by Tammy Williams
VehicleMD Staff Writer
Originally published in Fall 2010 Issue

Your family car has held its own over the years. It’s made a few hundred trips to the grocery store, dropped off kids at numerous ballet lessons and football practices, and has survived a half-dozen summer road trips. Over the years, your number-one ride might have endured a flat tire, door dings and too many spilled sodas to count. But what have you done to ensure it will continue running until your youngest heads off to college—and you get that little red sports car you’ve been dreaming of?

If you want to keep your vehicle running smoothly, a pour-in fuel system cleaner can be just the ticket.

A pour-in fuel system cleaner is added directly to the fuel tank. It takes only seconds to install, adding virtually no time to your oil change, and pour-in fuel system cleanings are recommended at least every 3,000 miles.

“Using a pour-in fuel system cleaner on a regular basis will extend the life of your engine by extending the life of your fuel injectors,” said Mark Negast, technical director at Lucas Oil.

Fuel injectors, just as their name implies, inject fuel into the engine, and it is important that they are kept clean. Deposits of unburned fuel can form on fuel injectors. These deposits can lead to reduced engine performance—and, in severe cases, can cause your engine to stall.

Another added benefit to a pour-in fuel system cleaner is that it can help keep your family safe. “You don’t want to be stranded because your engine failed due to a restricted fuel injector or deposits making their way into your fuel filter,” Negast said. “A pour-in fuel system cleaning can give you a sense of comfort knowing that you are helping your engine run at its peak performance.”

Making sure your engine runs at its best is a top priority because we depend on our family cars every day. How else would dad make it to work, mom run errands or kids make it to basketball practice?

Using a pour-in fuel system cleaner will help improve your vehicle’s performance, making sure your car runs well for years to come. You’ll be happy to know that the good ol’ family car will keep your youngest daughter safe when you drop her off at college—and you head home in your brand-new sports car.