[FloridaGator]

I think most everyone knows that the Fuel System Cleaner Hyundai uses is actually Chevron Techron re-packaged in a Hyundai label. Don't know is this applies to all Auto Zone Stores but currently Auto Zone has 12 oz Chevron Techron Fuel System Cleaner at $10.99 Buy One Get One. 2 12 oz containers for $10.99 + tax of course. I walked away with 6 bottles. There may be a limit, I don't know but the store I go to didn't quection my purchase. I think this offer is good through 3/18/23.

 

[Zany]

I fill up with top tier gas from Costco so no extra fuel cleaner needed!

 

[camismacho]

Would using a top tier gas from a place like Chevron negate the need for fuel additives? I ask because I just did a valve cleaning on my car and changed the spark plugs. I picked up some Royal Purple cleaner for my next fill-up.

There's 4 gas stations in my town. Chevron is the only one with top tier gas, but it's also 20-30 cents more per gallon than the others. I've never put gas there. I don't mind paying the extra $ if it's better for my car in the long run. Now that I drive so much and after my misfire debacle, I'm going to be more conscious of what I put in my car.

 

[Zany]

Would using a top tier gas from a place like Chevron negate the need for fuel additives? I ask because I just did a valve cleaning on my car and changed the spark plugs. I picked up some Royal Purple cleaner for my next fill-up.

There's 4 gas stations in my town. Chevron is the only one with top tier gas, but it's also 20-30 cents more per gallon than the others. I've never put gas there. I don't mind paying the extra $ if it's better for my car in the long run. Now that I drive so much and after my misfire debacle, I'm going to be more conscious of what I put in my car.

According to Hyundai. If you use top tier gas, then you don't need to add fuel injector cleaner every 7500 miles.

 

[Turbonut]

If you use any gas, no injector cleaner needed, save your money.

 

[cj133]

If you use any gas, no injector cleaner needed, save your money.

I've never used a fuel system cleaner ever in all the years I've been driving.
Currently 91,000 miles on my 2019 Accent which has the direct injected 1.6 and no issues other than the HP dying at 79K. Fuel system cleaner wouldn't have helped that issue.

Whenever I actually did have an issue or tried to help others with issues, whether it was a dirty carburetor or a dirty / leaking injector the only actual solution was to tear apart and fix, or replace the bad part. .

I've never seen additives help anything with gasoline honestly and that includes stabilizer for ethanol etc. People seem to love alleged solutions in a bottle.
Though I've been told they are very necessary for diesel fuel, and for now, I believe that. For now......

 

[Big Buford!]

People seem to love alleged solutions in a bottle.

Certainly....because it's easy. But that does not mean a solution in a bottle never works.

I've never seen additives help anything with gasoline honestly and that includes stabilizer for ethanol etc.

My experience has been rather different. STA-Bil works great for long-term gasoline storage. Without it gasoline tends to morph into jelly through the months and years.

Carburetors are not so sensitive to carbon and other deposits, since their fuel passages are relatively large. But fuel injectors tend to be rather tiny and more easily clog with deposits through use. Most gasolines have some small amount of fuel system cleaner already. Better (e.g., Top Tier) gasolines have more or higher quality additives for cleaning. If you use fuels with those additives, you may never need anything additional. But it's not uncommon for injectors to have contamination even with excellent fuels. For those situations, a good fuel system cleaner works well. I use Gumout, and it works great.

Techron is also highly regarded. The difference in Techron additive that you pour-in separately from Techron in the Chevron gasoline is simply concentration. The Techron bottle you add to your tank is much more concentrated that what's already in Chevron gasoline.

 

[cj133]

Certainly....because it's easy. But that does not mean a solution in a bottle never works.


My experience has been rather different. STA-Bil works great for long-term gasoline storage. Without it gasoline tends to morph into jelly through the months and years.

