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Best Fuel Injector Cleaner & How To Use It
A trifecta of air, spark, and fuel makes your car’s engine run smoothly based on measured amounts of each element.
However, without enough fuel to complete this trio, significant problems can occur, including engine stalling, misfires, and failure to start. Luckily, there are fuel additives you can use to ensure consistent fuel delivery from the tank to the engine: fuel injector cleaners.
The guide below highlights the best fuel injector cleaners drivers rely on to maintain consistent fuel flow and extend the life of their vehicles. With these cleaners, maintaining your fuel injectors is easy with routine use.
Discover when and how to use fuel injector cleaner to keep your vehicle on the road.
What Is Fuel Injector Cleaner?
Fuel injector cleaner is a fuel additive that penetrates the small spaces of your vehicle’s engine.
Fuel injector cleaner removes the natural deposits on fuel injectors from contaminants in gasoline and diesel fuels. These contaminants can form blockages and otherwise restrict flow, impeding the fuel’s ability to travel efficiently from the tank to the combustion chamber.
Automotive fuel injector cleaner typically has two parts: dissolvents and detergents. Dissolvents break down the carbon and tough debris that can clog fuel systems, while detergents clean any loose debris from the system to remove blockages.
As fuel injector cleaner runs through your car’s fuel system, it dissolves varnish, carbon, dirt, and other contaminants that reduce efficiency. The cleaning agent’s power is most effective in clearing the spray ports of the injectors to ensure optimal fuel delivery and combustion.
Depending on your chosen formula, the cleaner may also leave behind a lubricating layer that protects against future contaminants.
What To Look For in Fuel Injector Cleaner
Looking at a shelf full of fuel injector cleaner products can be intimidating. The number of options can feel overwhelming enough that you pick one based on how the bottle looks rather than how it performs.
Here are a few characteristics to look for when purchasing fuel injector cleaner:
- Compatibility: The fuel injector cleaner you choose should be compatible with the engine fuel type, whether diesel, gas, or ethanol.
- Ease of use: The best fuel injector cleaner comes in a bottle that makes it easy to pour into the car’s gas tank.
- Formulation: Check the ingredients on the fuel injector cleaners you’re considering, which should include polyetheramine (PEA), polyisobutene (PIB), or polyisobutylene amine (PIBA).
- Brand reputation: Explore the brands available to you and ask around for recommendations.
The whole point of a fuel injector cleaner is to prevent or at least prolong replacing your engine’s fuel injectors prematurely. Yet, treating every fill-up at the pump can prove expensive. The best fuel injector cleaners should be as effective in cost as they are in keeping your car’s fuel system clean.
What Is the Best Fuel Injector Cleaner?
The best fuel injector cleaner enhances engine performance, restores fuel economy, decreases emissions, and prevents future fuel system issues and costly repairs. Boost your vehicle’s overall performance with the following top fuel injector cleaners.
As one of the best options, Chevron offers its Techron Concentrate Plus Fuel System Cleaner, which is recommended for use every 3,000 miles.
With a unique and advanced cleaning technology, Techron Concentrate Plus works to remove stubborn deposits and carbon build-up that can hinder engine performance over time. By maintaining a clean fuel system, this cleaner helps restore lost power, improve fuel economy, and reduce harmful emissions, promoting smoother engine operation and overall vehicle longevity.
Ideal for use in gasoline engines, including GDI, PFI, and carbureted systems, Chevron Techron Concentrate Plus is easy to use and compatible with all gasoline blends, including ethanol fuels. Whether you're looking to boost your vehicle's performance, restore fuel efficiency, or simply maintain a healthy engine, this fuel system cleaner is a great choice to keep your engine running at its best.
How To Use Fuel Injector Cleaner
Putting fuel injector cleaner in a vehicle is simpler than fueling up. Once you’ve done the process once or twice, you’ll know what to do the next time you need to put fuel injector cleaner in the fuel system.
Here’s how to use fuel injector cleaner:
- Begin with a gas tank less than a quarter full. The closer to empty you are, the better, but avoid starving your vehicle’s engine of fuel.
- Read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions regarding fuel injector cleaner use.
- Pour the fuel injector cleaner into the gas tank via the fill neck, similar to how you’d refuel your vehicle.
- Fill up the gas tank and drive as you would normally.
As you drive, monitor the vehicle’s performance to see if you notice any changes, such as the engine responsiveness or fuel economy. Update your maintenance records to reflect when you treated your fuel system with fuel injector cleaner. Repeat this routine as often as indicated by the manufacturing label.
Power Your Vehicles With Superior Quality Fuel from Cadence
The best fuel injector cleaner helps extend the life of a vehicle’s fuel injectors so you can depend on the car for miles to come. In addition, putting high-quality fuel in your vehicle and your fleet also contributes to its overall longevity.
Trust the experts at Cadence to supply you with the best fuel and related products so you can approach your next drive with confidence and peace of mind. Call 336-629-2061 to experience first-hand how Cadence provides value at every turn.
Sources:
What is a Fuel Injector? | AMBAC