Need help for using Chevron Techron fuel cleaner please?
01-27-2009, 07:35 AM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 86
Need help for using Chevron Techron fuel cleaner please?
Hello people! I got some Chevron Techron fuel cleaners and I need advices before using it. The size of the bottle is 12oz and it said will treat up to 12 gallons gas tank. But our Maxima has a 18 gallons gas tank. So either,
1. Run the tank to empty, put the 12oz cleaner in and fill up 18 gallons gas.
2. Use 1 and a half bottle of Chevron for 18 gallons tank. Or
3. Put the 12oz cleaner in the tank and fill up 12 gallons of gas only.
Also, should I use the cleaner before of after oil change? Please includes either 1, 2 or 3 in your answer. Thank you so much!
1. Run the tank to empty, put the 12oz cleaner in and fill up 18 gallons gas.
2. Use 1 and a half bottle of Chevron for 18 gallons tank. Or
3. Put the 12oz cleaner in the tank and fill up 12 gallons of gas only.
Also, should I use the cleaner before of after oil change? Please includes either 1, 2 or 3 in your answer. Thank you so much!
01-27-2009, 08:06 AM
#4
01-27-2009, 10:16 AM
#6
Dude, that's NOT the correct procedure.
Ok, you're going to want to find the threads detailing how to change the fuel filter, that will show you how to gain access to the fuel tank. Once you have the fuel tank exposed, here's where it get a little tricky. You are going to need to use a metal substrate to get started, I recommend using one like this. Use that for about 2 minutes then button everything back up.
Once you've finished with that, you're going to want to take the Chevron Techron and pour it over the fuel injectors and let the awesome soak in. Start the motor. Don’t worry about the fumes. Crack open a cold one and enjoy the MPG increase.
Ok, you're going to want to find the threads detailing how to change the fuel filter, that will show you how to gain access to the fuel tank. Once you have the fuel tank exposed, here's where it get a little tricky. You are going to need to use a metal substrate to get started, I recommend using one like this. Use that for about 2 minutes then button everything back up.
Once you've finished with that, you're going to want to take the Chevron Techron and pour it over the fuel injectors and let the awesome soak in. Start the motor. Don’t worry about the fumes. Crack open a cold one and enjoy the MPG increase.
01-27-2009, 03:06 PM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Parker, CO
Posts: 163
The only additive I'd put in a Nissan engine (and the only ones Nissan dealers I've worked at) have ever used is BG 44K and BG MOA for the oil. BG used to do some pretty cool demonstrations for the advisors at one of the dealers I worked at with their additives; they'd do them right in front of you.
I use BG on my own vehicles, but other than that, most additives are either useless or harmful to your car's engine. If you want Techron, just buy Chevron gas.
I use BG on my own vehicles, but other than that, most additives are either useless or harmful to your car's engine. If you want Techron, just buy Chevron gas.
01-27-2009, 06:39 PM
#10
I just used this stuff a few weeks ago. Just like everyone said run your tank down to about empty. Pour the whole bottle into your tank and fill up. I recommend filling up with premium gas since your using that stuff. Made a lil better gas mileage difference on my car used to get 225 a tank now i get about 232-233 a tank not bad
01-27-2009, 08:06 PM
#13
There's a venturi in the manifold housing for the air/oil/fuel mix (hence why some 3.5 VQ owners really BURN oil); it'll clog up the venturi port, and it's a beotch to get to. Newer oil is less viscous, so it can safely carry the contaminants through the cams and in to the tranny filter.
01-28-2009, 07:35 AM
#14
Member who somehow became The President of The SE-L Club
iTrader: (19)
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 16,033
Aren't the directions on the bottle, in plain ole english? 
Can you follow them?
You managed to get a drivers license and buy a car.
Seriously...
Oil change before or after using Techron? You must be kidding me. I didn't see those directions on the bottle last time I used it. Techron is used in Chevron gas, do you change your oil every time you fill up at a Chevron station? How about Shell gas? Gezzzz guess you have to change your oil every time you use Shell gas too. It has the most amount of cleaning additives in any gas sold.
