Fuel system cleaner - peoples thoughts??

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paz

Active Member
As per the title really.

My mechanic asked today if I'd ever considered using an additive to clean my fuel pump, lines and injectors. He didn't try and sell me any himself, but suggested it might be an idea every now and then.

However knowing how tempramental pulsars can be I thought i'd ask on here first. So, what additive did you use, did it make a difference, were there any problems and would you recommend it?

Cheers

paz
 
PobodY

PobodY

Moderators
Staff member
I'm always a little sceptical of these things - I just figure that good quality fuel should keep things nice and clean anyway. Most of the cleaners are high-octane additives anyway... that and things like acetone and methanol which will pull any moisture out of the system and take it through the engine to get rid of it (because they are polar organic compounds they dissolve in both petrol and water, so work like an emulsifier).

Plus if there is shite it my tank and lines, do I really want to pull it through the injectors and the cylinders too... or do I just want to leave it where it is?

It might just be that I'm an inorganic chemist, and think the organic chemists are self-important twats...
 
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paz

Active Member
I dunno, I'm in the same boat as you to be honest- not from a profession perspective, but because I can't see it being of huge benefit and a feeling it would prob do more harm than good!!
 
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ChrisS

New Member
Ive used the STP injector cleaner in the past. From memory it produced a fair bit of smoke as the deposits it cleaned were obviously burnt through the system.
 
PobodY

PobodY

Moderators
Staff member
If possible, I'd rather take the components out and clean them rather than move the shite forward through the system.

I suppose I've got a slightly different perspective because I can just pinch analytical grade toluene, hexane, acetone, etc from work.... er what I mean is that I can dispose of the 'expired' analytical reagents in an environmentally friendly manner (by burning them in an engine). I'm not above adding some volatile compounds to aid starting when the weather gets cold either (usually I tip a bottle of acetone into the tank).

Maybe: If it aint broke, don't fix it?
 
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geoff pine

Well-Known Member
I would asume that you are using v power (or some other high grade petrol )with all the claims made about how good it is and how it cleans your engine why would you need to use an engine cleaner. A few years ago it was engine flushing when you change your oil when i asked toyota if there oil was of such low quality that it had to be flushed out with a chemical cleaner they stoped asking me . The latest main dealer scam :shock: is brake cleaning
 
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ChrisS

New Member
geoff pine said:
I would asume that you are using v power (or some other high grade petrol )with all the claims made about how good it is and how it cleans your engine why would you need to use an engine cleaner. A few years ago it was engine flushing when you change your oil when i asked toyota if there oil was of such low quality that it had to be flushed out with a chemical cleaner they stoped asking me . The latest main dealer scam :shock: is brake cleaning
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Brake cleaning, sounds expensive.

My last experience of break cleaning was when i had a car returned from a bodyshop for repair and they'd done such a good job cleaning it inside and out that they'd managed to clean at least 5 bits of interiour and exteriour trim clean off. Impressive.
 
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paz

Active Member
If it ain't broke don't fix it... I'm inclined to agree.

And yes geoff, v power or optimax or whatever it's called nowadays always goes in the car!

Paz
 
campbellju

campbellju

Moderators
Staff member
PobodY said:
I suppose I've got a slightly different perspective because I can just pinch analytical grade toluene, hexane, acetone, etc from work.... er what I mean is that I can dispose of the 'expired' analytical reagents in an environmentally friendly manner (by burning them in an engine). I'm not above adding some volatile compounds to aid starting when the weather gets cold either (usually I tip a bottle of acetone into the tank).
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I thought I would hijack Paz's thread as I was just about to look for "nitro methane" suppliers to go in my Water Injection kit.

What would you recommend as a 50/50 additive to reduce knock, methanol seems to be the most common choice but Nitro Methane is available for RC cars. I also heard of people using B&Q type cleaners that you buy by the 5l bottle.

@Paz, what everyone else says matey, just use some optimax.
 
stumo

stumo

Active Member
campbellju said:
I thought I would hijack Paz's thread as I was just about to look for "nitro methane" suppliers to go in my Water Injection kit.

What would you recommend as a 50/50 additive to reduce knock, methanol seems to be the most common choice but Nitro Methane is available for RC cars. I also heard of people using B&Q type cleaners that you buy by the 5l bottle.

@Paz, what everyone else says matey, just use some optimax.
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nitromethane?

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:
 
campbellju

campbellju

Moderators
Staff member
stumo said:
nitromethane?

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:
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Yeh. I just found the Water injection forum (There are forums for everything nowadays) and they don't recommend it either as the stuff you buy in the shops contains an oil to lubricate the RC engines which messes up the motor.

As kieorn says , 50/50 water meth or just water seems to be the simplest options without remapping.
 
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