Carburetors are not so sensitive to carbon and other deposits, since their fuel passages are relatively large. But fuel injectors tend to be rather tiny and more easily clog with deposits through use. Most gasolines have some small amount of fuel system cleaner already. Better (e.g., Top Tier) gasolines have more or higher quality additives for cleaning. If you use fuels with those additives, you may never need anything additional. But it's not uncommon for injectors to have contamination even with excellent fuels. For those situations, a good fuel system cleaner works well. I use Gumout, and it works great.

Techron is also highly regarded. The difference in Techron additive that you pour-in separately from Techron in the Chevron gasoline is simply concentration. The Techron bottle you add to your tank is much more concentrated that what's already in Chevron gasoline.

I've never used sta-bil and have had E10 stored for over 2 years without an issue. In my opinion the way you store fuel is far more important than any snake oil.

I'm not sure why carbon would have anything to do with a carburetors and they most certainly have many very tiny passages. Most of which work at very small pressure differentials. I would tend to say they are far more sensitive to junk in fuel than injectors are.

 

[mtbsteve]

Sta-bil for storage, Dry-gas (gas line anti-freeze) once or twice a winter if you live in a place that sees cold temps regularly so you can flush out the water that is in your tank (editing to add for areas without ethanol in your fuel). Sta-bil has never let me down for my snow blower gas, switched to battery mower years ago so I do end up with a little fuel left over each winter and sometimes that doesn't make it into the tank of the car after winter is over. Reached for the dry gas for the first time in 10+ years when I knew we would see the -25 f temps a month ago, used to be a life saver on my '90 Olds Eighty Eight in high school, cheapest fix for a slow starting car in the winter at the time. I will throw in a Techron bottle 1 or 2 times per year, roughly every 10k miles in both of the family cars. I use top tier fuel 85-95% of the time so based on the manual I don't need it but cheap enough to not bother me.

 

[cj133]

Sta-bil for storage, Dry-gas (gas line anti-freeze) once or twice a winter if you live in a place that sees cold temps regularly so you can flush out the water that is in your tank. Sta-bil has never let me down for my snow blower gas, switched to battery mower years ago so I do end up with a little fuel left over each winter and sometimes that doesn't make it into the tank of the car after winter is over. Reached for the dry gas for the first time in 10+ years when I knew we would see the -25 f temps a month ago, used to be a life saver on my '90 Olds Eighty Eight in high school, cheapest fix for a slow starting car in the winter at the time. I will throw in a Techron bottle 1 or 2 times per year, roughly every 10k miles in both of the family cars. I use top tier fuel 85-95% of the time so based on the manual I don't need it but cheap enough to not bother me.

There's absolutely no reason to use dry gas with gasoline that has 10% or more ethanol in it.
It's a huge benefit to ethanol that no one ever mentions because all anyone ever wants to do is complain about it.


Dry gas is an alcohol-based additive gas used in automobiles to prevent water from freezing in water-contaminated fuels and to restore combustive power to gasoline spoiled by water.

I think one of the most interesting things I've seen online are guys who drive far just to get ethanol free gas and then dump dry gas in it as preventive maintenance.

 

[mtbsteve]

There's absolutely no reason to use dry gas with gasoline that has 10% or more ethanol in it.
It's a huge benefit to ethanol that no one ever mentions because all anyone ever wants to do is complain about it.


Dry gas is an alcohol-based additive gas used in automobiles to prevent water from freezing in water-contaminated fuels and to restore combustive power to gasoline spoiled by water.

I think one of the most interesting things I've seen online are guys who drive far just to get ethanol free gas and then dump dry gas in it as preventive maintenance.

Agreed, makes sense. I will stand by my experience with it in the '90s a few times, definitely solved a stuttering and non-starting car once added and allowed to run, would cure the problem for the next start. Not 100% sure what level of ethanol was in the fuel in New York, or how bad the mix was at the local gas station, back in the '90s.

 

[Circuitsmith]

According to Hyundai. If you use top tier gas, then you don't need to add fuel injector cleaner every 7500 miles.

Still, it doesn't hurt to use a cleaner. I use it before each oil change, 3-5000 miles.
And I tend to pull into any major brand station with a low price, sometimes not top tier.