Can you follow them?
You managed to get a drivers license and buy a car.
Seriously...
Oil change before or after using Techron? You must be kidding me. I didn't see those directions on the bottle last time I used it. Techron is used in Chevron gas, do you change your oil every time you fill up at a Chevron station? How about Shell gas? Gezzzz guess you have to change your oil every time you use Shell gas too. It has the most amount of cleaning additives in any gas sold.
01-28-2009, 10:26 AM
#18
Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Garner NC
Posts: 49
Do not use cleaners. It is not good for the engine in the long run. If you think you are having flow problems, you really should see a doctor. OK, that was a bad joke. Try doing a filter change and running GOOD, QUALITY gas (do NOT go to Sheetz!!). If you still feel that there is a clog, try the strainer next, blow your lines out with compressed air (the hard lines) and maybe having you injectors ultrasonically cleaned. That is the right way to do it.
01-28-2009, 10:31 AM
#19
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 86
Aren't the directions on the bottle, in plain ole english?
Can you follow them?
You managed to get a drivers license and buy a car.
Seriously...
Oil change before or after using Techron? You must be kidding me. I didn't see those directions on the bottle last time I used it. Techron is used in Chevron gas, do you change your oil every time you fill up at a Chevron station? How about Shell gas? Gezzzz guess you have to change your oil every time you use Shell gas too. It has the most amount of cleaning additives in any gas sold.
Can you follow them?
You managed to get a drivers license and buy a car.
Seriously...
Oil change before or after using Techron? You must be kidding me. I didn't see those directions on the bottle last time I used it. Techron is used in Chevron gas, do you change your oil every time you fill up at a Chevron station? How about Shell gas? Gezzzz guess you have to change your oil every time you use Shell gas too. It has the most amount of cleaning additives in any gas sold.
02-01-2009, 01:24 PM
#22
i believe if u use shell gas, it has additives that help maiantain clean fule lines, but if u r going to use the cleaner i would go with number 1
Also record the mpg u get once u used this stuff. to do that, c how many miles u get to empty after u have used techron, than take that number and divide it by the number of gallons u fill up with next and thats ur mpg. For example if u get 350 miles for a tank and than u have to pump 18 gallons again (but i think its more like 16 in our 4th gens) 350/18=19.44 thats ur mpg. Compare that to ur mpg with out using Techron and c if u r getting results at all. Good luck i hope this helps you.
Also record the mpg u get once u used this stuff. to do that, c how many miles u get to empty after u have used techron, than take that number and divide it by the number of gallons u fill up with next and thats ur mpg. For example if u get 350 miles for a tank and than u have to pump 18 gallons again (but i think its more like 16 in our 4th gens) 350/18=19.44 thats ur mpg. Compare that to ur mpg with out using Techron and c if u r getting results at all. Good luck i hope this helps you.
Last edited by maxfever1987; 02-01-2009 at 01:28 PM.
02-01-2009, 09:00 PM
#23
Haha the instructions can get pretty confusing... esspecially with Seafoam. I've been using it for about 3 oil change periods, and each time I pure that magical liquid I notice a little power boost, and as the months go by up until my next oil change I notice it slowly going away. I am not sure if its my mind playing tricks on me but I think that its working so far. And I usually pure in a can into all three locations before a oil change but NOT before driving around for about a week or so to let it soak.
Please don't flame me, thankyou
Please don't flame me, thankyou
02-03-2009, 10:32 PM
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 866
If one really wants to get **** about additives, a trip to the forums at www.bobistheoilguy.com would be in order. All of us were noobs with our cars at one time or another. So I'll answer the young gent's question.
For those laughing at the question about using a fuel system cleaner before or after an oil change, the simple answer is before. All cars will have some fuel dilution of their oil (ideally less than .5%, but <2.0% is generally acceptable). When using Techron (main cleaning ingredient is polyether amine), the PEA in the fuel makes it to the oil. PEA has a negative affect on the bearings, and shows up as increased lead in a used oil analysis. When you read enough UOA's, it becomes apparent when the owner has used a fuel system cleaner with PEA in it (and VQ's are particularly susceptible to this for some reason. Probably from soft bearing material used by Nissan). The spikes in lead in a UOA will come down after the next oil change if PEA wasn't used. Changing the oil out after PEA use gets it out of the oil sooner so it doesn't have as much time to affect the bearings.
