techron data point (1 Viewer)

[semlin]

well 3 tanks of techron concentrate each spaced with one regular tank of chevron, and then 3 complete regular tanks after that and I have an interesting development. What I have now is a markedly smooth engine noise under acceleration and a really noticably stronger pull when i gun it. The truck has never had this power before in the 2.5 years I have owned it and it did not have a particularly rough idle before I did this. I am going to run one more tank of techron because I have some and then some redline, but I thought I would report this to encourage others. I guess either the techron has done a real job on the injectors or it has cleaned up cylinder deposits enough to stop the knock sensor from backing off the timing.

one question about timing is whether retarded timing prescribed by the knock sensor is learned behaviour by the ECU so that you have to reset it before it will try normal timing again. For unrelated reasons, I did fully disconnect the battery for a while midway through this experiment.

If the old behaviour comes back then the injectors are coming off and that may happen anyway. I now have something to shoot for. If I can get the truck to run like this all the time I will stop looking into a turbo/supercharger .

 

[e9999]

good for you!
I ran 2 bottles of the Costco Techron already, and I didn't notice any difference...
Of course, mine might have been cleaner than yours when you started.

edit: I mean Techron Injector Cleaner. This is what we're talking about, right?

 

[MaddBaggins]

I changed my oil about 6 weeks ago then I ran 3 courses of the Techron treatment while using Chevron gas at the same time. After I ran down the last treatment tank I waited a week then changed the oil again. The oil came out pretty dirty. I have checked my oil many times between changes and it never looks like that. My conclusion is that the treatments definetly cleaned up in there a little bit. She also runs a bit smother with less noise.
I'm a believer and will continue to use it regullarly.

 

[e9999]

I can readily believe that the gas additives would clean the injectors, but clean the cylinders, pistons, and valves as well seems a bit less likely. Any strong evidence of that?

 

[MaddBaggins]

My thinking was that what ever crud didn't get burned up has to end up somewhere. I'm not a genuis about the inner workings of a motor, thats just my thought process on it. Am I way off base in thinking that? Where would the crud end up?

 

[Silicon 70]

This even worked for my FJ80. Techron gets an A+ in my book.

 

[e9999]

I'll stick in a couple more bottles of this Techron Inj Cleaner and see what goes...

 

[Silicon 70]

Before techron my rig would just consume gas like mutha****er and there was this rough idle to it.
After just 2 treatments, acceleration improved, rough idling vanished, gas mileage improved and chicks really dig it. OK maybe not the last part. The point is Pure Techron really works.

 

[e9999]

Before techron my rig would just consume gas like mutha****er and there was this rough idle to it.
After just 2 treatments, acceleration improved, rough idling vanished, gas mileage improved and chicks really dig it. OK maybe not the last part. The point is Pure Techron really works.

try some as aftershave, you may even get the last one to come true!

 

[Rookie2]

one question about timing is whether retarded timing prescribed by the knock sensor is learned behaviour by the ECU so that you have to reset it before it will try normal timing again.

I don't think you have to reset it, but it's a good question. Maybe somebody in the know will reply. This is like a total RT question. He's probably digging through his assortment of manuals as we speak .

 

[hobbes]

I just got finished using two bottles of the concentrate in back to back tanks. The truck ran better, both in acceleration and fuel mileage (though two tanks is too short a data point from a mileage consideration) when the concentrate was in the tank. I've now run two tanks without the concentrate and my truck is back to the way it was (light throttle knock on 87 octane) prior to adding the concentrate with no noticable improvements. In short the truck ran better with it in, the same when it was gone. I haven't bothered to reset the ECU since I can hear the same light throttle knock as before. I'm going to up the octane in the next tank to see what difference that makes (I'm guess the same as the concentrate).

 

[e9999]

Come to think of it, there are apparently 5 types of Techron additives around. So maybe we are talking about apples and oranges here?

seems like there is
- the concentrate
- 4 types of Pro-Gard

per FAQ, in decreasing concentration/potency we have

concentrate
PG clean up
PG fuel injector plus intake valve cleaner
PG fuel injector cleaner
PG gas treatment

the Costco one is I think the FI cleaner so next to weakest maybe. Dang!

 

[hobbes]

I used a bottle labeled Techron Concentrate for $9. It said it treated 20 gallons.

 

[RavenTai]

I don't think you have to reset it, but it's a good question. Maybe somebody in the know will reply. This is like a total RT question. He's probably digging through his assortment of manuals as we speak .

LOL

DTC P0325 Knock Sensor 1 Circuit Malfunction
DTC P0330 Knock Sensor 2 Circuit Malfunction
CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION
Knock sensors are fitted one each to the front and rear of the left side of the cylinder block to detect engine
knocking. This sensor contains a piezoelectric element which generates a voltage when it becomes deformed,
which occurs when the cylinder block vibrates due to knocking. If engine knocking occurs, ignition
timing is retarded to suppress it.

Not much else in the 80 FSM that I can find. but in the training manual (not 80 specific does call or when something applies to the 1FZ-FE or not so it of the right era) it describes knock retardation as a loop,

Engine Control Systems I - Course L852

When engine knocking occurs, the knock sensor converts the vibration
from the knocking into a voltage signal that is detected by the ECM.
According to its programming, the ECM retards the timing in fixed steps
until the knock disappears. When the knocking stops, the ECM stops
retarding the ignition timing and begins to advance the timing in fixed
steps. If the ignition timing continues to advance and knocking occurs,
ignition timing is again retarded.


The ECM is able to determine which cylinder is knocking by when the knock
signal is received. The ECM knows the cylinder that is in the power stroke mode
based on the NE and G signals. This allows the ECM to filter any false signals.
Some mechanical problems can duplicate engine knocking. An excessively worn
connecting rod bearing or a large cylinder ridge will produce a vibration at the
same frequency as engine knocking. The ECM in turn will retard the timing.

So as soon as the knock goes away so does the retardation, there does not appear to be any recording of knock for future preemptive retardation.