Techron Works

[VivaVibe]

Following the advice of other members I used a bottle of Techron during a fill-up to clean the fuel injectors. The two fill-ups following that one produced 33 and 32 MPG. For the past year before this I consistently averaged 30 MPG. It will be interesting to see how long the number stays up. Those numbers are for 60% city/40% highway.

[lovemyraffe]

Hmmm...I might have to try it out.

[ColonelPanic]

I always threw in a bottle of Techron at each oil change, it does help.Good stuff, I recommend it. I need to remember to pick up a bottle, haven't remembered to buy any in 10,000 miles or so.

[djb383]

What's the definition of city driving?

[Raven]

Quote, originally posted by djb383 »What's the definition of city driving?When you see more people than cows! Techron is magic juice. It even made my sputtering snowblower run like a dream.

[zionzr2]

I'm a big fan of the stuff!!I use it as bottle suggest every oil change or 3K miles

[Whelan]

+1 a bottle with each oil change.

[Herb]

I haven't been able to buy a bottle of the stuff in a couple of years. Last I heard was a labeling issue for some reason so they couldn't bring it into Canada.I used to love using the stuff. Haven't found a good alternative yet.

[Raven]

Quote, originally posted by Herb »I haven't been able to buy a bottle of the stuff in a couple of years. Last I heard was a labeling issue for some reason so they couldn't bring it into Canada.I used to love using the stuff. Haven't found a good alternative yet.I believe GM fuel injector cleaner is actually Techron. Of course it may cost a little more from the dealer.

[engineertwin2]

I haven't done a cost analysis recently, but it used to be essentially a cost wash to buy Chevron fuel with the Techron already added compared to adding it every 3,000 miles. Then you have to get into the debate as to what the cost value of having that benefit for every mile is. It seems if it is something worth adding every 3,000 miles, what would keep you from adding it every mile if you could? I make an effort to refuel at Chevron (helps that its on the way to work) so that I can get the benefit all the time.

[Whelan]

Well technically they say you can buy just two bottles a year and instead of buying Chevron fuel. Which we do not have here on the East Coast New England. You would save something like $200 a year.Aside from that we have Gulf, Texaco, Valero, BP, HESS, Sunoco, Shell, Mobil/Exxon, Cumberland Farms, Stop n' Shop (which I love when you get the 10 cent coupon on top of your 5 cent discount for being a member. Oh and Costco and BJs.When I went to SF for a week alls I saw were Valero or Chevron stations.

[engineertwin2]

I guess I tend to be a gas snob. Say what you will regarding "paying too much" or what not, but there are several reasons I tend to choose top tier gasolines over bottom shelf lowest dollar stuff.Lets just say that my experience has been one of better cleanliness and equipment at the top tier places. Bottom line is that maybe I'm paying for these amenities, but the cheap dollar places tend not to have the capital to provide the proper maintenance on their equipment - or so I have been told by people who have been managers at both the bottom end and top tier places.I guess I'm fortunate I have access to both Chevron and Shell here, but the fuel is typically only 3 to 4 cents more expensive than the cheap stuff here in Phoenix (specifically the stations around where I drive). This translates into $18 to $24 more per year (given my 31 mpg historical average and 18,500 miles a year).In that same time, I'd pay $5.40 a pop for a 12 oz Techron bottle ($4.99 + tax) every 3,000 miles - that comes out to $32.40 each year. So, the transition point for me would be when the price differential between the top-tier stuff and the bottom-tier stuff is $0.06. If it is routinely higher than 6 cents differential, it's more cost effective to just add the fuel additive.That doesn't take into account the semantics of trying to determine the value of having the cleaner all the time...

