This is where I know I can get the best information on the internet so,
My wife and I own a 2024 Mazda CX-5 non turbo. The car has around 45,000 miles.

With past cars I have always put a can/bottle of some sort of gas additive at every oil change.
Since this was a new car I did not bother however now that it has some mileage on it I thought it was time to start again.

We currently do oil changes at the manufacture recommendations at 7500 miles so I was thinking one gas treatment now and one gas treatment at the half way point to the next oil change.

Thanks

Here's a Reddit thread posted by a Mazda Master Technician with advice on CX-5 maintenance.

https://www.reddit.com/r/CX5/c...da_master_tech_here/

His recommendation for fuel additives specifically is as follows (in bold):

quote:

"How to maintain my CX-5 so it'll last?"

Transmission+differential+transfer case fluid every 50K miles (remember, there is no such thing as "lifetime fluid", manufacturer says there is just because of EPA and CAFE standards, so they could show that maintaining the vehicle requires less crude oil products... For them, "lifetime" means the lifetime of the warranty period)

Coolant flush every 5 years, brake fluid every 5-10 years, oil change every 5K miles at most (with none-turbo) and 3K with turbos (unless you want your engine to start burning oil early), spark plugs every 60K miles (none-turbo) and 35K turbo at most, to keep your coils healthy.

Replace your engine air filter and cabin filter every year, regardless... Your MAF sensor and blower fan will thank you for it, and the better mileage you'll get from a new engine filter will pay for itself (if you do it by yourself, which is a 3 minute job)... Do the cabin filter yourselves too. Both air and cabin filters you can go aftermarket, because you replace them frequently. Don't get high flow filters, or filters that are too restrictive.

Octane level won't matter. What matters is the additive package. If you want to have the least amount of carbon and fuel dilution in your oil, get top tier gas. It was proven to make a huge difference.

Get yourself a $5-$10 brake fluid tester on Amazon\AliExpress, and a $10 coolant gravity tester+a $15 cheap multimeter, and test your own fluids... It only takes a few seconds, and no one will scam you to replace them ahead of time. Here's how to test your coolant with a multimeter.

Walnut blasting intake valves every 70K miles... Or do the Zip tie method.

Fuel system cleaner with high PEA content (Chevron Techron, redline, or Gumout All-In-One) every 8K miles, preferably add it just before a long (100+ miles drive).

Keep your fuel tank at least 1\4 full at all times, to keep the pump cool. This will extend its useful life by a huge factor.

Clean the throttle body every 40K-50K miles. Easy DIY (see YouTube)

Using 100% synthetic (different from "full synthetic") engine oil, you don't need to track time, only mileage. Best will be Pennzoil Platinum, which is derived from natural gas and not crude oil.

In my CX-5, I do a bottle of Gumout All-In-One around every oil change. Walmart carries them for ~$8.

The best way to keep the fuel system clean is regular purchases of Top Tier Plus fuel. The series of engine tests required to earn the credential is comprehensive and technically sound.

To clean fouled injectors, with Top Tier fuel or premium from global sellers, you must drive far more than one tank in your car. Adding a top treat in one tank will help but likely will not clean the injectors.

(Yes, I used to work for a global additive creator and supplier.)

I don't use any. But if I did, it would be the oft-mentioned Techron, or BG 44K.

This "walnut shell blasting" business only applies to gasoline direct injection. I didn't have occasion to do it myself when I worked in the business, but it would need intake manifold removal and sounds like a good way to get blast media down the cylinders. And it is not for the injectors themselves, but for the intake valves getting caked with carbon. Port fuel injection doesn't do this - the fuel spray is what cleans the intake valves.

I use amsoil upper cylinder lubricant and performance improver in my wife’s car.

No complaints.

I always add a bottle of Techtron to the tank and run that tank along with the next tank through prior to changing the oil because most of the carbon deposits it cleans out end up in the oil.

Gumout all-in-1 or Tecron usually a few tanks before every oil change. (BobIsTheOilGuy says it's important to do these additives before oil change). Every 40k or so, I'll splurge for BG-44k, but that stuff is $$.

