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Does premium gasoline really clean the TBI? Expert explains the real effect on the engine and what actually causes dirt in the throttle body

Written by Bruno Teles
Published 09/05/2025 às 16:43
Does additive gasoline CLEAN your car's TBI? We've debunked the MYTH! See how it really works and if it removes sludge from the engine. Check it out
Does additive gasoline CLEAN your car's TBI? We've debunked the MYTH! See how it really works and if it removes sludge from the engine. Check it out

Many drivers wonder if the added gasoline has the power to clean the car's TBI. Understand how it actually works in the injection system and its true impact on cleaning engine components.

The question is common: does gasoline with additives help clean the engine's TBI (Throttle Body)? The short and direct answer is: no, it does not clean the TBI directly. However, its use brings important benefits to the vehicle's entire fuel system, helping to maintain cleanliness indirectly.

See how added gasoline works, where it actually exerts its cleansing power and what its role is in the health of TBI and other essential components of the your car engine.

The cleaning action of additive gasoline: where does it actually work in the engine?

A added gasoline It has detergents and dispersants that act to clean the system through which it passes. Its cleaning effect occurs throughout the fuel line., starting with the tank, passing through the distributor tube (where the injector nozzles are attached) and reaching the injector nozzles themselves.

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In cars with an indirect injection system, the injectors are located in the intake manifold or in the cylinder head. Thus, the added gasoline acts by cleaning these nozzles and, consequently, influences the cleaning inside the combustion chamber. In vehicles with direct injection, the cleaning action of the added gasoline occurs directly in the combustion chamber, as the fuel is injected there. In none of these cases does the fuel pass directly through the TBI. to perform an active cleaning on it.

Additive gasoline and TBI: an indirect but positive effect on cleaning

Although the added gasoline Do not clean the Butterfly Body directly, it helps to keep it clean for longer. This is because, by promoting a more efficient and cleaner burn, the gases that can return from the engine to the intake system (and which are responsible for dirtying the TBI) become less harmful.

Consequently, regular use of a good added gasoline helps reduce the accumulation of dirt in the TBI, but it is important to emphasize: It helps to keep it clean, not to clean a TBI that is already dirty..

general benefits

Use a added gasoline quality results in a more efficient combustion of the air/fuel mixture. This process is essential for help keep the entire intake system clean, including not only the TBI indirectly, but also the intake manifold, the cylinder head intake ducts and the combustion chamber itself.

As a result, there is a less prone to the formation of carbon deposits (carbonization) in the engine, which contributes to smoother and more efficient vehicle operation in the long term.

The real villain of dirt in TBI

YouTube video

It is crucial to understand that the main factor that leads to the accumulation of dirt and sludge in the TBI (Throttle Body) is the lubricating oil vapors from the engine. This contamination can be aggravated by several factors.

Among them, the following stand out: low quality of lubricating oil used in the vehicle or the failure to observe the correct oil change interval, as specified by the manufacturer or appropriate to the car's operating conditions. Other factors may also contribute to this problem.

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Ricardo
Ricardo
10/05/2025 10:31

I use stp additive in regular gasoline. I've never had any problems!

tarciano
tarciano
10/05/2025 15:14

I DON'T USE ADDITIVE GASOLINE, LOW MILEAGE, I HAVE NEVER FOUND ANY ADVANTAGE... I ONLY BURN REGULAR GASOLINE, WHICH WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S RULES AND REGULATIONS, ALREADY HAS 30% ALCOHOL, THE REST IS DYE AND TALK **** TO GET ****...

Carlos Thomas
Carlos Thomas
In reply to  tarciano
10/05/2025 16:40

I agree!! And if necessary, adding a quality additive separately to the car's tank may be more advantageous. Abs

Adelar Basso
Adelar Basso
In reply to  tarciano
12/05/2025 11:33

If there is really an additive in the gasoline, it is even worse. It really cleans, but in the combustion chamber it will cause more friction on the rings, because it is a degreasing detergent. **** Simple: put the oil on your fingers, rub them together, then wash your fingers with the additive and rub your fingers together again. Imagine the piston going down, cleaning the oil from the cylinder, then a super jet of additive comes and compresses it, then the piston goes up without lubricant on the cylinder walls.

Alex
Alex
In reply to  tarciano
12/05/2025 12:26

It is not a dye, the additive helps with cleaning, it does not do more km

Gabriel
Gabriel
10/05/2025 19:35

I only use premium gasoline, always an advantage.

Mark
Mark
In reply to  Gabriel
10/05/2025 21:29

Only in your pocket lol
Additive gasoline doesn't even exist in China, it's a lie, it's the same gasoline, just a dye.

José Geraldo
José Geraldo
In reply to  Mark
12/05/2025 16:12

Certainly no good additives. Just dye. Here in Brazil, no one would put expensive additives, only innocent people believe it.

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Bruno Teles

I talk about technology, innovation, oil and gas. I provide daily updates on opportunities in the Brazilian market. I have published over 5.000 articles on the websites CPG, Naval Porto Estaleiro, Mineração Brasil and Obras Construção Civil. Any suggestions for topics? Send them to brunotelesredator@gmail.com

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