urbexHHR

Does anyone know if the GM fuel system cleaner that they sell at the dealer is any good, or if it works?

I got a thing in the mail from a local dealer that bought out part of my dealer, and they give you $40 every 6 months to spend at the dealership on anything. I was thinking I'll probably just use it to buy oil and filters and whatnot (probably a bumper pad too), and I was just thinking... Since I already have oil for my next change, I thought about what else I can get. Just wondered if the GM stuff is any good, or a waste. I mean, it'd be free....so I might as well try it, but I could also use my money for something else too....

catdaddy137

i don't know about gm. i hope they don't charge $40 or probably twice that....what i do know is that i've tryed alot of cleaners for my fuel..i have never had any problems with my hhr , i just do it as preventive maint....the only thing that i have noticed ANY difference with was seafoam...i have even tryed acetone to get better mpg , 4oz/10gal , is what most people recomened...i noticed nothing.....with seafoam i put half a can , 8oz to full tank ....i always notice an increase in mpg every time i add it.......a gm tech , that i mostly trust told me the ecotecs used to have problems with injectors fouling....maybe he was just trying to sell me some injectors he said he had even before he went to work at gm....he has been a mechanic for many years , but only at gm a few months....i purchased the injectors because he is a good guy , a good mechanic , he needed the $ , and i got them cheap.......anyhoo , good luck , but there is no way i'd pay them anything , since i allready seem to have found the best fuel system cleaner , seafoam , in the gas , not the intake.

prod

The GM stuff is pretty good, independent mechanics often use it for other makes as well.

oneton

It's made by chevron and works well

urbexHHR

I always used to use the Chevron Techron stuff, and I hear that works great. Not sure if I notice much of a difference, but I've never looked to see how clean it is. I thought you usually get poor gas mileage when you use the cleaner, but then get better on the next tank?

I don't know. I'll probably just try it for free. I typically do it every 3k miles or so (which takes a while for me).

urbexHHR

So you ONLY put the seafoam in the gas tank?

catdaddy137

for some reason it has been said to put it in the intake....i do not understand how it will clean an injector unless it is put in the tank....i used the cheveron many times , i'm not kicking it but i have never seen anything work as well as that seafoam....and it is about the same price or less than the cheveron....i think the seafoam is about $9.00 for 16oz....but i only use 8oz at oil change and at 50% oil life....i did try it again at 75% oil life this time and got the same result --increase mpg--.....i think the gas is either garbage , or maybe my gm tech was right about the ecotec injectors having fouling problems...i have never noticed any fuel problem while driving...but it does seem a little smoother after the seafoam does it's magic...that is 1 reason i am so amazed by the increase after i run the seafoam in the gas...i guess if i never put anything in to clean my fuel i would have had to pull some injectors by now....maybe if i put some in the intake i'll get a few more mpg

urbexHHR

So (yes, you convinced me to go by Seafoam....I'm so manipulable....) How much of it do you put in a tank? It's so confusing. It sounds like 1oz per gallon, so wouldn't that be a whole 16oz bottle?

I've always been leery of putting ANYTHING other than oil in my engine... My dad rebuilt the truck engine in about '94 or '95 and it's still clean as a whistle....so I think just changing your oil is good enough. I don't want to risk hurting anything. Besides, I always think those chemicals might break down some oil, and you know you can't get all of it out at the next oil change... But that's just me.


EDIT: Sorry, I see now your post above that you put half of a can in. I bought two, I'm thinking than 1 whole can for the truck, and then two halves for the HHR. (What would happen if I put it all in? )

catdaddy137

i am also a little leary and anal bout my hhr....it is the nicest thing i've ever owned....i really don't see how it could get into your oil....is gas getting into your oil ??? if not then i don't think the seafoam will...i am pretty sure it is comes in a 16oz can.....i look at the outside of the can to gestimate by eye where the 1/2 point is after i look inside to see where the level is when full...then i push with mt thumb to make a little dent on the 1/2 place...i keep pouring and looking in the can until the level is at the dent...that is the lazy/fast method when i'm at the gas store...i like to put it in then fill up to wash it out of the filler neck and to stir/mix it up.....i use 8oz per 1 tank....i can see a little smoke out the exhaust sometimes...the seafoam is famous/infamous for smoking...you could probably use less , but many people pour it right into the intake , so i don't think a whole can would hurt in i full tank , but probably a waste....i think that the way i do the half can (8oz) to a tank (14-15gal) , would be about 1/2 oz to the gallon...i don't sell seafoam , but i am sold on it.....oh , and i have put it in my oil also , 8oz then a few miles before i change the oil , sortof like a flush.

urbexHHR

No, I'm talking about pouring it into your oil. It says on the bottle you can pour it into your crankcase (oil). I've always been leery of doing that stuff. But as far as putting it in the intake, I wouldn't even know how to do that on the HHR....I could on my truck, but I'd have no clue where to put it in at on this thing. I think I'll just stick to the gas tank. I figure the fuel goes through the injectors, so it probably cleans them good enough. I don't know how much better you could clean them really....

EDIT: It poured out rather quickly, so I decided to just put the entire 16oz in. I've only used the Chevron before, and I think I've only done it once since I got it, and since the HHR was a lease, I'm SURE it's never been done before, so maybe it's a little dirtier than I'd have it...so, we'll see how that does. I also just topped the car off at the gas station (it was 3/4 full), so now it's at a full tank too.