When I did research on this a couple years ago, I learned that you wanted to use PEA (Techron)

This is what google supercomputer says:
Techron relies on polyether amine (PEA), a powerful chemical detergent that cleans carbon deposits from fuel injectors, intake valves, and combustion chambers. Chevron invented PEA technology to remain thermally active under high engine temperatures, breaking down stubborn buildup without leaving behind extra residue or forming sludge in the engine oil

Thank you everyone. Since I just got the oil change yesterday I will wait until just before the next one. Until then I will try using the top tier gas.
Look like the local auto parts store sells the gumout all in one so I will try that.

Buy Shell gas, comes with an additive.

With respect to Techron vs. Redline SI-1, in reviewing the MSDS sheets for both (though they don't provide exact ingredient amounts, just a 'range' to protect trade secrets), the Redline indicates a higher absolute content of PEA and the Techron has a higher solvent content. Even shaking a bottle of Techron, this is evident.

Red Line SI-1 Complete Fuel System Cleaner has THE Highest Level of PEA (< 34.5%) of any similar product, and does an outstanding job of removing the Carbon deposits that are common in GDI (Direct Injection) Engines. In this respect, it is superior to everything else on the market!

More IS Better...Get the Redline!

https://www.amazon.com/Red-Lin...leaner/dp/B000CPI5Z0

I doubt anything will clean any significant deposits already on the valves outside of blasting them with walnut media.

It’s too expensive to do, but I would like to see an actual experiment done with two identical new vehicles with direct injection. Fill up with the same gas and one uses additives and one does not. I would guess that the one that used additives from new would be better, but over time the cost of those additives could be more than getting walnut blasting done. I would use top tier gas and forego the additives since I have never seen any good/scientific info on them doing much worthwhile.

I use nothing. In my truck it's just straight out of the pump diesel. In my old(er) gas vehicles I just run ethanol free premium. I contemplated trying to find some lead additive for those older engines that were designed for leaded gas, but I've stopped worrying about it. I'll be dead before they give out.

quote:

Originally posted by mrvmax:
I doubt anything will clean any significant deposits already on the valves outside of blasting them with walnut media.

It’s too expensive to do, but I would like to see an actual experiment done with two identical new vehicles with direct injection. Fill up with the same gas and one uses additives and one does not. I would guess that the one that used additives from new would be better, but over time the cost of those additives could be more than getting walnut blasting done. I would use top tier gas and forego the additives since I have never seen any good/scientific info on them doing much worthwhile.

Injector cleaner does not clean intake valves on a DI engine as no cleaner hits the back of the valve. It will help keep your injectors clean but so will top tie gas. If I purchased a direct injection vehicle I would buy top tier gas and walnut blast at 100k miles.

quote:

Originally posted by cruiser68:

quote:

Originally posted by mrvmax:
I doubt anything will clean any significant deposits already on the valves outside of blasting them with walnut media.

It’s too expensive to do, but I would like to see an actual experiment done with two identical new vehicles with direct injection. Fill up with the same gas and one uses additives and one does not. I would guess that the one that used additives from new would be better, but over time the cost of those additives could be more than getting walnut blasting done. I would use top tier gas and forego the additives since I have never seen any good/scientific info on them doing much worthwhile.

Injector cleaner does not clean intake valves on a DI engine as no cleaner hits the back of the valve. It will help keep your injectors clean but so will top tie gas. If I purchased a direct injection vehicle I would buy top tier gas and walnut blast at 100k miles.

True but I should have clarified some. Even on non DI engines where the cleaner touches the valves (even though I stated DI) I still think the cleaner does very close to nothing on built up carbon. Maybe if used from brand new it would help, but even that I think would be insignificant if you use quality fuel. Will it help keep injectors clean? Yes but if you use top tier that should be enough. Cannot say I ever had injector issues on any vehicle I have owned.

quote:

Originally posted by mrvmax:

quote:

Originally posted by cruiser68:

quote:

Originally posted by mrvmax:
I doubt anything will clean any significant deposits already on the valves outside of blasting them with walnut media.

It’s too expensive to do, but I would like to see an actual experiment done with two identical new vehicles with direct injection. Fill up with the same gas and one uses additives and one does not. I would guess that the one that used additives from new would be better, but over time the cost of those additives could be more than getting walnut blasting done. I would use top tier gas and forego the additives since I have never seen any good/scientific info on them doing much worthwhile.

