Lucas Upper Cylinder Treatment - does it help or hurt? - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Greene Meanie · 05-09-2015, 03:00 PM

With our Cars being DI does Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant help or hurt your mpg. The reason I ask is I have been using it consistently for the last 6k miles and my MPG has gone down from 29 to 26 even 24 on hills. I am starting to wonder if this is hindering my LLT ' S MPG. Any other input or facts would be greatly appreciated.

Dimitrim · 05-09-2015, 07:40 PM

I am not a believer in "miracles" in a bottle.

fly2hip8 · 05-10-2015, 03:16 AM

snake oil comes to mind

ChrisBlair · 05-10-2015, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greene Meanie

With our Cars being DI does Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant help or hurt your mpg. The reason I ask is I have been using it consistently for the last 6k miles and my MPG has gone down from 29 to 26 even 24 on hills. I am starting to wonder if this is hindering my LLT ' S MPG. Any other input or facts would be greatly appreciated.

Nothing is truly a tune up in a bottle. That's marketing mumbo-jumbo. However various products that clean injectors etc can have a beneficial effect without being a sham. Back when you could easily buy tetraethel lead suspended in kerosene by the bottle for example, it absolutely had the desired effect on my old engines that were made to run on leaded gas.

In order to asses the effects on your car, I'd suggest reviewing the parameters of your testing. My guess is it was not controlled very much, it's simply a time/distance comparison, you've used the product for X miles over Y months. Your decreased gas mileage can have a whole lot of reasons which do not need this product in order to have taken place.

Easiest path: stop using it for the next 6K miles and see if your MPG goes back to normal.

MrChrisLS3 · 05-10-2015, 10:55 AM

My brother is a lead tech at a Cadillac dealership. He said that carbon build up on the back of the valves is pretty common for DI enignes. Remember, they are not getting cleaned by that shot of fuel in the runner.

The Lucas product, Seafoam, GM Top end cleaner, are all about the same, and do work for this application. Though, I'd probably go with the recommended GM product as it will be spec'd to go along with the rest of the systems involved.

The real secret here, however, is that this should be part of regular maintenence. Clean it before it effects performance. Possibly right before every other oil change. And follow directions, you don't want to hydrolock a cylinder.

its a syn · 05-10-2015, 11:17 AM

Might want to test your effect the throttle controller is having on your MPG. I noticed mine has been worse since installing mine. I should scale back mine but I really like it set on 9!

Dizzy82 · 05-11-2015, 06:17 PM

I would recommend the Seafoam induction treatment combined with Seafoam in the tank.

revived · 05-12-2015, 10:28 AM

I wouldn't use any treatment period, if anything physically pull your injectors and clean them out rather then throwing the stuff in the gas tank. Sadly enough carbon is very difficult to remove with solvents in gasoline.

MrChrisLS3 · 05-12-2015, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by revived

I wouldn't use any treatment period, if anything physically pull your injectors and clean them out rather then throwing the stuff in the gas tank. Sadly enough carbon is very difficult to remove with solvents in gasoline.

Agree, fuel treatment isn't the answer simply because it's not the problem. The problem is carbon build up on the back of the valves and valve stems.

revived · 05-12-2015, 01:17 PM

my bad didn't read through lol.

MrChrisLS3 · 05-13-2015, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by revived

my bad didn't read through lol.

Yeah, I guess I can't read either. lol

Didn't read that it was being used as a fuel treatment. Stop using it and see if MPG improves?

TommyTheCat · 05-13-2015, 07:06 PM

I use their fuel injection cleaner treatment in my tank about once every 10 times I fill up, I never notice a difference in MPG in my Camaro but in a diesel truck I notice a big difference. Lucas makes some good products but obviously it can only do so much. How many miles on the LLT? And do you have a catch can?

bkscott · 05-13-2015, 07:13 PM

I would also say it is the VTC. I have seen a 1.5 to 2 mpg drop. But it is so worth it. lol

Greene Meanie · 05-21-2015, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TommyTheCat

I use their fuel injection cleaner treatment in my tank about once every 10 times I fill up, I never notice a difference in MPG in my Camaro but in a diesel truck I notice a big difference. Lucas makes some good products but obviously it can only do so much. How many miles on the LLT? And do you have a catch can?

I just installed a RX can about 500 miles ago. I went one tank without cleaner but scaled back my throttle controller to 0 from 7. My MPG is comming back. Think I found my problem.

