The Best Fuel Injector Cleaners: Improve Your Vehicle’s Performance

Cleaning out your vehicle with fuel injector cleaner can be a great option for you.

byHeather Fishel|
These are the best fuel injector cleaners
There are many different options to choose from. Amazon
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It’s no secret that the key to getting your engine to hum like a dream is a clean and efficient combustion process. Your ride might be quite fresh on the outside, but without an engine that's in tip-top shape, what's the point? Everyone's heard of fuel injector cleaners—you’ve probably passed by them on the shelf in gas stations or hardware stores, and wondered if they even work. They do, and can make a good bit of difference in the health of your engine's fuel injectors.

However, fuel injector maintenance is about more than just a few drops of fluid here and there. If you really want to get a boost, there are fuel injector cleaning kits that can help your old steep gallop (or, at least idle) like new. This breakdown details the best fuel injector cleaners that will get the job done right.

Best Overall

Gumout High-Mileage Fuel Injector Cleaner

Summary
Coming in a set of six, this fuel injector cleaner is designed for older vehicles. Compatible with manufacturer warranties, this cleaner is safe to use and works well.
Pros
  • Works on rides with more than 75,000 miles
  • Helps prevent future build-up
  • Reduces overall exhaust emissions
Cons
  • Clear bottles make contents vulnerable to light
  • Each bottle only works for a single fuel injector cleaning
Best Value

Sea Foam IC5 Fuel Injector Cleaner

Summary
This product cleans fuel injectors and improves fuel injector spray patterns. A 5.25-ounce bottle treats up to 25 gallons.
Pros
  • Affordable
  • Simple to use
  • Reduces exhaust emissions
  • Boosts overall performance
Cons
  • Some users don’t notice a difference in fuel economy as product promises
Honorable Mention

Liqui Moly Jectron Gasoline Fuel Injector Cleaner

Summary
An inexpensive and effective way to clean out your car's fuel injection system.
Pros
  • Easy to use
  • Effective at cleaning out carbon
  • Inexpensive
Cons
  • Some consumers report not seeing much of a difference

Summary List

Our Methodology

We scoured the internet for the best fuel injector cleaner and came away with dozens of available options. In the end, we narrowed it down by looking at the brand's reputation, the price, and weighing it with our own history with the manufacturer and its products. If you want to learn more about The Drive's product selection process, click this link.

Best Fuel Injector Cleaners: Reviews & Recommendations

Best Overall: Gumout High-Mileage Fuel Injector Cleaner

Pros

Great value for coming in a pack of six

Good for high-mileage applications

Effective at cleaning away carbon buildup

Cons

Must be stored out of the light to maintain effectiveness

Whether you just bought an older car to fix up in your spare time or want to make your new model sing, Gumout High-Mileage Fuel Injector Cleaner is a good place to start. This chemical fuel injector cleaning system comes in a set of six, with each container holding 6 ounces of the formula. Designed to tackle carbon deposits on weathered vehicles, this formula is built to work on engines with more than 75,000 miles on them. 

Don’t let that deter you if you’ve got a newer model, though. It just makes the results that much more powerful. This cleaner effectively corrodes the carbon that’s caked onto the fuel injection system. It’s safe to use with the oxygen sensors in super and turbocharged vehicles; and, due to its quality manufacturing, won’t void OEM contracts. So, if you’re looking to improve your engine without investing in shop time, this fuel injector cleaner is a solid choice overall. 

Keep in mind that each bottle works for a single treatment. It comes with six, but they are in clear containers which exposes the contents to light. Store them in a dark place to avoid shortening the shelf life.

Best Value: Sea Foam IC5 Fuel Injector Cleaner

Pros

Reduces emissions

Inexpensive

Reportedly noticeable improvement in idle and overall smoothness

Cons

Some report not seeing much of a difference in fuel economy

The Sea Foam IC5 Fuel Injector Cleaner is an excellent choice because it's affordable and simple to use. It's designed to clean fuel injectors and improve injector spray patterns, which increase engine performance. The product can be used in all types of gasoline fuel injection engines. It restores fuel economy, reduces exhaust emissions, and lubricates upper cylinders. 

IC5 is available in a concentrated 5.25-ounce bottle and treats up to 25 gallons. It even works on capless tanks. When used regularly, IC5 can boost performance by preventing hard starts, rough idling, and hesitations. Users report that their vehicles drive noticeably smoother after using this product. Overall, it does a good job of cleaning the fuel injectors and the entire fuel system. 

Some people, however, don't notice a significant difference in fuel economy after using IC5.

Premium Pick: Red Line Complete Fuel System Cleaner

Pros

Includes a host of detergents and lubricants

Very versatile to use

Especially graet at tackling gum and varnish

Cons

Well rated among professionals and consumers

The Red Line Complete SI-1 Fuel System Cleaner is designed to clean fuel systems and prevent corrosion from occurring. Using SI-1 ensures long life and improved operation of your gas-powered engine. This product contains synthetic upper cylinder lubricant and cleans injectors, carburetors, valve, and combustion chamber deposits using high-temp and low-temp detergents. 