Injector cleaner does not clean intake valves on a DI engine as no cleaner hits the back of the valve. It will help keep your injectors clean but so will top tie gas. If I purchased a direct injection vehicle I would buy top tier gas and walnut blast at 100k miles.

True but I should have clarified some. Even on non DI engines where the cleaner touches the valves (even though I stated DI) I still think the cleaner does very close to nothing on built up carbon. Maybe if used from brand new it would help, but even that I think would be insignificant if you use quality fuel. Will it help keep injectors clean? Yes but if you use top tier that should be enough. Cannot say I ever had injector issues on any vehicle I have owned.

Completely agree. Once the carbon is built up, I believe the only true solution is walnut blasting. On a non-DI engine, using top tier gas and/or injector cleaner from the beginning should work to keep the intake valves clean over the life of the engine.

FWIW, If you choose to use Techron try to find the Fuel System cleaner versus the injector cleaner. It is much more concentrated.

Ahh yes, the joys of Carbon Cleaning...

My experience on this subject is the result of an extremely thorough 'Carbon Clean' of a Audi 4.2L V8, and without question, PEA was THE Most Effective active ingredient in removing carbon from the Intake Ports/Valves. I used CRC GDI Intake Valve Cleaner (claims highest PEA content) on the Port Dividers, and in the Intake Ports after the mechanical removal of all of the big stuff, followed by abrasive blasting (w/ walnut shells) in order to clean the back side if the valve stems and low in/on the floor of the port near the valve where Walnut Blasting was not effective.

Due to 'supply chain issues' at the time, the CRC Intake Valve Cleaner was hard to find and I could only get two cans. When I realized was running low (and need to conserve the good stuff!), I bought a can of Sea-Foam, which did absolutely NOTHING on the carbon! By comparison, the CRC seemed to dissolve the 'carbon buildup' compared to the Sea-Foam, and I attribute this to the PEA.

This is a representative Intake Port after the Carbon Clean...



Here's the Engine post 'Carbon Clean' just prior to installing the Fuel Rails and Intake Manifolds...



This particular Direct Injection V8 is prone to Carbon Buildup, so I'm a True Believer in PEA!

As 'bubbatime' posted:

quote:

"...polyether amine (PEA), a powerful chemical detergent that cleans carbon deposits from fuel injectors, intake valves, and combustion chambers. Chevron invented PEA technology to remain thermally active under high engine temperatures, breaking down stubborn buildup without leaving behind extra residue or forming sludge in the engine oil."

Carbon Cleaning is a MAJOR project. On my Audi S5, you need to remove the bumper, and move the 'Lock Carrier, (a.k.a. Radiator Support) forward to gaing clearance to access (even see!) the Crankshaft Pulley, which of course, requires a special tool in order to rotate the crank/engine so you can close the valves on the cylinders you're working on (abrasive/walnut blasting, mechanically cleaning the hard to reach areas in the intake port, etc). THEN comes all that stuff that needs to come off the engine...Let's just say it's 'involved'!

I haven't used fuel injector cleaner/fuel system cleaner on ANY other vehicle in the last 25 years, and I've never had ANY fuel injector issues on multiple vehicles that went over 200K miles. That said, after completing that carbon clean project on the Audi, I'm a believer when it comes to direct injection engines. I treat my 'Fuel System' on that vehicle at the last fill-up where I'll run thru a full tank (entirely) prior to an oil change as a high PEA (Polyether Amine) content treatment such as Redline SI-1 not only cleans injectors, but has an impact on carbon buildup in the cylinder/combustion chamber as well. YMMV

quote:

I don't use any. But if I did, it would be the oft-mentioned Techron, or BG 44K.

Both are the real deal if you must, but I would just use top tier gas like others have suggested.
I've used them in used cars I bought for the first few fill-ups.

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:
With respect to Techron vs. Redline SI-1, the Redline indicates a higher absolute content of PEA and the Techron has a higher solvent content.....

Assuming the price and bottle sizes are the same then Redline would provide more PEA. I'll look into that and if so start using Redline, thanks.