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

Sure, trips to the dentist may not be all that fun, but there is one benefit — that super-clean feeling. You know it. It’s the way your mouth feels after you walk out of the dentist office, when you know your teeth are white, shiny and sparkline. Wouldn’t it be nice to give that same clean feeling to your car? Well, you can—with help from a pour-in fuel system cleaner.

A pour-in fuel system cleaner is a treatment added directly to the fuel tank, and just as the annual trip to the dentist cleans your teeth, a pour-in fuel system cleaner perks up dirty fuel systems.

It’s easy to tell when your mouth doesn’t feel as clean and fresh as usual, but it’s a little tougher to tell if your engine isn’t as clean as it should be. There are a few tell-tale signs to determine if your engine is dirty. Does your engine feel like it is shaking? Do you hear a knocking sound while you’re driving? Does your vehicle just not seem like it is performing as well as it used to? If any of these describe your vehicle, there is a good chance deposits might have formed in your engine. Deposits are often little bits of carbon left over from the fuel your engine burns. These deposits can destroy your engine, just as cavities destroy your teeth. But good news—using a pour-in fuel system cleaner can remove these filthy deposits and help your engine feel clean and fresh. Deposits in your fuel system are like plaque on your teeth. A pour-in fuel system cleaner scrubs them away just like the dentist cleanses your mouth of plaque.

If you are not experiencing any dirty-engine symptoms, that is wonderful, but it doesn’t mean a pour-in fuel system cleaner is not right for you. Using a pour-in fuel system cleaner can also help extend the life of fuel injectors, subsequently extending the life of your vehicle.

A pour-in fuel system cleaner takes only seconds to install, adding virtually no time to your oil change. Pour-in fuel system cleaners are recommended every 3,000 to 4,000 miles—in other words, at every oil change. These treatments are worth the extra cost because they are going to help your engine run better and extend its life, giving you security and peace of mind.

“It gives you a sense of reliability,” said Mark Negast, technical director at Lucas Oil. “You don’t want to be stranded because your engine failed due to restricted fuel injection, debris getting in your fuel filter or any problem like that.”

Making sure your engine runs at its best is a top priority because we all rely on our vehicles every day. Using a pour-in fuel system cleaner will improve your vehicle’s performance, making sure that your car runs extremely well.

Just as those trips to the dentist are essential to a healthy mouth and teeth, pour-in fuel system cleaners are essential to keeping your engine clean and your vehicle running properly.