You’ve probably seen them when walking down the aisle at Walmart or the auto parts store… It almost seems too good to be true: a cheap additive you pour into your gas tank that magically cleans your whole fuel system, resulting in a smoother, more powerful, and more efficient drive!
What?!
Do fuel system cleaners really work, or are they just there to take your money?
The short answer is yes, they do. But not all fuel system cleaners are created equal.
Read on to learn what fuel system cleaners do, how they work, and why you should be using ours.
Why Do You Need to Clean Your Fuel System?
Gasoline can leave a surprising amount of contaminants in your fuel system. Some of the contamination will accumulate in the bottom of your fuel tank, in the fuel lines, and around your fuel pressure regulator. The real problem will come from the deposits forming on your fuel injectors.
So, how does this happen? There are 2 main causes of deposit buildups in engines:
1. Ethanol
Ethyl Alcohol, more commonly known as “Ethanol,” is a renewable fuel source derived from plant material (corn). Back in 1979, we started using Ethanol in our fuel to help reduce carbon monoxide emissions from our vehicles in order to comply with air-quality regulations. It is also used as an octane-boosting ingredient.
Sounds nice, right?
Well… Yes, and No. Allow us to elaborate.
Modern engines no longer require the use of ethanol to lower fuel emissions, so it is simply used as somewhat of a filler to lower the cost of gas. For newer engines, this isn’t a big deal, as they are designed to run on a gasoline/ethanol fuel mixture. However, older vehicles don’t do so well with it.
You see, the alcohol is corrosive, so it is really hard on a lot of the vehicle parts. Further, in older engines, it can cause carbon deposit to dislodge, making their way to other parts of the engine and causing issues. It also oxidizes and emulsifies to form non-combustible by-products, which eventually causes build up in fuel injectors, intake valves, and various parts of the engine’s combustion chamber. This leads to poor engine performance and poor fuel economy.
2. Carbon
Carbon is the number one culprit when talking about harmful deposit buildups in engines. Here’s what happens:
Our engines are not design to extract 100% of the energy from the fuel we use. There are portions of fuel that do not combust completely during the combustion process (i.e. carbon deposits are made from leftover fuel that your engine didn’t burn completely). These deposits end up in the exhaust system, in your fuel injectors, or on surfaces within the combustion chamber itself… Not good!
Unfortunately, this process is basically unavoidable. While a little bit isn’t all that harmful, it’s when you leave it for years without cleaning it that you end up with a big mess in there and start to notice problems.
Do Fuel System Cleaners Work?
Yes! When used regularly, fuel system cleaners can help work to remove harmful deposits and keep new ones from forming. They are especially important for engines running on gasoline containing Ethanol and fuel-injected engines.
Berryman® B-12 Chemtool® High MileEdge Fuel System Cleaning Concentrate thoroughly cleans the entire fuel system of all high mileage gas-powered vehicles, including those exceeding 60,000 miles.
Powerful detergents and H.E.S.T. solvents give a one-tank clean-up of fuel injectors, intake valves, carburetor, and combustion chambers. It works to dissolve fuel residue and carbon deposits to restore lost power, reduce rough idle and hesitation, restore octane requirements, and improve overall drivability.
What’s more, this product helps disperses moisture, stabilize gasoline and will result in an improvement in fuel economy!
F.A.Q.’s
How Often Should You Put #0116 B-12 Chemtool in Your Tank?
Every 2,500 to 3,000 miles, or whenever you do an oil change. It should also be used to revive stale gas and disperse moisture in gas as needed.
Is it Safe to Use B-12 Chemtool (#0117, #0116) to Clean the Throttle Body and Throttle Plate?
B-12 Chemtool Carburetor and Choke Cleaner is safe to use to clean these parts. It should be noted that B-12 has rarely removed a coating from certain older Ford throttle bodies that are no longer produced. There have been no reported problems in these rare instances.
Can You Use Your #0116 B-12 Chemtool in 2 Cycle Engines?
Yes, add one ounce per gallon of gas or gas/oil mixture.
CAUTION: DO NOT ADD TO OIL RESERVOIR FOR OIL-INJECTED ENGINES.
Should I Use Any of Your Products on a 4-Stroke Dirt Bike?
Our B-12 Chemtool is safe to use in 2-cycle and 4-cycle engines. All of our fuel additives will give excellent results when mixed at a ratio of 1 oz. additive to 1 gallon of fuel.
At Berryman Products, we are committed to providing prompt personal service and producing products that meet the highest quality standards of performance, reliability and environmental responsibility. Check out our website and Facebook page for accurate information and quality products you need to handle your most common vehicle issues. See what our customers have to say:
Hestimonials
“I’ve used the Berryman B-12 Chemtool fuel system cleaner in my 70 year old 1947 Ford 8N Tractor for the past 7 years that I’ve owned it to keep it running rite. One bottle a season keeps my 8N running like a champ whether I’m clearing snow from my driveway, mowing the grass or simply giving hay rides. Hunka B-12 really helps battle those ethanol Gremlins.”
~Warren
“Plain and simple, best stuff I’ve found. Best price hands down . Outperforms all others I’ve tried. Value can’t be beat. Never let me down . Never disappoints. Personally used it in over 20 cars, many repeatedly , with no adverse effects /damage to the vehicle. Great stuff. No B.S. Money well spent! Glad its going strong and is available in more places than ever, still for a hell of a price. Thanks Berryman again!”
~Tony