Gas tank Cleaners, snake oil or something to it?
12-26-20, 07:59 AM
#1
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
Gas tank Cleaners, snake oil or something to it?
Talking to a bud whose vehicle threw a code, and he swears up and down by techron additives. Does anyone else use that stuff as part of normal maintenance? Usually if you are using premium from a reliable brand, enough PEA, the main ingredient in techron is mixed with the fuel.
12-26-20, 08:03 AM
#2
Lexus Fanatic
Techron has always had a good reputation. From what I can remember, it was first marketed (as Techroline) by the Chevron company in their fuel, and, even with auto-manufacturers, it is considered the Top-Tier standard for quality detergents in fuel. It cleans not only the tank , but fuel-lines, pumps, injectors, etc.....
12-26-20, 02:21 PM
#3
2 different EPA certification engineers told me to put nothing but Chevron Supreme with Techron in the fuel tank of new cars we were working to get certified. one for Carrol Shelby, the other for Steve Saleen. I always used the same gas in my cars & never had any issues. I believe Shell premium is just as good now with a similar additive they use.
12-26-20, 02:37 PM
#4
Lexus Fanatic
...the local Chevron stations closed down or converted to Liberty-Brand fuel)...so, yes, I run exclusively Shell in my own cars. My local grocery (Giant Food) even gives Shell-fuel discounts with grocery purchases.
12-26-20, 02:41 PM
#5
Lexus Fanatic
I wouldn't use any over the counter additives that come in a bottle, no. Just use good quality fuel, I tend to run Shell or Exxon.
12-26-20, 02:50 PM
#6
Lexus Fanatic
12-26-20, 03:04 PM
#7
Racer
i try to use shell v power most of the time; but sometimes i use chevron as they have both here in the phoenix area. but there are times i use premium from a local convienience store called circle k which isnt the best premium stuff around but sometime it has to do.
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12-26-20, 04:25 PM
#8
Lexus Fanatic
The Sunoco in my community just became a Gulf, which I can't remember ever seeing here before. I think Chevron just pulled out of the area. Right around my community we have a Shell, Liberty, Exxon, Gulf, Sunoco, all just within a mile of each other, so we have plenty of choices for gas and it keeps the prices low.
12-26-20, 08:42 PM
#9
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
Every few months we have another this oil or gas is best...
i've never had any issue with any gas in any car for the decades i've been driving. I've also, one time or another, put premium in cars that supposedly didn't need it, and i've put 87 in cars that supposedly needed premium. Little if any difference ever.
the only concern i'd ever have about gas would be going to a station that appears to be really run down and not used much.
like most of us, i have plenty of gas stations that are modern, busy, with a variety of brands. Racetrak and wawa seem to be duking it out here now building bigger and bigger stations. I've not got gas at a wawa station yet, but their take out food is surprisingly great
i can order through their app and it's ready when i arrive. We do of course have shell, marathon, and other brands too. All fine i'm sure.
i've never had any issue with any gas in any car for the decades i've been driving. I've also, one time or another, put premium in cars that supposedly didn't need it, and i've put 87 in cars that supposedly needed premium. Little if any difference ever.
the only concern i'd ever have about gas would be going to a station that appears to be really run down and not used much.
like most of us, i have plenty of gas stations that are modern, busy, with a variety of brands. Racetrak and wawa seem to be duking it out here now building bigger and bigger stations. I've not got gas at a wawa station yet, but their take out food is surprisingly great
i can order through their app and it's ready when i arrive. We do of course have shell, marathon, and other brands too. All fine i'm sure.
12-26-20, 09:02 PM
#10
Lexus Fanatic
The OP raised what IMO was a legitimate question about fuel-system cleaners. Top-Tier gas brands, in general, is one of the easiest ways to get a fuel system cleaner on a regular basis.
If you consistently use a Top-Tier brand (particularly Shell or Chevron), you probably won't have any fuel-quality-related problems.
Today's engine's computers will advance or retard the timing in response to the knock-sensors, which will usually prevent short-term ill-effects. That is done in case the vehicle is driven out of the U.S. for a while, say, across the border into Mexico, and has to rely on the crap gas sold there for a while. But that is not intended to be a a long-term fix (short periods only), and the longer you don't use recommended fuel grades (or Top-Tier fuels with good detergents), the more risk to your engine in the long run.
One other tip.....I believe I've mentioned it before. If you see a station where a tanker truck if filling up the underground tanks, wait at least five minutes after the tanker is finished pumping, or go to another station. The reason for that is because the high-pressure hoses from the tanker stir up a lot of dirt, crud, and sentiment underground in the tanks, particularly if the tanks are old and have not been cleaned out. It takes a few minutes for the sediment to settle back down again to the bottom of the tank. Fill up too soon after the tanker is done, and, despite filters that are supposed to keep that sediment from entering your own tank (which don't always work), some of that crud could get inside your own tank and plug up fuel lines or injectors.
This is especially critical with aircraft, where part of the official preflight is to check for both dirt and water-bubbles in the fuel...which is done with fuel-samples at special drain-outlets/valves.
i've never had any issue with any gas in any car for the decades i've been driving.
