoped down the cylinders and see they have significant buildup, verify your fuel trims and oxygen sensors are in working order and not causing a rich condition.

Carbon on intake valves typically isn't a problem. That's where the fuel injectors sit. Unless you're using garbage gas, your fuel will help maintain those.

Carbon buildup in the plastic intake manifold on account of EGR really ought to be mechanically removed when you have the intake off

Barring injectors, you can get pretty good results by warming up your engine then slowly introducing water through the vaccuum line with a raised idle for about 5-10 minutes. Do some reading on that one, it's interesting.

Anything with a top end lubricant like mentioned above is frankly confusing to me. Valves don't need lubrication. Piston rings are lubed by the sump. Fuel injectors rely on the fuel passing through them to see to their needs. We're not talking about tbi systems or a carbeurated rig with moving parts in there.

Just some food for thought... Tldr if you have carbon issues or other buildup, my preference would be to tackle it at the source - egr delete, catch can, and verify there's nothing causig you to have a rich or misfire condition. Do that and you'll never have to fuss with it again
 

HiHoeSilver

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Generally, unless you have EGR, these things stay fairly clean. Pcv catch can helps too.

If poor quality gas / clogged injectors are a concern, IMO you'd get further by removing the fuel line and running a dedicated pressurized injector cleaner through your fuel rail.

If you've scoped down the cylinders and see they have significant buildup, verify your fuel trims and oxygen sensors are in working order and not causing a rich condition.

Carbon on intake valves typically isn't a problem. That's where the fuel injectors sit. Unless you're using garbage gas, your fuel will help maintain those.

Carbon buildup in the plastic intake manifold on account of EGR really ought to be mechanically removed when you have the intake off

Barring injectors, you can get pretty good results by warming up your engine then slowly introducing water through the vaccuum line with a raised idle for about 5-10 minutes. Do some reading on that one, it's interesting.

Anything with a top end lubricant like mentioned above is frankly confusing to me. Valves don't need lubrication. Piston rings are lubed by the sump. Fuel injectors rely on the fuel passing through them to see to their needs. We're not talking about tbi systems or a carbeurated rig with moving parts in there.

Just some food for thought... Tldr if you have carbon issues or other buildup, my preference would be to tackle it at the source - egr delete, catch can, and verify there's nothing causig you to have a rich or misfire condition. Do that and you'll never have to fuss with it again

Agree with most of this. FWIW, Kreen is NOT a lubricant. It's a solvent. And it cleans the hell out of carbon.
 

mattbta

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I've run tc-w3 in my tank for a good 6-8 months. Lots of discussion on BITOG.
 

Garandman

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Another vote for Techron. Spoke to a Yamaha engineer some years ago (we have a 150 4 stroke) and he felt it offered the best results.

He did not say so but Yamalube Ring Free is made by Chevron and a lot of people assume it’s the same stuff.
 

merlin1128

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I prefer Sea Foam all the way from past experiences in vehicles, water craft, small motors. Amazing stuff I feel and just used it to cure a slight rough idle when starting up.... Here is a tip I got from my mechanic that has been around forever with fuel treatments of any kind...

He told me on the bottle which is true it always says add in a full tank of fuel and knows their is cheap stuff and expensive stuff. With him doing this all these years and I mean many, many years he feels that all the expensive stuff is just way more concentrated with them all saying add to a full tank of fuel. What he told me is why waste money on the expensive stuff being super concentrated to just put in a full tank of fuel. That you can go with a decent brand that is not that expensive and just wait until you reach about 1/4 tank of fuel and then add it in and then run it down to almost empty.

That it would be like adding 4 bottles of the cheaper stuff to a full tank of fuel as all bottles say to do, but just treat the fuel when it hits that 1/4 tank and you now have super concentrated fuel treatment for a lot less money.

It made sense to me if the expensive stuff is just way more concentrated to treat a full tank when you can get a decent brand of the less expensive one and do it as he said at 1/4 tank and now have super concentrated fuel treatment at a fraction of the price.
 

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