Do Fuel Injector Cleaners Really Work?

In the automotive industry, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that there are a number of ‘snake juice’ products out on the market. You’re probably familiar with the type of products that make bold claims of increasing performance or reducing fuel consumption, which then make little to no difference once you put them into your car. In some cases, not being careful can mean that you may even damage your car.

When it comes to fuel injector cleaners, there’s definitely some confusion and uncertainty in the market. Talk to any group of car enthusiasts and you’re likely to find yourself in a heated debate on whether these fuel additives actually work or not.

If you’re thinking about running some injector cleaner, then you’re going to need to know a little bit more about the various fuel system cleaner products available in the market, and whether they’ve actually been proven to work. Thankfully, you won’t have to go looking for research all over the internet, because we’ve wrapped up everything you need to know in this simple guide.

Fuel Injector Cleaners – What are They?

Injector cleaners are made up of various solvents that have been designed to clean out your fuel lines. Consumer products are added directly to your fuel mix, and need to be run through a usual tank cycle to provide any benefit. With a high quality injector cleaner, the solvents will work to dissolve some of the buildup that resides within your injectors and in other parts of your fuel line. Because the solvents are combustible, they are eliminated along with the rest of your fuel mix as the engine runs, and should not add any new deposits in the combustion chamber.

There are a few different ingredients that are typically used in injector cleaners. Three of the most common are polyisobutylene, polyether amine, and polyisobutylene amine.

The first of these, polyisobutylene, is used in both diesel and gasoline injector cleaner products. It can be used to help reduce misfiring and knocking from an engine, as long as the problem is being caused by restricted fuel flow due to buildup. Most manufacturers will label this as PIB on their cleaning products.

Polyisobutylene amine is similar in chemical composition to PIB, and shares similar cleaning abilities. It also has the added benefit of being able to help remove moisture from fuel lines. Stale fuel can sometimes cause condensation in the injectors and fuel lines, leading to combustion problems. If you have a moisture related issue or if your car hasn’t been run for an extended period, then a product based on this chemical could help you to get things running smoothly again.

Polyether amine (PEA)is a chemical that can help to remove solid deposits in fuel lines and injectors. Solidified waste can significantly restrict fuel flow, causing stuttering and an overall loss of performance. This is considered to be the strongest compound of the three, and can be used in extreme cases of fuel flow restriction. In high concentrations this is more of a troubleshooting compound than a maintenance one, so any product including this chemical should be used sparingly.

Settling the Argument – Do Injector Cleaners Actually Work?

It should be immediately noted that there is no published peer reviewed scientific research that specifically relates to fuel injector cleaners or the chemicals that are typically used in them. Much of the information that exists is anecdotal, but that doesn’t necessarily negate the value of that information.

To put things bluntly; yes, fuel injector cleaner does work, but only if you’re using it correctly.

If you’ve ever used Chevron fuel with Techron, then you’ve already used a type of fuel injector cleaner. Chevron has been adding their Techron formula since 1995, and they use a chemical ingredient that you should now be familiar with. Their key component, polyether amine, is added in small quantities to their fuel. As explained earlier, it is able to remove carbon and other deposits in fuel lines, but in Techron it is added in low quantities, meaning it can take up to 5 full tanks of fuel before deposits are removed. The catch is that Chevron, despite their huge investment in fuel research, won’t tell us exactly how effective their additive is in testing conditions. The most likely reason for this is that variables for the average consumer are simply too vast, meaning that any released figures would not apply to all Techron customers. You can read more about Techron and Chevron’s stance in this Bloomberg article.

While not exactly scientific, we can extrapolate a key point from this information. Injector cleaners will work, but you’ll need the higher concentrations from standalone additives to remove heavier long term deposits from your vehicle. Chevron even produces its own concentrated additive in the form of Techron Concentrate Plus Fuel System Cleaner. This cleaner comes highly recommended by car enthusiasts and average consumers, and currently has a 4.5/5 star review rating on the world’s largest ecommerce platform.

How Often Will You Need to Use an Injector Cleaner?

The best way to ensure that your injectors are free of deposits is to use top tier fuel from companies like Shell and Chevron, while also running a cleaner through your fuel mix whenever you are performing an oil change. Some older vehicles will still need to stick to the 3,000 mile rule, while later model vehicles sometimes only need a fuel change every 10,000 miles. Highly efficient engines are sometimes recommended for 15,000 mile oil changes, so it’s important to check with your vehicle manufacturer to find the ideal figure for your car. You can also use an injection cleaner if you are having problems with idling or irregular combustion in your cylinders.

While injector cleaners are effective and can stop new blockages forming, they won’t always be powerful enough for removing heavy deposits. The good news is that injector cleaners are inexpensive, so it won’t hurt to at least try a bottle in your fuel mix when you are experiencing problems. If you’re still experiencing symptoms of faulty injectors, you can visit a trusted auto repair shop to have a full diagnosis performed to get your vehicle back into peak condition.