It can tackle all types of fuel injectors, including GDI, and can be used with oxygenated fuel. You can also use it safely on a regular basis. The SI-1 boosts fuel stability, keeps gum and varnish from forming, and cleans pollution control valves. 

One bottle per tank provides almost 100 percent efficiency and effectively cleans your fuel system. While this product is a little more expensive than some of its competitors, it is one of the best fuel system cleaners available.

Honorable Mention: Liqui Moly Jectron Gasoline Fuel Injection Cleaner

Pros

Great at removing carbon deposits

Improves fuel economy

Very inexpensive for Liqui Moly products

Cons

Some consumers report not seeing much of a difference

The Liqui Moly 2007 Jectron Gasoline Fuel Injection Cleaner removes carbon deposits from injection and inlet valves, fuel pipes, and fuel distributors, and it's ideal for engines with catalytic converters. It's an excellent inexpensive product to use on older, sluggish vehicles. Jectron stops starting problems, hesitation, and stalling and promotes smoother idling and better throttle response. It is a low-pollution product that promotes environmentally sound combustion.

Jectron also works to reduce fuel consumption and restore an engine's original performance by using accurate injector dosing and fuel atomization. Some users report they can actually hear a difference when the cleaner hits the combustion chambers. Overall, the engine should feel more responsive, stronger, and quieter after using this product. Some users, however, don't notice a difference in mileage after using it.

Honorable Mention: Royal Purple Max Atomizer Fuel Injector Automotive Additive

Pros

Great for modern direct-injected engines

Fast acting

Easy to use like every product above

Cons

Long term use required for deeper issues

Royal Purple Max Atomizer Fuel Injector Cleaner is a highly concentrated formula that’s designed to restore a high level of engine performance under the hood. Formulated just for modern direct injection engines, this cleaner can be used with any kind of fuel injection setup. Once it’s added into your gas tank, its highly concentrated polyether amine (PEA) detergents will unclog and unchoke injectors. You’ll see restored fuel injector spray patterns, better fuel atomizing, and overall enhanced performance.

If you use Royal Purple’s fuel injector cleaner regularly, you’ll easily combat issues like slow, rough starts and a rough idle. It’ll lead to quick starts, smoother idle, and more power from your engine. All you have to do is add it into your fuel at least once every 3,000 miles — or even as frequently as every time you fill up. This cleaner even stabilizes ethanol to prevent harmful effects on your engine.

Our Verdict on the Best Fuel Injector Cleaners

So, now you know the art and science behind finding the best fuel injector cleaners around. Maybe you’ve got an older ride and want the Gumout High-Mileage Fuel Injector Cleaner or want to save a few bucks in the long term with our value pick, the Sea Foam IC5 Fuel Injector Cleaner. Wherever the road takes you, there’s a fuel injector cleaner to help your engine hum.

Here Are the Important Things To Know

When you’re picking out a powerful fuel injector cleaner, you want to make sure you’re grabbing one that includes polyetheramine (PEA) detergents. These ingredients are the most important inclusion in a fuel cleaner additive — they’re what dissolves carbon deposits. PEA detergents actually bond with contaminants in the fuel system, which allows them to eliminate those harmful additions. As powerful active ingredients, they make a difference in just how clean your fuel injectors and system will actually get. For the best potential and most noticeable improvement, you need PEA detergents.

What are the different types of fuel injector cleaners?

Most fuel injector cleaners are dissolvents — which means they literally dissolve the contaminants, grime, and clogs that are gunking up your injectors. Once they’re in your fuel tank, dissolvent formulas use chemical detergents (like polyetheramines or PEAs) to break down the carbon and other types of contaminants present. They eat away at and dissolve any impurities, then they leave your vehicle’s fuel system via the exhaust system. Though they dissolve these contaminants by breaking them down chemically, they work quickly.

Detergent fuel injector cleaners are made of cleaning agents. This kind of fuel additive is meant to “clean up” contaminants and build-up as it moves through your vehicle’s fuel system. However, it’s unclear how exactly these detergents work to clean your fuel injectors and other components. They vary in amount from product to product, and they’re supposed to force carbon deposits out of your system with activated chemicals. But they can actually leave behind a residue of their own, which means they’re less “clean” than dissolvents.

FAQs

You've got questions. The Drive has answers.

Q: How do I know if I need fuel injector cleaner?

A: There are a few tangible signs that you might need to use a fuel injector cleaner. If you’re experiencing rough idling or rough starts, your injectors could be dirty or clogged. If you’ve noticed your fuel economy has decreased, or your acceleration is less powerful than it was previously, these are also key signs that your vehicle could benefit from the use of a fuel injector cleaner. Adding the cleaner into your tank could help smooth out or resolve these issues.

Q: Will using fuel injector cleaner increase my car’s gas mileage?

A: Yes, fuel injector cleaners are made to get rid of the excess build up of impurities that are found throughout your fuel system. Clearing this debris will allow the engine to work more efficiently and reduce fuel consumption. 

Q: If I previously used another fuel cleaner, will it hurt my engine to switch to a different brand?

A: Not at all. As long as you follow the suggested amount and frequency, using different types of cleaners won’t have any adverse reaction.

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