I buy the 32oz bottle of Techron, which is cheaper per ounce than the 12oz on sale.
It's not as convenient as dumping a little bottle in the tank, but I also use it in my chainsaw gas, so I'm measuring it out anyway.

 

[cj133]

Still, it doesn't hurt to use a cleaner. I use it before each oil change, 3-5000 miles.
And I tend to pull into any major brand station with a low price, sometimes not top tier.

I buy the 32oz bottle of Techron, which is cheaper per ounce than the 12oz on sale.
It's not as convenient as dumping a little bottle in the tank, but I also use it in my chainsaw gas, so I'm measuring it out anyway.

It's a waste of time and money, both of which are limited for most people. That's how it hurts.
Now, I do not drive nearly as much as a professional driver, not even close and I understand that. But I have driven over 400,000 miles and never bought a single bottle of fuel treatment other than drygas long long ago like @mtbsteve mentioned but that had a very specific use and under certain conditions. I don't think I've even looked at dry gas in over 20 years.

I've only changed 1 set of injectors and that was on a 1992 TBI setup with 200,000 miles on it because it failed emissions and I wasn't in the mood to play games. I changed them for $60 and it passed emissions, no fuel treatments, no special sauce. I guess I could've dumped 134 bottles (34 gallon tank) of fuel treatment at $5.50 each in it over it's lifetime and maybe it wouldn't have needed two $30 injectors, but I highly doubt it would've mattered considering those injectors were mechanically worn, not clogged.

134 bottles, that's what, $750? To do, in my opinion, absolutely nothing. I'm sorry but in my opinion that hurts.
I won't even do it if I'm not using "Top tier fuel".

I certainly do not mean to be disrespectful, please don't take it that way.
Fuel additives, oil additives are just something it seems most do just because they always have and have never had a problem. But I'd bet they would've never had a problem without them.

 

[cj133]

Agreed, makes sense. I will stand by my experience with it in the '90s a few times, definitely solved a stuttering and non-starting car once added and allowed to run, would cure the problem for the next start. Not 100% sure what level of ethanol was in the fuel in New York, or how bad the mix was at the local gas station, back in the '90s.

It was likely ethanol free gas at that time so water would've been an issue.
We used to use dry gas if there was a known issue with fuel, otherwise not. Even to this day I try to avoid opening a tank or container if it's raining it snowing. It was a good idea to keep it on hand just in case. But yeah, Dry gas actually worked and wasn't a gimmick. But ethanol for most has taken it's place without anyone even realizing.

 

[DN8_jay]

We’re lucky to have Shell 93 octane here in Arkansas, but a fuel clean here and there wouldn’t hurt👍🏽

 

[Dog Patch Steve]

I'm buying 10-13 gallon fresh fuel every 3-4 days, who need "cleaners" when you have clean fuel all the time

"Dry gas" -- just methanol,, same stuff they burn in supercharged monster trucks and Top Alcohol drag, corrosive to fuel components

As for as small engine equipment, I been using Cam-2 (Sunoco) and Turbo Blue race fuel, no ethanol, no mystery branding like REC gas, consistant blend race fuel, NY winter with 8hp Briggs snow blower, current Briggs lawn mower engine at 25yr with fuel and Mobil-1 5/30, 700cc Honda till 2008 (sold it)

 

[TRZ750]

Many of the above post are correct and some are wrong. I was Yamaha USA's Technical Coordinator for the Marine Division in the 1980s when Chevron developed Techron. Chevron came to Yamaha with a presentation on Techron and how it helped fuel injectors and engine valves. At the time Yamaha Marine used 2-stroke engines with carburetors so we weren't interested in injectors and valves.

At the same time fuel quality was changing in the USA and some areas had fuels that produced much more carbon inside the engine. This carbon was causing the piston rings on 2-stroke engines to stick then causing piston seizures. It was found that some customers had fewer failures. Eventually it was found the customers that were using fuel with Techron additive were having fewer failures. I could provide much more information, but enough for here.

