With my '97 Max running at 66k miles, plus I have been doing 95% of city driving in the last 3 years, I am wondering whether I should purcahse a fuel system cleaner before I change the spark plugs and fuel filter. I have been using synthetic oil and Chevron/Shell 92 gas since I own the car at 33k.

I did some extensive reaserch and narrow down to 2 choices:

1. BG44K: effective but strong stuff
2. Schaeffer's #131 Neutra: not that strong

Unfortunately I haven't really follow this product type so if anyone can give some feedback, that will be great.

Thanks!

 

BG44k is well recommended. What about chevron techron? It is quite cheap, but from what I hear it's pretty good stuff. You can buy a bottle of the pure stuff from walmart (difficult to find at chevron stations, interestingly).

I would have recommended doing it AFTER the fuel filter, on the off chance that this stuff dislodges some of the sediment in the fuel filter. With a new one you're in better shape. I guess you want to do it because if it dislodges anything before the fuel filter, it will get caught in the old one. And then presumably stink up the old plugs instead of the new.

Not sure which approach is better, but yeah I think a fuel cleaner is a good call. Unlike oil additives and other snake oils, the vast majority of mechanics do recommend these.