What's your favorite snake oil? - F-Body Road Racing and Autocross Forums

I'm mostly kidding but here's why I ask. My dad noticed his 335d was a little sluggish. He put some Lucas fuel injector cleaner in it and it made a noticeable difference. My E36 M3 has 210,000 miles on it and for a while now it ran like crap until fully warmed up. It would drop a cylinder or something, but since it ran like a champ when at operating temp, it didn't bother me very much. Anyway, after only 40 miles with Lucas in the tank, it doesn't do it anymore. Same with my boat and even my 7.3 Powerstroke is running better.

So my 97 SS has a junkyard LT1 in it. It only has 116,000 miles on it but it's been sitting for years. I recently got the car on the road. It has great oil pressure, doesn't smoke, but runs very rough. The fuel injector cleaner is helping but I think there's a compression problem. Is there anything on the shelves that can help with that? I know there are products that say they can, but anything that actually works like the fuel injector cleaner? My goals for this engine is to do a few track days with it and sometime next year swap an LS1 into it. I just need to get by for about a year or so. I only paid $380 for engine so I'm not too worried about it.

Steve91T View Member Profile	Dec 21 2015, 04:32 PM Post #1
Experienced Member Group: Advanced Members Posts: 2,038 Joined: 3-March 10 From: Huntersville, NC Member No.: 9,105	I'm mostly kidding but here's why I ask. My dad noticed his 335d was a little sluggish. He put some Lucas fuel injector cleaner in it and it made a noticeable difference. My E36 M3 has 210,000 miles on it and for a while now it ran like crap until fully warmed up. It would drop a cylinder or something, but since it ran like a champ when at operating temp, it didn't bother me very much. Anyway, after only 40 miles with Lucas in the tank, it doesn't do it anymore. Same with my boat and even my 7.3 Powerstroke is running better. So my 97 SS has a junkyard LT1 in it. It only has 116,000 miles on it but it's been sitting for years. I recently got the car on the road. It has great oil pressure, doesn't smoke, but runs very rough. The fuel injector cleaner is helping but I think there's a compression problem. Is there anything on the shelves that can help with that? I know there are products that say they can, but anything that actually works like the fuel injector cleaner? My goals for this engine is to do a few track days with it and sometime next year swap an LS1 into it. I just need to get by for about a year or so. I only paid $380 for engine so I'm not too worried about it.

BryanL View Member Profile	Dec 23 2015, 03:40 PM Post #2
Member Group: Advanced Members Posts: 217 Joined: 6-March 07 Member No.: 1,710	Don't know if there is a good aftermarket fix. I just remember reading on a forum about the repair costing some guy $9k and people were trying different ways to come up with blocking/deleting the egr/dpf and keeping it from going into limp mode. I have seen the tune but it's just a piggyback system I think on the fuel rail or somewhere in the engine compartment so not a real tune but just ups the pressure or boost maybe. I have never driven one but if I end up moving and have more of a commute then I think this would be the best setup.