Having said that, I continue to use Techron prior to my oil changes. One exception is when I will be getting my annual UOA (I want a pristine UOA without the possibility of a fuel additive skewing the results). Techron, Redline SI-1, Shell V-Power, and Gumout Regane all contain PEA, and all are effective fuel system cleaners. Most of the others are just a mix of kerosene, acetone, toulene, naptha, and such. They typically aren't as effective as PEA.
I am definitely not trying to scare anyone away from using fuel additives. Like I said, I use Techron every 3000-5000 miles. It is not something I would need to use more frequently, except possibly a back-to-back dose if I had a specific problem. If a back-to-back dose doesn't cure your problem, its probably time to look at a different solution or cause of the problem.
For the OP's first question, the best option of the three possibilities would be #2. Techron (and other PEA containing additives) are usually dosed at 1 oz/gallon fuel. That would be ideal. However, the other two options are fine, too. The less added, the less cleaning. A little more added, a little more cleaning (without majorly overdoing it due to its effect on bearings). The manufacturer's dosage is typically a little on the conservative side (because they don't want sued if "Bubba" adds 2 gallons of it thinking more is better and possibly screws something up, like O-rings, nylon parts, O2 sensors, cats, etc which could be affected in strong concentrations). I would have no problem doing two 12 oz bottles for 18 gallons fuel occasionally for a specific problem or even as a deep cleaning.
There are two versions of "Techron". The good stuff is named "Techron", and the diluted stuff is "Pro-Guard", but still has the Techron name on the label. I use the concentrated Tecrhon. Another benefit of it is cleaning of the fuel gauge sending unit's contacts. Cheap gas (with a high sulphur content) can corrode the contacts of the sending unit. Then the fuel gauge acts erratically (bouncing everywhere or giving false readings). GM's are known for this issue (my M-I-L's truck had it bad). Not sure how common this problem is on Maxima's. My M-I-L's was so bad her gauge changed every 15 seconds or so while sitting still. The proper fix was a $240 fuel pump/sending unit assembly, not counting labor to drop the tank or remove the bed for access (it's a pickup). I dosed her 25 gallon tank with two 20 oz bottles 3 times in a row to cure it. A UOA afterwards showed a small spike in lead, but still within acceptable limits. A subsequent UOA without using Techron and her lead was back to normal.
I know the owner's manual of our cars say not to use fuel or oil additives. Most manufacturers advise against them. That's mainly to protect them from "Bubba" overdoing it, or using an additive with an incompatible ingredient for the engine's materials (O-rings, gaskets (like GM's IM), nylon "socks" in fuel tanks, O2's, cats, etc...), especially while it is still under warranty. Used according to instructions, some additives are perfectly safe, and quite effective at what they do (Techron, Regane, Redline SI-1, V-Power, and MMO for fuel, and Auto RX for oil). A lot of others however are nothing more than snake-oil good at lightening a person's wallet (any octane boost and STP come to mind).
Sorry for the length, but there is a lot of info and research available concerning additives. Check out the forums at the link above for all the info you'd ever want on oils and additives. Hope this helps.
Dave
For those laughing at the question about using a fuel system cleaner before or after an oil change, the simple answer is before. All cars will have some fuel dilution of their oil (ideally less than .5%, but <2.0% is generally acceptable). When using Techron (main cleaning ingredient is polyether amine), the PEA in the fuel makes it to the oil. PEA has a negative affect on the bearings, and shows up as increased lead in a used oil analysis. When you read enough UOA's, it becomes apparent when the owner has used a fuel system cleaner with PEA in it (and VQ's are particularly susceptible to this for some reason. Probably from soft bearing material used by Nissan). The spikes in lead in a UOA will come down after the next oil change if PEA wasn't used. Changing the oil out after PEA use gets it out of the oil sooner so it doesn't have as much time to affect the bearings.