Yamaha USA came out with "Ring Free" and "Engine Med" for the motorcycle products. In areas that we had high engine failures, like Florida, our customers quickly found that Ring Free help their engine life. Word of mouth became the best advertisement.

Yes the EPA found that this technology helped reduce emissions. So the EPA started requiring the addition of additives to the base fuel. The big difference is how much is needed by each customer. For Yamaha Marine the high HP outboards on big heavy boats in areas with poor fuel needed the most additive. For a Hyundai it is the customer that drives hard, get low MPG, and buys the cheapest fuel may need extra additive. How much is needed and how much is a waste of money is very hard to determine.

 

[mtbsteve]

Many of the above post are correct and some are wrong. I was Yamaha USA's Technical Coordinator for the Marine Division in the 1980s when Chevron developed Techron. Chevron came to Yamaha with a presentation on Techron and how it helped fuel injectors and engine valves. At the time Yamaha Marine used 2-stroke engines with carburetors so we weren't interested in injectors and valves.

At the same time fuel quality was changing in the USA and some areas had fuels that produced much more carbon inside the engine. This carbon was causing the piston rings on 2-stroke engines to stick then causing piston seizures. It was found that some customers had fewer failures. Eventually it was found the customers that were using fuel with Techron additive were having fewer failures. I could provide much more information, but enough for here.

Yamaha USA came out with "Ring Free" and "Engine Med" for the motorcycle products. In areas that we had high engine failures, like Florida, our customers quickly found that Ring Free help their engine life. Word of mouth became the best advertisement.

Yes the EPA found that this technology helped reduce emissions. So the EPA started requiring the addition of additives to the base fuel. The big difference is how much is needed by each customer. For Yamaha Marine the high HP outboards on big heavy boats in areas with poor fuel needed the most additive. For a Hyundai it is the customer that drives hard, get low MPG, and buys the cheapest fuel may need extra additive. How much is needed and how much is a waste of money is very hard to determine.

Great to get feedback from someone with direct product knowledge. Your final sentence is exactly in line with the Sonata owners manual. If you use top tier fuel, you are generally good to go. If not, or you don't know, dump a bottle of Techron in at roughly each oil change or twice a year.

 

[cj133]

Many of the above post are correct and some are wrong. I was Yamaha USA's Technical Coordinator for the Marine Division in the 1980s when Chevron developed Techron. Chevron came to Yamaha with a presentation on Techron and how it helped fuel injectors and engine valves. At the time Yamaha Marine used 2-stroke engines with carburetors so we weren't interested in injectors and valves.

At the same time fuel quality was changing in the USA and some areas had fuels that produced much more carbon inside the engine. This carbon was causing the piston rings on 2-stroke engines to stick then causing piston seizures. It was found that some customers had fewer failures. Eventually it was found the customers that were using fuel with Techron additive were having fewer failures. I could provide much more information, but enough for here.

Yamaha USA came out with "Ring Free" and "Engine Med" for the motorcycle products. In areas that we had high engine failures, like Florida, our customers quickly found that Ring Free help their engine life. Word of mouth became the best advertisement.

Yes the EPA found that this technology helped reduce emissions. So the EPA started requiring the addition of additives to the base fuel. The big difference is how much is needed by each customer. For Yamaha Marine the high HP outboards on big heavy boats in areas with poor fuel needed the most additive. For a Hyundai it is the customer that drives hard, get low MPG, and buys the cheapest fuel may need extra additive. How much is needed and how much is a waste of money is very hard to determine.

I'm curious,
Regarding 2 stroke engines why would gasoline be the suspect of carbon in the engine? Wouldn't the 2 stroke oil and it's mix ratio be a much bigger culprit?

 

[Zany]

Here's a forum thread from another place saying that top tier gas has three times more additive in it compared to the minimum EPA requirement. We can assume that any place selling non top tier gas is just going to follow whatever the EPA requirement is. If you go to Costco, then you get fuel that's top tier. But their own fuel people say that instead of meeting the top tier standard of 3x as much additive as required, they do 5x. https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/a-question-about-costco-gas-additives.350836/#post-6014637