People Say I'm Full of Crap About Fuel Additives, Well Watch This

Summary

In this video, a mechanic with 46 years of experience explains how modern fuel injection cleaning systems work, emphasizing the inadequacy of old additives for today's vehicles. He highlights the challenges posed by ethanol-blended gasoline and direct injection systems, recommending Gumout for their polyether amine content. The mechanic also demonstrates diagnosing a 2007 Toyota Corolla's sluggish acceleration, ruling out common issues before suspecting a clogged catalytic converter. After testing, he finds the issue lies with dirty fuel injectors, which Gumout resolves after a short drive.

Takeaways

• 🚗 Modern fuel injectors and engines require specific cleaners that work with ethanol-based gasoline.
• 🔧 Old additives like seafoam, designed for two-stroke engines, are ineffective for modern vehicles with direct fuel injection.
• 💧 The main cleaning ingredient in Gumout is polyether amine (PEA), which effectively cleans engines, particularly gasoline direct injection systems.
• ⛽ Ethanol in gasoline can cause corrosion, but modern additives like Gumout have corrosion inhibitors to protect the engine.
• 👀 Using a boroscope to inspect engine carbon buildup before and after using cleaners helps verify their effectiveness.
• 🧪 Testing additives on modern cars with boroscopes shows that Gumout can significantly reduce carbon buildup.
• 🔋 Troubleshooting car performance often involves checking basics like the battery, alternator, air filters, and spark plugs.
• ⚙️ A clogged catalytic converter or lazy oxygen sensor can cause acceleration issues, and it's important to test components properly.
• 🔍 Advanced diagnostics tools like OTC scanners provide more detailed information than standard code readers.
• 🚙 Dirty fuel injectors can cause sluggish performance, but cleaning them with additives like Royal Purple can restore engine efficiency.

Q & A

Why do old fuel additives like Seafoam not work well with modern cars?

Old additives like Seafoam were designed for two-stroke engines and do not work well with modern gasoline, which contains up to 10% ethanol. Additionally, they are not optimized for modern gasoline direct injection (GDI) systems, which can lead to carbon buildup in engines.

What is the primary cleaning ingredient in modern fuel additives like Gumout?

The primary cleaning ingredient in Gumout is polyether amine (PEA), a nitrogen-based cleaner that is effective at cleaning carbon buildup inside engines, particularly those with gasoline direct injection systems.

How does ethanol in gasoline affect modern engines?

Ethanol can cause corrosion in the fuel system and may negatively affect engine performance, leading to complaints about cars running poorly. Modern fuel additives contain corrosion inhibitors to prevent ethanol from damaging the fuel system.

What tool does the speaker recommend using to check the effectiveness of fuel system cleaners?

The speaker recommends using a borescope to look inside the engine, allowing users to visually inspect carbon buildup before and after using fuel system cleaners.

What issue was found with the 2007 Toyota Corolla in the video?

The 2007 Toyota Corolla experienced sluggish acceleration. Despite multiple trips to dealers, the problem remained unresolved. The speaker conducted various tests, including checking the battery, alternator, air filter, spark plugs, and running live data diagnostics.

What was the significance of testing the oxygen sensor in the Toyota Corolla?

Testing the oxygen sensor was important to determine if there was too much pressure in the catalytic converter, which could indicate a clog. However, the test showed that the catalytic converter was not clogged.

What role did the MAF (mass air flow) sensor play in the diagnostics process?

The MAF sensor was checked to see if it was reading correctly, as improper readings can cause acceleration and fuel trim issues. In the video, the MAF sensor was determined to be functioning properly.

What conclusion did the speaker come to regarding the fuel injectors in the Toyota Corolla?

The speaker concluded that the fuel injectors were likely dirty and slightly clogged, causing the vehicle to run lean and affecting acceleration. After adding a fuel cleaner and test-driving the car, the long-term fuel trim improved, suggesting that the issue was related to dirty fuel injectors.

How did the speaker test for a clogged catalytic converter?

The speaker tested for a clogged catalytic converter by removing the oxygen sensor and attaching a pressure gauge. If there had been significant pressure, it would have indicated a clogged catalytic converter, but the test showed almost no pressure, meaning the exhaust system was not restricted.

What was the final solution to the Toyota Corolla's sluggish acceleration problem?

The final solution was likely related to dirty fuel injectors. After adding Royal Purple fuel cleaner and driving for about half an hour, the fuel trims improved, suggesting that the cleaner helped resolve the issue by cleaning the fuel injectors.