Having said that, I continue to use Techron prior to my oil changes. One exception is when I will be getting my annual UOA (I want a pristine UOA without the possibility of a fuel additive skewing the results). Techron, Redline SI-1, Shell V-Power, and Gumout Regane all contain PEA, and all are effective fuel system cleaners. Most of the others are just a mix of kerosene, acetone, toulene, naptha, and such. They typically aren't as effective as PEA.
I am definitely not trying to scare anyone away from using fuel additives. Like I said, I use Techron every 3000-5000 miles. It is not something I would need to use more frequently, except possibly a back-to-back dose if I had a specific problem. If a back-to-back dose doesn't cure your problem, its probably time to look at a different solution or cause of the problem.
For the OP's first question, the best option of the three possibilities would be #2. Techron (and other PEA containing additives) are usually dosed at 1 oz/gallon fuel. That would be ideal. However, the other two options are fine, too. The less added, the less cleaning. A little more added, a little more cleaning (without majorly overdoing it due to its effect on bearings). The manufacturer's dosage is typically a little on the conservative side (because they don't want sued if "Bubba" adds 2 gallons of it thinking more is better and possibly screws something up, like O-rings, nylon parts, O2 sensors, cats, etc which could be affected in strong concentrations). I would have no problem doing two 12 oz bottles for 18 gallons fuel occasionally for a specific problem or even as a deep cleaning.
There are two versions of "Techron". The good stuff is named "Techron", and the diluted stuff is "Pro-Guard", but still has the Techron name on the label. I use the concentrated Tecrhon. Another benefit of it is cleaning of the fuel gauge sending unit's contacts. Cheap gas (with a high sulphur content) can corrode the contacts of the sending unit. Then the fuel gauge acts erratically (bouncing everywhere or giving false readings). GM's are known for this issue (my M-I-L's truck had it bad). Not sure how common this problem is on Maxima's. My M-I-L's was so bad her gauge changed every 15 seconds or so while sitting still. The proper fix was a $240 fuel pump/sending unit assembly, not counting labor to drop the tank or remove the bed for access (it's a pickup). I dosed her 25 gallon tank with two 20 oz bottles 3 times in a row to cure it. A UOA afterwards showed a small spike in lead, but still within acceptable limits. A subsequent UOA without using Techron and her lead was back to normal.
I know the owner's manual of our cars say not to use fuel or oil additives. Most manufacturers advise against them. That's mainly to protect them from "Bubba" overdoing it, or using an additive with an incompatible ingredient for the engine's materials (O-rings, gaskets (like GM's IM), nylon "socks" in fuel tanks, O2's, cats, etc...), especially while it is still under warranty. Used according to instructions, some additives are perfectly safe, and quite effective at what they do (Techron, Regane, Redline SI-1, V-Power, and MMO for fuel, and Auto RX for oil). A lot of others however are nothing more than snake-oil good at lightening a person's wallet (any octane boost and STP come to mind).
Sorry for the length, but there is a lot of info and research available concerning additives. Check out the forums at the link above for all the info you'd ever want on oils and additives. Hope this helps.
Dave
02-10-2009, 06:38 AM
#28
We all have our first time when doing anything. I just want to make sure that I do it in the right way especially something related to car. This is what this forum created for. For people to ask questions and get answers. If you want to laugh at somebody or having meaningless comments, please keep it to yourself and leave. I appreciated the help. Thank you.
02-10-2009, 04:33 PM
#29
Yep we were all newbies to the car maintenance world at some point. As a matter of fact I am going to school soon to be a auto technician! Although I had to learn a lot of things about cars by myself and through online forums like this one
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
jmlee44
4th Generation Maxima (1995-1999)
8
10-02-2022 02:13 PM
My Coffee
New Member Introductions
15
06-06-2017 02:01 PM
Forge277
1st & 2nd Generation Maxima (1981-1984 and 1985-1988)
12
06-13-2016 09:26 PM