[Sublimewind]

Quote, originally posted by engineertwin2 »I guess I tend to be a gas snob. Say what you will regarding "paying too much" or what not, but there are several reasons I tend to choose top tier gasolines over bottom shelf lowest dollar stuff.Lets just say that my experience has been one of better cleanliness and equipment at the top tier places. Bottom line is that maybe I'm paying for these amenities, but the cheap dollar places tend not to have the capital to provide the proper maintenance on their equipment - or so I have been told by people who have been managers at both the bottom end and top tier places.I guess I'm fortunate I have access to both Chevron and Shell here, but the fuel is typically only 3 to 4 cents more expensive than the cheap stuff here in Phoenix (specifically the stations around where I drive). This translates into $18 to $24 more per year (given my 31 mpg historical average and 18,500 miles a year).In that same time, I'd pay $5.40 a pop for a 12 oz Techron bottle ($4.99 + tax) every 3,000 miles - that comes out to $32.40 each year. So, the transition point for me would be when the price differential between the top-tier stuff and the bottom-tier stuff is $0.06. If it is routinely higher than 6 cents differential, it's more cost effective to just add the fuel additive.That doesn't take into account the semantics of trying to determine the value of having the cleaner all the time...Much of it comes down to marketing as well.... Like changing your oil EVERY 3000mi... well, that used to be a good rule of thumb, but now a day, with better chemisteries, it's just not nessassary... the biggest problem with automible oils is the lack of quality filtering... I remember seeing someone building a filter that looked like a roll of toilet paper on the inside... extending oils changes out to 10kmi for synth oils ...this was in the R&D stages and the biggest problem they were having was flow through such a dense media.. If you used Techtron TWICE a year, you would be good... Todays fuels and thier "additive packages" are a lot different than just 5-10yrs ago... and do a decent job of keeping things clean... Much can be said about using preium gas as well... you'll get better mileage over the "long haul" .... Techtron is a great product, one I use, but not EVERY 3000 miles...

[Whelan]

I stick to my 87 octane, a few bottles of Techron a year.But one thing I also note is that I change my oil every 3,000 like religion. I also am changing it frequently. I drive 50 miles roundtrip daily to work, plus another 10-20 that evening depending on average. Then on weekends all over the place. I fill up about 1.5 times a week. I put the half cause it flexes between having to top off on a wednesday or doing it on a saturday. But I do a lot of driving. Most cars can go the 5k-7k recommended, but they also state in the manual that for sever driving (i.e. what I do) to do it every 3. This does not mean you beat the heck out of your car, but just that you do a lot of city/highway driving, more than say a person on a lease would do.

[BlueCrush]

I put in my first bottle of Techron yesterday at the gas station before I filled up. I'm interested to see how much it helps. I'll probably do it again at my next oil change then every other after that.

[Sublimewind]

Quote, originally posted by BlueCrush »I put in my first bottle of Techron yesterday at the gas station before I filled up. I'm interested to see how much it helps. I'll probably do it again at my next oil change then every other after that.It's interesting, considering you've never used it on your Vibe, you should notice a little difference...

[BlueCrush]

Quote, originally posted by Sublimewind »It's interesting, considering you've never used it on your Vibe, you should notice a little difference... Hope so. I'm at 38,000+/- miles. I'll post my results.

[bull77]

while in ny I picked up 4 bottles of techron --- next tank I'll use it and see what happensQuote, originally posted by BlueCrush »Hope so. I'm at 38,000+/- miles. I'll post my results.have your results yet?

[northvibe]

you'll prolly see it go up...then go back down.... good to clean the injectors though if you get crap gas every so often.

[prathman]

Quote, originally posted by Whelan »I drive 50 miles roundtrip daily to work, plus another 10-20 that evening depending on average. Then on weekends all over the place. I fill up about 1.5 times a week. I put the half cause it flexes between having to top off on a wednesday or doing it on a saturday. But I do a lot of driving. Most cars can go the 5k-7k recommended, but they also state in the manual that for sever driving (i.e. what I do) to do it every 3.Your description actually sounds to me like it is likely to be very easy on the engine. The most severe wear on the engine occurs during warm up. So the guy who only drives a couple miles to work and then lets the car sit all day before driving a couple miles home is putting much more stress on the engine *per mile* than you are with your longer and more frequent drives where the engine spends more time already warmed up. The oil also suffers from short drives which don't let it get hot enough to boil off any condensed water and other contaminants. So again, the person who drives infrequently and for short distances is the one who needs to change the oil with a shorter mileage interval. With your longer drives it would probably be fine to stretch the interval out a little longer - it still wouldn't be all that long in time between changes.