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Fuel system cleaners - what do you use?

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Old Sep 6, 2012 | 07:04 AM
  #1  
black2000xj's Avatar
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From: Grand Haven, Michigan
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6
Default Fuel system cleaners - what do you use?

what is everyone running?

list the following if you can

1. year of jeep
2. miles
3. what product(s) you use
4. improvements noticed (placebo effect?)
5. how often you use said product
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Old Sep 6, 2012 | 07:34 AM
  #2  
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From: Portersville, Pennsylvania
Year: 1997 & 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
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'97 XJ, 250,000 &'98 XJ, 206,000
Lucas
about at least once/month
Improved general performance

I sell all of the fuel additives at our store (AZ). Lucas is our biggest seller and for a reason. When it was on sale last month, it literally flew off of the shelves. The Lucas products actually live up to their claims. This is one product that I can sell with conviction that it works.

Right now, I'm personally evaluating Star Tron Enzyme Fuel Treatment in my vintage Kawasaki motorcycle. Two of my co-workers are using it, one in a Suzuki crotch rocket and the other in a Harley. They both have related performance improvements. This is one of the products marketed to offset the damaging effects of the ethanol blended fuels.

Lucas has also started marketing a fuel additive especially aimed at offsetting ethanol effects. I have heard good feedback so far on this product and customers are buying it, especially for smaller engines such as outboard motors and lawn equipment. I have started using it myself for our small engines here. If I don't see a reason to keep using the Star Tron in the bike after a time of evaluation, I will start using the Lucas in the Kaw. I will likely start using it in the XJs.
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Old Sep 6, 2012 | 07:59 AM
  #3  
cruiser54's Avatar
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Year: 1990
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BG44K twice a year on both my 88 and 90 Jeep with 4.0s.
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Old Sep 6, 2012 | 08:31 AM
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From: Mitchell Co. NC.
Year: 1997
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seafoam, seafoam seafoam!!!!
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Old Sep 6, 2012 | 08:40 AM
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Year: 1993
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Honestly I use whatever says "complete fuel system cleaner" every couple months sometimes more. I don't notice any real difference when I do but maybe my system is beyond help lol. 1993 4.0l with 278000+ miles
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Old Sep 6, 2012 | 09:10 AM
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From: Mitchell Co. NC.
Year: 1997
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Ok i have 2 jeeps i have seafoam experience with. the first jeep was highly neglected and when i got it hadnt had the oil changed in 8k miles!! the oil was 2 quarts low and had gummed up and looked like pudding on the cap. it was a 2000 model with 160k on the clock. basically i poured half a bottle in the gas tank then poured 1/4th into the engine.. i went and had the oil changed and in 3 oil changes with 1/3 of a bottle of seafoam in the oil on the last 300 miles of each change it was still clear when i was due my last change.

when i put my 1/3 bottle in my oil id also put 1/3 bottle in the gas tank and 1/3 in through the vacuum booster hose on the brake master cylinder. with 3 treatments my neglected jeep was purring like a kitten. it cleared up some sputtering and helped smooth out my idle as well. i couldnt see the physical clean results on the inside of the fuel system for obvious reasons but i would recommend it to anyone, because of how it helped mine run better.. i think if it can clean the inside of my engine block as bad as it was gummed id say it works wonders in a fuel system.

Last edited by Driftunit; Sep 6, 2012 at 09:13 AM.
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Old Sep 6, 2012 | 09:37 AM
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There is a less expensive alternative to seafoam that I've tried recently, crc makes one that's like $3 less and does all of the same things. The can even looks the same as seafoam the only difference is the crc version has more detailed instructions on the back.
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Old Sep 6, 2012 | 09:37 AM
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Gasoline, Regular Grade. Modern fuels have cleaners built in.
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Old Sep 6, 2012 | 09:44 AM
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From: connecticut
Year: 1993
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Originally Posted by cruiser54
BG44K twice a year on both my 88 and 90 Jeep with 4.0s.
Where do you get that?
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Old Sep 6, 2012 | 10:24 AM
  #10  
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From: Central Frontenac, ON Canada
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
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STP Complete, I have just over 42,000 miles but figure it had been idled a lot before I bought it. Smoothed out the engine ,seems to have improved gas mileage, no more miss fires. I only had the odd stumble and it only through one code but two tanks of gas with the STP in them seems to have improved things.
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Old Sep 6, 2012 | 11:26 AM
  #11  
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Year: 2001
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Some guy put a few rubber rings in Sea foam and kept them there for a few days. Nothing happened to o-rings.
I don't know about everything else.
Sea foam is expensive, I use MMO
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Old Sep 6, 2012 | 01:01 PM
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Put any of those SNAKE OILS on a dirty gasoline varnished part - NOTHING HAPPENS! How can they clean anything like that?

All they are is light oil with a touch of naptha or rubbing alcohol.

Look up the Materials Data Sheets.

FRESH NAME BRAND QUALITY GAS has all the additives you need.
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Old Sep 6, 2012 | 08:09 PM
  #13  
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From: Russellville, Arkansas
Year: 1991
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I-6
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1. 1991 XJ, fairly stock 4.0

2. 271,000-ish

3. Sea Foam, Lucas, Berryman's B-12 (depending on what's on sale at the time or how much money I've got in my pocket.

4. Usually a smoother idle, maybe a little better mpg.

5. I run a newspaper route (@ 125 miles a day), I usually run something through once a month.
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Old Sep 6, 2012 | 08:12 PM
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Originally Posted by partsguyct
Where do you get that?
Dealerships and high end import repair shops. It's recommended by a few European and Asian manufacturers.
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Old Sep 6, 2012 | 08:20 PM
  #15  
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From: connecticut
Year: 1993
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Originally Posted by cruiser54

Dealerships and high end import repair shops. It's recommended by a few European and Asian manufacturers.
Thanks, I've heard of it before but never where to get it, if you don't mind how much $$$ does it usually run?
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