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Old 02-20-2006, 09:52 PM   #42
MNBoxster
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
Posts: 3,308
Hi,

You want to be really careful about Chronic Overuse of these products. Such Overuse can lead to Engine Damage and Premature Wear.

The Carbon, Varnish and Wax which builds up in the Engine and Injectors doesn't simply Vanish when these Cleaners are used. It is just dislodged from the surface it is attached to.

Once set free, it will often settle in the Oil, contaminating it and shortening it's (Oil) useful life. This is why it's Prudent to use it the Tank before an Oil Change, so you can drain out the contaminants along with the Oil. A certain amount of these materials actually provide some level of protection to metal surfaces inside the Engine.

While most of these products and contaminants are burned and ejected with the exhaust, not all of it is. Many of these solvents contain a surfactant quality which strips the Oil from Bearing surfaces, increasing metal-to-metal contact, especially on cold startup. You get some unburnt fuel (and consequently some of this solvent) into the cylinders on each shutdown, where it can work to strip the fine, protective, Oil layer from the Cylinder Walls.

They also tend to raise the Combustion Temperature as this is partly how they work - they literally burn off much of the contaminates. This is OK on occaision, but Unhealthy if used Regularly.

Keeping the Engine in Top Tune, regularly Changing the Oil, and using a Quality Gasoline, from a Busy Name Brand Station, will alleviate the need to use these products on anything more than a once-a-year basis. Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

Last edited by MNBoxster; 02-21-2006 at 05:52 PM.
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