Hello Guys

My new 08 lariet has about 10,000 miles on it now. Since gas has prices have gone crazy I've driven this truck like a little old lady and I have to say I've gotten pretty good mpg.

BUT now I'm concerned about carbon buildup. We all know the story about "changing plugs time".

I guess what I'm asking is there anything I can add to the gas that will clean the carbon buildup in this moter.

I've never had a problem like this before-always drove the poop out of my trucks and of course I could change my own plugs.

I guess that day is over.

Thanks in advance fellows.

 

how do you know its carbon'd up?? perhaps a run down the highway at a good pace once a week would keep things cleared out...

 

Dont waste your money on fuel additives that go in the tank. They are dilluted so much how could they be that effective. I personally use the Seafoam product straight thru the intake not in the gas. It will help burn off any carbon that has formed in your engine. Works wonders on older vehicals that have had oil blow by issues. I even run it thru my new vehicals every 5000 miles just to keep the combustion chambers clean. Every car gets some oil thru the intake due to the PVC system for emmisions.

 

There is no plug problem in your yr. was fixed in 10/07 redesigned heads andplugs

 

There are companies that advertise having additives in their gas that prevent or remove deposits. Shell, BP and Chevron come to mind. Regular will maintain fuel system cleanliness and premium will clean the system. I use the mid grade. Don't need the octane of the premium, but the mid grade usually has additives for cleaning the fuel sustem. I prefer to pay a little more up front to help prevent a problem than have to deal with it later.

 

I don't want to contradict anyone but the name brands use the same cleaning additives for all octanes so you don't need mid-grade or premium. For instance Chevron states that their "Techron" additive package is in all their fuels and lists the same benefits for all of them.

Mid-grade or premium is only going to contribute to any build-up problem since higher octane fuels have a slow flame front and don't burn as completely unless the ignition timing is advanced with a tuner. Don't run mid-grade or premium unless you have installed a programmer using a tuner which advances the timing (and leans the fuel a tad as well).

 

The owners manual for my 2004 5.4 calls for 87 Octane, which is Mid-Grade around here.

 

then use the "mid" grade

usually though it's 87, 89, 91 octanes. come places like Texas and Hawaii have 93 octane. I'm sure there are other states as well.

 

Around here 89 is mid grade. BP puts the additive in all grades, but they put more in mid than reg and more in premium than mid.

 

ExxonMobil gas has no additives in the 87 octane, only in the 89 and premium, according the my mechanic, who has owned an Exxon station for over 30 years.......

 

Thanks fellers for the info. The moter build date on my truck is 10/03/07 and I'm not too sure I have the heads and plugs.

I think I'll just drive the poop out of it on the weekends. I don't know if it will help but it can't hurt.

Thanks again

 

Your mech. is wrong it is a federal law that all gas sold in the U.S. has an additive package I am sure some are better than others

 

Are you in a high altitude area? The reason is because the higher the altitude the lower the octane requirements of a vehicle. A vehicle which requires 87 octane at low altitude is just wasting money running it at higher altitude since the engine isn't going to advance timing enough to use it fully. Besides, all the grades from the major companies use the same additive package.

 

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