How Often Should You Use Lucas Fuel Injector Cleaner? (Answered)

Vehicles have different parts that need maintenance and care for a long life span. The injector is one of those parts. With age, the injector’s performance decreases due to debris accumulation in its pinholes. You might notice funny sounds from your engine or consistent poor fuel economy. When this happens, your fuel injector might be the cause of this.

How is this problem solved? To maintain the performance of your injector, it needs to be free from impurities. Since you can’t prevent its exposure to contaminants, you need something to prevent the injector from getting clogged.

An injector cleaner from Lucas might be the correct answer to this issue.

So what is an injector cleaner?

An injector cleaner is a mixture of additives and oil that helps to keep the fuel system clean. The cleaner keeps the injector pin holes clean. Subsequently, the performance of the car improves.

Different injector cleaners are available on the market, and one of them is the Lucas fuel injector. Before purchasing a fuel injector, it is best to learn how it works and know if it suits your needs.

How often should you use Lucas fuel injector cleaner?

There is no definitive answer as to how often you should be using the Lucas fuel injector cleaner on your car. While it’s true that using it every time you fill up the tank won’t hurt the engine, most people like to use it every 1000 miles to keep the injectors clean.

If you notice signs of a clogged fuel injector, such as engine misfire, rough idling, or poor MPG, you can use the Lucas fuel injector cleaner every time you fill up the tank until the symptoms disappear.

How long does it take for Lucas fuel injector cleaner to work?

Once you pour the Lucas injector into the car, it starts working immediately. However, it might take the first hundred miles before you start noticing the effects. To ensure that your car’s fuel injector stays in good condition, you might include an injector cleaner in your fuel refills from time to time.

Does Lucas fuel injector cleaner help with engine misfire?

Yes, Lucas fuel injector helps with an engine misfire. If injectors get clogged, this can result in an engine misfire indicating that there is less fuel to air in the combustion chamber.

If you experience this, you might try the following steps:

  • Empty your tank

Once you notice the problem, empty your tank or ensure it’s almost empty. If you do not have fuel at hand, plan your next refill at the station to a near-empty tank.

  • Add the cleaner

Pour the fuel injector into the tank and fill it up. Before going to the gas station for a refill, ensure that you have purchased the injector cleaner you intend to use.

  • Use up the fuel

All that’s left is for the cleaner to do its job. To ensure a nice clean, the fuel should be used up. You could try driving at about 60 miles per hour for a while for the cleaner to work more effectively. Once the fuel is used up, you’d be left with clean fuel injectors and zero misfires.

How do you use Lucas fuel system cleaner?

Lucas injector cleaner should be added to your car based on the recommendation from the producers. The recommended use of the cleaner is about 2-3 ounces for 10 gallons of fuel. This recommendation is not restricted to just gasoline cars but diesel engines as well, as the cleaner is designed for both fuels.

Although the brand insists that going above this dose is not bad for the car, you should not go above this dosage by a large margin as excess injector cleaners might damage the tank’s lining and might pose other engine issues.

However, since Lucas fuel injector cleaner is tank friendly, some use it with each tank refill.

Different packaging of the cleaner exists on the market.

  • The 5.25 oz bottle can be used for about 25 gallons
  • The 32 oz bottle can be used for about 100 gallons
  • The 128 oz bottles can be used for about 400 gallons

Does Lucas fuel injector cleaner improve your MPG?

While this is not very easy to measure, most drivers who have used this injector cleaner reported that they noticed an increase between 5% to 10% in their MPG.

It is important to note that there are specific products developed to help with the MPG such as the Lucas High Mileage Fuel Treatment.

Below is a screenshot of a driver’s Fuelly account showing an improvement while using the product.

Should you put Lucas fuel injector cleaner in before or after gas?

It is best always to add the fuel injector cleaner before you add the fuel, as this will allow it to get mixed with the fuel by the turbulence from filling up. However, if you forget to add it before, there won’t be any issues if you add it after filling up, as the cleaner will get mixed eventually.

Pros of Lucas fuel injector cleaner

  • The cleaner is produced by a company with a good reputation.
  • It is produced in different sizes; hence consumers do not have to buy more than what they need.
  • Each bottle is marketed at an affordable price.

Cons of Lucas fuel injector cleaner

  • It might not be efficient in getting rid of any blockage.
  • Although it is tank-friendly, extreme abuse might not be favorable for your tank.

Why use a fuel system cleaner?

There are several ways a fuel injector cleaner can help your engine, but here are the main reasons why you should start using one:

  • Longer lifespan of pumps and injectors

Parts of vehicles were not manufactured to last forever because they will always be subject to the influence of age deterioration. However, the manner of use and maintenance determines how easily it is subject to age deterioration. Ensuring your pump and fuel injectors are in a clean state preserves the engine’s life.

  • Higher power and better fuel economy

If the pinholes of a fuel injector are blocked, the ECU does not manage fuel pressure into the combustion engine well, and fuel is wasted.

  • Smoother engine run and efficiency

The fuels being sold nowadays are subject to additives that harm the engine. This is, in part, a consequence of the use of ethanol to boost the octane rating. We have elaborated on how this affects the car by making it liable to deposits and how the engine runs. Using a fuel injector cleaner helps your engine run smoother.

Although it is widespread knowledge that injector cleaner keeps the injector in optimal condition, the product should not be abused as this might cause new engine issues.

Does Lucas Fuel Treatment increase octane?

There is a misconception that fuel treatments will help increase gas octane. However, this is just a myth as there different products for increasing the octane, known as octane boosters. This applies to Lucas fuel treatment as well.

If you are looking for an octane booster, you can read more about Lucas octane booster products here.

Conclusion

Lucas fuel injector cleaner is an impressive blend of additives and oil formulated to improve fuel economy and performance with reduced carbon emissions. Please note that fuel injector cleaners are an inexpensive way of preventing new clogging, but they might not be strong enough to remove any old blockage. If symptoms persist after using the injector cleaner, you should stop at a mechanic’s workshop for a better diagnosis.

The Lucas fuel injector brand has been on the market for almost thirty years now, and for the most part, the Lucas fuel injector cleaner has positive reviews. This indicates that you are unlikely to face any problems from using this fuel injector cleaner. However, wisdom is profitable if directions are heeded; hence, you should make sure that you apply it properly to avoid problems down the line.