[F87source]

Hey,
Has anyone used the bmw fuel system cleaner? https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...oz-82140413341

I was planning to use it once a year to keep the combustion chamber clean.

I know this is a rebranded chevron techron product, but it is unavailable here in Canada and surprisingly the dealership is selling this for $20 CAD which is the same thing as what the chevron product through amazon.com would cost with conversion, and alot cheaper if you count shipping.


It's supposed to be pretty good stuff, but just wanted to see if anyone else had experience with this.




Edit - I just bought a bottle of fuel system cleaner from my local dealer see post # 8 for more details.

[SEAT TIME RULES]

I use the Redline product.

The Chevron is considered equal to it in most reviews I saw..

https://www.carbibles.com/best-fuel-...ners-reviewed/

The PEA % content is whats most important..

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forum.../#post-1865221

[F87source]

Originally Posted by SEAT TIME RULES

I use the Redline product.

The Chevron is considered equal to it in most reviews I saw..

https://www.carbibles.com/best-fuel-...ners-reviewed/

The PEA % content is whats most important..

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forum.../#post-1865221

Thanks for your input! The reason why I'm going for the Chevron product is because the bmw product is a relabeled Chevron techron product and is easily available here for a reasonable price.

While all the other products like redline néed to be imported making it crazy expensive.

[VisualEcho]

I wasn't aware I needed to use such. Is this once a year, or at a certain mileage?

[F87source]

Originally Posted by VisualEcho

I wasn't aware I needed to use such. Is this once a year, or at a certain mileage?

You don't really need to use it, but I'm running a non top tier gas (because husky 94 is the only real and consistent 94 octane in Canada imo) so might as well.


Use it every 3000 miles max twice per oil change. I personally would only do it once before and oil change because this will cause alot of crap to get suspended in your oil, so I would want it to get flushed after using it.

[SEAT TIME RULES]

Originally Posted by VisualEcho

I wasn't aware I needed to use such. Is this once a year, or at a certain mileage?

I use it when I put my last tank of gas in the M2 before its oil change every 5K.

I then drive it hard and once the tank is almost empty I do the oil change.

That way any crap that the additive cleans out that gets into the oil is drained as well.

[F87source]

Originally Posted by SEAT TIME RULES

I use it when I put my last tank of gas in the M2 before its oil change every 5K.

I then drive it hard and once the tank is almost empty I do the oil change.

That way any crap that the additive cleans out that gets into the oil is drained as well.

+1
Planning to do this as well. But I want to run a second tank of fresh gas afterwards.

[F87source]

I just bought a bottle of fuel system cleaner from my local dealer, it is no longer labeled with techron but the bottom of the bottle has the chevron logo and the instructions are still exactly the same as techron. I poured the whole bottle as per the instructions (a bit more than the 1 oz per gallon ratio but that is for motor cycles or small fuel tank vehicles equivalent to motor cycles) and filled the tank with husky 94 octane fuel. Once this tank is done I will run it through a tank of plain gas then it will be time for an oil change.

Images coming tomorrow depending if I can upload from my phone without having to upload to imgur first.

[F87source]

Ok guys here are images of the new fuel system cleaner bottle from bmw, it still shares the same part number but no mention of techron which is kind of weird. The chevron logo is still on the bottom of the bottle though.

[M Fifty]

I'm guessing this is needed due to the sulphur content of fuel in NA?

[F87source]

Originally Posted by M Fifty

I'm guessing this is needed due to the sulphur content of fuel in NA?

Not really, imo sulfur in gasolines in NA are relatively low due to strict gov't regulations so that is not really a huge issue.

The issue comes if you are not using top tier gas (even though I don't believe this is an issue wither since the gov't mandates enough detergents to make even these gases ok), or ethanol based fuels can cause the injectors to gum up (especially in high humidity areas where ethanol absorbs alot of water). Another factor could be due to the use of high NOACK oils causing alot of carbon build up in the cylinders.

These factors shouldn't be a huge issue until higher mileage but I rather start treating these issues before they get really bad. For instance with carbon build up it is better to start when the carbon is thin because once it becomes thick and heavily deposited there is no easy way to remove it. I also want to keep the fuel system clean and healthy.