I've also, one time or another, put premium in cars that supposedly didn't need it, and i've put 87 in cars that supposedly needed premium. Little if any difference ever.
One other tip.....I believe I've mentioned it before. If you see a station where a tanker truck if filling up the underground tanks, wait at least five minutes after the tanker is finished pumping, or go to another station. The reason for that is because the high-pressure hoses from the tanker stir up a lot of dirt, crud, and sentiment underground in the tanks, particularly if the tanks are old and have not been cleaned out. It takes a few minutes for the sediment to settle back down again to the bottom of the tank. Fill up too soon after the tanker is done, and, despite filters that are supposed to keep that sediment from entering your own tank (which don't always work), some of that crud could get inside your own tank and plug up fuel lines or injectors.
This is especially critical with aircraft, where part of the official preflight is to check for both dirt and water-bubbles in the fuel...which is done with fuel-samples at special drain-outlets/valves.
Last edited by mmarshall; 12-27-20 at 03:46 AM.
12-26-20, 09:10 PM
#11
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
Top-Tier gas brands, in general, is one of the easiest ways to get a fuel system cleaner on a regular basis.
If you consistently use a Top-Tier brand (particularly Shell or Chevron), you probably won't have any fuel-quality-related problems.
...the longer you don't use recommended fuel grades (or Top-Tier fuels with god detergents), the more risk to your engine in the long run.
If you consistently use a Top-Tier brand (particularly Shell or Chevron), you probably won't have any fuel-quality-related problems.
...the longer you don't use recommended fuel grades (or Top-Tier fuels with god detergents), the more risk to your engine in the long run.
https://www.toptiergas.com/licensed-brands/
12-26-20, 09:45 PM
#12
I don't claim to be an expert, but here is my take. Many years ago, probably around 2008, when I still had my 2GS, I took apart its fuel pump to change the fuel filter as a part of 100k mile maintenance. The pump was inside the fuel tank, so I had to take it out, and when I looked inside of the fuel tank it was absolutely clean. There wasn't any visible particles or any kind of residue on the bottom of the tank. I was the second owner of the car, I believe the original owner was in CA then moved to Midwest, and I am in NYC. So at that point the car had seen some miles across different states, so obviously we have excellent quality gasoline in the USA, and gasoline pumps at gas stations have excellent filtering systems.
Plus, all modern fuels already have cleaning agents added, so diluting 10-20 gallons of fuel with a few ounces of Techron or any kind of other additive isn't really doing anything. If you don't have injector problems, you don't need any additives; if you do have injector problems, the additives won't do anything to remedy these problems, especially with modern high psi injectors made for turbocharged engines.
Plus, all modern fuels already have cleaning agents added, so diluting 10-20 gallons of fuel with a few ounces of Techron or any kind of other additive isn't really doing anything. If you don't have injector problems, you don't need any additives; if you do have injector problems, the additives won't do anything to remedy these problems, especially with modern high psi injectors made for turbocharged engines.
12-26-20, 09:56 PM
#13
Pole Position
Techron has always had a good reputation. From what I can remember, it was first marketed (as Techroline) by the Chevron company in their fuel, and, even with auto-manufacturers, it is considered the Top-Tier standard for quality detergents in fuel. It cleans not only the tank , but fuel-lines, pumps, injectors, etc.....
12-27-20, 03:53 AM
#14
Lexus Fanatic
I don't claim to be an expert, but here is my take. Many years ago, probably around 2008, when I still had my 2GS, I took apart its fuel pump to change the fuel filter as a part of 100k mile maintenance. The pump was inside the fuel tank, so I had to take it out, and when I looked inside of the fuel tank it was absolutely clean. There wasn't any visible particles or any kind of residue on the bottom of the tank. I was the second owner of the car, I believe the original owner was in CA then moved to Midwest, and I am in NYC. So at that point the car had seen some miles across different states, so obviously we have excellent quality gasoline in the USA, and gasoline pumps at gas stations have excellent filtering systems.
Plus, all modern fuels already have cleaning agents added, so diluting 10-20 gallons of fuel with a few ounces of Techron or any kind of other additive isn't really doing anything. If you don't have injector problems, you don't need any additives; if you do have injector problems, the additives won't do anything to remedy these problems, especially with modern high psi injectors made for turbocharged engines.
Plus, all modern fuels already have cleaning agents added, so diluting 10-20 gallons of fuel with a few ounces of Techron or any kind of other additive isn't really doing anything. If you don't have injector problems, you don't need any additives; if you do have injector problems, the additives won't do anything to remedy these problems, especially with modern high psi injectors made for turbocharged engines.
12-27-20, 06:35 AM
#15
Lexus Fanatic
I wouldn’t worry so much about the “top tier” gas thing. That’s a marketing thing that suppliers buy into. There are plenty of gas providers I wouldn’t be concerned about getting fuel from that are not TopTier. Would I buy it from the weird ancient no name company with the pumps from 1992? No lol.