05-09-2015, 03:00 PM	#1
Greene Meanie Drives: 2011 Synergy Green 1LT CAMARO Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Arkansas Posts: 27 View My Garage	Lucas Upper Cylinder Treatment - does it help or hurt? With our Cars being DI does Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant help or hurt your mpg. The reason I ask is I have been using it consistently for the last 6k miles and my MPG has gone down from 29 to 26 even 24 on hills. I am starting to wonder if this is hindering my LLT ' S MPG. Any other input or facts would be greatly appreciated. __________________ SYNERGY GREEN 1LT JBA Shorties - AIRAIDE CAI - RX- Catch CAN- Elite Oil Seperator -FLOWMASTER AXEL BACK- VITESSE THROTTLE CONTROLLER - V-MAX ICEoLATER-Flat BACK RIMs- PLASTIC Dipped Emblems-....

05-10-2015, 11:17 AM	#6
its a syn B.O.D. 02/16/10 Drives: 2010 SGM Sp. Edition 2017 RS Conver Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Albia,Iowa Posts: 3,959 View My Garage	Might want to test your effect the throttle controller is having on your MPG. I noticed mine has been worse since installing mine. I should scale back mine but I really like it set on 9! __________________

05-11-2015, 06:17 PM	#7
Dizzy82 Drives: 2011 1LT/RS A6 RJT SuperCharged Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: 87114 Posts: 3,501 View My Garage	I would recommend the Seafoam induction treatment combined with Seafoam in the tank. __________________ Power is worthless without control. *The 2nd* protects the 1st.** BMR sub frame brace, BMR tunnel brace, LSR sways, LSR CM ca & tl, Sphon ExD el, GM tower brace, Megan EZ Streets, Goodridge Stainless Steel Braided brake lines, PowerStop D/S rotors & pads, Doug Thorty Ceramic Shorties, Magnaflow x-pipe, MRT V2.0, KICKER PowerStage sub & amp, Infinity speakers & tweeters, Viteese Throttle Controller, Viteese Paddle Shifters, ACS T2 Splitter, ACS T2 Ports/Quad LED lights, VDI kit, Havoc diffuser, IPF ECU/TRANS tuned, IPF/KPE Supercharged. 364RWHP/297RWTQ

05-12-2015, 10:28 AM	#8
revived Vrrrm. Drives: 2011 2SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: MA Posts: 1,495	I wouldn't use any treatment period, if anything physically pull your injectors and clean them out rather then throwing the stuff in the gas tank. Sadly enough carbon is very difficult to remove with solvents in gasoline. __________________

05-12-2015, 01:17 PM	#10
revived Vrrrm. Drives: 2011 2SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: MA Posts: 1,495	my bad didn't read through lol. __________________

05-09-2015, 07:40 PM	#2
Dimitrim Dimitri Drives: 68 GTO 455 Ram Air; 2014 Camaro ZL1 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Novato, California Posts: 602 View My Garage	I am not a believer in "miracles" in a bottle.

05-10-2015, 03:16 AM	#3
fly2hip8 Drives: 2013 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Kansas Posts: 342	snake oil comes to mind

05-10-2015, 10:55 AM	#5
MrChrisLS3 Drives: 2018 1SS M6 Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Houston Posts: 2,617	My brother is a lead tech at a Cadillac dealership. He said that carbon build up on the back of the valves is pretty common for DI enignes. Remember, they are not getting cleaned by that shot of fuel in the runner. The Lucas product, Seafoam, GM Top end cleaner, are all about the same, and do work for this application. Though, I'd probably go with the recommended GM product as it will be spec'd to go along with the rest of the systems involved. The real secret here, however, is that this should be part of regular maintenence. Clean it before it effects performance. Possibly right before every other oil change. And follow directions, you don't want to hydrolock a cylinder.

05-13-2015, 07:06 PM	#12
TommyTheCat SHKE BKE Drives: 2013 Camaro Join Date: May 2014 Location: SoCal Posts: 3,105	I use their fuel injection cleaner treatment in my tank about once every 10 times I fill up, I never notice a difference in MPG in my Camaro but in a diesel truck I notice a big difference. Lucas makes some good products but obviously it can only do so much. How many miles on the LLT? And do you have a catch can?

05-13-2015, 07:13 PM	#13
bkscott Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SS/RS Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Grand Prairie, Texas Posts: 1,609 View My Garage	I would also say it is the VTC. I have seen a 1.5 to 2 mpg drop. But it is so worth it. lol __________________ 94 Firebird Formula (Drowned 08/30/05) 2010 IBM 2SS/RS 6M Arrived 3/25/10. ADM CAI, Borla Type S Cat Back, VMAX Ported TB, LG Short Throw Shifter, 1LE Shocks, Hotchkis Sway Bars, Whiteline Cradle Bushing Inserts, Custom Powdercoated ZL1's ,Michelin Pilot Supersports, Stainless Power Headers, Solo J Pipes, AAC LED Sidemarkers, ZL1 Rockers, SLP Splitter, ADM Stage II Cam,ZL1 Diffuser,Vitesse Throttle Controller.