[F87source]

Just wanted to do a quick update. I have put a few hundred KM on the car so far and there has been no issues with the fuel system cleaner, it has not made the car stumble or have any running issues and my gauges (MHD) have not shown any weird issues even after the car has sat outside and heat soaked the intercooler to 65ºC - no feed back knock so it does not mess with octane.

Anyways I also do not feel too much of a difference but my car only has 8000 km on it so it is unlikely I would have any heavy build up in the fuel system or engine to really detriment performance in any way that a fuel system cleaner could make a noticeable difference. But I am doing it as a precaution to always keep the fuel system in tip top shape, essentially combating any build up at small levels when it is easy to eliminate instead of waiting too long and having the build up get so bad that fuel system cleaners will have no effect.

[M Fifty]

It might be interesting to find out what it does to the other BMW I own: a 181k mile 2002 e46 330ci...

[F87source]

Originally Posted by M Fifty

It might be interesting to find out what it does to the other BMW I own: a 181k mile 2002 e46 330ci...

Yeah that would be cool to see if you notice anything, alot of bmw owners with higher mileage say it's night and day. Plus it's reasonably cheap to buy this, so why not.

[omasou]

Some say to use it a few tanks prior to your oil change b/c the product or combusted product gets past the rings and into the oil.

Not sure if this is true but doesn't hurt and the timing works out.

Anyone know if this is true or not or am i propagating internet urban legends ?

I use it every now and then when I remember but never notice a difference. I use to use a BG product but its harder to find.

EDIT: this stuff https://www.bgprod.com/catalog/gasol...ystem-cleaner/

EDIT: Do either of these products do anything on our direct injection cars b/c it never sprays on the upper part of the valves?

EDIT: Then we have others that say it's not necessary b/c modern gas has detergents?.

https://www.ncconsumer.org/news-arti...necessary.html

[F87source]

Originally Posted by omasou

Some say to use it a few tanks prior to your oil change b/c the product or combusted product gets past the rings and into the oil.

Not sure if this is true but doesn't hurt and the timing works out.

Anyone know if this is true or not or am i propagating internet urban legends ?

I use it every now and then when I remember but never notice a difference. I use to use a BG product but its harder to find.

EDIT: this stuff https://www.bgprod.com/catalog/gasol...ystem-cleaner/

EDIT: Do either of these products do anything on our direct injection cars b/c it never sprays on the upper part of the valves?

EDIT: Then we have others that say it's not necessary b/c modern gas has detergents?.

https://www.ncconsumer.org/news-arti...necessary.html

Yes that is true that some fuel system cleaner does make its way past the piston rings and into the oil. That is why they suggest you do not use the fuel system cleaner more than 2 times per oil change interval.

You do not have to use a full tank of plain gas before the oil change you just have to go through the fuel tank with the fuel system cleaner in it and refill before the oil change. But if you want to be more cautious like I am doing then you go through the initial tank of fuel with the cleaner in it, refill and go through the tank of plain fuel, refill and then go get your oil changed. Multiple tanks would better purge any remnants of fuel system cleaner out, but it is not necessary imo because top tier gas like chevron uses techron in it but at a more diluted level. So it really is unnecessary to go through more than 1 tank of plain gas.


There was also used oil analysis on BOBITG after running fuel system cleaners and the results were fine, no oil degradation. The oil did its job trapping the contaminants.



I use the bmw fuel system cleaner because techron is not available here and the bmw dealer is selling these to me for a really good deal. Also because using the bmw certified stuff won't cause any warranty issues if anything ever cropped up, and it was designed for our cars unlike alot of the junk on the market. The only brands that I know really works is techron/bmw rebranded and redline. The other things on the market are either too dilute or too agressive.



Nothing that you add to the fuel system cleaner will clean the valves since no fuel sprays there. It just cleans the fuel injection tract: tank, lpfp, hoses, hpfp, and injectors, along with the cylinder and piston tops from build up.




Yes it technically is not necessary with top tier gas or even strictly gov't mandated non-top tier gas like husky 94 here in Canada, because of the already added detergents. But I just like to be extra cautious and it can't hurt to add fuel system cleaner once a year before an oil change, like I said before it is easier to remove deposits and build up if there is very little compared to when it builds up and becomes really thick.


At the end of the day it is up to each individual owner whether or not they go the extra mile.